OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3 review: Value-for-money neckband earphones

Bullets Wireless Z3 is a perfect entertainment companion for travelling and workouts at the gym. And, most importantly, it excels in battery life.

OnePlus on Tuesday (June 24) rolled out the Bullets Wireless Z3 earphones for Rs 1,699 in India.

With the new Bullets Wireless Z3, OnePlus wants to disrupt the highly competitive budget earphone segment. Does it deliver?

I have been using the new earphones for close to a week, and here are my thoughts on the Bullets Wireless Z3.

Design and build quality

The new Bullets Wireless Z3 retains the ergonomic neckband design language of the predecessor.

For me, the pre-fixed eartips of the buds fit perfectly to my ears, and the neckband with two nodes sat comfortably on the shoulders. It weighs just 26g, which barely registers any weight around the neck.

The company also offers two more eartips - Large and small, so that users can opt for whichever they feel fits their ear size.

The new OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3 comes in two colours-- mambo midnight (black) and samba sunset (orange). The latter is said to be most visually appealing among the two.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3.

It features IP55-rated dust and water resistance and a skin-friendly silicone finish. The silicone neckband is made of superior quality, and I did not face any discomfort during the entire review period.

User interface

The earphones come with magnetic earbuds for quick auto-connect and power-off functionality. Additionally, the company has incorporated a volume controller (+ & -), pause/resume and a type-C port in one of the nodes. It is easy for the hands to reach to control the audio output.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3.

It supports Google Fast Pair technology and Bluetooth 5.4. It manages to deliver a stable wireless connection with companion devices such as phones, computers and tablets. It can support stable wireless connectivity up to the range of 10 metres (32.

Inside each earbud, the company has placed a 12.4mm dynamic bass driver.

The neckband earphones deliver a good in terms of immersive audio quality experience with clear low and high ranges. It also ensures a balanced sound profile across genres—from Carnatic, hip-hop, blues and rock to podcasts, TV series and movies.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3.

It boasts the BassWave algorithm, which can intelligently boost low-end performance for rich, punchy bass that doesn’t overpower vocals.

It also supports 3D Spatial Audio, which can transform stereo sound into a lifelike, 360-degree listening experience.

Unlike the Z2 series with Active Noise Cancellation, the new model, OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3, is equipped with a hybrid AI Call Noise Cancellation technology. It is powered by advanced AI algorithms and ENC technology (Environmental Noise Cancellation) that separates voice from ambient noise in real time. From traffic noise to windy streets and even background chatter, so you can speak and be heard with clarity on the other side of the call.

However, in reality, it is kind of hit and miss while answering calls while commuting on a bus with a lot of chatter behind and annoying horn sounds on the road.

But, indoors, while attending the virtual meeting in the office, the earphones manage to cut the chatter noise and ensure audio from the other side of the call is heard clearly.

The microphones do their job well. They pick up the voice of the user accurately and are heard clearly. Outdoors, again, it is hit and miss. I had to be a little louder to get the message across the line.

That said, Bullets Wireless Z3 is the best among the rival brands under the Rs 4,000 price bracket.

While listening to music, silicone tips of earbuds are good enough to seal the ear from outside noise slipping inside and deliver a good listening experience while travelling on the bus.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3.

Even with heavy traffic, it manages to control horn noise to a good extent.

Battery life

Like its lengthy name, the device delivers good on long battery life. It has total capacity of 220mAh cell and was able to last a whole work week (five days) without any recharging. With a full charge, it can deliver up to 36 hours of audio playback and phone calls.

It also supports fast charging. With just 10 minutes of charging, it can deliver up to 27 hours of playback.

Final thoughts

The latest OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z3 series is a reliable pair of earphones.

It delivers good on audio output; a perfect entertainment companion for travelling and workouts at the gym. And, most importantly it excels in battery life.

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