OnePlus has debuted a new pair of mid-range earbuds in China. They’re called the OnePlus Buds V, and there’s a good chance the devices will launch overseas as the Nord Buds 3. The original announcement is in Chinese, so we’re going to be using a translation provided by GSMArena.
The OnePlus Buds V, according to GSMArena’s report, house 12.4mm titanium-plated drivers. Touch controls are present, allowing owners to answer calls or manage music playback. Active noise canceling is here as well to stop outside noise from leaking in.
Continuing down the list, the Buds V supports “Bluetooth 5.3 with 92ms latency.” They have a resistance rating of IP55 giving the devices protection against dust and blasts of water. Everything so far is identical to what you find on the OnePlus Nord Buds 2. They even look similar, with the same color options, although the Buds V will also be available in Interstellar Blue. But moving forward, you’ll start to see the many differences, large and small.
Potential new features
One of the more notable changes is the introduction of Dolby Panoramic Sound. Not much is known about this feature other than it promises “an immersive listening experience.” On the surface, this just sounds like Dolby Atmos, however without an official translation, it’s hard to say for sure.
Battery life is seeing a slight increase. The Buds V are said to last eight hours on a single charge. With the charging case, that number is bumped up to 38 hours. GSMArena goes on to say “a one hour charge provides five hours of use”.
Like the Nords Buds 2, the Buds V comes with multiple preset sound modes – “Balanced, Deep Bass, and Clear & Bright.”
It’s unknown when these earbuds will launch, if at all, outside of China. But as stated earlier, the similarities between this pair and the Nord Buds 2 tell us we could see an international release under a different name: the Nord Buds 3.
The OnePlus Buds V retail for 150 Yuan which is $20/£16/€19, give or take a few cents. If they do roll out globally, we doubt the earbuds will cost so little. It’ll probably be closer to the Nord Buds 2’s current price tag of $60/£69/€69 although we hope we’re wrong and it really is that cheap.
Until we learn more, check out TechRadar’s list of the best wireless earbuds for 2024.
