I Finally Found A Pair Of Earbuds That Drown Out My Noisy Commute (and They're $99)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The OnePlus Buds 4 are disposable now for $99.
• They springiness flagship earbuds a tally for their money pinch top-notch ANC capacity and a comfortable fit.
• The swipe gestures tin beryllium finicky, and nan slick lawsuit is easy to drop.

The OnePlus Buds 4 beryllium beneath nan Pro exemplary successful name, but they get immoderate of its champion features and battalion them into a much affordable value tag. With a fistful of upgrades complete their predecessor, nan OnePlus Buds 4 characteristic a caller dual DAC system, larger dual drivers, LHDC 5.0 and nan aforesaid audio value I've travel to expect from nan brand. 

Also: I recovered fund wireless earbuds that I wouldn't mind ditching my AirPods for (and they're connected sale)

There's not overmuch to responsibility OnePlus Buds 4 isolated from 1 annoyance that keeps coming backmost regular -- but I'd happily put up pinch it for nan top-notch ANC performance. I've been utilizing them for nan past 10 days, and here's why I'm not putting them down immoderate clip soon.

Form facet tradeoffs

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In position of design, OnePlus Buds 4 are a operation of Nord Buds 3 Pro and Buds 3 Pro. They unrecorded successful a ammunition case, which has a metallic consciousness and matte finish. It doesn't person a grippy, leather-like textured decorativeness from nan Buds 3 Pro, which makes it slippery. In fact, I've accidentally dropped it doubly successful my 10-day usage, and person had to consciously beryllium much observant taking it retired of my pocket.

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The earbuds themselves are ray and comfortable to wear. OnePlus has flattened nan stem, a creation constituent taken from nan Nord Buds lineup, which makes them consciousness bulkier than before. However, it doesn't effect nan wearability. I've worn them for agelong durations without immoderate issue. They fresh maine good and don't autumn disconnected easily. I've worn them connected a run, successful flight, connected commutes and while stepping astir nan engaged streets of New York. They haven't fallen retired of my ears accidentally moreover once. 

My aforementioned awesome annoyance stems from this updated stem design. The earbuds' power touch-sensitive area is placed connected nan outer portion of their stem, truthful whenever I effort to alteration measurement aliases do thing pinch nan swipe gestures, I person to fiddle pinch nan fit. 

To support them successful place, I request to clasp them pinch my thumb and mediate digit while swiping pinch my scale digit connected nan buds. It is little intuitive than broadside controls, wherever I only usage my thumb and scale finger. Most group will get utilized to it complete time, but it's thing that has consistently bothered me.

The OnePlus Buds 4 connection a afloat suite of controls, without needing to prime from measurement adjustment, playback control, smart assistant, ANC on/off and more. Like nan OnePlus Buds Pro 3, you get each of them simultaneously, acknowledgment to support for aggregate pat and swipe gestures. The Buds 4 are rated IP55 for particulate and h2o resistance, truthful sweat aliases drizzle won't beryllium a problem. 

It's each astir that bass

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If you bask bass-forward audio, you'll for illustration nan OnePlus Buds 4. They characteristic dual drivers pinch 11mm woofers and a 6mm tweeter for precocious frequencies. They besides adhd a dual DAC strategy to powerfulness each driver individually. You get support for SBC, AAC, and LHDC 5.0 complete Bluetooth 5.4.

By default, nan OnePlus Buds 4 are tuned to beryllium bass-heavy. The little frequencies are boosted, while nan highs are nary longer piercingly precocious (an betterment complete nan Buds 3). The mids are pleasant but nan little mids tin sound muddy owed to boosted debased frequencies. I miss nan brilliance successful precocious frequencies from nan Buds 3 Pro but I'd return this complete Buds 3's crisp highs.

Also: OnePlus' Nord Buds 3 Pro are still my favourite fund earbuds successful 2025 - and they're connected sale

You tin tune nan OnePlus Buds 4 to your liking done nan HeyMelody app for iOS and Android. You tin boost bass moreover further, move connected Game Mode for reduced latency, activate OnePlus 3D Audio for a spatial listening acquisition (without caput tracking), and alteration controls. 

The app besides has a Golden Sound feature, which produces a civilization audio curve based connected conducting a proceeding test. It takes a mates of minutes to complete and it's a nosy characteristic to effort but I'd trust connected civilization tuning done Master EQ. 

The ANC competes pinch rivals

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The OnePlus Buds 4 declare to trim sound up to 55dB and screen 5500MHz wave range, which is amended than nan Buds Pro 3. You tin set nan ANC level from Low, Moderate, and High options, but I near it connected Auto to fto nan earbuds find levels. It useful very well, decidedly connected par pinch their much costly flagship sibling, muffling thoroughfare sound arsenic good arsenic nan level motor connected a caller flight. 

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The transparency mode is besides rather good. When activated, I could perceive my surroundings rather intelligibly pinch nan buds sitting successful my ears. There's a caller adaptive mode that toggles ANC aliases transparency mode based connected ambient sound. I recovered it didn't rather activity arsenic good arsenic it's expected to, and for illustration having manual power complete nan ANC. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The OnePlus Buds 4 are priced astatine $129 but disposable for $99 connected Amazon correct now. If you are looking for a brace of earbuds for progressive sound cancelation for astir $100, they're a awesome choice. They characteristic flagship-level ANC and transparency performance, paired pinch bass-heavy sound, a plethora of features, and a comfortable-to-wear design. 

These are yet earbuds made for group who want to drown retired their regular commute and thoroughfare noise.