Last year, more than300 million truly wireless earbuds (TWS)were shipped worldwide.
While Apple is the leading company in the sector with its AirPods, they cost more than $150.
This is the segment OnePlus wants to dominate with its sub-$40 Nord Buds.
Heres what you get for not very much money.
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The OnePlus Nord Buds are housed in a pill-shaped case.
However, the case is large and creates a bulge in your pocket.
And its uncomfortable if youre carrying your phone or wallet in the same pocket.
The buds themselves are compact and light (4.82 grams each).
I found them really comfortable and they fit my ear perfectly.
They didnt fall off when I shook my head or exercised while wearing them.
The Nord Buds have ditched the standard AirPods-like design for a stem that resembles an ice cream stick.
Both buds have circular touch buttons with a metallic finish for controlling playback on your phone.
It also offers support for Dolby Atmos and fast pairing, but only if you have a OnePlus unit.
So, whats it like using the OnePlus Nord Buds?
The short answer is that this is a good value-for-money pair.
They could be your backup wireless buds, or a nifty gift on a budget.
The buds have a 12.4mm dynamic driver for sound reproduction, and sound… surprisingly good for the price.
But the Nord Buds, exceed that expectation with serviceable output.
Sure, they still have a U/V shaped sound curve with accentuated bass and treble like many budget buds.
So theyre mostly good for pop or hip-hop.
But thats not what its designed for.
Youll get by just fine listeningto podcasts while walking or sitting in a cafe.
Youll be fine listening to automatically generated playlists of popular songs on the go.
Just dont expect to lose yourself in the sonic mastery of the worlds most meticulously mastered records.
Another great feature of this pair is the battery life.
In my ten days of usage, I havent had to plug in the case.
Thats nice to see at this price point.
Whos it for?
In India,the OnePlus NordBuds cost Rs.2,799 (~$36).
If youve lost a few costly buds, this is a guilt-free pair.
Either way, youre getting one ofthe best TWSfor less than $40.
That’s one heck of a mixed bag.
He likes to say “Bleh.
That’s one heck of a mixed bag.
He likes to say “Bleh.”
