For years, the Nord Buds series has focused on offering the essentials without making buyers feel like they’re settling. The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 continue that philosophy, but this time, OnePlus has packed in features that were once reserved for more expensive earbuds. You get up to 52dB active noise cancellation (ANC), spatial audio, Bluetooth 6.1, AI-powered features, and an impressive battery life, all at an affordable price.
I spent several days using the Astral Teal variant for music, calls, videos, gaming, and commuting. While they aren’t perfect, they easily outperform what you’d expect from earbuds in this price segment.
3HeyMelody app lets you fine-tune the experience
The companion HeyMelody app gives you more control over how the earbuds sound and behave. The Sound Master EQ offers three presets: Balanced, Serenade, and Bass, allowing you to quickly switch between different sound profiles depending on what you’re listening to. If you enjoy a stronger low-end, the BassWave slider lets you gradually adjust the bass level instead of relying on a fixed preset, making it easy to find a sound signature that suits your taste.
The app also lets you customise touch controls, switch between ANC modes, enable low-latency gaming mode, update the firmware, and locate your earbuds if you’ve misplaced them nearby.
One feature I particularly liked is Spotify Tap, which lets you assign a double tap, triple tap, or touch-and-hold gesture to instantly resume your music or discover a new recommendation in Spotify without having to reach for your phone. It’s a small addition, but one that frequent Spotify users will appreciate.
