Imitation is It’s the heartfelt flattery, but Apple’s AirPods Pro must be feeling pretty smug these days. Every year, dozens of new earbuds emerge that aim to mimic Apple’s distinctive design, including the latest revamped Samsung Galaxy Buds.
Appearances aside, most models that reach my desk aren’t trying to directly compete with the high-end performance of the AirPods Pro or the nimble ease of use of iOS. Instead, earbuds like OnePlus’ new Nord Buds 3 Pro offer solid fundamentals and features while costing significantly less than Apple’s top-end earbuds.
You can’t beat the real thing, especially if you’re looking for earbuds that are fully compatible with your Apple products. If you’re on a budget, the latest Nord Buds Pro offer a comfortable fit, extra features like multi-point connectivity and superior noise cancellation, and clear, powerful sound for under $100.
A familiar form
The Nord Buds 3 Pro’s most striking feature may be its ridiculously long yet difficult to remember name. I’m not kidding, I had to check the order of that string of words every time I wrote it.
Of course, the design is reminiscent of the AirPods Pro and its many imitators, especially the Soundpeats Air4 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommended) that I recently reviewed, right down to the rounded, speckled charging case. Both pairs are affordable alternatives that largely replace glossy plastics throughout, but the Nord Buds’ more compact stems make them easier to handle and wear.
Photo: Ryan Wanniata
At 4.4 grams per ear, they’re slightly heavier than the Air4 Pro, but still nearly a gram lighter than the AirPods Pro, and their ergonomic design means they feel like they just disappear in your ear. Like many budget earbuds, there are only three ear tip sizes available, but the default pair worked fine, providing a stable fit and long-lasting comfort.
The earbuds offer a quick and stable device connection via Bluetooth 5.4, and are often paired with your iPhone before you even take them out of your pocket, while Android users can easily enable initial pairing with one touch with Google Fast Pair+. Multi-point connectivity is similarly seamless, allowing you to pair the earbuds to your smartphone and laptop simultaneously and easily switch between the two. To get started, just press and hold the button on the bottom of the case, no app required.
The Nord 3 Pro’s play/pause commands are off by default, so you might want to download the OnePlus app (the oddly named “Hey Melody”) before you get started. I assume this is to prevent unwanted taps while adjusting the earbuds, but it’s still a puzzling default setting. The earbuds have sensors that automatically pause or play audio when you take them out, something that even my favorite budget earbuds, Soundcore’s Space A40 (8/10, WIRED Recommended), omit. You can easily assign play/pause controls in the app, along with volume, ambient sound, and song skip commands, for a comprehensive experience via the generally responsive touch sensors.
