Over the years, I’ve grown a love-hate relationship with wireless earbuds. Primarily, because I strictly adhere to wired audio gear for hi-res audio playback. Second, they serve me the “yet another device I need to charge” lifestyle dilemma. Forking a few hundred dollars on a pair that doesn’t offer the audio flexibility of wired earphones with a DAC that costs nearly half as much seems perplexing to me.
I’ve spent a healthy few months with the vanillaAirPods 4and still feel the sting of the brand premium I paid for them. But every once in a while, a brand makes wireless earbuds that punch above their weight. TheOnePlus Buds 4, which currently start at $100 (after a special OnePlus Store bargain), fall squarely into that vaunted territory.
On a regular day, however, you can get them for the same $129 pinch as the AirPods 4. After pushing them for a few weeks as my primary calling and music companion device, I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the whole package.
Better, right at the gates
When picking wireless earbuds, the most important aspect is the in-ear fit and comfort. The AirPods ditch the ear tip design, which means the ear canal seal is loose. A lot of noise creeps in from the sides, and in the absence ofactive noise cancellation, you’re perpetually dealing with it during music playback.
Another major issue with the AirPods 4 is their one-size-fits-all approach. In my case, they go in, but the hold is far from reassuring. I can’t make it past 200 meters without having to adjust them during my morning walks. When it gets sweaty, the situation is worse.
With the OnePlus Buds 4, I’m in a different ball game. The angled earpiece head, paired with the rubber eartip, offers a noticeably better grip and comfort. I don’t have to worry about the earbuds slipping off during workouts at all. Plus, the supplied box comes with ear tips in three sizes, so you will likely find one that fits right with the unique shape of your ear canal.
For me, the M-size tips offer the best seal, helping land at the perfect fit as well as passive noise isolation. That approach brings its own set of benefits. Even with noise cancellation disabled, there is simply less commotion and chaos getting into my ears.
With the AirPods 4, the volume levels have to be cranked up in order to drown out the ambient noise before you may even think of losing yourself in a soulful track or a thoughtful podcast episode.
Now, let’s talk controls. Apple goes with pinch-based controls on the stem. Every time you go to attend a call or switch to the next track, you almost always end up readjusting the in-ear position. The shorter stem looks better, but at the same time, it also makes the job of executing those gestures more disruptive.
Most importantly, you can not make volume adjustments on the AirPods directly. One either has to rely directly on the phone or summon Siri to do the deed. On the OnePlus Buds 4, the process feels natural and intuitive. I just have to slide my finger up and down on the touch-sensitive strip, and the job is done.
OnePlus also lets you customize the gestures across long and short taps for a variety of tasks. And it doesn’t matter whether the paired device is an Android slab or an iPhone, you can make the tweaks without any ecosystem limitations.
It’s also worth pointing out that Apple limits the AirPods 4 to IP54-tier dust and water resistance, while the OnePlus Buds 4 do one better with IP55 level protection.
These are all fundamental conveniences and shape the daily experience of using wireless earbuds. The AirPods 4 prove to be the less thoughtful product in the race despite being the world’s highest-selling product of its kind, while the OnePlus Buds 4 offer a more rewarding (read: less frustrating) time on a daily basis.
Audio quality is simply no match
The AirPods 4 are your vanilla pair of true wireless earbuds. They are entrenched deep within the Apple ecosystem conveniences and get the basics right, too. You want earbuds for calling and the occasional tunes to dim the drudgery of the daily commute? Get the AirPods 4.
Despite featuring fewer mics than the OnePlus Buds 4, the Apple earbuds offer superior clarity during calls, both cellular and app-based. The OnePlus device doesn’t disappoint with its triple mic system, especially at silencing the ambient noise signals. It’s just that the audio signature is a tad different for the person on the other end.
Switching to other aspects of owning wireless earbuds, I’d pick — and recommend — the OnePlus Buds 4 over the AirPods 4 any day. Sheer audio quality is just one of those reasons.
The current-gen AirPods are not terrible, but they can’t match the refined bassline and soundstage of earbuds that feature a dual-driver system, each with its own DAC. There is simply no equivalence between the level of detail you can resolve while listening to cinematic tracks or instruments in folk music. After testing the OnePlus Buds 4, the AirPods 4 just sound too muddy, chaotic, and lacking character.
Listening to “Lost But Won” by Hans Zimmer, the thumping bass was dampened, robbing the song of its definitive pulsing beats. Likewise, Havi’s deep and warm crooning sounds flat with the AirPods 4, compared to the sparkling and layered output you get from the OnePlus Buds 4.
Now, there are two other aspects that I would like to highlight collectively. The absence of a sealed design and active noise cancellation means you need to crank up the volume levels to drown out the ambient noise. That’s a rational strategy, but it comes with its own caveat.
The big differentiator, of course, is active noise cancellation and transparency modes. But more than just the obvious benefit of a noise-free listening experience, ANC ensures that you can listen to music at nearly 50% volume level and don’t necessarily have to boost it all the way up, which eventually leads to tearing and clarity issues.
At high volume levels, especially above the 80% mark, vocal distortions become inevitable. With the AirPods 4, it’s easy to notice the tear in vocals and the overt instrumental sharpness. There’s a visible sibilance in the treble range, as well. The OnePlus Buds 4 go with a warmer tone and higher frequency bandwidth, letting you enjoy near-pristine hi-res LHDC audio even at 50% volume levels, while ANC does its job in the background.
It just makes more sense
OnePlus’ implementation of 3D audio sounds more immersive thanApple’s Spatial Audioon the AirPods 4. But what truly sets the OnePlus apart are the sheer number of add-on features. There are a couple of ear canal and hearing tests that personalize the audio to the sensitivity and shape of each ear canal.
Then there’s the audio customization system in place. You get a proper EQ customization system complemented by sound profile presets and dedicated bass output controls. Apple doesn’t offer custom EQ profiles for the AirPods 4, but only a long list of tuned presets to pick from, hidden deep within the Settings app.
Next, even with ANC enabled, the OnePlus Buds 4 consistently last longer than their Apple rival, and similar is the situation is with the charging case. Apple says 10 minutes of charging time is good enough for two hours of playback, while the fast charging system on the OnePlus Buds 4 will give you 11 hours of listening time.
That’s over five times higher playback time compared to the AirPods 4. Apple doesn’t offer anything in the retail package, but the OnePlus Buds 4 come with a charging cable and three pairs of eartips, so there’s that thoughtful perk, as well.
Overall, what I got from the OnePlus Buds 4 is a far better value than the entry-level AirPods 4 for the $129 price tag. In my home market, the OnePlus Buds 4 are currently going for $70, or $75 without a store discount. At that value, they’re leagues ahead of Apple’s audio ware.
In conclusion, it’s not just the bargain value, but the fantastic listening experience that makes it hard to put down the OnePlus Buds 4 these days.
