The Oneplus Nord Buds 3r, a brand-new pair of budget TWS earbuds priced under Rs 2,000, bring a refreshed design, ultra-low latency for gaming, dependable battery life, and customisable controls, while keeping the cost low by skipping features like ANC and wear detection. I tested them across workouts, movies, music, and calls to see if they’re worth your money.
Table of Contents
Boxy design, modern look
First things first – the design. OnePlus has taken a noticeably different approach with the Nord Buds 3r compared to its predecessor. The case now opens vertically, housing the earbuds much like Apple’s AirPods, instead of the earlier horizontal layout. Gone are the soft curves; in their place are flat edges and slanted corners that give the case a boxier, more modern profile. The shape also makes it easier to slip into a jeans pocket or a bag compartment.
That said, the case isn’t as compact as you might expect. In slimmer or skin-tight clothing, it can still create a bulge, which doesn’t give the most discreet look. The build quality, too, leaves something to be desired. The all-plastic construction doesn’t feel particularly premium in the hand, although the matte finish is a smart choice.
On the black variant we tested, the matte texture gives the buds a classy look – the kind that wouldn’t feel out of place as part of Batman’s gear, should the franchise ever decide to accessorise with earbuds. The surface does pick up the occasional smudge but resists obvious fingerprints and is easy to wipe clean. The Buds 3r also sport a clean profile, with OnePlus branding subtly etched on the case. The LED indicator for charging status is discreetly positioned and only noticeable when lit, while the USB Type-C port sits neatly on the bottom edge.
The matte finish extends to the earbuds themselves, which are identical in design to the OnePlus Buds 3. They feature short stems and silicone ear tips, with two additional pairs (small and large) included in the box to ensure a comfortable fit for different ear sizes. The medium tips pre-installed on the buds turned out to be a perfect match for my ears. The buds did well to hang in there, falling off only when they got wet from sweat or during workouts. The pair are IP55 rated, offering protection against minor splashes of water and dust.
Dependable connectivity & user-friendly app
The OnePlus Nord Buds 3r come with Bluetooth v5.4 connectivity to pair with smartphones, laptops, and other compatible devices. The Bluetooth technology promises up to 10 meters of range and 47ms of ultra-low latency – both of which held true during our usage. The buds offer Google Fast Pair and active pairing with two devices simultaneously.
Since there’s no dedicated pairing button on the case, users need to either keep the lid open for 15 seconds or press and hold the indents on both earbuds simultaneously to re-enter pairing mode. These indents also double up as touch controls, allowing you to play or pause music, skip tracks, adjust volume, answer or reject calls, launch Game Mode, or summon a voice assistant, among other functions. All of these controls can be customised through OnePlus’ HeyMelody app.
If you are a OnePlus smartphone user, the app is integrated into the phone’s Bluetooth settings. Non-OnePlus users can download the app via their respective app marketplace, Google Play Store and App Store. It is a pretty simple app to use, with a clean interface and no unnecessary login requests. Unfortunately, the earbuds do not have automatic wear detection, which would play and pause music when they are put on and removed, respectively.
That said, the app allows users to customise EQ settings by choosing between the three presets or creating a custom one. The Buds 3r supports as many as three custom presets, taking the overall EQ tally to six.
Lively audio quality
The buds have the ‘Balanced’ EQ for their 12.4mm drivers set by default. These are the same drivers that were present in the 2023 OnePlus Nord Buds 2R, so the overall listening experience remains nearly identical. The AAC and SBC codecs support also remains unchanged. That said, OnePlus has swapped the ‘Bold’ preset from the previous iteration with ‘Serenado’ on the Buds 3r. The preset enhances vocal clarity over instruments and bass, making it ideal for watching movies and TV shows.
It works reasonably well, but failed to deliver the intensity that pulls you wholly into a scene, like the one from Breaking Bad where Walter White blows up Tuco’s office, or the chaotic kitchen sequences in The Bear. The lack of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) could be partly to blame, but even then, I found my laptop’s built-in speakers did a better job of drawing me closer to those moments.
Overall, the Buds 3r sound profile lacks the depth and immersion you’d hope for. Still, given their budget-friendly positioning, this is a compromise many users might be willing to accept. The default ‘Balanced’ EQ does a fair job of keeping the audio well-rounded, without overtly prioritising one frequency range over another.
That said, in practice, I still noticed the Nord Buds 3r leaning slightly towards the lower end of the spectrum, for which there is already a dedicated EQ preset – ‘Bass’. Now, this is something that a purist may not like, but buyers in this segment are seeking buds that can deliver that extra punch by highlighting the heavy vocals, bass guitar, and drums from songs like Ghabru by Karan Aujla, GOAT by Diljit Dosanjh, Eminem’s Rap God, and more. The soundstage isn’t particularly wide, resulting in underwhelming instrument separation, but for casual listening, the Buds 3r deliver an enjoyable and energetic experience.
The earbuds also support 3D Audio, which is compatible with select OnePlus devices. The feature puts you at the centre of the music, creating a 360-degree soundscape for a more immersive listening experience – similar to Spatial Audio. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of the OnePlus smartphones while reviewing the TWS.
Reliable calling
Call quality on the Buds 3r is equally dependable. Each earbud houses dual microphones that do a good job of capturing your voice and transmitting it to the receiver with minimal distortion, even in moderately noisy environments. While the earbuds don’t feature ANC, they also don’t rely on strong passive noise cancellation to make up for it, a positive in this case, as the vacuum-like seal created by some earphones can feel uncomfortable or even nauseating for certain users. The buds let the background noise in naturally, which may keep you aware of your surroundings, but hampers the overall listening experience in a crowded place like a metro or a bus.
Excellent battery
Battery life is where the OnePlus Nord Buds 3r receives major upgrades. The pair are capable of providing up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge, while the case holds another 48 hours of listening time. You do get fast charging this time, adding 8 hours of usage with just 10 minutes of charge. I have found this claim to be true in real life. After charging the case and the buds to 100 percent initially, I managed a week’s long usage – and it is still going strong – after listening to them for my hour-long workouts, late-night movies/ TV shows, and for a couple of hours during the day during the workday.
Verdict
This is essentially what the OnePlus Nord Buds 3r bring to the table. Some may argue that the feature set feels limited, but that’s clearly a trade-off to keep the price down to Rs 1,799. At this asking price, the Buds 3r can be particularly appealing to gamers looking for TWS earphones with ultra-low latency (though still not on par with wired earphones) and reliable microphones that deliver clear voice chats during battle royale sessions in titles like BGMI for hours. The buds provide excellent battery life, which can easily stretch to 10 days with moderate usage.
That said, the audio quality is just fine for the price tag – tilted towards the bass, but lively enough for casual listening. You are also getting a unique yet sleek design, dependable connectivity, customisable controls, and OnePlus 3D sound for compatible devices. These aspects make the OnePlus Nord Buds 3r hard to overlook.
Editor’s rating: 7.5/10
Pros
- Refreshed design
- Stable connectivity
- Excellent battery life
- Reliable call quality
Cons
- Build feels plasticky, not premium
- Sound lacks depth & details
