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Stuff.tv
14 hours ago
- Stuff.tv
The OnePlus Buds 4 get noise cancelling right, but otherwise struggled to stand out for me
Stuff Verdict Lots of features for the money make the OnePlus Buds 4 capable all-rounder earbuds, but there are plenty of rivals to pick from if you demand the best battery life or sound quality above all else. Pros Lightweight with a comfortable fit Very capable noise cancelling for the cash Energetic, bass-forward sound Cons Battery life is only OK when using ANC or a high quality codec Wireless charging doesn't make the cut Squiffy touch controls Introduction They might not carry the Nord name, but seeing how OnePlus' latest wireless earbuds launched alongside two new affordable smartphones, there are no prizes for guessing where the firm is pitching them price-wise. The OnePlus Buds 4 officially launched at $130/£119 – and are routinely found for under three figures with a coupon or discount code – yet they aren't short on features. Adaptive noise cancelling, spatial sound and high resolution Bluetooth all make the grade, meaning these are most of what made the Buds Pro 3 a five star product, for a lot less cash. What's not to like? Possibly the tough competition from equally affordable in-ear rivals, including the Cambridge Melomania A100 and Nothing Ear. After a few weeks of listening, though, I'm confident these earphones deserve your attention – particularly if you're after ANC on the cheap. How we test headphones Every pair of earphones and headphones reviewed on Stuff is used for a minimum of a week's worth of daily listening. We use a playlist of test tracks made up of multiple genres to assess sound, and use our years of experience to compare to other models. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: back to basics Unless you go for the Zen Green colour scheme, these stem-style earbuds don't exactly stand out from the crowd. My Storm Grey sample looks almost anonymous, with no visible branding and a matte finish. The metal charging pins at the base of the stem and the indented touch surfaces are the closest they get to having a personality. On the other hand, why mess with a shape that clearly works? The bulbous buds fit comfortably in my ears, the rubber ear tips keeping them largely locked into place (unless I took off at a sprint). Or rather they did once I'd found the right sized ear tip – OnePlus puts three sets in the box. There are better choices if you're after a pair of earphones for exercise, even though these come IP55 rated against rain and sweat. These are also seriously light earbuds. The mainly plastic build almost certainly helps them tip the scales at a mere 4.7g each. I had no issues wearing these for long listening sessions, unlike some of the bulkier buds I've tested recently; the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are only a few grams heavier each, but I definitely noticed a difference in comfort. The pebble-shaped case is a little more distinctive, looking a lot like the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 just without the vegan leather finish. I've definitely seen smaller cases, but this one still sits in a pocket comfortably enough. The flip-top lid snaps shut like a bear trap, and the design makes it impossible to stash the buds the wrong way around. Features & battery: tap to it Slide controls expand the OnePlus Buds 4's selection of on-ear controls to include volume, as well as skipping tracks with a double-tap and toggling ANC modes with a touch-and-hold. Single tap controls were disabled by default on my review unit; you can set it to play or pause your tunes through the companion app, but once I did it struggled to tell the difference between a tap and a swipe. It's frustrating, and meant I largely reached for my phone to make changes instead of my ear. I can't say call quality stood out to me, being about the same as other sub-£100 earphones I've tried – and picking up the same amount of wind noise. LHDC Bluetooth is a welcome inclusion, though. It's a shame there's no optX or LDAC, which are more widely used, but if your device supports it these buds will handle 24-bit playback. The only downside is that battery life drains that bit faster. OK, thirty minutes less listening time might not seem like a big deal, but it's not like these are particularly long-lasting buds anyway. With ANC enabled on an LDHX connection, I saw a little over five hours of playback from the buds; this was more like six with AAC or SBC Bluetooth. Noise cancelling is a much bigger battery hog, as with it switched off I was nearing ten hours – but there were so few situations when I'd want to listen without ANC that this was largely irrelevant. They are better than the Nothing Ear, but not by a lot. There are longer-lasting buds out there if you want to go longer between top-ups. I do like how quick the buds are to refuel once inside the case, though. Ten minutes is usually enough for another few hours of listening. There's also no wireless charging here. This used to be the exclusive domain of high-end earbuds, but is more common on affordable models now, so it's a shame to miss out. Interface: check out my melody Got a OnePlus phone or tablet? There's no need to download anything; you can tweak the Buds 4's numerous features directly through the Android settings screen. Everyone else will need to download HeyMelody, which has been pulling double duty for OnePlus and Oppo earbuds for a few years now. Either way it's easy enough to find your way around the UI, with noise cancellation and equaliser presets within easy reach just below the battery percentages. With no Dynaudio branding to be seen it seems OnePlus has handled the tuning in-house. You don't get as many EQ presets here as you do with the Buds 3 Pro, and they're so subtly different I didn't feel the need to use anything but the default. Serenade puts vocals ever-so-slightly more forward in the mix, while Bass makes the low-end boomier – and not always in a good way. There's a six-band custom EQ if you think you can do better. I preferred the Golden Sound listening test, which takes two minutes to check which frequencies you have trouble hearing. My right ear isn't as good as the left when it comes to high frequencies, but the app let me adjust a few sliders to get a more balanced sound. The 3D Audio feature does expand the soundstage quite well, but boosts the volume in the process. I had to listen at a lower level than with the setting switched off, otherwise the higher frequencies started to sound a bit crashy and shrill. For the most part I left it disabled, as I prefer stereo sound as the artist intended, but some tracks really did benefit from the surround effect. Further into the settings menus you'll find options for dual device connection, a Find My Earbuds mode that plays high-pitched beeps until you locate a misplaced bud, and in-ear detection for automatically pausing playback when you remove a bud. These can be hit-or-miss on cheaper earphones, but it worked as intended here, not stopping my music when I was simply adjusting the fit. Sound quality and noise cancelling: a cut above The OnePlus Buds 4 are a strong reminder that you don't have to spend big bucks to get capable noise cancellation any more. They've three levels of regular ANC (plus an automatic mode which switches between them on the fly based on background noise), and a transparency mode, which lets in a decent amount of ambient chatter without being overwhelming. The adaptive setting can toggle between ANC and transparency, letting sudden loud sounds through. It's pretty useful in train stations and the like, where being able to hear tannoy announcements is a sensible move. You can just about make out a background hiss on spoken word audiobooks, but it's not really noticeable when listening to music. The highest level of cancellation doesn't drag sound quality down at all, and the way it muted passing traffic, wind noise and low-frequency train rumbles was great. You'd have to spend considerably more if you wanted even more effective ANC. I can't grumble about sound quality, either. The 11mm woofer and 6mm tweeter inside each bud (an arrangement that matches the Buds Pro 3) deliver the sort of energetic, V-shaped audio that's sure to please the masses, with a decent amount of low-end shove and a pretty tight high-end. Venjent's Everything is Music can throw lesser buds through a loop with its monstrous sub-bass, but there was no distortion on display here. The BassWave setting, which is enabled by default and dynamically adjusts how much low-end you're getting, can be tripped up by some tracks, so I preferred to leave it switched off for greater mid-range clarity. High-end frequencies are clean enough, though I thought the sound in general was a little narrower here than on rival earphones, at least while the spatial setting was disabled. They don't have the tonality, control, or soundstage of the best wireless earphones – but they absolutely overdeliver for the price. OnePlus Buds 4 verdict Punchy audio, great noise cancelling, high quality codecs and spatial sound – there's no question the OnePlus Buds 4 really pack it all in for the money. But if you were hoping they'd do one thing in particular better than the competition, you may be a little disappointed. There are better choices if you want the most effective ANC, the longest battery life, or the most accurate sound. Then again, those choices also tend to have weak spots, or cost a fair bit more. Sometimes frustrating touch controls aside, the Buds 4 doesn't let the side down in any major way. For a lot of people that'll make them worth a look. Stuff Says… Score: 4/5 With no shortage of features for the money, the OnePlus Buds 4 are capable all-rounder earbuds – but if you value battery life or noise cancelling ability more than spatial sound, there are lots of great value alternatives. Pros Lightweight with a comfortable fit Capable noise cancelling for the cash Energetic, bass-forward sound Cons Battery life is only OK when using ANC or a high quality codec Wireless charging doesn't make the cut Squiffy touch controls OnePlus Buds 4 technical specifications Drivers 11mm + 6mm dynamic ANC Yes Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.4 Codecs supported SBC, AAC, LHDC 5.0 Durability IP55 (buds) Battery life 5.5hrs/22hrs (LHDC, ANC on, buds/buds+case) 11hrs/45hrs (ANC off, buds/buds+case) Dimensions 31x21x4.2mm, 4.7g (buds, each) 65x52x25mm, 40g (case)
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
OnePlus Buds 4 review: Big on Noise Cancellation
Rating: 3.5/5 OnePlus Buds 4 has officially launched in India with a price tag of Rs 5,999. With the new earbuds, OnePlus continues its push in the budget-to-mid-range audio segment where it has steadily built a reputation over the years. The brand's earlier wireless earbuds, especially the OnePlus Buds 3 were seen as reliable options for those looking for good sound quality, decent battery life, and useful features — all without spending too much. In many ways, OnePlus managed to offer a balance between price and performance, making its earbuds a popular choice for users who wanted something better than the bare minimum but didn't want to spend a fortune. The Buds 4 arrives at a time when the competition in this price segment has only grown stronger. Brands like Realme, Oppo, and even Boat are offering feature-packed earbuds in the sub-Rs 6,000 category, with ANC, app support, and longer battery life becoming common. So naturally, the question arises — does the OnePlus Buds 4 do enough to stand out in 2025? With a familiar yet slightly updated design, support for active noise cancellation, and some new features, the Buds 4 tries to maintain OnePlus' usual formula. But as expectations continue to grow and users look for more value, the Buds 4 aims to deliver beyond brand recognition. Do the Buds 4 prove that they can hold their ground — not just because of the brand name, but because they deliver where it really matters. In this review, we find out. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like JAIN Online MBA – Empowering Future Leaders JAIN Online Learn More Undo Design At first glance, the OnePlus Buds 4 follows a familiar design approach, with an in-ear style and a compact charging case. The buds come in a polished, single-tone finish that looks neat without drawing too much attention. The earbuds are offered in two colour options – Zen Green and Storm Gray. We received the Zen Green model for our review and it looks good. OnePlus has opted for a stem-style design once again, something we've seen in their previous models too. At just 4.73 grams, the buds are really lightweight and sit comfortably in the ear for short to moderate durations. The in-ear design with silicone tips gives a snug, sealed fit for commuting or noisy environments. The case itself is small and pocket-friendly, with a clamshell-style lid that shuts securely. It weighs 40g and slides easily into your pockets without making it heavy. The case uses a gloss finish that does a decent job resisting smudges and fingerprint marks. There's a Type-C port at the bottom for charging and a pairing button inside. The case feels well-built overall, even though it sticks to basic materials. OnePlus Buds 4 Review: Flagship Sound & Gaming Performance Touch controls are located on the stem of each earbud, and they respond with a gentle tap. OnePlus has kept the design simple and functional, which works well if you prefer minimal distractions. While the design doesn't break new ground, it stays practical and consistent with what's worked before. Performance and battery life OnePlus Buds 4 are at their best when it comes to Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). We tested them in a noisy gym, where background music and clanging weights are usually hard to ignore. As soon as we switched on the High ANC mode, the earbuds managed to cut out nearly all of the surrounding sound. Whether it was chatter, loudspeaker announcements, or traffic noise, the Buds 4 filtered most of it out, allowing one to focus on the playlist. That said, the High ANC mode is just one of several options. You can choose from low, medium, high, and even an Auto mode that adjusts depending on your environment. There's also a Transparency mode, which is useful when you want to hear your surroundings while still listening to music. Another adaptive mode switches between ANC and Transparency automatically. These modes can be controlled through the HeyMelody app, though the app experience was frustrating. It often failed to detect the earbuds and required multiple steps to access basic settings, which affected the overall user experience. Talking about the sound performance, the Buds 4 clearly favour bass-heavy output. On tracks like 'Malang' or 'Genda Phool,' the bass kicks are prominent and deep. If you enjoy electronic or club music, you'll probably enjoy how punchy the lows feel. On the other hand, in softer songs like 'Raataan Lambiyan' or 'Kesariya,' vocals are sometimes overpowered by the bass, especially if you're not using a custom sound profile. That's where OnePlus' Golden Sound feature comes in. It creates a personalised sound profile based on a quick hearing test and ear scan. This helped balance the sound better for me, especially in songs with a mix of instruments like 'Shayad' or 'Tum Hi Ho.' Other audio features include 3D Audio (Spatial Audio) and a BassWave enhancer, which boosts low frequencies even more if you want that extra thump. Connectivity was strong throughout testing — the Bluetooth link stayed stable without any drops. Battery life is decent, but not great, especially if you're using all the advanced features. With ANC off, you can expect around 11 hours per charge, but switching ANC on drops that to about 6 hours. The charging case adds more juice, taking total playtime to around 24 hours with ANC on, and 45 hours without. In short, the OnePlus Buds 4 deliver strong ANC and solid bass performance, but battery life and app usability leave some room for improvement. Verdict Compared to its predecessor and other earbuds in the Rs 6,000 segment from rival brands, the OnePlus Buds 4 hold their ground mainly due to strong ANC and useful customisation features like Golden Sound. But if you're expecting a significant leap in all-round performance or app experience, the improvements here are more incremental than transformative. All in all, at Rs 5,999, the OnePlus Buds 4 offers solid value, particularly for users who prioritise bass-heavy audio and noise cancellation. The ANC performance is easily one of the strongest features, making them suitable for noisy environments. Add to that stable connectivity and a comfortable, lightweight design, and the OnePlus Buds 4 covers most of the core needs for daily listening.
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First Post
18-07-2025
- First Post
OnePlus Buds 4 Review: Flagship noise cancellation, midrange sound quality
Pros: Segment leading ANC and Transparency performance Punchy sound output, support for LHDC 5.0 codec Customisable sound and controls through companion app Slide controls for volume and skipping tracks Comfortable in-ear fit, IP55 dust and splash resistance Wear detection, dual-pairing support Very good battery backup, fast charging Impressive call quality Cons: Default sound feels a step down from the OnePlus Buds 3 Adaptive Noise Control does not work as intended Doesn't get enough out of the dual drivers and dual DAC Price: Rs 5,999 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rating: 4.1/5 OnePlus Buds 3 left a highly positive impression on us last year and we were looking forward to meeting its successor, the Buds 4. Unlike the Bullets Wireless Z3 neckband from the company that had a good three years to come up with a significantly better successor, the Buds 3 was always going to be a tough act to follow, and that too in just half the time. The OnePlus Buds 4 does strive to push the performance on every front. Let's see if it succeeds. The case design resembles that of the Buds Pro 3 but with a different finish OnePlus Buds 4: Design and Comfort (7.5/10) While the OnePlus Buds 3 looked like the Buds Pro 2, the Buds 4 design feels like a mix of Buds Pro 3 and Nord Buds 3. The earbuds design is a mix of Nord Buds 3 and Buds Pro 3 Nothing bad about it at all, just that the Buds 3 looked better and had a bit more character. The Zen Green colour variant is more pleasing to the eye than the Storm Gray. The entire product sports a smooth matte finish, making it free of fingerprints and smudge marks. The buds have an IP55 rating for dust and splash resistance, however, the charging case is void of any ingress protection. OnePlus Buds 4 shifts to an oval shaped case from the squarish one of the OnePlus Buds 3 The build quality is quite solid despite the buds weighing less than 5 grams each. Along with the case, OnePlus has managed to keep the weight of the product under 50 grams. The preinstalled mid-sized silicone tips worked best for me and offered decent passive noise isolation. Two more pairs of tips are included in the bundle to choose from. As always, it is very important to choose the right sized tips for best audio experience and ANC (active noise cancellation). OnePlus Buds 4 vs OnePlus Buds 3 - the buds and the case design are completely different now The case is lightweight and fairly pocketable. You get a tiny charge indicator LED at the front, a USB-C port at the bottom and a neatly camouflaged Bluetooth pairing/reset button on the side. The earbuds sit nicely into the ear canals and cause no discomfort even after wearing them for a few hours at a stretch. The fit could have been a little more snug though. On most occasions they didn't pop out even during brisk walks, but at times, I had to readjust them a bit. In addition to the standard touch controls, the slide gestures have been retained, which is great. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The case is quite pocketable and has a charge n paring status indicator LED at the front OnePlus Buds 4: Features and Specifications (9/10) Just like the Buds 3, the Buds 4 are fitted with dual dynamic drivers, with the size of the woofer going up from 10.4 mm to 11 mm, like on the Pro models. There's also a 6 mm tweeter to handle the high-end frequencies, while woofer takes care of other frequency ranges. Each earbud also has three microphones for active noise cancellation (ANC) and calling. A new addition is dual DACs, one for each driver, just like in case of the flagship OnePlus Buds Pro 3. Wear detection sensors and dual-pairing support have been retained in addition to Google Fast Pair. The OnePlus Buds 4 is Bluetooth 5.4 compliant, and supports SBC, AAC and LHDC 5.0 audio codecs. These buds can supposedly manage a higher throughput of up to 1 Mbps on LHDC at 24-bit 192 kHz sampling rate, but that can be phone dependent. In fact, if you do not have a phone that supports LHDC codec itself, you will have to make do with AAC. Support for a more popular codec like aptX HD/Adaptive or LDAC would have been better. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The latency can now go as low as 47 ms on these earbuds and there was no noticeable lag between audio and video when streaming content. ANC figures have seen an improvement too with the Buds 4 capable of reducing up to 55 dB of ambient noise across a 5,500 Hz spectrum. You also have Adaptive Noise Control that is supposed to switch between different intensities of noise cancellation as well as Transparency mode depending on the ambient noise. An AI Translate feature is also included that facilitates live translation. You also get AI translate features, choice of ANC levels and option to update the firmware There are a handful of sound tweaks, ranging from the usual sound presets - Balanced, Serenade and Bass, along with a 6-band equaliser to create your own sound profiles. Bold preset has been given a skip for some reason; just a musical chair of presets, I guess. Then you get the Golden Sound option to create an audio profile based on your hearing capability. And lastly, you can dabble around in OnePlus 3D audio for an extra immersive experience. More on the noise control modes and sound quality in a bit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There are a handful of sound and control tweaks in the companion app The top half of the earbud stems are touch enabled and the touch zone is marked with a slight indentation. The touch sensitivity is perfectly fine. You can assign various tasks like play/pause, previous/next tracks, game mode, voice assistant, ANC control etc to single tap, double tap, triple tap and touch-and-hold gestures; not all tasks can be assigned to all gestures though. The touch zones also support slide gestures. One can simply slide a finger from top to bottom or the other way to decrease or increase the volume or change tracks. It remains a highly useful addition and it continues to baffle me how this feature isn't standard on most earbuds yet. The sound and controls can be configured through Bluetooth settings on OnePlus phones released in the past half a decade. HeyMelody app lets you do the same on other phones. OnePlus Buds 4: Performance (8/10) Pairing these earphones with a phone or tablet is a standard process. The connection stayed strong for over 10 metres with a clear line of sight. The firmware was updated to the latest version 126.126.105 during the review process. The Buds 4 are quite loud and rarely did I need to go beyond 60% loudness even when outdoors. The sound is tuned differently from its predecessor. While sound is a subjective matter, we feel OnePlus played a bit too safe with the tuning and let go of the bolder tones of the Buds 3 in favour of some extra bass. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Let me dive a little deeper. The Buds 3 was one of the rare OnePlus products that wasn't too bass-heavy. Of course, there was sufficient bass but the mids had a good presence and the highs were sharp and distinct. The OnePlus Buds 4 falls back on the more massy bass-heavy default sound (on Balanced preset) that doesn't make it as unique as its predecessor. It comes at the cost of sharpness in the mids and highs. To make matters worse, the Bold preset, which is generally more balanced than Balanced, is missing here. Thankfully, one can make the Buds 4 sound a lot better using the Sound Master EQ. A few tweaks can go a long way in making the output sharper and actually more balanced. Though it still doesn't have the sparkle of the Buds 3, these buds sound pretty good for the segment with ample thump in the bass, above average midrange reproduction with clear vocals and reasonably sharp highs without any sibilance. The overall detail in sound is pretty good with a decently broad soundstage, though not very expansive. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beyond the presets and EQ, you can also create your personalised audio profile using the Golden Sound feature in the app courtesy of a listening test that determines the hearing profile based on your sensitivity to different sounds. It boosts certain frequencies to produce a sharper output. You may or may not like the results, but it is certainly worth a try. You can always disable it if you don't like the results. While the sound quality is good for the segment, we feel the output could have been tuned better to make better use of the dual drivers and even the dual DACs. Interestingly, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 has a very similar setup but sounds significantly richer and more detailed with far better frequency separation. Dynaudio has done a great job with its tuning. Of course, we are talking about a product twice its cost, but the point being similar spec-sheets don't necessarily produce similar sound. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The sound quality may be par for the course but the ANC certainly transcends the segment. The Buds 4 arguably has the best noise cancellation among all OnePlus earphones and that also includes the Buds Pro 3. And it's not just the decibel numbers we speak of but the actual real world performance. You get four ANC modes - Low, Moderate, High and Auto. Auto mode switches between the other three depending on the quantum of ambient noise. I wouldn't bother with Low as it is passable at best. Moderate mode is good enough in most cases, barring truly noisy areas like public transport, where High ANC would be the right fit. Interestingly, the High mode is also a variable ANC mode and it keeps adjusting the degree of noise suppression depending on the ambient noise, and does a great job of it. When enabled, it perfectly cuts out a lot of low frequency sounds like the whirr of a fan or even traffic noises when outdoors and even some midrange sounds. Though it cannot eliminate human voices entirely, it can noticeably reduce the background chatter in public transport. The only downside being, High ANC mode tends to build a bit of pressure in the ear canal which can be uncomfortable for some. In that case, switch to Moderate mode, which though not in the same league is still effective and better than the peak noise cancellation from most brands in this segment. The Transparency mode here is equally impressive and feels natural. When enabled, it keeps you well aware of your surroundings and you can easily have a conversation without removing the buds from your ears. A quick word on Adaptive Noise Control, a new addition to the Buds 4. It is supposed to be a highly smart option meant to automatically adjust different levels of noise cancellation and also switch to Transparency mode if it feels someone is trying to talk to you or there's an announcement that you should hear. Unfortunately, it seems to have a mind of its own and doesn't work as intended. It still has a lot to learn and probably a firmware update or two away from being smart enough. OnePlus Buds 4: Call quality (8.5/10) The call quality on the OnePlus Buds 4 is quite impressive, and not just indoors. Even when outdoors, the wind noise suppression works well and most of the low frequency to lower midrange ambient sounds were kept well in check. On a busy street, the sound of vehicles was barely audible to the person on the call. Only some nearby human chatter and high pitched sounds like horns trickled through, which none of the earbuds filter out anyway. Your voice sounds clear and natural and the Buds 4 is a very good option if you are looking for wireless earbuds to be used for a lot of calling. OnePlus Buds 4: Battery life (8.5/10) Each bud here is fitted with a 62 mAh battery, while the case packs 530 mAh. The company promises an impressive 11 hours of playback for the buds when using AAC codec at 50% loudness with ANC off and 6 hours with ANC switched on all the time. With LHDC codec, the figures drop to 9 and 5.5 hours respectively. The case provides three more recharges and the overall stated battery backup is four times the above numbers with buds and case combined. The battery status of each earbud as well as that of the charging case is visible in the companion app. I largely tested these earbuds on LHDC codec and the numbers were quite close to those claimed. With loudness between 50 to 60%, the buds lasted a shade over 5 hours with Moderate ANC switched on all the time and about 8 hours and 15 minutes with ANC off. With the case, the overall battery backup figures ranged between 20 to 33 hours depending on your use of ANC on LHDC codec. Though I did not repeat the battery tests using AAC codec, a single run did result in over 10 hours of playback without ANC, so one can safely assume that the AAC figures will be at least 90% of those claimed by OnePlus, which is quite impressive. While the battery backup of the Buds 4 sees a small improvement as compared to the Buds 3, fast charging sees a noticeable jump. A 10-minute charge can now give you close to 11 hours of play time (7 hours previously) on AAC codec with ANC off. All the above battery figures will be lower if you indulge in a lot of calling. The case has a USB-C charging port at the bottom OnePlus Buds 4: Price and verdict The OnePlus Buds 4 is priced at Rs 5,999 in India with a one year warranty. Though Rs 500 more than the Buds 3 at launch, it is still competitively priced for its performance and features. These TWS earbuds offer a punchy sound output with a handful of customisations, great ANC and Transparency, slide controls and very good battery backup and call quality, making it a solid all-round product in the segment. As for the competition, there are largely two options that the Buds 4 should worry about. Firstly, the Earfun Free Pro 3 that sells for a similar price and offers even more features than this OnePlus product like wireless charging and support for Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive codec and Snapdragon Sound. Its sound quality is marginally better too but cannot say the same about its ANC performance where the Buds 4 tops the charts by a distance. The other option is the OnePlus Buds 3 that is still available, and for a good Rs 1,400 less. It is similar to its successor in many ways except ANC, and in fact looks better and sounds sharper, making it a better value-for-money option overall. Take your pick.
India.com
18-07-2025
- India.com
4 Affordable Smartwear Smartwatches with Great Battery & Design
The latest loot of smartwatches on Amazon covers all those functions, in addition to timekeeping, monitoring health, staying connected, and enhancing daily fashion. If you need a trendy smartwatch, clear audio, or stylish fitness trackers, then you can find one in this list. We've shortlisted four top picks that suit extensive wearers, fitness enthusiasts, and fashion lovers alike. Get ready to discover your next wrist essential. OnePlus Buds 4 True Wireless Earbuds Image Source- Order Now OnePlus Buds 4 gives you the experience of immersive sound. These in-ear lightweight earbuds are noise-cancelling, but do not miss out on the clarity of the sound of crystal-clear calls and bass that lasts all day. Comfortable and easily paired, they are perfect to get you through your daily commute, workouts, or some time at home. Dual 11 mm woofer + 6 mm tweeter Excellent ANC and spatial audio 45‑hour battery (ANC off) LHDC 5.0 codec support Light & snug fit Touch input and app behavior may vary unpredictably Noise ColorFit Pro 5 Smartwatch Image Source- Order Now The Noise ColorFit Pro 5 is a perfect mixture of style and capability. It helps you stay in touch and in motion with Bluetooth calling, personal fitness tracking, and a colorful AMOLED display. A lightweight and bespoke watch face that fits each occasion, including the time at the office and in the gym. Key Features: 1.85″ AMOLED face Bluetooth calling functionality Up to 7‑day battery Smart dock and control centre Real-time widgets Battery life can reduce quickly within months, based on customer reviews Fastrack Limitless FS2+ Smart Watch Image Source- Order Now Fastrack Limitless FS2+ is functional and hip at the same time. Counts steps, sleep, and heart rates, and with a Bluetooth calling feature, you stay connected without your phone. Its confidence makes it convenient to take a quick peek at the updates, and its comfortable strap means that it will always be by your side during the day, whether at the office, workouts, or just about all other times in between. Key Features: 1.83″ HD touchscreen Bluetooth calling Heart‑rate, SpO₂, stress monitoring Vibrant outdoors visibility Affordable price Heart-rate accuracy can fall during rigorous exercises Amazfit GTS (GPS, AMOLED Smartwatch) Image Source- Order Now The Amazon GTS will include fashion and functionality in an ultra-clear AMOLED display along with built-in GPS. It monitors the heart rate, steps, and workout, and it claims to look good at the office, or even at night out. Key Features: 1.65″ AMOLED display Built-in GPS & Alexa 14-day battery life In-depth workout and health tracking Lightweight fashion design Some of the higher-level metrics need the Zepp app and periodic syncing. No matter if you need superior sound, fashion-forward health wearables, or Bluetooth calling convenience, these four smartwatches deliver it all. OnePlus Buds 4 offers audiophile-level output and ANC, while Noise ColorFit Pro 5 adds style and calling freedom. Fastrack FS2+ brings fitness tracking and clarity, and Amazfit GTS combines luxury design with detailed tracking. The models have outstanding characteristics, contemporary designs, and user-friendliness. Discover, contrast, and select from Amazon what suits your vibe, and remain connected in style, wherever you are. Disclaimer: At IDPL, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. It should not be construed as an endorsement to buy. IDPL may make a very small commission from its sale if one chooses to buy the product from any of the links in this article.
Phone Arena
17-07-2025
- Phone Arena
OnePlus Buds 4 review: bangers
OnePlus has recently released the OnePlus Buds 4 — coming soon to a market near you — and it brings small but welcome improvements to the formula. Now, if you don't follow this particular category, OnePlus Buds launches can be somewhat confusing. They release a "regular" model earlier in the year, and a "Pro" half a year later. For example, we saw OnePlus Buds 3 early in 2024, andPro towards the tailend of the same year. So, now there's OnePlus Buds 4, no Pro, and they come in for $130. They inherit some of the Pro-ness of the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro — like the larger bass driver and in-ear detection. Not a bad price, but should you jump on them right now or wait for the inevitable Pros further down the line? Well, if I was in the market for a fresh set of earbuds, these would definitely be on my radar, and I wouldn't necessarily sit around waiting for their "upgraded" version unless I was after specific premium features. But there are things to consider — design and fit, extra features and controls, and of course, sound. Huawei FreeBuds 6 specs jets of water, whereas most of the competition is protected from water splashes (IP54). OnePlus Buds 4 design The OnePlus Buds 4 are mostly an iteration on last year's design, with a slight variation on the stems — they simply stick out a bit on top, instead of ending at the bud, or "leg stem design". However, the main features that made the old OnePlus Buds 3 great to wear are still here. These fit snug and feel very light. Solid selection of audio codecs. AAC ensures they will work with an Apple iDevice, LHDC will deliver high quality audio for the Android users. Multipoint allows for up to two devices at a time. And IP55 is fairly high for earbuds — it means protection against dust andof water, whereas most of the competition is protected from water(IP54).The OnePlus Buds 4 are mostly an iteration on last year's design, with a slight variation on the stems — they simply stick out a bit on top, instead of ending at the bud, or "leg stem design". However, the main features that made the oldgreat to wear are still here. These fit snug and feel very light. Some ears may have a problem with that — the bud itself does press against the inside of my ear to ensure a secure fit, which is great. But it also hurts a bit when I wear them for a while and suddenly smile. Thankfully, I only smile once a week. But to the point, these will not fall easily from picky ears, but may feel fatiguing. There are two extra tip sizes in the box, but I found the default medium ones to be just fine. You can use a tip insulation test within the app if you need to be sure you are getting the best possible sound. Oh, the app is called HeyMelody, don't look for "OnePlus Buds app". The stems offer touch controls via these elongated flat pads that are quite discrete, but you do feel them with your fingers. You can customize the actions for a single, double-, and triple-tap for each earbud. Tap and hold is ANC on / Transparency on by default. Swiping up and down controls volume. The location of the touchpad and the shape of the leg stems feel pretty good and I haven't gotten many accidental touches, like I have on Samsung Galaxy Buds or Google Pixel Buds. And that's great. Receive the latest mobile news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy What's not great is that the touch controls are kind of slow to respond. Especially when toggling ANC. You press and you hold, you hear one beep (confirmation that gesture was accepted), then you wait a beat more to hear another beep that lets you know ANC has been toggled. But OK, that's fine, and I can live with it if the sound of these is good. OnePlus Buds 4 sound quality And, good news here, the sound of these is good. They seem to have inherited the drivers of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 — an 11 mm woofer and 6 mm tweeter, both with their own DAC. I typically don't like bassy earphones that muddy up the picture. Well, the OnePlus Buds 4 are bassy, yet they feel punchy and clear. They are quite fun to listen to and I do not mind the bass at all. By default, their BassWave feature is on and set to a balanced 0 (or, you can view that as 5, because the slider goes from -5 to +5). It's fun and energetic and gives you a nice, pleasing thump. However, the lower mids are very well sculpted to make sure there's no rumble or cardboard kicking sounds. The custom EQ of the app is a bit limited, but good enough for quick tune-ups to taste. In general, I've no complaints with the sound — in fact, I like it and would recommend those. And yes, the do have Active Noise Cancelation. OnePlus Buds 4 Active Noise Cancelation OnePlus promises up to -55 dB of noise reduction — that's an upgrade from the -49 dB ANC of the OnePlus Buds 3 . Do I feel an actual difference? Mostly not. Of course, these only reduce sounds up to specific frequencies, so chirps, squeeks, clicks and clacks will still somewhat come through if you aren't listening to music. Play a track at low volume and the outside world is basically drowned out. The transparency mode also sounds quite good. It's not real-life crisp, but it's plenty clear with good stereo positioning of the sounds. OnePlus Buds 4 connectivity No issue to connect and pair to pretty much any Android device that has the Google framework on it. Google Fast Pair recognizes them as soon as I open the lid. For any other devices, pressing and holding the side button, and scanning for the Buds 4 in Bluetooth settings works as expected. Recommended Stories Multipoint allows you to stay connected to your laptop and phone, or tablet and phone. New sound sources get prioritized and the earbuds auto-switch. For example — if you are watching a YouTube video on the computer and then your phone rings. OnePlus Buds 4 battery life Depending on whether you choose AAC or LHDC codec, you will get slightly different results from the OnePlus Buds 4. LHDC is a bit of a bigger drain but depending on your device, may sound a little better than AAC. In general, the numbers are not a gamechanger, but they ensure that you will be fine with those buds as long as you remember to charge them every couple of days or so. OnePlus Buds vs Buds Pro — what is the difference? As mentioned at the start, OnePlus launches a non-Pro model and follows it up with a Pro about 6 months later. So, what are the differences, and should you wait? One, the Pro models have better controls — typically more responsive and accurate squeeze controls. Secondly, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 came with a slightly bigger bass driver — 11 mm over the 10.4 mm in the non-Pro model. If you've been following the numbers, it looks like the new OnePlus Buds 4 inherited that bigger driver, so maybe the next Pros will have another upgrade? Third, the Pro buds get tuning in partnership with Dynaudio for a more spacious, present sound. And the Pro model does get slightly more premium finishes — duo-tone paintjobs as well as a faux-leather covering on the case was what we got last time. On launch, the Pro models cost about $50 more than the regular ones. Right now, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 have gotten a discount down to $150 — barely $20 more than the current OnePlus Buds 4. To be fair, I can't say that one of these models sound worse than the other. They are slightly different. The OnePlus Buds 4 seems to have benefitted from the generational upgrade and sounds fantastic. The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 comes with that Dynaudio tuning, and do deliver more details in the mids, but it's not leaps and bounds better. The stem-pinch controls are appreciated, though. OnePlus Buds 4, should you buy them? The OnePlus Buds 4 offer pretty good quality at a very fair MSRP of $129.99. The only considerations you should have is their design — do you like the leg stems and the limited choice of colors? Also, the touch controls are not a favorite of many people, myself included, and the touch response on these is a bit laggy. That aside, I am very happy with their sound, and they are going in my list of recommendations. And, if you are curious, that list currently also includes the Nothing Ear (my favorites are the old Ear (2), but the 3rd gen has a more balanced sound), and the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Of course, Google's earbuds will set you back an extra $100, so if we are comparing by budget — the Nothing Ear is a very decent alternative. They offer an AirPods Pro-like design, with transparent stems and the better squeeze controls. OnePlus Buds 4 Dual drivers, -55 dB ANC, strong but tight bass, touch controls Buy at Amazon Nothing Ear 3rd gen buds Single 11" driver with bass boost, -45 dB ANC, balanced, slightly scooped sound, advanced EQ in app, squeeze and swipe controls Buy at Amazon Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 11 mm driver, -30 dB ANC, very clear sound with no irritating frequencies, responsive touch controls Buy at Amazon Each one of these buds have their own sound signature. I'd say the Pixel Buds Pro 2 sound the most "polite" — their tuning plays it safe and doesn't have any shouty, grating, or mushy frequencies. For that, they lack a bit of character, but they will always sound balanced. The Nothing Ear offer a very nice, sizzly presence and a soft bottom end with a bit of a mid scoop for a perception of "clarity". The OnePlus Buds 4's top end sounds a pinch more pronounced, icier maybe, but their bass is a satisfying, focused rumble with a lot of energy behind it.
