OnePlus has been expanding its product range with its flagship and Nord lineups, including its audio segment. The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is a budget-friendly addition to the company's true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds, following in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the OnePlus Nord Buds. Priced at Rs 2,999, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 offers good sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), and comfortable earbuds. In this review, we will delve deeper into the design, comfort, and sound quality of these budget-friendly earbuds.
Table of Content
Design and Comfort
OnePlus has kept the design of the Nord Buds 2 the same as the
original model. The earbuds are made entirely of plastic, with a matte finish
stem and a glossy touch control disk. The silicone ear tips come in different
sizes to ensure a comfortable fit for your ears. The charging case is still
pill-shaped, but with a curvier look that makes it easier to hold and carry.
However, it's not as pocket-friendly as the oval-shaped case of the Nord Buds
CE.
The new Nord Buds 2 is lighter at 4.7 grams, making it
comfortable to wear for longer durations. The earbuds are equipped with an IP55
rating, meaning they can withstand water and dust particles. Hence, you can use
them outdoors without worrying about sweat, rain, or dust damaging them.
Active Noise Cancellation
The biggest upgrade in the Nord Buds 2 is the addition of ANC,
which is a welcome feature considering its budget-friendly price tag. The
earbuds use a combination of feedforward and feedback microphones to cancel out
external noise effectively. The ANC feature works best in low-frequency noise
environments like airplane engines, ceiling fans, and car engines. The earbuds
also feature Transparency Mode, which allows external noise to pass through to
the earbuds, so you can hear ambient sounds like announcements or traffic.
Sound Quality
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 comes with 12.4mm Titanium drivers
that prioritize bass in their sound profile. The earbuds offer prominent
thumping bass that complements most music genres. However, they strike a good
balance between bass and vocals, as well as other lighter instruments, giving a
more refined audio experience without sacrificing clarity and detail. You can
also download the HeyMelody app to tweak the EQ settings to your liking if you
prefer a different sound profile.
The earbuds excel in genres like electronic and hip-hop, where
bass is essential, but also perform surprisingly well with rock songs. However,
their narrow soundstage results in an underwhelming experience with tracks
featuring layered instruments.
Connectivity
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 supports Bluetooth 5.2, which ensures
a stable and robust wireless connection. During my testing, I didn't face any
significant issues with the earbuds' connection quality. Pairing the earbuds
with my smartphone was straightforward, and the earbuds reconnected
automatically when I took them out of the case. The earbuds also support
dual-device connectivity, allowing you to switch seamlessly between two paired
devices.
OnePlus has also included a low-latency mode in the Nord Buds
2 to improve the audio-video synchronization while streaming video content. The
low-latency mode worked well in my testing and made watching videos on my
smartphone more enjoyable.
Touch Controls
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 comes with touch controls on both
earbuds, which allows you to play/pause music, skip tracks, and control the
volume. The touch controls are intuitive and easy to use, and I didn't face any
accidental touches during my testing.
The earbuds also come with some useful gesture controls. For
instance, you can double-tap the left earbud to switch between the
noise-canceling and transparency mode, which allows you to hear your
surroundings without taking off the earbuds. You can also customize the touch
controls using the HeyMelody app to suit your preferences.
Battery Life
Battery life is an important aspect to consider when
purchasing a pair of wireless earbuds. In the case of the OnePlus Nord Buds 2,
the earbuds offer an impressive battery life, with up to 7 hours of playback
time on a single charge. Additionally, the charging case provides an additional
23 hours of battery life, allowing for a total of up to 30 hours of playback
time before needing to recharge.
During my testing, I found the battery life of the OnePlus
Nord Buds 2 to be quite impressive. I was able to use them for several days on
a single charge without needing to recharge. The earbuds also come with fast
charging capabilities, with just 10 minutes of charging providing up to 10 hours
of playback time.
It's worth noting that the battery life of the earbuds may
vary depending on usage and the volume level at which they are being used.
However, even with moderate usage, the battery life of the OnePlus Nord Buds 2
is more than enough for most users.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Good sound quality for its price
- Lightweight and comfortable design
- Impressive ANC
Cons:
- Case design could be better
- Narrow soundstage
- Average call quality
Conclusion
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is an excellent budget-friendly option
for those looking for good sound quality and active noise cancellation. The
earbuds are comfortable to wear for extended durations and come with an IP55
rating for water and dust resistance. The ANC feature is a welcome addition,
canceling out external noise effectively. The sound quality is impressive for
its price range, with prominent bass and a good balance with vocals and other
lighter instruments. Overall, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is a no-brainer for those
seeking budget-friendly earbuds with ANC.
Full Specification for OnePlus Nord Buds 2:
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation):
- Up to 25dB of active noise cancellation
- Cancels unwanted surrounding noise
Enhanced Sound Experience:
- 12.4mm driver unit, the biggest driver unit for in-ear earbuds in the industry
- Crisp clear and enhanced bass quality sound experience
BassWave Technology:
- BassWave bass enhancement algorithm for deep and broad bass with fidelity
- Dynamic offsetting of low-frequency responses
Master Equalizers:
- 3 unique audio profiles: Balance, Vocal, and Transparent
- Sound master equalizer for customized sound
Battery Life:
- Up to 36 hours of non-stop music on a single charge
- Flagship-level battery life
App Compatibility:
- Update your Wireless Earphones (OOS 12 or later), OnePlus Buds (OOS 11), or HeyMelody (non-OnePlus devices) app to the latest version using your local app store.
