Before OnePlus Nord Buds 2 goes on sale on April 11th – Here’s a quick review of it!
OnePlus recently launched the successor to the popular Nord Buds TWS earbuds launched last year, with some minor upgrades over last-gen, the Nord Buds 2 looks to be a good option for those who not only love OnePlus products but also need reliable TWS earbuds.
Considering the fact that I used the Nord Buds already, I had to pick out the differences with this new one literally because both are almost similar. So, should you go for this new Nord Buds 2 TWS? Here, we have a short and quick review so that you know if this is the one for you:
What’s in the box
- OnePlus Nord Buds 2 earbuds x 1 pair
- OnePlus Nord Buds 2 charging case x 1
- User guide x 1
- Silicon ear tips x 3 (S, M, L)
- Safety and Warranty card x 1
- USB Type-C charging cable x 1
- Nord emoji sticker x 1
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 Features & Specifications
- BassWave™ Enhancement technology for impactful bass and crystal-clear clarity
- 12.4mm extra-large enhancement driver unit for bolder beats and balanced sound quality
- Titanium layer in vibrating diaphragm for instantaneous response and immersive audio experience
- Instinctive Active Noise Cancellation with 25dB depth and dual-core processor for an immersive experience
- AI algorithm and dual-mic system for clear calls, and Transparency Mode for playing music while hearing outside voices
- Master Equalization feature with several modes, including Balanced, Serenade, Bass, and Bold, for highlighting the preferred sound quality
- Collaboration with Dolby Atmos technology and Dirac Audio Tuner for smoother performance and higher fidelity when connected to a OnePlus device
- Sustainable materials and unique sparkling craft design with a certified IP55 rating against dust and water
- Exceptional battery life with up to 7 hours on a full charge without the case, and 36 hours with a charging case
- Quick taps and long presses for customizing settings and dictating actions, improving functionality.
Design, Build Quality and Comfort
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 has a very nominal design change with a slight grey tone on the lid of the TWS earbuds that makes it look better than the predecessor. The white color variant looks classy this time with the grey tone on the lid and on the sides of each bud, overall the design is decent.
Coming to the build quality, it’s too decent, nothing extraordinary but when it comes to the TWS earbuds’ comfort it’s not so good. I have used other OnePlus TWS earbuds, however, the Nord Buds 2 doesn’t qualify for supreme comfort and sometimes falls off if you just running or lying down.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the new OnePlus Nord Buds 2 feature the latest Bluetooth 5.3, and supports audio formats of AAC, and SBC. As I used this TWS earbuds daily for my usage, I loved the seamless connectivity option that you get with OnePlus Fast Pair if you already have a OnePlus phone.
Much like its predecessor, you can connect the Nord Buds 2 quickly and you have all the controls via the Bluetooth settings for a OnePlus/Oppo phone but for other phones you need to download the HeyMelody app. From Dirac Toner to Sound Master Equalizer you can access everything and even tune Noise cancellation as well.
Overall, I am pretty satisfied with the connectivity this TWS earbuds offer and I have no complaints as using it daily I faced no connectivity issues or lag while listening to music or occasionally gaming.
Audio Quality & Noise Cancellation
Now, coming to the key highlight i.e. the audio quality of this OnePlus Nord Buds 2 TWS earbuds, well, it’s almost like its predecessor, which was again pretty good. Featuring a large 12.4mm driver unit, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 produce powerful beats and balanced sound quality to give you a soothing audio experience daily.
For everyday music listening, I would still say the Nord Buds 2 is great and I enjoyed endless Bollywood or heavy music, the clear vocals along with the sweet sound are what most Indians love. Even for binge-watching on Netflix, or casual YouTube, I loved the sound quality and clear vocals which come as the priority for any work or daily usage. Dolby Atmos support and Master Equalization feature is still handy to amplify the sound quality.
If you ask me about improvements over last-gen in terms of audio quality, I didn’t notice enough, however, in terms of Noise Cancellation, I did see improvement overall. The Active Noise Cancellation with a depth of 25dB and a dual-core processor really helps reduce background noise for an immersive experience.
I did notice the earbuds having better Noise cancellation this time around but again the fitting could be improved for better passive noise cancellation. The Nord Buds 2 slip a lot if you are lying down but most of the time, the ANC works as expected, not what you experience on say the OnePluds Buds Pro 2 but still it’s good enough for most.
Call Quality & Microphone
In this regard, I never faced any issues with the OnePlus TWS earbuds and OnePlus continues that reliability with the Nord Buds 2, featuring an AI algorithm and a dual mic system that amplifies the human voice, ensuring clear calls. With the Nord Buds 2 as well, the call quality is damn good and you won’t have issues if you are supposing in a meeting or let’s say talking to your favourite person for long hours.
Also, the mic is also quite good, so the opposing party will never complain about your voice or so and comfortably you can use the Nord Buds 2 as your everyday work buddy as well.
Battery Life
Coming to the battery life, which has actually improved this time, OnePlus promises up to 36 hours of playback without ANC and you can listen for up to 7 hours non-stop using the buds. I actually got incredible battery life with this Nord Buds 2, even better than the flagship Buds Pro 2, and I truly loved the fact that this little TWS earbuds can last such long.
With ANC through the Nord Buds 2, the buds give you up to 5 hours of battery life non-stop and with the charging case that goes up to 27 hours, which is again very good for the price. Also, 10 mins of charge can give 5 hours of playtime and it takes around an hour to fully charge, but, still considering this one lasted me for 5-6 days on a single charge with moderate usage, this Nord Buds 2 has tremendous battery life!
Verdict
For ₹2,999, this new OnePlus Nord Buds 2 TWS earbuds is again a reliable option and for those OnePlus fans, this is again a mandatory option of course. However, even those who need good TWS earbuds under Rs.3k can really opt for this one with the most checks fulfilling for OnePlus.
Boasting good sound quality, decent ANC and a cool design, the Nord Buds 2 though isn’t the most comfortable one but is good enough for most people. While I would recommend to try the TWS earbuds at any OnePlus store but if you know that this shape will fit in your ears well, you shouldn’t miss out on the April 11th sale!
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