OnePlus Buds Pro are feature-packed AirPods Pro alternatives with shiny stems

OnePlus Buds Pro are £139 true wireless alternatives to the AirPods Pro
(Image credit: OnePlus)

OnePlus has announced its third pair of true wireless earbuds, and they seem to be gunning straight for the AirPods Pro. The OnePlus Buds Pro feature a very similar aesthetic to Apple's finest, with one clear differentiator – shiny chrome stems. It certainly sets them apart from the crowd.

They are OnePlus' most advanced earbuds yet, a step on from the wallet-friendly OnePlus Buds and the still very affordable OnePlus Buds Z. They feature adaptive noise cancellation, which means they automatically adjust the ANC to match your environment. Stand next to a pneumatic drill and they'll crank up the ANC, but head to a tranquil park and they'll tone it right down.

Each earbud contains three microphones and can cancel out noise at up to 40dB. According to TLC Direct, that's about the noise level of a fridge humming.

The Buds Pro support Dolby Atmos for virtual 360-degree sound, too. And using OnePlus Audio ID, you can create a personalised sound profile after taking an audio test. There's also a Transparency mode, which lets in outside noise so you can have a conversation with someone without taking the earbuds out.

They're mighty durable: the case is rated IPX4 to survive water splashes, while the buds themselves are IP55, meaning they're mostly dust-tight and can withstand water jets spraying them.

Battery life is another highlight. With ANC on, you get five hours from the buds, seven with it off. Throw in extra juicing up from the charging case, and you'll get 28 hours with ANC on, and 38 with it off before needing to find a plug socket. That beats the Sony WF-1000XM4 and AirPods Pro on paper. Impressive.

OnePlus' Warp charge gives 10 hours of use from just 10 minutes of charging, and wireless charging is also on the menu. Bluetooth 5.2 is the order of the day, and they have a low latency mode for gaming.

The OnePlus Buds Pro come in black or white finishes and are pretty affordable for such a stacked feature set. They cost £139 ($149, about AU$259) and go on sale on 18th August.

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Joe Svetlik

Joe has been writing about tech for 17 years, first on staff at T3 magazine, then in a freelance capacity for Stuff, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, Men's Health, GQ, The Mirror, Trusted Reviews, TechRadar and many more (including What Hi-Fi?). His specialities include all things mobile, headphones and speakers that he can't justifying spending money on.