Anika Begay
If the imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Apple’s AirPods Pro must be feeling pretty pretentious lately. Every year we see dozens of new earbuds that aim to model Apple’s signature design, with even Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds redesign joining the party.
Looks aside, most of the models that land on my desk don’t attempt to directly compete with the AirPods Pro’s high-end performance or carefree iOS usability. Instead, earbuds like OnePlus’ new Nord Buds 3 Pro go in the opposite direction, significantly undercutting Apple’s best buds in price while still offering solid performance and basic features.
There’s nothing better than the real thing, especially if you want earbuds that tick all the boxes for Apple. For those on a tighter budget, the latest Nord Buds Pro offer a comfortable fit, extras like multipoint connectivity and decent noise cancellation, and clear, punchy sound for well under $100.
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The most noticeable feature of the Nord Buds 3 Pro might be their insanely long but unmemorable name. I kid you not, I had to look up the order of this word salad almost every time I wrote it.
Their design harks back to the AirPods Pro and their many imitators, of course, but it’s particularly similar to a pair I recently reviewed from Soundpeats, the Air4 Pro (7/10, WIRED recommends), right down to their rounded, dotted charging cases. Both pairs have a cheap feel with large chunks of glossy plastic throughout, though the Nord Buds’ more compact stems make them slightly easier to handle and wear.
Photography: Ryan Waniata
At 4.4 grams per earbud, they’re slightly heavier than the Air4 Pros but still nearly a gram lighter than the AirPods Pro, which combines with their ergonomic design to perform a disappearing act in your ears. Like many budget pairs, they only come with three sizes of ear tips, but the default pair worked well for me, providing a stable fit and several hours of comfort.
The earbuds offer a fast and stable connection to my device via Bluetooth 5.4, often pairing with my iPhone before I even took it out of my pocket, and Android users get easy one-touch initial pairing with Google Fast Pair+. The multipoint connection is equally seamless, allowing you to pair the earbuds to a phone and laptop at the same time for convenient switching between them. To get started, simply press and hold the button on the bottom of the case—no app required.
You’ll want to download the OnePlus app (oddly named “Hey Melody”) before you get too far, as the Nord 3 Pro’s play/pause control is turned off by default. I imagine this is to prevent unwanted taps when adjusting the earbuds, but it’s still a puzzling default. The earbuds offer sensors to automatically pause or play audio when you take one out, something even my favorite budget buds, Soundcore’s Space A40s (8/10, WIRED Recommended), omit. You can easily assign play/pause control in the app, along with volume, ambient sound, and skip controls for a full experience via the generally responsive touch sensors.
