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The OnePlus Buds 4 is NOT perfect. It’s biggest shortcoming? It does not support the usual LDAC codec for Hi-Res audio. Instead it uses LHDC v5, which is a very good codec, some would even say it’s better than LDAC, but not every Android device supports that. For example, if you use a Samsung S25 Ultra or Z Fold7 you’re pretty much stuck with AAC which is the regular compressed codec, so you won’t be squeezing out much juice from your lossless audio files.

That has been the case with all the OnePlus earbuds. (It’s like OnePlus don’t want to sell more earbuds.) But that’s okay. I’ve said before that codecs are not the main factor when it comes to sound quality, and in other areas the Buds 4 seems pretty decent, as we’re about to find out when we compare them to popular sub-$100 earbuds like the Soundcore Liberty 5, Earfun Air Pro 4, Nothing Ear a, the Soundpeats Air5 Pro, and the CMF Buds Pro 2.

I’m also going to throw in its predecessor, the OnePlus Buds3 just to see if there’s any performance upgrade in terms of mic pickup, noise canceling, sound, and so on.

(Editor’s note: These are not under $100 usually, it’s $130, but seeing as OnePlus launched them with a discounted $99 price tag, there’s a good chance they will go back to $99 or less from time to time. It's a Chinese pricing strategy, something that the writer is very familiar with.)

Microphone Quality

The older OnePlus Buds3’s mic was excellent, but is the new version even better, or worse? Well, it’s actually better. My voice sounds a little softer than the last version, but it’s now less bloaty, which makes my voice sound clearer. And if we compare them to the rest, it’s one of the clearest sounding mic pickups.

👉 Have a listen to the microphone quality samples

Active Noise Cancelling

In terms of active noise canceling, the OnePlus Buds 4 is not only an upgrade over the previous version, it’s one of the best ones in this comparison. According to these frequency sweeps, it’s not the quietest in the bass frequencies, or in the mids. But overall, it stands up pretty well to the best ones like the Soundpeats Air 5 Pro, and slightly quieter than the Earfun Air Pro 4.

👉 Have a listen to the ANC quality samples

Transparency Mode

Its transparency mode is one of the best in this group. It sounds clearer than the previous version the Buds 3, and voices are amplified very well which makes them decent for verbal exchanges. As you can see in these sweeps, it’s waaaay more amplified from 1-3khz, far above the base noise level represented by the white line. So there’s more clarity when it comes to everyday noises, from the air conditioning to the keyboard, to public transport. But it’s not as amplified in the rest of the midrange, so when speaking, your own voice will sound a bit muffled, not as natural, but overall, very good transparency. Much better than the Nothing Ear a, for example.

Adaptive Mode

It’s also got a new ‘Adaptive’ mode. It kicks into something similar to transparency mode, but when your ears are being assaulted by noise, the noise canceling fades in. So far, I hate it. The switching’s too abrupt, and even with the same constant noises, it switches in and out of noise canceling for NO REASON. So nope. Would rather just stick to vanilla.

Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality, the OnePlus Buds 4 sounds fantastic. It’s clean, crisp and punchy yet sounding relaxed. Very generous bass, and I like the way it handles diffusion in its soundstaging, a bit more 3D-like compared to the rest. Compared to the older Buds 3, there’s more gravity and punch in the bass, with highs sounding a bit smoother. Compared to the Soundpeats Air5 Pro and Liberty 5, bass is cleaner and tighter, less boomy. Overall sound is smoother, less shouty too.

Since they’re dual drivers, they've got fantastic bass-mids separation. Compared to the Earfun Air Pro 4, Nothing Ear a and CMF Buds Pro 2, the OnePlus leans a bit brighter and more sizzly, which is fine by me, but personally I do prefer a slightly darker, groovier signature which the Nothing, CMF and Earfuns have.

All of them sound good in their own way, but as I said, the Buds 4’s sounds more relaxed, and its soundstaging is better. And soundstaging can still sound a bit airier, simply by performing the Golden Sound calibration in its HeyMelody app which compensates for the frequencies you’re less sensitive to. But here’s how it sounds compared to the others by default. 👉 Have a listen to the sound quality

EQ Settings

I do enjoy them on the default setting already, so I don't have to do much EQ-ing except for Golden Sound. But if you want to, the HeyMelody app offers other sound settings to try like a Serenade mode which boosts mids, bass mode and for even heavier bass, the BassWave dial pumps up more gravity without bloating into the mids. You can even create your own manual EQ, with 6 bands ranging from sub bass to high treble. It’s also got OnePlus 3D Audio or Spatial Audio, which doesn’t actually expand the soundstage much, it just adds more reverb while still maintaining the object placements, so that spatial effect doesn’t sound too exaggerated. I like that.

Features

What really makes the OnePlus Buds4 stand out compared to the rest is this - in terms of performance, they are almost the best in all aspects. The others are usually great in one area but not great in others, these ones cover more bases. Whether it’s sound, noise canceling, mic pickup, transparency, they are one of the best. What I also like about them is their controls. Other earbuds either do tap only, or squeeze only, whereas on the Buds 4, just like the Buds 3, you can tap for music and ambient controls, and swipe to control volume. This makes it possible to use just one earbud and still have access to all the controls.

Verdict

As for features, I consider it a little above average because of its EQ settings, but it doesn’t have LDAC codec support, and if you don’t use a OnePlus device some features like AI Translation are locked away. Plus, I do think it needs more EQ presets, like the ones we see on the Soundcore or Earfun. For people who are not so familiar with working the manual EQ, it’s easier for them to switch the sound around depending on what they’re listening to. Just a suggestion in case OnePlus is listening. So that’s how the OnePlus Buds 4 compares to the others.

Check latest price:

OnePlus Buds 4 - https://amzn.to/4kY9EQ4
OnePlus Buds 3 - https://amzn.to/40DMcR7
Soundcore Liberty 5 - https://amzn.to/4kx2H9n
Soundpeats Air5 Pro - https://amzn.to/3SU5q0w
CMF Buds Pro 2 - https://amzn.to/3zwPivw
NOTHING ear (a) - https://amzn.to/3UloJzQ
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC - https://amzn.to/3UG0vlx
Earfun Air Pro 4 - https://amzn.to/4duKXaF

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