Tech Next: OnePlus Buds Pro 3 redefines TWS earbuds with top-notch acoustics & value for money

CHENNAI: What’s a good budget for a pair of premium TWS Bluetooth earbuds that deliver a stellar audio performance? If you’d asked us a year or two ago, that number might have been around Rs 20K. Products like the new OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are changing the price: value dynamic in the TWS earbuds space. It’s been a busy last couple of months for OnePlus with a slew of launches but it’s this product that has made a big impression. It might not look very distinctive from a distance but hold this product in your hand and it’s a completely different story.

OnePlus opts for an oval, almost pebble shaped case that we’ve seen before. But it’s the finish that sets these buds apart. You get a faux leather, textured finish that plays out particularly well in the Midnight Opus (Black) colour way. OnePlus opts for a stem-like form factor for the buds that look polished. Here again, the matte finish adds to the premium vibe. We are more partial to the stem-like form factor, they are less prone to falling off during intense workouts in the gym.

Our ultimate test for any audio product is how they perform at mid-volume (50-60%) levels. It’s here that the Buds Pro 3 truly reveal their pedigree. OnePlus has collaborated with Dynaudio, the Danish sound brand renowned for their precision studio monitors and it has an impact on the overall acoustics. The Buds Pro 3 has been master tuned with a 11mm woofer that teams up with a 6mm tweeter, each driven by its own bespoke-audio tuned audio processor. You get the perfect audio performance with deep bass and delicate trebles. These buds also offer Spatial Audio with head tracking.

While Over the ear headphones might be primarily judged on their soundstage, earbuds also need to ace calls and score with ANC (Active noise cancellation). These buds do a great job in the ANC department with up to 50 dB of noise cancellation. The Pro 3 punches way above its weight in most areas including battery life (43 hours with ANC off) where these buds also benefit from OnePlus’ fast charging solution - 10 minutes of charging gives you 13 hours of music playback. But most of all it’s the acoustics that set the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 apart in this segment (Rs 11,999)

(Ashwin Rajagopalan is a lifestyle writer and consumer technology expert. Catch the latest digital and tech updates in this weekly column.)