OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Review: A Budget-Friendly Option With Trade-Offs
OnePlus has been making a splash in the budget TWS market with its Nord Buds lineup, constantly introducing new models with incremental improvements and corresponding price adjustments. The latest addition, the Nord Buds 2r, arrives at an enticing Rs. 2,199, aiming to offer a compelling entry point for budget-conscious listeners. But with a lower price tag comes certain compromises. Has OnePlus sacrificed too much to reach this competitive price point? Let’s find out.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Design and Features
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2r and its case bear a striking resemblance to the more expensive Nord Buds 2, launched earlier this year. Available in Deep Grey and Triple Blue finishes, the earbuds boast a capsule-shaped case with rounded corners and a matte finish. While this design aesthetic is sleek and easily fits in pockets, the matte finish turns out to be extremely slippery, making the case prone to accidental drops.
Opening the lid proves to be challenging, lacking any noticeable notch for leverage. This often results in an awkward pinching of fingers around the hinge area. While the minimalist design is appreciated, a bit more grip would have enhanced the user experience.
The earbuds themselves share the same slippery plastic finish as the case, creating a less-than-secure grip. Removal from the case is easy thanks to large cutouts, but the slippery texture makes it tricky to wear them securely, especially during walks, leading to several near-misses as they slipped from my fingers.
The flattened pill-shaped stem, while aligning with the overall design theme, lacks the grippy texture of the Nord Buds 2, making it harder to handle. Despite these gripes about texture, the Nord Buds 2r achieve a comfortable fit, remaining snug even during extended listening sessions.
The charging case weighs 38.1g, while each earbud weighs 4.3g, making the overall package quite lightweight. The earbuds boast an IP55 rating, an upgrade over the Nord Buds CE’s IPX4 rating, offering increased protection against dust and water. The sales package includes two extra sets of silicon ear tips and a short USB Type-C charging cable.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2r App and Specifications
When paired with a OnePlus phone, all customizable settings for the Nord Buds 2r are conveniently accessible within the smartphone’s Bluetooth settings. OnePlus offers three equalizer presets: Balanced, Bass, and Bold, alongside several custom EQ profiles. There’s also a Game Mode that prioritizes a fast and stable connection over sound quality, aiming to minimize audio lag during gaming sessions.
Beyond these audio adjustments, users can enjoy a simple Find My Earbuds feature that plays a loud tone to help locate misplaced earbuds. A handy camera control feature allows for snapping photos by double-tapping either earbud while the camera app is active.
Customizable touch controls are included, but users are limited to preset options. While single, double, and triple-tap functions are available, a long press allows switching between two paired devices. True multi-point device support, however, is absent at this price point. The touch controls themselves exhibit a slight delay, and accurate tapping on the dimple on the ear bud stem is crucial for registering touch input, otherwise, it’s a missed interaction.
Android users with non-OnePlus devices need to download and install the HeyMelody app. This app provides access to the same customization options as the built-in controls on OnePlus smartphones, minus the Find My Earbuds and camera control features. However, the app’s iOS version proved to be notably unreliable. While connecting to an iPhone 14 Pro was successful for uninterrupted music playback, the app failed to detect the earbuds. As a result, features like the equalizer, Game Mode, and battery status checks remained inaccessible when paired with an iOS device.
In terms of specifications, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2r closely mirrors the Nord Buds 2. Each earbud houses a 12.4mm dynamic driver, boasting a sensitivity of 111db and a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz. Dual mics with AI noise cancellation are included. Each earbud packs a 36mAh battery, while the case houses a 480mAh battery. Bluetooth 5.3 is supported, offering compatibility with SBC and AAC codecs. The earbuds also support Dolby Atmos, but only on OnePlus devices from the OnePlus 7 series or newer.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Performance and Battery Life
The Nord Buds 2r delivers a distinctly bass-heavy sound profile, particularly when using AAC with the Bluetooth settings. This is evident even with the default Balanced EQ preset. The overemphasized bass, almost reaching a distorted level at high volume, overshadows the mids and vocals, often making the listening experience less enjoyable.
Surprisingly, the Bass preset takes this bass-heavy sound to another level, further diminishing the presence of mids and vocals to an almost unbearable extent. While these two presets cater to bass enthusiasts, it’s unlikely even they will fully appreciate the overly exaggerated bass response.
The Bold preset proved to be the most enjoyable, providing a more balanced sound experience. Listening to Daft Punk’s "Giorgio by Moroder" revealed a lively and engaging listening experience, thanks to the toned-down bass and a more prominent presence of the mids, allowing for a more realistic and enjoyable musical experience.
Game Mode, when tested, delivered surprisingly good audio, especially with the bass-heavy settings, providing a low-latency experience during gaming, effectively minimizing audio lag.
Call quality impressed with clear and loud audio reaching the recipient. The two mics on each earbud, coupled with the claimed AI noise cancellation technology, effectively suppressed traffic noise, prioritizing my voice. Even when dealing with wind noise from a ceiling fan, my voice remained clear and undistorted. Connectivity remained consistent, without any drops, whether navigating through my large apartment or moving between different locations.
Audio quality remained consistent throughout, exceeding expectations. However, as expected, the audio did cut out completely when obstructed by thick walls on three sides. Noise isolation, aided by the provided silicon ear tips, was effective in drowning out background noise, both in quiet home environments and bustling streets.
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2r delivers an impressive eight hours of continuous music playback without the case. The case provides four additional charges, extending the total listening time to nearly two days with just music, or approximately one and a half days with mixed usage. This aligns well with OnePlus’s claimed 38-hour battery backup, making it a standout feature for an affordable truly wireless earphone. While OnePlus hasn’t disclosed charging speeds, a full charge from a 30W charger took approximately an hour and a half.
Verdict
At Rs. 2,199, the OnePlus Nord Buds 2r are a solid recommendation for casual listeners seeking a budget-friendly option. The quick charging and long-lasting battery life are noteworthy, considering the lightweight and compact design. Although a new addition to the Nord Buds family, the Nord Buds 2r stands out as an appealing option for those on a tight budget, offering a better listening experience and superior noise isolation than the Nord Buds CE. However, those with a more flexible budget would be better served by choosing the ANC-enabled Nord Buds 2 at Rs. 2,999.
