OnePlus’ Nord series was created to reach more markets. Under this line, the company has released a couple of products that aim to deliver great value for the money. That’s the same thing they’re trying to do with the Nord Buds 2.
The successor looks indistinguishable from its predecessor, which makes sense since what OnePlus wants is to polish things up, so fans can get the best quality possible. But did they succeed? We find out in our OnePlus Nord Buds 2 review.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 Specs
- 12.4mm dynamic drivers
- Titanized vibrating diaphragm
- BaseWave algorithm
- 111 dB ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz 179mV
- 20Hz – 20,000Hz
- 4x microphones (2x each)
- ANC, Transparency Mode
- AI noise cancellation for calls
- IP55 water and sweat resistant
- Bluetooth 5.3
- AAC, SBC
- OnePlus Fast Pair, Dolby Atmos, Dirac Toner
- USB Type-C port
- Dimensions: 27.5 x 21.05 x 24.4mm (earbuds), 67.99 x 28.9 x 35.5mm (case)
- Weight: 4.7g (earbuds), 37.5g (case)
- Colors: Lightning White, Thunder Gray
- 480mAh (case), 41mAh (per buds) battery
Design and Build Quality
As said earlier, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 looks the same as the first generation. No issues there. But what we really like is that it didn’t try to look like an AirPods, Galaxy Buds, or any popular TWS earbuds like what others do. It looks distinct and unique with curved and rounded edges, plus a metallic finish where the touch controls sit.
The unit we’re reviewing is the Lightning White colorway. The top of the case has a gray paint job, which matches the metallic finish on the buds themselves. The rest are painted in white with speckled patterns that looked like dirt at first look. A Thunder Gray option is also available, for those who want a darker color.
As for the build, the charging case feels fairly solid. The hinge has decent tension so it snaps when you open or close the lid. On the front, there’s an LED indicator for the battery status, while on the back, there’s a single USB Type-C port.
The buds themselves feel comfortable to wear, even after an extensive amount of time as they are light and sit well in your ears even if you’re moving.
Speaking of moving, the Nord Buds 2 is IP55 sweat and water-resistant, so you can work out or get caught in the rain without worries.
Overall, OnePlus did a great job at building and designing the Nord Buds 2. It feels solid and comfortable to use.
Software and User Interface
The OnePlus Buds Nord 2 doesn’t have ear detection, which is one of its biggest cons and a surprising omission as pretty much all TWS earphones — no matter the price — have it. This means that your music will continue to play when you take them off.
Each side has touch-sensitive controls. You can single, double, triple tap, or hold the button to enable different commands, which you can control using the HeyMelody app on both Android and iOS or through the Bluetooth settings on OnePlus phones.
The buttons let you control music, calls, summon voice assistant, and enable ANC or transparency modes, but no volume control. However, we did notice a slight delay when we push the button.
Speaking of the app, you can also use it to check the battery life, noise control, Sound Master EQ, adjust the BassWave, update the software, and use Find My earbuds that will play loud music to locate your buds. You can also use the buds to take a photo using the camera app.
Other than the lack of ear detection and a slight delay in commands, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 feels really intuitive and easy to use.
Sound Quality
If you’re not an audiophile and are easily impressed by bass, you’d love this thing. Despite the “Balanced” EQ profile, it still sounds bass-heavy. In addition, it sounds pleasing as the treble and vocals sound clean.
Fortunately, the app offers a wide array of customization if you know how to play with it. But if you’re not familiar with sliding EQ levels, you can choose from the different Master EQ presets. We find the Bold preset to have better bass moderation with an extra boost in treble.
All in all, the Nord Buds 2 sounds good the price. It already sounds great out of the box to the normal, ear but is flexible enough for those who want to play with the EQs to fit their taste.
Noise Cancellation, Microphones
One of the biggest upgrades over its predecessor is the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). As expected, it’s not the most effective, especially when the price.
In fact, you can only notice its effect when you pause the music and hear the slight difference between the ANC on and off. It can remove constant noises like a humming air conditioner or refrigerator, but not engine sounds or people talking. Same as the Transparency Mode. It works, but not as well as more competitive TWS earphones.
The Buds Nord 2 has two microphones on each bud. One is for the ANC, while the other is for voice pick-up during calls. Call quality is fine and clear with acceptable noise isolation. No big issues there.
Connectivity
The new OnePlus Nord Buds 2 comes with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with a 10-meter range. It connects seamlessly to any device and even comes with a cool animation when paired with a OnePlus device.
This modern connectivity feature also translated to good latency performance. You can watch videos without any delay or sync problems, and even enable Game Mode for even faster response when you need it.
Battery
The company claims that the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 can last for up to 5 hours of continuous music with ANC enabled. In our test, we got about 6 hours with ANC on, with the volume set at 80% to 100%.
During our time with it, we were able to use it for an entire week of daily commute at 2-3 hours per day, with still some juice left for the weekend.
But in case the battery runs out, don’t fret as it comes with a pretty speedy charging support. A full charge only takes about an hour and a half for both the earbuds and the charging case through the included charging cable in the classic OnePlus red color.
Verdict
Is the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 a worthy upgrade over its predecessor? Probably not. While the addition of ANC looks good on paper, its actual performance is kinda lackluster compared to better options in the market. But that’s to be expected, given that it’s actually a budget TWS earphones.
Still, for the price, it’s one of the best pairs of TWS earphones you can get on the market. It offers a unique design, solid build, good audio with great flexibility, and long battery life.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2 price in the Philippines
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is available in the Philippines for a price of Php3,990 on Lazada and Shopee.
Pros
- Unique and solid design
- Good and flexible sound
- Smooth connectivity
- Long battery life
Cons
- Lackluster ANC performance
- Slight delay on controls