OnePlus Buds 4 Review: Great Sound But Underwhelming Noise Cancellation

Explore why the OnePlus Buds 4 deliver impressive sound and battery life, yet struggle with noise cancellation and multi-device connectivity.

In the world of wireless earbuds, OnePlus Buds 4 has flown just under the radar for the past few years, despite being a major Android smartphone player. If you’ve been a fan of OnePlus or just on the hunt for AirPods alternatives that won’t break the bank, their TWS (True Wireless Stereo) lineup has quietly impressed many.

The OnePlus Buds 3 hinted at the brand’s ability to deliver rich sound on a budget, proving you don’t have to spend top dollar to get quality wireless audio. Now, the latest OnePlus Buds 4 arrive with promising upgrades like adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), AI integration, and touch-sensitive volume controls.

But as much as these buds shine in areas like sound quality and battery life, they also reveal frustrating flaws that hold them back from greatness.

Quick Specs Snapshot

• Price: $129
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4
• Active Noise Cancellation: Yes
• Battery Life: 9 hours with ANC, 11 hours without ANC; up to 37 hours (with charging case and ANC), 45 hours without ANC
• Colors: Storm Gray, Zen Green
• Supported Codecs: SBC, AAC, LHDC
• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• Frequency Range: 15 Hz – 40 kHz
• Protection: IP55 dust and water resistance

What Are OnePlus Buds 4 and Who Are They For?

These are the newest mid-range wireless earbuds from OnePlus, pitched at Android and OnePlus users with budgets around $130. The buds boast a robust feature set, long battery life, and lively sound.

But they stumble with inconsistent multi-device audio, disappointing 3D audio, and noise cancellation that doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Price and Availability: Where Do Buds 4 Stand?

At $129, the OnePlus Buds 4 slot between pricier AirPods 4 with ANC ($169) and more budget-friendly contenders like Sony WF-C710N ($119) and EarFun Air Pro 4 ($79).

Available in Storm Gray and Zen Green, you can grab these buds directly from the OnePlus store.

Design: A Step Back in Elegance?

• Not as refined as previous model
• Durable dust and water resistance
• Comfortable fit for moderate use

Aesthetically, the Buds 4 feel like a step backward from the predecessor Buds 3. Rather than continuing with the sleek aluminum stems, OnePlus opted for plastic, losing some of that semi-premium shimmer.

The color palette shifted as well — the previous metallic gray and vivid blue were snazzier compared to the muted Storm Gray and Zen Green here.

On the bright side, the buds come with solid IP55 protection against dust and water splashes, so durability isn’t compromised.

The charging case, sporting a pebble shape similar to Nord Buds 3 Pro, lacks the wow factor of the earlier rectangular Buds 3 case. Practicality wins here, but style? Not so much.

In terms of fit, the earbuds are comfortable enough for around three hours straight before fatigue creeps in. The included silicone tips keep them snug during jogging or brisk walking, with two extra pairs offered for customization. Plus, the companion app features a fit test to help you nail the seal.

Features: A Rich Toolkit With Some Gated Goodies

• Excellent feature set
• Some features exclusive to OnePlus devices
• Multi-platform companion app

HeyMelody, the companion app available for both Android and iOS, lets you tap into essential functions like:

• Dual device pairing
• Fit test
• Earbud locator
• Firmware updates
• Advanced audio modes (3D audio, gaming mode, Golden Sound equalizer)

However, OnePlus reserves some AI-powered perks exclusively for its own devices, such as AI translators, custom control remapping, and Hi-Res LHDC codec support. It’s a bummer that not all users get the full suite regardless of their OS.

The AI translation tools, while not quite matching Google Translate, are still handy. The “Face-to-Face” mode enables free-flowing conversations with speakers of other languages, and “Live Translate” helps dictate longer messages for reading on OnePlus devices.

Controls: Versatile Yet Slightly Laggy

• Universal control scheme
• Noticeable delay activating functions
• Reliable digital assistant

Control-wise, the Buds 4 pack a punch: AI translator, call management, voice assistant summon, different listening modes, playback, and volume adjustment. There’s even a shutter release for snapping photos on your OnePlus phone.

The catch? About a 2-second delay when activating functions by touch. Swipe gestures for volume are smoother and more accurate.

Wear sensors automatically pause music when you remove an earbud — a small but appreciated touch.

The mic array handled my voice commands well, including longer questions to Google Gemini, with good recognition. Siri worked best for standard commands.

Sound Quality: Warm, Detailed, But With a Flawed Spatial Audio Trick

• Warm and detailed sound
• Lots of tools for sound enhancement
• Terrible spatial audio

If you loved the engaging sound of Buds 3, you’ll be pleased that OnePlus refined its signature sound on the Buds 4, adding more detail and texture. Their 11mm woofer and 6mm tweeter combo delivers lively audio straight out of the box.

LHDC codec kicks in automatically on supported Android devices, providing 24-bit depth for clearer, nuanced playback.

Listening to Soho’s “Hot Music” on repeat, I caught instrumental layers barely audible on other earbuds in this price range. The crash cymbals were so crystal-clear it felt like two drum kits playing at once.

Instrument positioning was spot-on with each musician occupying distinct space, and the bass drum got a satisfying boost.

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” offered energetic rock-pop vibes, with a rocking guitar riff and well-balanced hi-hats and drums.

Hip-hop bangers like 50 Cent’s “Outta Control (Remix)” hit hard, with thunderous bass drums and clear high-frequency strings, though the highs lacked the sharpness of some mid-tier Sony models.

OnePlus provides several audio customizations:

• Hi-Res mode with LHDC codec
• Master EQ presets (Balanced, Serenade, Bass)
• BassWave slider for low-frequency tweaks
• Manual EQ for fine-tuning
• Golden Sound mode that tailors audio to your hearing profile

Golden Sound was a highlight, crafting a pleasing tailored soundscape.

The one letdown? 3D Audio (spatial sound) is still a disaster. It sounded muffled and unconvincing, a feature OnePlus keeps struggling to get right.

Noise Cancellation: Mediocre at Best, But Transparency Shines

• ANC underwhelms
• Excellent transparency mode
• Surprisingly good wind noise reduction

I expected much better ANC performance from the Buds 4. While the buds handle low and mid-frequency noises decently and excel at wind noise reduction, high-frequency sounds slip through annoyingly.

My baby’s squeals were distracting while working, sirens and whistles occasionally caught me off guard, and even birds chirping became a nuisance.

ANC modes include:

• High (adaptive real-time algorithm)
• Moderate (for fairly noisy environments)
• Low (for quieter spaces)
• Auto (selects mode based on environment, defaulting to High)

None delivered a significant noise-blocking punch.

Adaptive ANC is the best bet, tweaking noise cancellation to your surroundings and beefing up bass and mid-frequency filtering.

Transparency mode impressed — it kept me alert to pedestrians chatting, dogs barking, and nearby fire sirens. The voice capture feature was a surprise gem; I could clearly hear my wife from another room while blasting music at max volume.

Call Quality and Connectivity: Solid Calls, Shaky Dual Device Pairing

• Good voice call quality
• Stable wind noise resistance
• Multi-device pairing causes audio issues

These earbuds double as a reliable headset. My voice came through crisply during calls, with three AI noise-cancelling mics blocking background sounds effectively. Wind noise was handled impressively, avoiding annoying whistling.

Bluetooth 5.4 paired smoothly with Apple and Google devices, maintaining a 15-meter range without stuttering. Android users enjoy quick Google Fast Pair, while Apple users can connect via standard Bluetooth menus.

However, multipoint pairing (connecting to two devices simultaneously) was problematic. When linked to my OnePlus 11 smartphone and MacBook Pro laptop, audio signals often distorted and randomly switched between devices for a few seconds before snapping back.

Battery Life: Outstanding Endurance Outclasses Many Rivals

• Almost double the battery life of many competing earbuds
• Reliable fast charging
• No wireless charging support

A full charge delivers 9 hours with ANC active, nearly 2.5 hours longer than Buds 3. Turn off ANC, and you get up to 11 hours of playback. Using features like LHDC or spatial audio trims this by 1–2 hours.

That’s still more battery than many premium buds, including AirPods Pro 2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

With moderate use (3 hours per day), I easily stretched one charge over three days.

The charging case adds up to 45 hours but lacks wireless charging. According to OnePlus specs, 10 minutes of charging should yield 11 hours playback, though my test showed 60% charge after 8 minutes. Using an official power adapter should speed this up.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy OnePlus Buds 4?

If you’re an avid OnePlus enthusiast, these buds offer the best experience from the brand’s TWS lineup yet. For other Android users and iPhone fans, there are better, often cheaper options with superior noise cancellation.

Whether software updates could fix some shortcomings remains uncertain, and my review was based on a test unit.

If you prioritize sound quality and battery life, OnePlus Buds 4 pairs nicely with your OnePlus 13 or OnePlus Pad 3. Otherwise, look elsewhere for earbuds with stronger noise cancellation and more reliable multi-device performance.

OnePlus Buds 4 significantly improved sound and battery life but fall short in noise cancellation and multi-device stability.

FAQ

• How good is the noise cancellation on OnePlus Buds 4?
  The ANC handles low and mid frequencies fairly well but struggles with high-pitched sounds like sirens or bird chirps.
• Can I use all features on any smartphone?
  Most features work on Android and iOS, but AI translation, Hi-Res audio, and custom controls are exclusive to OnePlus devices.
• How long does the battery last?
  Up to 9 hours with ANC on and 11 hours without, with a total of 37-45 hours including the charging case.
• Is multipoint Bluetooth supported?
  Yes, but performance is unstable; audio can distort or switch randomly when connected to two devices.
• Does the Buds 4 support wireless charging?
  No, the charging case does not have wireless charging capabilities.

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