OnePlus Buds Pro 2 Review
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is available in two color options: Black and Green. We got the black variant here, and before going into the review, let’s talk about the box contents first. The unboxing experience is exactly as you can expect from OnePlus, and here’s what you will get inside the box.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Unboxing
OnePlus Buds Pro 2Additional pair of ear tipsType C cable for chargingQuick start guide
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Design and Build
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 looks exactly like its predecessor; the form factor and even the finish on the buds are exactly the same. The case has a matte finish all over with a metal hinge painted black. It opens like a clamshell, and you’ll see both the buds resting there. There’s a button to enable the pairing mode or reset the buds to troubleshoot connection issues. The status LED is on the side, and at the back, you’ll see the USC Type C port for charging. The bud’s design hasn’t changed much since last year. The buds get a dual-tone treatment- the stem has a shiny mirror finish, followed by a matte finish on the upper half. The tips are angled, which creates a very good fit in the ears with maximum insulation from outside noises. This angled fit also brings the microphone closer to the mouth for better voice reception. The overall comfort is great, and the app has an option that checks if these buds fit you well. This also ensures that you get the best active noise cancellation experience. The case is very compact and can easily fit your jeans pocket and stand out less because of its slim form factor. The case and the buds are pretty lightweight. Both included weighed 57 grams, whereas the earbud weighs 4 grams each which is perfect according to industry standards. The buds also have IP 55 water resistance, so you need not worry about a few splashes or sweat during heavy workouts. One complaint we had with the previous iteration was the flimsy case. Thankfully, the case this time has a thicker body and feels sturdier.
Overall the design and build of the earbud are great, and it perfectly matches its price point. The earbuds are very comfortable, and you get all the features that you expect from premium earbuds.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Features
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has dual drivers, including an 11mm and a 6mm driver. These drivers are co-developed with Dynaudio to deliver deeper bass and clear highs. This is the first time the HeyMelody app lets you create a custom equalizer profile for the Buds Pro 2. Other predefined equalizer profiles are also available to choose from to get the best experience to your ears.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 supports Spatial audio for enhanced surround sound in supported content. Right now, this feature only works with OnePlus 11 (Review), but it’s speculated that it will soon be available to other Android smartphones. Buds Pro 2 takes advantage of the LHDC 4.0 codec to enhance the audio experience without barely adding any latency to the connection.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: App and Controls
The HeyMelody app comes with features only in some of the most premium earphones, like AirPods Pro. The app creates an ear canal scan to create a custom sound profile that suits your ears best. There are four built-in equalizer profiles, and you can easily add a custom equalizer profile. It shows the case and buds battery status, and noise cancellation status on the main page. An ear fit test is available in the app to test whether the ear tip you are using is the perfect fit for your ears. The HeyMelody app got a dedicated page to customize the controls on each earbud. OnePlus Buds Pro 2 got pinch controls which may need some time to get used to if you are coming from touch controls on your previous earbuds. There are four pinch gestures to customize; quick squeeze, double squeeze, triple squeeze, and squeeze and hold. You can customize it with a bunch of options available to choose from, and you can even disable any gesture by choosing None from the list.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Sound Quality and ANC
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has dual drivers to create rich sound and a thumpy bass. In our testing, the buds performed great at anything we threw. You can enjoy music, movies, and podcasts without hurting your eyes, even at the maximum volume. The lows and mids are very crisp and clear. It is not very loud, even at the max volume. The highs are also very managed and controlled, it doesn’t go beyond a certain level. Compared to the original OnePlus Buds Pro, the bass is significantly improved, and we also experienced an enhanced overall audio range.
The Active Noise Cancellation on the Buds Pro 2 is quite great too. The smart mode automatically adjusts the ANC level according to your ambient noise. It has a transparency mode that lets the ambient sound in so you can also be aware of your surroundings. The noise cancellation is significantly better than the last gen and can now deter up to 48 decibels. It almost eliminates all background noise in a busy cafe or a metro station. And when in a room, the other party has to shout for you to listen. Sounds like people talking, fans winning, etc., are almost inaudible.
There is a gaming mode in the buds to reduce latency to under 100ms, but it doesn’t work as expected. Overall the sound quality of Buds Pro 2 is very satisfactory, except for a few minor areas of improvement.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Connectivity and Battery
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 comes with Bluetooth 5.3 LE to give a solid and stable connection with consuming less power. It got the Google Fast Pair pairing tech to connect the buds quickly to the supported devices. Also, you won’t need to install any app if you pair the Buds Pro 2 to a OnePlus smartphone.
The battery capacity is really solid in the Buds Pro 2; each earbud got a 60 mAh battery, and the case bears a 520 mAh battery. The brand claims 9 hours of battery backup on charged earbuds and 39 hours with the case. The case got fast charging and wireless charging as well. You can charge them on any Qi-certified wireless charger.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Pros and Cons
Pros
Rich and bassy audioComfortable fitGood ANCFeature-rich appLong battery backupWireless Charging
Cons
It could’ve been priced more aggressively
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 Review: Verdict
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 earphones are undoubtedly premium in all ways; they have better sound, build quality, and one of the best battery life. Although the price tag is slightly high at ₹11,999 ($179/£179/€179), with an India Exclusive Buds Pro 2R at ₹9,999 which comes only in Misty White. I still quite like them in the sub-10K TWS segment. Read More:
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 Review: A Better Successor3 Ways to Install Custom Icon Packs on Samsung Phones11 Ways to Fix Can’t Find App on Your Android PhoneK8 Lavalier Review: Wireless Plug and Play Microphone
