Newsletter 
OnePlus released its first truly wireless earbuds back in July. Aptly named OnePlus Buds, the new pair of wireless earphones arrived in the US late in the month in glossy white color. The company did promise to make the buds available in a gray color variant in August and it has just done that.
The OnePlus Buds are now available in a gray paint job in the US. The new color variant comes with a case to match while featuring a red accent around the reflective touchpad. This adds to the aesthetic of the buds, which otherwise feature a design not very different from Apple AirPods.
The white variant, in particular, looks too much an AirPods clone. With the addition of a gray variant, potential customers now have an option that’s unique on its own. The price, of course, remains the same at $79 and so do all the internals and the feature set. So you aren’t making any tradeoffs for a visually more appealing pair of OnePlus Buds.
The OnePlus Buds also come in a blue color variant with a yellow accent but not in the US yet. This limited edition variant, matching the OnePlus Nord color scheme, is only available in select markets. There’s no sign of this variant coming stateside.
OnePlus Buds specifications and features
OnePlus entered the truly wireless earbuds market with a strategy very similar to its smartphone business: offering quality products at affordable prices. At a price of $79, the OnePlus Buds are one of the best wireless earbuds you can buy currently.
Featuring a 13.4mm dynamic driver, the buds offer a good sound quality. They support Google’s latest Fast Pair features, so pairing them to an Android smartphone is as easy as it gets. The customizable metallic touchpad allows you to set your own double tap and long press functions, giving you more control over your buds.
However, it’s the battery life that OnePlus Buds really excel at. The buds can play for up to seven hours each on a single charge while the case adds another 23 hours, totaling to up to 30 hours of battery life. Thanks to the super quick Warp Charge technology, 10 minutes of charging can give up to 10 hours of life to the buds. The OnePlus Buds also boast an IPX4 water-resistant rating.
That said, there are some notable downsides as well. Firstly, they lack features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging. These sorts of features are available in more premium products such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live.
Additionally, the companion smartphone app is currently only compatible with OnePlus phones. So unless you have access to one, you won’t be able to update the buds’ firmware or customize the touch gestures.
Otherwise, the OnePlus Buds are otherwise a great option to pick at under $80. You can now buy them in Gray or White from the company’s official website. Note that you may have to bear the shipping charges unless your total order value exceeds $100.
