It’s been almost two years since the original OnePlus Buds Pro was released, giving the company ample time to work on improvements in the new iteration. Along with adding support, it was a great time to introduce a new set of earphones.
The timing of all of this has worked very well for OnePlus, but the competition has also gotten pretty fierce over the past six months. With that said, let’s find out if the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro should be on your radar or if you’re better off sticking with what you already have.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Price and Availability
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 will be announced alongside the new OnePlus 11 and will offer the successor to the OnePlus Buds Pro from 2021. The new earbuds can be pre-ordered directly from OnePlus now for $179.99 and come in either Eternal Green or Titan Black. OnePlus plans to officially release the Buds 2 Pro on February 16, 2023.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: What We Liked
It’s immediately noticeable from the jump that OnePlus didn’t try to reinvent the wheel with the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. The company has retained the same design as his original Buds Pro, released in 2021, with a lighter weight. A stem that helps keep the charging case and earbuds in place.
OnePlus also kept things simple with a dual-tone finish, but this time opted for an “eternal green” colorway as opposed to the glossy white of its predecessor. It has a finish, meaning you’ll see a glossy finish along the stem, which helps accommodate the built-in touch sensor while adding a bit of flair to the overall design.
Before we get into the actual listening experience, it’s important to note a few things OnePlus has integrated with the Buds 2 Pro. It all starts with the decision to support both Google Fast Pair and Spatial Audio. As it stands, these are just the second set of earbuds compatible with Google’s spatial audio implementation, with the Pixel Buds Pro being the other alternative.
Fast Pairing is truly a godsend for users who are constantly using different Android devices. As soon as you charge the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro and open the case, the fast pairing dialog box will appear. In case you didn’t know, Fast Pair basically associates a set of earbuds (or other accessory) with your Google account so that you can access it from other devices while using the same account. We’ve made some improvements to this feature, including our recent implementation on Chromebooks. (opens in new tab)so we’re excited to see this available in OnePlus’ latest pair of earbuds.
If you want to skip spatial audio for a bit and at least have full control over your OnePlus Buds Pro 2, install the HeyMelody app from the Play Store. .
OnePlus has a few extra tricks too, since the HeyMelody app includes a feature called “personalized noise cancellation.” ‘s overall fit is analyzed to provide the best possible noise cancellation. Related to this is the “Earphone Fit Test” found in many of the best wireless earbuds, another welcome addition to the Buds 2 Pro.
Frankly, there are many different options for ANC levels, but I’ve found that keeping the Buds 2 Pro set to “maximum” is the best way to meet my needs. Anything else has too much external noise for my taste. This is important when you’re hitting various mechanical keyboards day and night. The best test is when my wife, trying to get my attention, realizes I’m wearing headphones and (unintentionally) has to scare me with a few taps on the shoulder. .
Another key feature I want to touch on is called “Golden Sound”, which is described as providing “studio-quality sound customized to the structure and hearing characteristics of the ear canal.” We recommend performing a fit test on the earbuds first to ensure that you do not need to replace the earbud tips with a different size. When I actually tried it, I noticed that was There is a slight difference with enabling the golden sound profile, but your mileage may vary.
Another thing I’m a huge fan of is the native multipoint support offered by the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. Multipoint allows you to pair your headphones with your smartphone or computer and seamlessly switch between sounds.
Unlike the AirPods Pro 2 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, OnePlus doesn’t rely on any weird requirements (such as an Apple ID or Samsung account) to make this work. In fact, when I paired the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 with my custom-built Windows PC and Pixel 7 Pro, the handoff was simply seamless when a call came in, so it worked as advertised.
Now let’s get down to audio quality. I’m not an audiophile by any means, but I love a good set of wireless earbuds. His out-of-the-box default EQ settings left me a little frustrated, but I was able to select one of his DynAudio-tuned presets, and everything came clean.
For me, I found the Bass preset to be the most comfortable profile, but I’m probably in the minority on that front. Thankfully, if one of the presets still doesn’t suit your needs, you can always play around with the custom EQ.
Spatial Audio was an entirely different beast. That’s why I haven’t touched on it much so far. I’m a masochist, so I have subscriptions to several different music streaming services, and Apple Music and Spotify he switches between the two. On the bright side, the former has plenty of playlists compatible with spatial audio, but we’re still waiting for Spotify’s legendary “HiFi” solution.
The first track I tested was new world man From Rush’s excellent Signals (Remastered) album.Then I moved on to something a little more modern Make You Say By Zedd, Maren Morris, and BEAUZ.
Admittedly, I have a hard time putting into words what the music sounds like. But in this case, the only way to explain the difference is that his Spatial Audio version of Apple Music sounded a little “fuller.”
Both tracks punched the bass a bit too hard, but Spotify’s version felt “flat” and frankly not enjoyable.The difference is minimal, but at least to my ears, it’s definitely there teeth Differences between Spatial Audio (lossless) and non-spatial audio tracks.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: What You Can’t Do
I’ve tried everything I can to find a good complaint about the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, but it’s been hard to come up with anything really. I came across an omission.
While you can perform and customize various gestures to control media playback, launch assistants, and more, there’s one thing you can’t do from the earbuds. For some reason, OnePlus didn’t include the ability to adjust the volume from the stem of the earbuds.
This doesn’t have to be reinventing the wheel or anything like that, but if you look at the competition, this is a feature that’s available across the board. If you jump, you can do it on Samsung too.
Even though you can customize the gesture controls, you can’t adjust the volume directly from the earbuds.
Hopefully OnePlus can pull the rabbit out of the hat and surprise everyone with a future firmware update. But for a set of earbuds with as many other possible features, it’s disappointing to see this omission.
Another thing I’d like to point out is that the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro’s carrying case can be a little tricky. , the case itself feels a little cheap.
Even with the earbuds in the case, they’re still too light for my liking. Kudos to the company for shaving a few grams off the case (47.3g versus 52g), but it’s not as sturdy as the original OnePlus Buds Pro. is not.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Competition
As we’ve alluded to several times in this review, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 face stiff competition in the wireless earbud space. The Pixel Buds Pro are probably the most direct competitor as they share many features like Fast Pair, Multipoint and Spatial Audio. It’s my go-to option if that’s the case. Plus, they’re regularly on sale for $50 off.
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are arguably the best wireless earbuds for most Android users, but they’re more expensive and lack some features. If you want to get the most out of Samsung’s latest earbuds, you need a Samsung phone. Fine for some, but not everyone owns his Samsung phone yet.
You’ll have to pay the “Apple tax” for the AirPods Pro 2, but they’re still arguably the best. It’s a shame you have to resort to third-party apps if you want to be able to control the various features included for iPhone users.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Should you buy one?
You should buy this if:
- I really want a green earphone set
- Want spatial audio but don’t like the Pixel Buds Pro
- Already own a OnePlus phone
Do not purchase if:
- I want spatial audio and head tracking
- Tendency to pry on the earbud case
In a vacuum, it’s a lot easier to recommend the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro as the best wireless earbuds.The Pixel Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro both retail for around $200, so the $180 price tag is the most Lower than tough competitors. Meanwhile, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are his $250 and are, unsurprisingly, the most expensive earbuds.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in a price vacuum, and all of the aforementioned earbuds are either on sale now or have had their prices drop to attract those looking for something new. It appears to have been permanently discounted and can be purchased from all major retailers for $150, while the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are seen as low as $155.
That said, what OnePlus’ latest ‘Pro’ earbuds do well is the different design they offer while offering much of the same experience as the Pixel Buds Pro. If you prefer the design of the stem, the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro are for you.
I’d even say I prefer these over the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro when it comes to sound quality.
Great, but faces stiff competition
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 build on the foundation of its predecessor and introduce some new audiophile features. I guess.
