Ever since the launch ofApple AirPodsin 2016, the wireless earbuds market has been flooded with a variety of options. Visit any retailer in the US – Walmart, Amazon, or Best Buy – and you’ll find thousands of earbuds under $150. But they’re not necessarily the best you may get.
Thankfully, brands like OnePlus andeven Beatsoffer some great affordable wireless earbud options. OnePlus recently launched the OnePlus Buds 4, and after testing them for over a week, I’m already convinced they offer everything you need from a pair of wireless earbuds, without having to splurge on flagship models.
OnePlus Buds 4
OnePlus Buds 4 offer a lightweight fit and effective noise cancellation for daily use. With up to 11 hours of battery per charge and a compact charging case, these earbuds are great for long listening sessions. They support Bluetooth 5.4 out of the box and are priced at $130.
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Everything the OnePlus Buds 4 get right out of the box
Solid audio, great ANC, and impressive battery life overall
I’ve been a fan of theOnePlus Buds Pro 3since they launched last year, so I had similar expectations for the OnePlus Buds 4. While the OnePlus Buds 4 sit a tier below the Buds Pro 3 in terms of price, both earbuds ship with a very similar hardware setup.
Both earbuds come with a dual-driver system containing an 11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter. And even though OnePlus hasn’t explicitly confirmed the hardware is identical on the earbuds, I was pleasantly surprised by how similar the Buds 4 sound compared to the Buds Pro 3.
The Buds 4 also support Dual DAC and the same audio codecs as the Buds Pro 3 (LHDC 5.0, SBC, AAC). Overall, the sound quality is excellent – while not identical to the Pro 3, it’s probably 85% of the way there.
The lows aren’t overpowering, so the bass doesn’t dominate the mix, and the mids and highs are well-balanced. The bass is definitely present – as you’d expect from any OnePlus earbuds – but not so boosted that it overwhelms the rest of the audio. And as always, you’re able to tweak the EQ to your liking using the HeyMelody companion app.
And then there’s the noise cancellation on these earbuds. The OnePlus Buds 4 offer a surprisingly strong ANC – honestly, some of the best noise cancellation I’ve experienced in earbuds around the $100 mark.
You get three ANC modes: low, moderate, and high, plus an adaptive mode that adjusts based on your surroundings. I mostly stick to the high setting, and in that mode, the performance is hard to beat. They’re ideal for commuting, flights, gym sessions, and even walking through busy streets.
Another aspect of the OnePlus Buds 4 that really impressed me is the battery life. OnePlus claims up to 11 hours of playback with ANC turned off and 6 hours with ANC on – and I can actually vouch for that. Over the past few days, I’ve done my best to drain these earbuds in a single session, but I’ve never managed to fully kill them before needing to pop them back into the case.
My usage included a mix of listening with ANC both on and off. The charging case uses the USB-C port for charging, and just 10 minutes in the case gets you around three hours of playback. However, it’s worth noting that there’s no wireless charging support here, which is something expected from the pair of earbuds at this price.
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Where the OnePlus Buds 4 still fall short for me
Not deal-breakers, but enough to notice after a full week
The OnePlus Buds 4 follow the same design language as previous OnePlus earbuds, featuring a stem-style design. While I don’t have major complaints with this approach – it’s something that is used by both Apple and Samsung for their flagship earbuds – I did find the Buds 4 to be slightly on the chunkier side.
I’ve been using thePixel Buds Pro 2as my daily driver over the past year withmy Pixel 9 Pro, and those have a snugly fit without a stem and offer a tight lock-in feel. In contrast, I could feel the weight and presence of the Buds 4 in my ears during use. Long listening sessions caused slight fatigue and discomfort in my ears, which hasn’t been the case with most earbuds I’ve tested this year.
This bulkiness also affects the touch controls. The OnePlus Buds 4 are among the least responsive earbuds I’ve used in a while. I’m not sure what changed here, but the touch sensors failed to register input on either earbud on multiple occasions. Plus, there’s no play/pause gesture enabled by default, and you’ll need to set it manually in the companion app. Why, OnePlus?
The same story continues with the charging case. The OnePlus Buds 4 come in a fairly bulky case that definitely makes its presence felt when carried in a pocket. For comparison, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 – even with the case – are compact and light. But the Buds 4’s case felt like a clumpy stone in my jeans pocket.
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The OnePlus Buds 4 could be the sleeper hit of 2025
All that said, the OnePlus Buds 4 offer a lot for the price. They’re available for $100 in the US (€99 in Europe / ₹5,999 in India), and at this price, they nail the basics that matter – sound quality, ANC, and battery life. Sure, the fit isn’t perfect, and I would have preferred a slightly less chunky design, even at the cost of some battery life. But overall, the OnePlus Buds 4 feel like one of the hardest-to-beat products this year.
Theupcoming Google Pixel Buds 2amight change my opinion in the coming days, but if you’re looking for earbuds that won’t drill a hole in your pocket and still offer flagship-level features, the OnePlus Buds 4 might just end up being your favorite pair this year.
