Good in-ear headphones with limitations
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are the latest in-ear headphones from the former OPPO subsidiary brand. These offer a lot for the money, but there’s a catch. We put the headphones through their paces.
Contents
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: The scope of delivery
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are delivered together with the case and a USB-A to USB-C cable (about 20 centimeters). In addition, the manufacturer puts smaller and larger earbuds in the box, as well as paperwork (instructions, warranty card, regulations, and so on).
design and processing
The case feels good in the hand, looks well made and is held securely with a hinge. Inside there are two hollows in which the headphones lie for charging.
The name of the cooperation company “Dynaudio” is now on the top and inside. Many smartphone manufacturers also use a partner to develop their cameras. OnePlus is now following the same path in audio development.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are similar to the AirPods Pro (Image: BASIC thinking)
The headphones themselves have a simple design and are similar to the design of the Apple AirPods Pro: a short stick on which the headphones with earbuds sit. In addition to the two golden points for charging, there is also a black grid behind which there is a microphone. Two more per earphone are located on the outside and bottom of the stick.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: comfort
The wearing comfort of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is individual. The headphones fit me very well. Insertion in particular now works intuitively, and even without activated noise suppression, a lot of noise from the outside is also shielded.
With a larger and smaller eartip option, the headphones should fit most, but I can’t guarantee that. If you want to be on the safe side, you should look for “ein leg” headphones. With IP55, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 itself is protected against dust and water, so sports shouldn’t be a problem either.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: battery life
OnePlus states the battery life of the Buds Pro 2 as 39 hours, including the charging cradle. This has a built-in battery of 520 milliamps, which means that the 60 milliamp hour small batteries in the two headphones can be recharged about four times. According to the manufacturer, a charge lasts about six hours with the noise cancellation activated.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 have good battery life (Image: BASIC thinking)
I traveled from Berlin to Barcelona with the headphones and took them out of the charger at three in the morning. They were empty when I got to my hotel at about nine o’clock. So I can roughly confirm the dealer’s information. However, I did not use the headphones in LHDC mode, which would consume even more battery.
The headphones are loaded very quickly, as usual, in OnePlus style. They are fully charged in three quarters of an hour, after ten minutes the battery is available again for around one hour and 15 minutes. Wireless charging takes about twice as long.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: sound quality and ANC
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 have a powerful sound with punchy bass and balanced details in the mids and highs. I really enjoyed listening to music through the headphones for a long time, which for me is always a good sign for test devices.
Especially on the train, I did not intuitively reach for the Sony WH-1000XM4, since the ANC is also very sufficient for many situations.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 have intelligent noise cancellation (Image: BASIC thinking)
The ANC is good at filtering out cars or trams. However, it cannot keep up with voices or a plane taking off. For such situations you would have to resort to classic headphones. Compared to the Google Pixel Buds Pro, I liked the ANC better. Google, on the other hand, filters out voices a little better.
OnePlus has now added intelligent noise cancellation compared to its predecessor. This changes in strength depending on the background noise, which worked well during my test period. A “Spatial Audio” mode is also available, but unfortunately this can currently only be used with the OnePlus 11.
This is not officially sold in Germany because OnePlus has a patent dispute with Nokia. The device is still available on Amazon.
Other devices are being planned, but were not available during the test period. The LHDC codec is also almost exclusive to OnePlus, with which the audio quality is said to be significantly better. All of this leads to restrictions for many users, which is a shame.
App and smart features
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 have an app connection and direct integration into OnePlus smartphones. The headphones can be updated or adjusted in the “Hey Melody” app. This makes it possible to customize the button configuration or change the sound via an audio ID or equalizer.
The group is said to have worked with the well-known film musician “Hans Zimmer” for an attitude. The headphones can be operated on the rod. There it is a pressure surface over which the music is stopped or controlled. Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the volume on the headphones.
Once you get used to it, the controls are intuitive and reliable. Removing the headphones from the ear automatically stops the music.
“Zen Mode Air” for a “relaxed atmosphere”
With the “Zen Mode Air” a sound can be played to “create a relaxed atmosphere”. In other words, it’s like noise cancellation, only in learning mode. I used this mode for typing the article and noticed that the sound of waves or campfires annoyed me.
It could definitely be a feature for some though and is something “new” in the industry. A sound is also permanently stored on the earphone. So no connection to the smartphone is necessary.
The OnePlus 11 is currently still required for the 360 audio sound, which is currently not officially allowed to be sold by OnePlus in Germany. In the future, the mode should also work with other smartphones, but this is not yet possible at the time of writing this review.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Conclusion, prices and availability
The OnePlus Buds Pro are now available in the colors “Arbor Green” and “Obsidian Black” for an RRP of 179 euros. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are very good in-ear headphones for Android smartphones, but many important functions are unfortunately withheld from OnePlus smartphones.
The current exclusivity of Spatial Audio for the OnePlus 11, which is not officially allowed to be sold in Germany, is a pity. Otherwise you can get well-made headphones with a very good sound, good ANC and long battery life for less than 180 euros.
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