OnePlus may be going through a turbulent time right now, but the company isn't slowing down in launching new products. Its Nord-branded lineup has always caught my attention, especially recently, because it feels closer to the original OnePlus philosophy of offering great features at an affordable price.
So when the company reached out asking if I'd be willing to check out its new Nord Buds Pro 4, I was genuinely interested. I'll be honest, I've been using the AirPods Pro 3 as my primary earbuds. More than the ecosystem perks, I love that I can track workouts using the AirPods Pro 3 without wearing a smartwatch.
That said, one thing that has always bothered me is the battery life. So when OnePlus claimed the Nord Buds Pro 4 could deliver up to 54 hours of battery life, it immediately caught my attention.
And honestly, that's exactly where these earbuds win. They don't try to compete on premium materials, but they absolutely deliver where it matters. The battery life alone is ridiculous for the price. After testing them for the past few days, I genuinely think these are one of the easiest recommendations in the affordable earbuds space right now.
Battery life on the Nord Buds 4 Pro is simply on another level
You'll rarely see me praise the battery life to this extent of a pair of earbuds, but I'm doing it here because it is that good.
I've been using the Nord Buds 4 Pro for a little over a week now, and they're still going strong, with about 40% left in the case and the earbuds themselves still at 100%. Keep in mind that I've been using them daily for about two hours, mostly in the highest ANC mode, paired with my Galaxy S26 Ultra.
In the same duration, I would've had to charge my AirPods Pro 3 at least once, but the Nord Buds 4 Pro just refuse to die. And while this might sound like a small thing, the frustration of pulling out your earbuds only to find them dead is very real.
These earbuds made me realize just how far behind other earbuds are in this area, even flagship ones.
You also get solid ANC along with future-ready Bluetooth 6.0 support
Two other areas where the Nord Buds 4 Pro clearly have an edge over other wireless earbuds in this price range are Bluetooth 6.0 support and the ANC performance. The Nord Buds 4 Pro come with Bluetooth 6.0, which means lower latency and better battery efficiency (something I've already talked about enough).
You also get LHDC 5.0 codec support here, which allows high-resolution audio streaming at low latency with compatible devices. I've used the Nord Buds 4 Pro with both the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the OnePlus 15, and the LHDC 5.0 support made a noticeable difference while watching movies and streaming content.
Alongside Bluetooth 6.0, OnePlus claims up to 55 dB of ANC on the Nord Buds 4 Pro, and in my usage, it's been pretty solid, especially for the price. The highest ANC mode does feel a bit too aggressive at times, almost creating that slight suction or pressure effect in the ears. But for use cases like commuting on trains or flights where there's constant background noise, the ANC works really well and gets the job done.
The Nord Buds 4 Pro pack flagship features at a much lower price point
Priced at just Rs. 3,999 (~$43), the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro not only undercut most earbuds in this price range but even some in the flagship segment. Sure, they don't have the same premium build as more expensive options, but the core experience they deliver is excellent for the price.
Availability might be the only thing holding these earbuds back right now, as they're currently limited to India. That said, last year's Nord Buds Pro 3 eventually launched in other regions, including the U.S., so it would not be surprising to see OnePlus expand availability later this year.
There are still a couple of things I'd like OnePlus to improve, especially the bass-heavy sound profile, which I'm not entirely a fan of. I had to tweak the EQ in the earbuds' companion app to tone it down, but apart from that, these nail the core experience for the price, and OnePlus seems to have a solid, affordable winner on its hands.
Affordable and reliable
Similar to the previous Nord-branded products, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro focus on delivering a rich set of features at an affordable price. They offer up to 55dB ANC and use 12mm drivers for bass heavy sound. They also get LHDC audio support and come with a long battery life of up to 54 hours on a single charge.
