OnePlus has expanded its Nord lineup with the launch of the new Nord Buds 4, which, of course, sits right at the entry spot. The budget buds segment faces quite tight competition, and the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 is definitely looking to heat things up. We have been playing around with the Nord Buds 4 for some time now, and here is our review of its performance.
The design is quite impressive, and OnePlus has given up the smooth lines in favour of a slightly boxier-looking case. The surface finish of the case is matte, and in the Astral Teak shade, it looks quite soothing, at least to my eyes. And due to its matte finish, the case does not pick up smudges or fingerprints, which is definitely a good thing. If you do not like it flashy, you also have a black colour option for a stealthier look.
Pop open the case, and you see the buds, which weigh 4.3 grams each, which is almost nothing. That said, these buds feel almost invisible when you wear them. The box also comes with additional ear tips, so you can pick one for that perfect fit. Since the buds also feature an IP rating, occasional splashes and sweaty gym sessions will not hamper them.
Now let us address the elephant in the room – which is audio quality. The choice of hardware used shows in its performance, starting with 12mm titanium-coated drivers. I ran the buds through my playlist. From classics to rock, metal, and electronic music, the listening experience has been more than satisfactory. While the low end of the music sounded punchy, the mids and highs were also clear. It is almost the case with all budget buds, which start sounding muddy when you increase the volume. But that is not the case with the Nord Buds 4. Those who like to do some additional tweaking can use the tuning options to fully adjust the equaliser to their liking with the HeyMelody app on their phone.
Call performance is impressive, thanks to 52dB of Active Noise Cancellation, and it shows in daily use. Call clarity is excellent, and with six microphones, three on each side, you can feel the difference in chaotic places by turning it off and on. However, with very loud ambient noise, the sounds can be heard by the other person, which is not a dealbreaker, especially for the price.
The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 runs on Bluetooth 6.1 and connects swiftly to your device. It also comes with dual-device pairing, which allows you to connect to two different devices at once and switch between them quickly. The touch sensors are also receptive and allow you to control the buds effectively. Codec support is basic, with standard AAC and SBC support.
The claimed battery life is a total of 54 hours of playback. While the buds have a 62mAh battery each, the case packs a 530mAh battery, and with just 10 minutes of charging via the Type-C input port, you get a claimed three hours of playback. I used the buds almost every day, charging them only when they were completely drained, and I honestly do not remember charging them too often. Even for heavy users, the buds should deliver a day’s worth of usage with ease.
For a price of ₹3,299, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 make a great value proposition, especially for heavy users who tend to extract the maximum performance from their gadgets. The fit is great, and the ANC does its job quite well. And to be honest, these buds handle everyday use with ease thanks to the solid build quality, while the sound quality takes the crown. However, I must remind you that for just ₹700 more, you can also get your hands on the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro, which does take the performance a couple of notches higher. But if you are purchasing within a strict budget, think no further and get the Nord Buds 4, and you shall not be disappointed.
