Flagship earbuds rarely drop to midrange prices, but that’s what’s going on with the Buds Pro 3 by OnePlus. Already a strong buy at full price, they’re now down to around $150—a drop of $30—and are some of the best-value premium picks you can get right now.
This discount applies to all three finishes (Midnight Opus, Lunar Radiance and Sapphire Blue), and the box comes with a small charging case, USB-C cable, user guide and four sizes of silicone eartips for a better seal.
How these earbuds play over their category
In $200-$300 flagship land, a polished pair for $150 is significant. Competitors such as Sony’s WF-1000XM5 and Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 typically sell for more, even on sale. OnePlus undercuts them and offers features that audiophiles and commuters can actually take advantage of: balanced sound, confident active noise cancellation and long battery life.
The Buds Pro 3 are equipped with a dual-driver configuration—consisting of a 6mm tweeter and 11mm woofer—and co-tuned with Dynaudio. That arrangement also provides them more headroom than many single-driver competitors in this bracket, particularly in keeping treble crisper without smearing bass.
What’s new compared with the previous generation
Design-wise, that means a case that’s slimmer and easier to pocket than before, with an overall shape that leans toward smooth, egg-like simplicity. For your metrics collection, the slightly smaller case measures roughly 55.7 x 52.45 x 25.75mm and weighs just over 50g. Another minuscule but meaningful change you notice daily if you carry them everywhere. Then, under the hood, the headline improvements are endurance and connectivity. The Buds Pro 3 are rated at up to 43 hours of total listening with the case, according to OnePlus, up from 39 hours on the previous model. They step up to Bluetooth 5.4 for a more robust, efficient wireless connection. When connected to some OnePlus phones, including the OnePlus 13 equipped with AI that powers real-time translation, this creates a fantastic travel-ready advantage for anyone in the ecosystem.
Real-world endurance is going to depend on volume and ANC, but the boosted total runtime should give you very comfortable multi-day coverage for commuting and calls. Quick top-ups over USB-C can help save a low battery before you take that meeting or head to the gym.
Touch and feel are responsive, predictable and give consistent control—pinch-to-fit or press-to-fit gestures prevent accidental activation. The software that accompanies them introduces EQ presets and customization, as well as an ear-tip fit test (you’ll need a good seal for both strong bass response and effective noise cancellation).
Who gets the biggest benefit from these earbuds
If you have one of the most recent OnePlus phones, you’ll also gain access to some extras like the AI-powered translation option and more seamless spatial audio integration. But all that said, the Buds Pro 3 are still good all-rounders for any Android owner looking for a pair of buds that will deliver premium sound and ANC at an aggressive price. Owners of iPhones also won’t be out of luck when it comes to playing nice with other platforms, but some ecosystem-specific features may land on Android before iOS.
A smart buy — especially at $30 off right now
Even at full price, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are competitive with more expensive names by delivering on sound quality, comfort and practical features over gimmicks. Currently, thanks to a $30 discount—dropping them to around $150 and including all colorways (also cheap)—they are an easy recommendation for anyone in the market for sub-$200 earbuds.
As with all promotions, availability and pricing are subject to change, but if you’ve been waiting for a high-quality pair without the hefty price tag, this deal is your chance to pounce.
