Ahead of the rumoured OnePlus Nord 6 India launch, OnePlus has introduced a new accessory, the Nord Buds 4 Pro. These TWS earphones succeed the Nord Buds 3 Pro (review), which debuted a couple of years ago. The Nord Buds 4 Pro bring a set of incremental upgrades to the table, although they arrive with slightly smaller drivers and a higher price tag.
The highlight here is the claimed 55dB active noise cancellation (ANC), a figure that matches the more premium OnePlus Buds 4, hinting at a more flagship-like audio experience in a mid-range package. Having said that, the Nord Buds 4 Pro driver size has been reduced to 12mm from 12.4mm from its predecessor. This shouldn’t bring a significant difference to the sound quality of the earbuds, considering the drivers continue to remain dynamic with a claimed frequency response of 20Hz-40KHz.
In fact, OnePlus claims the new drivers inside each Bud 4 Pro provide 100 percent more power than those inside OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, and feature a titanium coating for rich, deep bass and clearer vocals. There is also added support of OnePlus’ 3D Spatial Audio and Game Sound Spatial Audio for a better listening experience with 360 surround sound.
Furthermore, OnePlus has increased the microphone count on the Nord Buds 4 Pro from three to six (three on each earbud). This should not only help the TWS achieve its claimed ANC, but theoretically, also enhance the call quality. The Buds offer Bluetooth v6 for connectivity with your smartphone, laptop, and other devices. Thanks to the upgraded version, the earbuds should provide connectivity up to 10 meters.
For seamless pairing, the Nord Buds 4 Pro support Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair for Android and Windows devices, respectively. Users have the option to pair the TWS with up to two devices simultaneously. The buds continue to be the same stem-shaped ones as the predecessor, with a small indent on the outershell for touch controls.
While the charging case moves away from the earlier pebble-like shape to a slightly flatter, more refined design, the IP55 rating remains unchanged. The Nord Buds 4 Pro are still only protected against minor splashes of water and dust. In practical terms, they’ll comfortably handle sweat during workouts, but they’re not built for harsher exposure, so it’s best to keep them away from the pool or the beach.
Be that as it may, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro are rated to last longer this time, with up to 54 hours of total playback at 50 per cent volume, with ANC turned off and AAC enabled. It is a noticeable jump from the 44 hours claimed on the previous-generation model. As for charging, the earbuds themselves are expected to fully top up in about 60 minutes, while charging them along with the case takes roughly 90 minutes.
Other features include Boosted Bass, AI translation, AI assistant, pro-level real-time ANC, and volume swipe control. Users with OnePlus devices running OxygenOS 15.0.1 or later can also use the HeyMelody app to enable seamless real-time translation between languages such as English, Hindi, Spanish and French. Moreover, the Nord Buds 4 Pro comes with TÜV Rheinland high-performance noise cancellation certification.
The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro has been priced in India at Rs 3,999, making it Rs 1,000 more expensive than its predecessor. The buds come with Radiant Grey and Radiant Black colour options, with their sale starting from March 23rd on OnePlus.in, the OnePlus Store app, OnePlus Experience stores, Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra. As part of the launch offer, you can claim the buds at just Rs 3,799.
We’ll reserve our final verdict on how good the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro really are for the full review, but on paper, they do come across as a decent upgrade over their predecessor. If you are looking to upgrade from the Buds 3 Pro or are out in the market for TWS with effective active noise cancellation and support for Spatial Audio, these seem like a promising option worth buying.
