TechAudioHeadphonesOnePlus Buds 3 review: budget friendly wireless earbuds with cloutIf you want a decent pair of earbuds with good design, the OnePlus Buds 3 should be on your listWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)T3 VerdictWhile the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast chargingReasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not greatWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechAudioHeadphonesOnePlus Buds 3 review: budget friendly wireless earbuds with cloutIf you want a decent pair of earbuds with good design, the OnePlus Buds 3 should be on your listWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)T3 VerdictWhile the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast chargingReasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not greatWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
If you want a decent pair of earbuds with good design, the OnePlus Buds 3 should be on your list
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)T3 VerdictWhile the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast chargingReasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not great
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
T3 VerdictWhile the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast chargingReasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not great
T3 VerdictWhile the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.
T3 Verdict
While the market for wireless earbuds is crawling with competition, getting the basics right is the first port of call. Great design, decent sound quality and a comfy fit? Check, check and check. For around £100, there are few better options out there.
Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast chargingReasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not great
Reasons to buy+3D Audio is brilliant+Beautiful design+Slim case+Fast charging
3D Audio is brilliant
Beautiful design
Slim case
Fast charging
Reasons to avoid-App is still poor-Sound is good, not great
App is still poor
Sound is good, not great
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
OnePlus Buds 3 deals
3 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
3 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$99.99$69.99View$99.99$69.99View$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99
$69.99
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99
$69.99
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99
$86.99
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If you’re looking to buy a pair ofwireless earbuds, you probably know just how congested the market is. Whether you have Tardis pockets or need to stick to a stringent budget, there are a wealth of options on offer.
Today, I’m reviewing theOnePlus Buds 3. These are the latest earbuds from the brand, boasting their latest and greatest tech. The Buds 3 launched alongside theOnePlus 12handset, as part of the brand’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
But are they any good? Well, let’s dive in and find out.
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
OnePlus Buds 3 review: Price and Release Date
TheOnePlusBuds 3 were unveiled on the 23rd of January 2024. In the UK, the earbuds have a retail price of £99.99.
OnePlus Buds 3 review: Features
Let’s kick off with the specs. The OnePlus Buds 3 utilise a dual driver setup which fuses a 10.4mm woofer with a 6mm tweeter. That ensures a frequency range of 15Hz to 40kHz is covered, which should promote some fantastic sub- and supersonic detail.
Then, there’s the active noise cancellation on these earbuds. That gives users a whopping 49dB of noise reduction, allowing you to be totally immersed in the audio you’re listening to.
Each bud weighs just 4.8g, too. That means you should be able to wear them on longer stints without feeling like your ear is going to fall off.
One of the biggest features on this model is the Touch Volume control. That allows users to adjust the volume of their audio, without having to reach for their phone.
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
OnePlus Buds 3 review: Performance
In practice, the buds perform really well. Sound quality is decent, with faithful reproduction across the sound range. It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s a decent enough sound.
One thing you do need to do is turn on the OnePlus 3D Audio. That’s turned off to start with, but I honestly can’t see why. Without it, it sounds like a bargain basement pair of earbuds – just get it switched on and forget about it.
To do that, you’ll need to head into the HeyMelody app. That’s the same one used on theOppo Enco Air 3 Proearbuds I tried recently. That’s… err… fine. Look, it’s far from the best app on the market. The design is basic and, really, so are the controls. You won’t find the kind of customisation you’d get on other options, sadly.
Fortunately, the noise cancellation redeems the Buds 3. It’s great, offering a really decent level of reduction for the price. It’s not quite as good as more expensive devices, but you wouldn’t really expect it to be either.
Transparency mode leaves a little to be desired, though. It almost feels as though the earbuds are too polite, refraining from mixing the external sounds in.
Oh, and last but not least, the Touch Volume control. It’s fantastic, working really smoothly and doing exactly what you’d hope. I’m a big fan of simple things done well, and that’s exactly what this is.
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
(Image credit: Future / Sam Cross)
OnePlus Buds 3 review: Verdict
The OnePlus Buds 3 earbuds are undoubtedly a great value for money pickup. At just under £100, these are well designed, sound good and offer a decent spec sheet.
Sure, you could pay more and get more, but if you need to get great sound on a budget – and can do without having lots of in-app control – this should definitely be on your list.
OnePlus Buds 3 review: Alternatives
The main competitor to the OnePlus Buds 3 remains theNothing Ear (2). These have long been our pick for around £100 – a little more at retail, sure, but they’re often on sale – and make for quite a compelling alternative.
Another good pick is theSony WF-C700N. Not only do you get a decent pair of earbuds from a big name brand, you’ll gain access to the brilliantSonyHeadphones app – arguably one of the best you’ll find, anywhere.
OnePlus Buds 3: Price Comparison
3 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
3 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
$99.99$69.99View$99.99$69.99View$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99
$69.99
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99View
$99.99$69.99
$69.99
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99View
$99.99$86.99
$86.99
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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