Intro
You just expect a pair of really $ 40 wireless cordless earphones to sound bad. Or at least not quite excellent. After testing some of them, we think it’s a reasonable assumption.
However, the new $ 40 OnePlus Nord Buds are anything but bad. In fact, they go so far beyond expectation with both sound quality and comfort that we can just say it right away: get a pair! Whether it’s for yourself or a gift, you will not regret spending all $ 40 on these tiny little buds.
Nord Bud’s specifications overview:
Battery life: 7 hours (buds), 30 hours (case)
Price: $ 39 in USA | £ 49 in the UK | € 49 in Europe
Weight: 4.82 g (buds), 41.7 g (case)
Driver: 12.4 mm
Microphones: 2 per bud
Connection: Bluetooth 5.2
Features: IP55 (buttons), USB-C port
See, weight and feel
Nord Buds may be cheap, but have a refreshingly simple and elegant design, which if we were to compare with anything, would be a splash of Bauhaus. You have a standard glossy element that goes in your ear, while the stem is very short and comes in a slim, pill-shaped shape.
Nord Buds belongs to the type of headphones with rubber tips that go in your ears (instead of sitting on your ear like the original AirPods). This gives you a better seal and a form of passive insulation from outside noise. They come with standard medium-sized tips attached, but you can also replace small as well as large tips for a fitting fit for different ear shapes. We know some people who absolutely abhor this type of earphone (you know who you are), but if you do not mind this type of earphone, Nord Buds will probably suit you very comfortably.
I have also tried to walk and run lightly with Nord Buds and was not worried about them falling out, plus you have IP55 certification so they will not be bothered by any sweat either.
- Buds
- Charging case
- Small and large tips
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Sticker
The charging case also comes in a pillow shape, as do the knobs. It’s a lightweight box, but a bit larger than others, so it’s definitely not the most comfortable thing to carry in jeans pockets, which is a shame. The design of the charging case is quite clean: there is an LED light indicator on the front, and then a USB-C port on the back and next to an almost invisible pairing button.
Sound and call quality
At first listening, I was surprised to hear a good amount of bass that did not fall flat even at higher volumes, a typical weakness for most cheaper knobs. They also do not go to the other extreme: some cheap knobs overemphasize bass in a way to hide the lack of clarity in the mid and high tones. Nord Buds, on the other hand, has a clean and crisp sound throughout the frequency range, a feature you expect from much more expensive headphones.
Those who are more picky about sound quality will also notice the lack of an aptX codec.
If you plan to use these for calls and video conferencing, know that you have 2 microphones in each knob. We tested the call quality over a mobile network and you could definitely feel a drop compared to a phone microphone, but your callers would still be able to hear you pretty well.
Number one problem: latency
There is a bit of a delay that you notice when watching videos of people talking
Our number one problem with Nord Buds must be the latency. If you watch many talking head videos on YouTube, you will notice a slight delay between the speech on the screen and the moment the sound gets in your ears. It’s a small thing, but noticeable.
We tested the headset on a OnePlus phone, another phone brand and a laptop, and we saw it on all three devices.
Features and app
Speaking of using Nord Buds with different devices, these will of course work with almost all devices with Bluetooth connectivity, but you get a few extra features if you use them with a OnePlus phone.
The first is the ease of pairing with the sleek AirPods-inspired splash screen that allows you to easily pair the knobs the first time and get a glimpse of the charge levels for the knobs and case upon subsequent use. Then you also get the app where you can change the default controls and also choose between a few audio presets or just go all manually with the built-in equalizer.
The number one missing feature in cheap knobs, including Nord Buds, is active noise reduction. Still, do not forget that having in-ear buds still helps to isolate external noise passively, and my colleague could not hear me at all while wearing Nord Buds in our common office space. However, if you want active noise reduction technology, you can get it at the $ 150 Nord Buds Pro (which I’ve been using and loving for the past few months), and really cut off outside noise, but for almost four times the price.
If you are not looking for the finest sound quality in a pair of genuine wireless earphones, you should probably buy OnePlus Nord Buds. They last a long time and sound good, not only in terms of their $ 40 price, they sound good, period. It helps that the design is as clean and elegant as it gets, and that you get excellent battery life and a convenient USB-C charge.
However, if you are such a person who does not like in-ear buds, you should know that these are … well, in-ear buds. Also, if you want to use these to watch talking head videos or make some kind of music / video edits, you should probably also be aware of the latency issue and get advanced headphones. For everything else, Nord Bud’s are amazing. Remember them, even if you do not need a pair right now, these would be a perfect gift too!
