REVIEW: OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro

If you’re in the market for budget-friendly wireless earbuds, the new OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are worth serious consideration. These in-ears come in two colours and deliver some of the best sound quality available under €100.

Design & Build Quality

The Nord Buds 3 Pro come with a compact, oval case in a dual-tone finish—matte on the bottom and slightly glossy on top. The compact size lets it slip easily into a jeans pocket, making it very portable. The case includes a USB-C charging port at the bottom with a pairing button beside it. The design is minimalistic, marked by a OnePlus logo on the front and a pairing indicator light below. The Soft Jade colour variant I tested looks distinct and, in my view, is more appealing than the Starry Black option.

For the earbuds’ design, OnePlus sticks to a classic style. The thin stem thickens towards the bottom, making it easy to handle for stem controls. With a snug, lightweight fit, the buds stayed in my ears even during active movement. Occasionally, I needed to adjust the fit, which might be a minor inconvenience if you prefer a super snug fit.

Sound & ANC Quality

For sound quality, the Nord Buds 3 Pro excel beyond their price range. Priced at €79 (currently on offer for €59), the sound quality rivals earbuds that cost around €150. The 12.5mm titanised driver provides a balanced, enjoyable sound profile. While lacking support for high-res codecs like LDAC or aptX, the earbuds do support LHDC 5.0.

Listening to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac revealed crisp treble and good instrument separation. Be sure to select the right EQ for your music style to get the best experience. For mids, I tired “Violin” by Amos Lee, finding the guitar tones clear and vocals soothing. Using the “Serenade” EQ profile amplified vocals pretty nicely.

App Features

While these earbuds can connect to any device, the HeyMelody app offers additional controls. You can change the touch controls and EQ settings through three presets: Balanced, Serenade, and Bass. The BassWave feature dynamically boosts bass, though results may vary.

The buds also support dual connection, working pretty wekk even compared to pricier models. An added feature lets you double-tap an earbud to take a photo when the camera is open. There’s also a ‘Find my earbuds’ option, though the sound is a bit soft.

I found the touch controls slightly inconsistent, occasionally failing to register taps. While adjustable, this can be frustrating.

Battery Life

OnePlus claims up to 44 hours of battery life without ANC and around 20 hours with ANC, when combined with the case. My experience aligned with these numbers. With fast charging, you get up to 11 hours of playback from a quick 10-minute charge—ideal for frequent travellers.

Conclusion

For under €100, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro deliver excellent sound quality and ANC, comparable to more expensive earbuds. While they lack support for LDAC or aptX, they offer solid battery life, fast charging, and good overall performance, making them a great choice in this price range.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro Pricing & Availability

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro earbuds are available now on OnePlus.com, currently discounted to €59.