OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Review: Bass, ANC, and a lot to like under Rs. 5,000

OnePlus has officially launched the Nord Buds 4 in Nepal. It’s another budget TWS that tries to offer a little bit of everything without costing you too much; at least, that’s what it seems. I have been using these earbuds for a few days, and I think it does manage to deliver on that to some extent. You get a 12mm titanium driver, 52dB ANC, Bluetooth 6.1, and a claimed 54 hours of battery life. And with an offer price of Rs. 4,999, there’s quite a lot to like already. Let me tell you all about it in my full review of the OnePlus Nord Buds 4.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Specifications:

• Design: In-ear fit, all-plastic build, matte finish
• Dimensions and weight: 29.56 x 19.69 x 22.63 mm (earbud), 59.23 x 49 x 26.51 mm (charging case), 4.3 gm (per earbud), 33.9 gm (case)
• Water resistance: IP55 dust/splash resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 6.1 (multi-point support)
• Sound driver: 12 mm dynamic drivers
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Noise cancellation: Yes (up to 52dB)
• Battery: Up to 54 hours of music playback with ANC off (earbuds + case)
• Control: Touch controls
• Companion app: HeyMelody (Android | iOS)
• OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Price in Nepal: NPR 4,999*

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OnePlus Nord Buds 4 review:

Design: Simple, compact, and premium feel

• In-ear fit, silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• 4.3 grams (each earbud)
• IP55 dust/water resistant (earbuds only)

Starting with the obvious, the design of the Nord Buds 4 is pretty simple and subtle. And honestly, I quite like it. I have the “Astral Teal” variant, which doesn't look too flashy and has a nice, fresh-looking aesthetic. The case is made out of polycarbonate (plastic) with a matte finish, so it doesn't pick up fingerprints and smudges that easily. It also fits nicely in the hands, even for someone with small hands like me. And at around 34 grams, I found it perfectly light enough for everyday carry as well. Its hinge feels solid, and the magnets are strong enough to keep the earbuds firmly in place, so all in all, I like what I’m seeing here. 

The buds themselves are also quite compact and fit well. OnePlus has gone with a typical stem-style design, similar to the more expensive Nord Buds 4 Pro. They carry the same matte finish as the case, which gives them a nice and clean look. The medium-sized ear tips come pre-installed, although you also get smaller and larger ear tip options in the box. 

For me, the fit was pretty much spot-on, and the HeyMelody app also has a fit test to make sure you get a proper seal. However, while they were comfortable enough for everyday listening, I did start feeling some discomfort after wearing them continuously for around three to four hours. And thanks to their IP55 rating, I never had to worry about minor water splashes as I was going about my day.

If you are curious about what you get inside the box, without any surprise, it is pretty basic: you get the earbuds, charging case, documentation, extra ear tips, and a sticker. Unfortunately, there is no USB charging cable included, which is a little disappointing. Although I don't think most people will care about it, as chances are you already have a USB-C charger lying around, but still. 

Sound: Bass lovers will have a good time

• 12mm dynamic drivers
• AAC and SBC codecs
• Bass-focused sound

Okay, let me now talk about what matters the most in any TWS: the sound. The first thing I noticed with the Nord Buds 4 was, of course, the bass. Because I am not really a big fan of bass-heavy sound, it was pretty apparent.

You get three sound modes here: Balance, Bass, and Serenade. The Bass mode is quite punchy, and you can really feel the vibration, so if you enjoy bass-heavy music, you are going to like it. However, for me, it was a little too much at times, as the low frequencies overpowered the vocals and other instruments quite easily. And I mostly preferred the Serenade mode, as it felt more balanced and made the vocals and other parts of the song clearer.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that the bass also feels slightly less prominent with ANC turned on, which I actually welcomed. The only small annoyance I noticed is that after switching between ANC and transparency modes, the Nord Buds 4 take around 2 – 3 seconds to actually adapt to the mode. 

Either way, with Serenade mode, the vocals are clear enough, although the higher frequencies can get a little sharp or irritating in some songs. Which was something I immediately noticed in “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac. 

I found that the Nord Buds 4 can also get plenty loud without noticeable distortion or crackling. As for the soundstage, it is neither too narrow nor particularly wide. You can hear the different layers in a song, but when things get busy, the instruments can sometimes feel a little jumbled together. 

So, while these aren't the most detailed or well-separated earbuds, the overall sound is still pleasant, especially for genres like Bollywood, hip-hop, and rock. Oh—I personally didn't use them, but you can also tweak the sound using the custom EQ in the companion app.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Surprisingly capable for the price

• Up to 52db ANC
• Auto, low, medium, and high ANC levels
• Three modes: ANC, Off, and Transparency

Now, coming to ANC, this was another thing I was actually quite impressed with on these budget earbuds. I mostly used it while travelling, and with all the traffic noise around me, the High ANC mode made a noticeable difference. Of course, it didn't completely cut off the outside world, but it reduced most of the constant traffic noise and made listening to music much more enjoyable.

Similarly, I tried testing it in cafes and other noisy places, and it did an impressive job there as well. Where I didn't have to keep increasing the volume just to hear my music. Considering the price, I think the ANC performance is actually really, really good. 

You get four levels of ANC, ranging from Automatic to High. I mostly left it at High since it worked perfectly well for me.

The Transparency mode, on the other hand, is also quite good. It lets surrounding sounds come through clearly, so I didn't really feel the need to take the earbuds out whenever someone was talking to me. That said, the sound can feel a little different when you switch it on; I didn't find it distracting.

Calling and Controls: Simple and reliable

• 6-mic setup (3 on each earbud)
• Touch controls
• In-ear detection

So far, the sound and ANC have worked quite well for the price, but how do the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 fare when it comes to call quality? Well, in normal surroundings, I didn't have much trouble with it either. With three microphones on each earbud, people on the receiving end said my voice came through clearly. While I had no trouble understanding the other person either. But once I moved into traffic or a more crowded environment, I could feel the callers having trouble hearing me. Even then, it was still clear enough to understand what the other person was saying, so I wouldn't consider it a major issue.

Moving on, the touch controls are another area where I didn't really have any complaints with these earbuds. They respond well, and you can customize them according to your preference through the HeyMelody app. That said, I do wish OnePlus had brought the swipe gesture for volume control from the Pro model here as well. Since volume control has to be assigned to one of the available touch gestures, you have to give up another shortcut if you want to adjust the volume directly from the earbuds.

In-ear detection works well too, automatically stopping the music or video when I take the earbuds out. The only thing I noticed is that the response can sometimes be a little slow.

App and other features: Nothing extraordinary

• HeyMelody app
• Dual-device connectivity
• Gaming mode

If you have used OnePlus earbuds before, you probably already know about HeyMelody, which acts as the companion app for them. It is pretty simple to use, with options to change the sound modes, customize the touch controls, tweak the EQ, and check the battery level, all without having to dig through too many menus.

Besides that, dual-device connectivity also worked smoothly for me. Switching between my laptop and phone was easy, although when I switched to the phone for a call, the video playing on the laptop didn't automatically pause.

There is also a gaming mode with a claimed 47ms low latency, while compatible OnePlus devices get additional features like Spatial Audio and AI Translation. 

Battery & Charging: Above-average endurance

• 530mAh charging case
• 62mAh per earbud
• Up to 54 hours of playback

Battery life is yet another area where I didn’t really have any problem with the Nord Buds 4, since I haven’t had to plug them in after days of listening to music and everything else I’ve told you so far. OnePlus claims up to 54 hours of total playback with ANC off and 27 hours with ANC on, although your actual mileage will depend on things like volume and ANC usage.

And when you do need a quick top-up, the fast charging is handy too. With a quick 10-minute top-up giving you roughly 11 hours of listening time.

Conclusion

After using the Nord Buds 4 for all this time, I think OnePlus has made a pretty well-rounded pair of earbuds for the price. They are clearly aimed at people who enjoy a stronger bass response, but even as someone who doesn't, I found that all the audio customization options OnePlus throws at you make it much easier to live with.

There are a few things I would have liked to see done differently:

• Like swipe controls for volume adjustment
• Support for high-resolution Bluetooth codecs like LDAC or LHDC.

But if you ask me, none of them really change my overall experience with the earbuds. And at Rs. 4,999, I think the Nord Buds 4 makes perfect sense if you want a feature-packed TWS without spending too much. Especially if bass is high on your list. 

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 review: Pros and Cons