With the success of Nord, Buds OnePlus has come out with another pair of OnePlus’ affordable and powerful wireless buds. The all-new Nord Buds CE is completely a new beast. They ditch the ear tip to make an open ear design. This may be an advantage as well as a disadvantage, depending on how you use it. They are launched at the price point of Rs. 1,899 which is comparatively less on seeing its features. So if you looking to buy luxurious earbuds in an affordable price range then stick to this blog to get a Nord Buds CE review.
Design and comfort
The design of the OnePlus Node Buds CE is taken from the Regular Node Buds. The Regular Node Buds had a unique design whereas Node Bude CE has a more generic design similar to Apple AirPods. The Earbuds and charging case is made up of pure plastic which makes them very lightweight. The buds have a long stalk and elliptical opening at the end of each earcup. The earbuds are placed in an oval-shaped charging case that has a magnetic lid. The charging case has a glossy finish so it catches fingerprints and micro scratches.
The OnePlus Node Buds CE comes with a one-size-fits-all design. They are very comfortable in ears depending on the shape and size of your ears. But as far as we could experience, it was exceptionally comfortable. They don’t enter deep in the ear canal nor do they create any kind of suction-like sensation in the ear as you get with tight silicon tips.
They weigh just 3.5g which is even lighter than Node Buds. Even though they have an open ear design but they provide a secured in-ear fit design and don’t easily get out even while doing heavy physical activity like running, cycling, jumping, etc.
The Node Buds CE has standard controls which can be activated just by tapping the top portion of the steam. With a single tap, you can play or pause the music, double-tap to skip the music, and triple-tap to activate your phoned default voice assistance. The buds are IPX4 sweat and splash resistance means you can even wear them while doing a heavy workout. They are also ideal for runners, bikers, and adventures as the open design easily allows you to hear the outside world and music simultaneously.
Sound Quality
The OnePlus Node Buds CE comes with 13.4mm dynamic drivers that enhance the overall sound quality for casual listening. Listening to music on these premium buds has a very different experience. As these buds have a premium feature of open ear design, there is no noise isolation at all. This won’t be an issue if you are using them in Quiet places like the office or at your home. However, if you are using them in any crowded places then you may need to increase your sound volume to increase the clarity of the music.
It’s 13.5mm dynamic drivers and special close-tube design help in getting boost bass response up to 3dB. Its open-ear design makes music sound more spacious than it is. The company has also provided an imaginary stereo separation feature with these buds.
Latency and connectivity
The OnePlus Node Buds CE AI noise cancellation is not that effective for phone calls. It has a dedicated game mode feature that reduces the latency in the game. These Buds don’t offer Bluetooth codes like aptX or LDAC which we could find in other buds at this price range. We only get SBC and ACC codecs which are quite fine for listening to music and watching videos. Moreover, we also don’t get features of Dolby Atmos support which we could find in OnePlus Node Buds.
This Buds could be best for gamers as this offers low latency in gaming mode to ensure lag-free audio while playing games. The company claims that games mode is only for OnePlus Mobile phone users but still you can access this feature through the My Melody App on non- OnePlus devices.
Call Quality
The Call Quality on these buds is just okay but not outstanding. According to the company, the AI Noise Cancellation works perfectly well during calls that reduce all the loud noise and background sounds. However, is found that this feature is ineffective in practical life. As we could easily hear a fair bit of background noise when used in public places.
Charging and battery life
The OnePlus Node Buds CE is capable of sustaining up to 4.5 hours of continuous playback time that could be extended up to 20 hours using a charging case. These numbers look pretty decent but not the best in this price segment. At a similar price range Realme Buds, Air 3 Neo provides a battery backup of 7 hours and 30 hours with the charging case. If we talk about the battery, the Node Buds CE has the best battery. It never drains out suddenly in the middle of use.
The company claims that it delivers up to 81 minutes of playback on charging for 10 minutes. We get a USB-C port and no wireless charging.
Final Take away & Availability
The OnePlus Nord Buds CE is one of the best and most affordable truly wireless earbuds available in the Indian market. They might not appeal to everyone as their open ear design doesn’t hold ambient noise. But if you are the one who doesn’t like silicon ear tips then these might be the one for you. They are also best for runners and outdoor enthusiasts who want to be aware of the surroundings while listening to music.
The OnePlus Buds are available at Rs. 1,899 in India and can be purchased from oneplus.com or Amazon India. We get two color options i.e Moonlight White and Misty Grey.