- Stylish design & comfortable fit
- Top-notch ANC
- Great Bass quality
- Pricier than Buds 3
- Lack of wireless charging
The OnePlus Buds 4 shine as a solid mid-range choice. They deliver comfy fit, punchy sound, and reliable battery life. Audio can get murky at high volumes, and tweaking ANC feels app-dependent and clunky. Still, for their price, these earbuds are a compelling buy.
I’ve been testing the OnePlus Buds 4 for two weeks now, and I’m genuinely impressed by how much these earbuds pack into their $129.99 price tag.
Following the premium OnePlus Buds 3 Pro, which launched earlier this year at $149.99, the Buds 4 aim to bring a similar level of polish to the mid-range segment.
Spoiler alert: they largely succeed. From their sleek design to their surprisingly robust sound and noise cancellation, these earbuds have a lot to offer.
Let’s dive into my experience with the OnePlus Buds 4 and see if they live up to the hype.
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OnePlus Buds 4 Specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Wireless, Dual-Point Connectivity |
| Audio Drivers | 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter |
| Codecs Supported | LHDC 5.0, AAC, SBC |
| Noise Cancellation | Yes, up to 55dB with Adaptive ANC |
| Microphones | 3 mics per side with AI Call Noise Cancellation |
| Spatial Audio | Yes, OnePlus 3D Audio |
| Battery Life | Up to 45 hours with case (ANC off), 24 hours with case (ANC on), 11 hours earbuds (ANC off), 6 hours earbuds (ANC on) |
| Charging | Wired (USB Type-C), Fast Charging (10 mins for 11 hours playback) |
| IP Rating | IP55 (dust and water resistance) |
| Earbud Dimensions | 33 x 30.6 x 24.2 mm |
| Case Dimensions & Weight | 65.4 x 52.4 x 25.3 mm, 39.97g |
| Price | $129.99 |
Unboxing and
Despite the budget-friendly price, opening the OnePlus Buds 4 box feels like unwrapping a premium product.
Available in Green or Gray, the packaging is clean and highlights support for LHDC high-resolution audio.
Inside, you get the earbuds, a charging case, a USB Type-C cable, and two extra pairs of ear tips—a thoughtful touch for finding the perfect fit.
Design & Build Quality
The charging case looks great. OnePlus ditched the boxy design of earlier models for a sleek, oval shape that echoes the Buds 3 Pro. The matte finish feels luxurious and doesn’t attract fingerprints, which is a small but appreciated detail.
The case sports engraved OnePlus branding, a green/red LED for battery and pairing status, a USB-C port, and a pairing button. The magnetic closure is satisfyingly strong, ensuring the earbuds stay secure. It’s a case you’d expect from a pricier set of earbuds, and it’s a joy to carry around.
The earbuds themselves are equally polished. Their matte finish and compact design make them look and feel more expensive than they are. Touch controls on the stems are intuitive—slide for volume, tap for play/pause or track changes—and they work flawlessly.
In-ear detection pauses music when you remove an earbud and resumes when you pop it back in, which worked seamlessly during my testing. Overall, the design screams premium, and OnePlus has clearly put thought into making these earbuds both stylish and functional.
Comfort
I wore the Buds 4 for hours at a stretch—whether commuting, working, or just chilling—and they’re impressively comfortable.
They’re lightweight, and the ergonomic design ensures a snug fit without causing ear fatigue.
The included ear tips let me dial in the perfect seal, which not only enhances comfort but also boosts sound quality and noise cancellation.
Even after long listening sessions, I barely noticed they were there. OnePlus nailed the comfort factor, making these a great choice for anyone who wears earbuds for extended periods.
Sound Quality
The OnePlus Buds 4 deliver audio that’s frankly surprising for their price. Powered by an 11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter, plus a dual DAC setup—a rarity in this segment—these earbuds produce a rich, balanced sound.
The bass is punchy without overpowering the mids or highs, which I appreciated when listening to everything from hip-hop to classical. Vocals are crisp, and instrument separation is excellent, giving tracks a sense of depth and clarity.
Support for LHDC 5.0, AAC, and SBC codecs, along with high-resolution audio certification, elevates the experience on compatible devices (like my OnePlus phone).
I found the sound signature leans slightly bass-heavy, but it’s well-controlled, never muddying the vocals or creating an unpleasant boominess.
Noise Cancellation
One of the biggest surprises with the Buds 4 is their active noise cancellation (ANC). With three microphones per earbud and up to 55dB of noise reduction across a 5,500Hz frequency range, these earbuds block out ambient noise with remarkable effectiveness.
Testing them in a busy café or while the TV blared at home, I was amazed at how the ANC created near-total silence. It’s not just good for the price—it’s one of the best ANC performances I’ve experienced in the sub-$150 segment.
There’s also a transparency mode for letting in ambient sound, which is handy for quick conversations, and an adaptive ANC option that adjusts based on your environment.
I found the adaptive mode a bit hit-or-miss, sometimes struggling to keep up with changing noise levels, so I stuck with the standard ANC mode for the best results. Still, the regular ANC is so good that it’s hard to complain.
Call Quality
I took countless calls with the Buds 4, and they performed admirably every time. The three-microphone setup and noise cancellation ensure your voice comes through clearly, with no distortion or background noise creeping in.
Friends and colleagues on the other end noted how natural my voice sounded, even in noisy environments like a bustling street.
Customizable tap gestures (single or double taps) make accepting or ending calls a breeze. For anyone who relies on earbuds for calls, the Buds 4 won’t disappoint.
App and Customization
OnePlus makes tweaking the Buds 4 a breeze, especially if you’re using a OnePlus phone, where settings are baked into the Bluetooth menu.
For other Android or iOS devices, the HeyMelody app is a must-download, offering a wealth of customization options.
I spent some time playing with the equalizer, which includes presets like Balanced, Serenade, and Bass, as well as a custom option for fine-tuning.
The Bass preset was my go-to for most tracks, but the custom equalizer let me dial in the sound for specific genres.
You can also tweak ANC settings (high, moderate, low, or adaptive), enable 3D audio (which was decent but not mind-blowing), and customize touch controls.
The app supports dual connection, letting you pair the earbuds with two devices at once—a feature I loved when switching between my phone and laptop.
There’s even an AI translation feature for OnePlus users and a “Find My Earbuds” function for locating misplaced buds. The app is intuitive and responsive, making it easy to get the most out of the Buds 4.
Battery Life
Battery life is another area where the Buds 4 shine. At 50% volume without ANC, I got around 8–9 hours of playback from the earbuds alone.
With ANC on, that dropped to about 6–6.5 hours, and enabling LHDC 5.0 brought it down to roughly 5.5 hours.
Combined with the case, you’re looking at 37–38 hours of total playback, which is more than enough for a few days of heavy use.
The fast charging is a lifesaver—10 minutes of charging gave me about 3.5 hours of playback, and a full charge took around 50 minutes.
Final Verdict
After two weeks with the OnePlus Buds 4, I’m convinced they’re one of the best TWS options under $150. The premium design, stellar sound quality, top-notch ANC, and reliable battery life make them feel like a steal at this price range.
Sure, the adaptive ANC could be more consistent, and the 3D audio isn’t a game-changer, but these are minor gripes in an otherwise stellar package.
If you’re hunting for earbuds that deliver flagship-level features without breaking the bank, the OnePlus Buds 4 are an easy recommendation.
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Nick, the Co-founder of Earbuds Arena, is a seasoned freelance tech journalist with over ten years of experience covering wearables, apps, headphones, and gadgets. When he’s not immersed in the tech world, you’ll likely find him unwinding with video games, going for a run, or enjoying a game of soccer on the field.
