We used the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro, and they’re easily OnePlus’ best Nord Buds to date

The OnePlus Nord Buds line has always played the role of the overachiever in the budget earbuds space. Every year, the top Nord Buds variant tends to borrow a trick or two from OnePlus’ more premium audio range and occasionally throws in something unexpectedly useful while it’s at it. And the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro continue that streak.

After using them, these feel like the most complete OnePlus Nord Buds yet. They are more compact, more comfortable, better equipped, and significantly better at active noise cancellation than their predecessor.

They are not perfect, and the pricing leaves them in slightly awkward territory thanks to the OnePlus Buds 3 still floating around at similar money, but judged on their own, these are excellent sub-Rs 4,000 earbuds. But are they the best option for you? Let’s delve right into our detailed OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro review.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro: Build and design

OnePlus has made a good call with the redesign here. The charging case is slimmer, lighter, and a lot easier to slip into a jeans pocket than the previous Nord Buds 3 Pro case, which always felt a little too chunky for its category.

It now looks closer to the OnePlus Buds 3 case, and that is no bad thing. Both the Raven Black and Radiant Gray finishes look sharp, with a matte tone that gives the whole thing a more polished, grown-up feel than most earbuds at this price.

The case itself stays largely fingerprint-free, which is always appreciated, and despite being more compact than before, it houses a larger 530mAh battery. That is the sort of upgrade you can actually feel in day-to-day use rather than just on a spec sheet.

The earbuds are light too, at 4.4g each, and fit securely without feeling invasive. They stayed put during walks and workouts without needing constant readjustment, and the bundled ear tips make it fairly easy to get a snug seal. That seal matters, because it helps the ANC do its job properly too.

ALSO READ: OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro take on everyday noise with serious ANC muscle

There are a few thoughtful touches here. The touch zones are slightly indented, so your fingers naturally land in the right place, and the controls are responsive without being overly twitchy. The buds also carry an IP55 rating for sweat and splash resistance, though the case itself is not protected, which is still common at this level.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro: Features

This is where the Nord Buds 4 Pro start punching above their price bracket. Each earbud packs a 12mm dynamic driver, triple microphones for ANC and calls, Bluetooth 6.0, and support for SBC, AAC, and LHDC 5.0. The inclusion of LHDC is especially welcome at this price, because it gives Android users with compatible phones a more capable codec option than you usually get in this segment.

The feature list is refreshingly complete. You get dual pairing, wear detection, customisable gesture controls, and one of the most useful additions borrowed from OnePlus’ pricier earbuds: slide controls. These let you swipe up or down on the stem area to adjust volume or skip tracks, and once you get used to them, it is hard to go back.

If you are using a OnePlus or Oppo phone, most of the controls and tweaks show up directly inside Bluetooth settings, which makes setup painless. Everyone else will need the HeyMelody app, which is available on both Android and iOS.

It is a fairly functional companion app too, and gives you access to a 10-band equaliser, audio presets, BassWave controls, ANC levels, gesture customisation, and even OnePlus’ Zen-style ambient sound mode.

For a pair of earbuds under Rs 4,000, there is very little here that feels missing.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro: Sound, ANC, and call quality

The Nord Buds 4 Pro sound exactly how many people will expect a OnePlus audio product to sound: bold, energetic, and just a little too eager in the bass department by default.

On the standard Balanced preset, there is plenty of low-end thump, but it can crowd out the mids a bit more than it should. Vocals and instruments occasionally take a back seat unless you spend a few minutes tweaking things.

The good news is that these buds respond well to adjustment. Once you dive into the equaliser and rein in the bass a little, the sound becomes much more pleasing and balanced without losing its sense of fun.

That is really the key to the Nord Buds 4 Pro. They are not trying to be studio monitors. They are trying to make your Spotify playlists, YouTube sessions, OTT binges, and gym runs feel lively and full-bodied, and on that front, they do a very good job.

The bigger story, though, is ANC. OnePlus claims up to 55dB of noise cancellation here, and unlike a lot of marketing-friendly numbers in this category, the improvement is actually noticeable in use. These earbuds do a very good job with low-frequency hums like air conditioners, ceiling fans, and road noise.

For this segment, the ANC is genuinely impressive. It is one of the best you can get around this price right now. The different modes are useful too, especially Moderate and Auto, which strike a sensible balance between noise reduction and battery drain.

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Transparency mode, however, is the weak spot. It works, but not gracefully. Instead of making nearby voices feel naturally audible, it tends to amplify the entire soundscape a little too evenly. That means you can hear what is happening around you, but conversations do not come through with the clarity they should.

Call quality is another strong point. Indoors, voices come through clearly and naturally, and outdoors the Nord Buds 4 Pro do a respectable job of reducing background chatter and wind.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro: Battery life

Battery life has long been a Nord Buds strength, and that remains true here. With ANC off, these are the sort of earbuds you can use for days without thinking too hard about charging. Even with more demanding settings enabled, they hold up very well.

Using LHDC and keeping the volume mostly in the 50 to 60 per cent range, we got a little under six hours from the buds with Moderate ANC turned on throughout. Switch ANC off and that comfortably jumps past nine hours, which is excellent for the category.

With the case in play, total endurance landed between 24 and 37 hours depending on usage, codec, and ANC settings. That is more than enough for most people to get through the better part of a week without any battery anxiety.

Fast charging is useful too. A quick 10-minute top-up gives you a surprisingly healthy amount of playback, and fully charging the buds and case does not take long either. These are very easy earbuds to live with.

Unboxed Take: Who should buy the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro?

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro get most things right. They are comfortable, thoughtfully designed, packed with features, and backed by ANC that genuinely feels a step ahead of much of the budget crowd. Battery life is excellent, call quality is dependable, and once you tame the default tuning a little, the sound is enjoyable too.

The only real complication is pricing. At Rs 3,999, they are not overpriced, but they are close enough to the older OnePlus Buds 3 to create a bit of internal competition.

If the Buds 3 are still available around the Rs 4,000 mark, they remain the slightly better buy for pure sound quality. But if you are shopping strictly under Rs 4,000, or the Buds 3 disappear from shelves as they inevitably will, the Nord Buds 4 Pro become one of the easiest recommendations in the category.

They do not reinvent affordable audio, but they do make a very convincing case for how good budget earbuds can now be. And for all those reasons, we rate them 4.5/5.

Are these buds on your wishlist? Drop a comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma for more detailed gadget reviews.