OnePlus Buds Pro 2 review is here! Yes, you have been waiting for this and here finally we have brought a detailed review of the same and we will discuss why OnePlus is back in its real sense. Already it has launched the OnePlus 11 5G and OnePlus 11R, this Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds is kind of overshadowed but it deserves its praise.
I got to try out the TWS earbuds for over a week now and can say this is better than some of the JBL or Sony’s and even comparable to AirPods Pro. Priced at ₹11,999, there’s only an Rs.2k price increase from its predecessor, but, with the new Spatial Audio feature, we feel it’s worth paying so.
OnePlus also launched the Buds Pro 2R at ₹9,999 but we will ask users to spend that extra money on this because it’s worth paying for the Spatial Audio feature! Now, is it worth going for the new Buds Pro 2 over the AirPods (3rd Generation)? Let’s find out in our detailed OnePlus Buds Pro 2 review:
In the Box
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds, Red Cable Club membership, Extra ear tips (antibacterial), USB Type-C charger
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 Specifications
- Spatial audio: Enjoy Spatial Audio with the Dynamic Head Tracking feature that helps you experience sounds on a whole new level. Co-created with Dynaudio: Helps you achieve optimal listening experience.
- Smart Scene Noise Cancellation 2.0: Up to 48dB Ultra-wide frequency noise cancellation system with personalized ANC Worry-free Battery Life: Up to 40 Hours Battery with quick charging 10 minutes for 3 hours of use with ANC on.
- Full charged earbud: up to 6h(music playback; ANC ON); up to 9h(music playback; ANC Off). OnePlus Audio ID 2.0: Personalize your audio via a simple listening test at a first-time setup. This unique hearing profile ID allows one to enjoy the most optimal listening experience best suited to him or her by compensating for mild hearing loss and related aural deficiencies.
- Powerful, Punchy Bass with clear vocals: Drop the bass and listen to clear vocals with dual 11mm + 6mm dual drivers, delivering a precisely boosted sound profile designed to move you. Seamless connectivity: Instantaneous pairing with the OnePlus smartphone, as soon as you open the charging case lid. It also has Google Fast Pair that helps to connect any android phone easily.
- 3Mic AI for better call and noise cancellation. IP55 Water, Dust and Sweat resistant.
Design, Build Quality and Comfort
In terms of design, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 didn’t see much of a change and that makes sense because the predecessor OnePluds Buds Pro already looked fantastic. However, this new Arbor Green color looks fantastic, even cooler than the Obsidian Black, and we will encourage buyers to go for it undoubtedly.
The case is still smooth, curved at the edges easy to hold and carry, and glossy, feels premium from the moment you hold it in your hands to open the lid. If you talk about the buds individually, that Green color suits the Buds Pro 2 a lot and it’s easy to take it out of the case and seamlessly fits back when you’re done listening. As OnePlus says, the tactile NCL matte coating and polished indium stocks enhance the visual appeal substantially.
Talking about build quality, it’s strong, tactile and has that sense of premiumness, should withstand physical pressure, but one should handle it with care to keep its glossiness intact. Overall, I do feel, in this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 review, the design will be a key for anyone who is spending Rs.12k on TWS earbuds like this.
Also, if you ask about how this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 fits into ears, this has been meticulously designed so that it fits into most ears, though it may be big to some, you have adjustable ear tips to customize from. For me, during the Buds Pro 2 review, I faced no issues wearing them for hours and it was damn comfortable I would say.
Though it was only falling off if you are laid in bed for most of the time, even during running or walking, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 stayed intact with its mushy fit that doesn’t hurt your ears. Lastly, both the case of this Buds Pro 2 and the earbuds themselves are IP rated, for the case it’s IPX4 and for the buds it’s IP55, so, you don’t have to worry about water or dust while you carry this around.
Connectivity
For a TWS earbuds, connectivity plays a big role, this Buds Pro 2 comes with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 which ensures the best connectivity and you can pair with two devices simultaneously and switch between them easily. Often unheard of but the LHDC 4.0 codec works behind the scenes to ensure seamless Bluetooth audio streaming with magnificent tone and clarity.
This does make a difference and unless you use it you won’t understand the subtle difference even a high-res codec brings, also, OnePlus says an update to LHDC 5.0 will be coming soon. The best connectivity feature OnePlus has been maintaining is the addition of Google Fast Pair on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, helping you to connect the earbuds seamlessly if you have a OnePlus phone.
You can access almost all the functionalities of this Buds Pro 2 right through the Bluetooth settings from your OnePlus device else you have to install the HeyMelody app. Having an ultra-low 54ms latency helps if you are gaming or watching something exciting and that low latency will help increase the thrill.
Another useful feature I found during this Buds Pro 2 review, has to be this OnePlus Audio ID 2.0, this is a functionality that is found in the settings of the earbuds, that customizes the music as per your ear via a short tutorial, we will surely cover on that specifically in our upcoming guides. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has you covered with activity level and posture reminders generated by the built-in IMU sensors.
Here are the various touch controls of this OnePlus Buds Pro 2:
- Press once: Pause playback/Answer incoming calls/Hang up calls
- Press twice: Next song/reject the call
- Press triple: Previous song
- Long press for 1 second: Noise reduction switching
- Long press for 3 seconds: Earbuds focus
Noise Cancellation
The greatest improvement this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 brings onboard has to be the improved Noise cancellation support. Users can enjoy up to 48dB Smart Adaptive Noise Cancellation and which is a significant improvement, making this TWS earbuds comparable to the expensive Sony or Apple earbuds.
Literally, if you go outside and use this TWS earbuds, as I did repeatedly for this Buds Pro 2 review, the noise cancellation quality has been elevated to the next level. You have various modes to customize the amount of ANC you require: Faint, Smart, and Extreme, each profile works very accurately, and even the loudest of noise is easily eliminated.
Even at home, I used the ANC most of the time and fan noises or I barely could hear if anyone was speaking in front of me if I played some music. The noise cancellation is damn good and flagship quality undoubtedly, however, I would suggest people use Transparency mode to save battery life and of course if you are walking outdoors.
With TÜV Rheinland Noise Cancelation Certification, OnePlus is dedicated to providing the best ANC experience with this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 and deserves its praise.
Audio Quality
Now, with an 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter dual drivers, the sound experience is elevated as per OnePlus, but the difference is very minute. This setup utilizes liquid crystal polymer diaphragms with separate edges and domes for enhanced balance, tough the difference this brings is subtle but I did enjoy my music or everyday YouTube or Netflix sessions.
The new 6mm drivers help you experience that shrill low tones and once you customize the listening as per your ear’s sensitivity, you are all good to go. I loved playing music on the go and thanks to the BassWave™ algorithm, a feature brought with the latest update, the highs and lows are very accurate.
Until now this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 will feel like any other good TWS earbuds even comparable to its predecessor but what actually brings a significant difference is the inclusion of new Spatial Audio functionality! Yes, this feature is no longer reserved for AirPods only, thanks to Google and Dolby who developed Spatial Audio jointly exclusively for the new OnePlus 11 series.
So, unless you have a new OnePlus phone you won’t experience this special feature which I think again is a strategy of the brand to buy you a new phone anyways. However, with Dolby Head Tracking, Dolby Atmos, and OnePlus’s special rendering algorithm, you get a wider field of clear, natural sound and pristine vocals for a listening experience.
It did make a difference during the Buds Pro 2 review, while you listen to music or even watch movies, but, Spatial Audio is restricted to a few apps as of now like Netflix, Google TV, YouTube, Disney+ and HBO Max. These apps are specially tuned for Spatial Audio, but, music apps like Spotify do make a difference to some extent, we wait for official support undoubtedly.
In terms of overall audio quality & experience, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds do satisfy even an audio addict like me and anyone who wants a reliable option and can afford up to Rs.12k, this is a great choice when it comes to audio.
Call Quality & Microphone
For a lot of us, the call experience and microphones do really matter and so I have covered this separately, much like other OnePlus TWS earbuds, this one too feels good for everyday usage. Each bud of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 consists of 3 mics per side that ensure excellent sound reception on the other end during calls.
Having those 3 mics at each end of the buds helps pick up vocals, enhance noise cancelling, and work in tandem with OnePlus‘s improved AI call anti-wind algorithms. This is even more evident when you take calls outdoors, so, overall in terms of sound reception, microphone and call quality, this Buds Pro 2 review is surely positive.
Battery Life
Lastly, talking about this Buds Pro 2 review, this TWS earbuds has been upgraded, now with a 60mAh battery per bud and 520mAh in the charging case. This helps it deliver a total of up to 39 hours of battery life, which is astounding, and much better than AirPods as well.
Now, with ANC on, that decreases to only 25 hours, which is again enough to last for a few days of regular usage, personally I used ANC mostly and got about 3-4 days of battery life on average, now without ANC this increases to 5-6 days which is really good. This OnePlus Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds is no doubt a flagship thanks to wireless charging support, however, with a Type-C port, the charging speed is decent.
With 10 minutes of charge, you get up to 10 hours of playtime, impressive undoubtedly, wireless charging takes more time, but a good-to-have feature.
Verdict
Finally, why is this OnePlus Buds Pro 2 a good choice for you and should spend Rs.12k for it? Well, definitely according to us if you are a OnePlus fan and if you are planning to buy a new OnePlus 11 series phone then this TWS earbuds should be a priority as you can only then enjoy the flagship Spatial Audio feature.
However, the OnePlus team should work to bring the feature to its previous devices I feel, to happy for the fans who aren’t looking to buy the new OnePlus 11 or 11R anytime soon. In our Buds Pro 2 review, it’s clear that this TWS earbuds is a worthy successor to the original Buds Pro and the company has carried forward its legacy to surprise fans who had been eagerly waiting for this.
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