After OnePlus introduced the Nord Buds 2 in India, the company also released a Lite variant recently, the Nord Buds 2r is a toned-down variant of the Nord Buds 2 and it was launched alongside the two OnePlus Nord smartphones OnePlus Nord 3 5G and OnePlus Nord CE3 5G. OnePlus Nord Buds 2r is the latest TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earbuds from the company highlighting its 12.4mm dynamic drivers with dual mic AI noise cancellation, Dolby Atmos + Dirac Tuner support, and 38 hours of playback. Here’s more about the earbuds in our OnePlus Nord Buds 2r review.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Specifications & Features
- Driver: 12.4 mm dynamic driver, Titanized vibrating diaphragm
- Driver Sensitivity: 111 dB ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz 179mV
- Microphones: 2 + 2 dual microphones on each earbud (total 4 mics)
- Frequency Response Range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C
- Wireless Range: 10 meters
- Bluetooth Codec Support: AAC, SBC
- Protection: IP55 (earbuds)
- Features: Dual mic AI noise cancellation call, OnePlus Fast Pair, 94ms low latency mode for gaming, Dolby Atmos support, Dirac Tuner, Sound Master Equalizer, Compatibility with HeyMelody app
- Battery Runtime: 36 mAh (buds), 480 mAh (case), up to 38 hours of music playback (buds + case), up to 8 hours of music playback (buds), up to 20 hours of calling (buds + case), up to 4 hours of calling (buds)
- Colors: Deep Grey, Triple Blue
- Dimensions: 28 mm x 20.2 mm x 23 mm (Buds), 68.9 mm x 36.6.2 mm x 28.2 mm (Case)
- Weight: 4.3 grams (each bud), 38.1 grams (case)
- Price: ₹2,199
- Availability: From 5th July 2023 on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in, Flipkart, Myntra, OnePlus Experience Stores, and select partner stores.
Design, Build Quality, & Ergonomics
About the design, you get a similar look and feel from its upper-end sibling, the Nord Buds 2, there’s a similar matte finish flat-case design with an IP55 dust and water-resistant rating on the Nord Buds 2r, unlike the dual-tone colors you see on the Nord Buds 2 charging case. The earbuds, on the other hand, are somewhat different in terms of looks and design.
Compared to the Nord Buds (1st gen), the design (both case and buds) is curvy instead of flat-style, the edges are curved and this makes the casing and earbuds easy to hold in the hands and easy to carry as well. The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is actually an upper variant of the Nord Buds 2r with the high-end ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature while this one has a dual mic AI noise cancellation calls and no ANC and both share a identical case design.
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2r comes in two colors – Deep Grey and Triple Blue colors. The charging case weighs about 38.1 grams and the earbuds weights around 4.3 grams each. The earbuds come with a USB Type-C port for charging and an LED indicator that shows three lights – Green for high battery, Orange or medium battery, and Red for low battery. You will see two pins on the buds used for charging, the outer side has gesture control for controlling the music and calls.
Hardware, Audio Performance, & Features
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2r is a toned-down variant of the Nord Buds 2, but do not feature an ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature, it rather has a Dual mic AI noise cancellation that aids in voice calling. There are a total of two mics on each bud (total 4 microphones) for noise canceling during voice calls and this help eliminate background noise.
The earbuds come with 12.4 mm titanium-coated drivers with a driver sensitivity of 111 dB ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz (179 mV) and 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency response. It supports the standard AAC and SBC audio codes and no Hi-Res LDAC, LDHC, or aptX HD which are usually seen on high-end earbuds. For gamers, there’s a 94ms low latency mode which helps in multiplayer gaming.
About the sound quality, the Nord Buds 2r offers fairly good bass with dynamic vocals and crisp sound, we liked the audio quality given the price. It supports Dolby Atmos + Dirac Tuner, and Sound Master Equalizer via the Hey Melody app. You get three audio profiles – Balanced, Bass, and Bold in the Sound Master Equalizer with an option to add your custom equalizer.
The Nord Buds 2r connect via Bluetooth 5.3 and OnePlus Fast Pair, however, there’s no dedicated pairing button which means you have to use the touch controls to pair with other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The HeyMelody app lets you connect and use many of its features including firmware updates. The app displays battery information, audio tuning/equalizer, gesture controls, and more. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.
Battery Runtime & Charging
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2r packs a 36 mAh battery for each bud and a 480 mAh battery for the charging case. The earbuds offer a USB Type-C charging port, it takes about ~1.5 hours for the buds to charge and ~2 hours to charge fully (both buds + case).
OnePlus says the Nord Buds 2r will ensure a battery life of up to 38 hours which is surprisingly great for this budget. It offers 38 hours of total music playback (buds + case), up to 8 hours of music playback (buds only), up to 20 hours of calling (buds + case), and up to 4 hours of calling (buds only).
There’s no ANC support, you get AI noise cancellation instead (similar to ENC) which doesn’t have any huge impact on the battery runtimes compared to the ANC. For a user who uses the earbuds daily for 3-4 hours, the earbuds can easily last about 8-9 days on a full charge, we assume the user has to charge the earbuds + case fully 3 times a month for 3-4 hours of daily usage. The battery life may vary depending on the usage and the volume levels.
Verdict – OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Review
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 packs large 12.4mm drivers, long 38 hours of music playback, an IP55-rated design, and offers fairly good bass with overall decent audio quality. We can say, it’s more likely the Nord Buds 2 without the ANC and BassWave enhancement, but it gets the job done. You also get support for Dolby Atmos + Dirac Tuner and Sound Master Equalizer and this makes the Nord Buds 2r a good pick for the ₹2K budget. For the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature, you can extend the budget and look for Nord Buds 2 or other similar options.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2r Price in India – Where To Buy?
The price for the OnePlus Nord Buds 2r is ₹2,199 and is available on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in, Flipkart, Myntra, OnePlus Experience Stores, and select partner stores.
