OnePlus Announces Even Cheaper OnePlus Buds Z, With Ear Tips This Time

Along with the new OnePlus 8T smartphone, the company has just announced its second pair of true wireless earbuds. At just $ 45.99, the OnePlus Buds Z are even more aggressively priced and more affordable than the OnePlus Buds. And they also have a different design, now with silicone ear tips instead of the hard plastic AirPods type, one size fits all. Hopefully that will be enough to avoid problems at the border. The OnePlus Buds Z will be available direct from OnePlus starting November 2, and Amazon will sell them as well.

Despite the cheap price, OnePlus says it has packed a lot into the Buds Z, including “bass boost technology for exciting audio” and virtualized 3D audio, thanks to support for Dolby Atmos. The headphones are powered by 10mm drivers, use Bluetooth 5.0, and are IP55 rated for sweat resistance.

Image: OnePlus

OnePlus says that “on a full charge, the OnePlus Buds Z provide an impressive 20-hour playtime, while a quick 10-minute recharge delivers three hours of vibrant audio.” That 20-hour number includes the case; On a single charge, shoots will last up to five hours. They will be available in white and in “a Steven Harrington special edition color scheme”, with three sizes of silicone tips included in the box. The Buds Z should also perform well on voice and video calls, as OnePlus says they feature ambient noise reduction to help improve your voice over background noise around you.

OnePlus incorporated a “quick switch” feature in the earbuds that will help you quickly switch between the two most recently paired devices. You can simply press and hold either earbud for three seconds to jump between them. It’s a nice little trick, and it’s a lot faster than having to go into Bluetooth settings.

Image: OnePlus

The case holds the headphones horizontally like some others we’ve seen from Anker and other brands. At this price, you won’t get wireless charging, but it looks very compact and pocket-sized. Stay tuned for more information on the OnePlus Buds Z in the coming weeks. As someone whose ears don’t love hard plastic OnePlus Buds, I hope to see if these end up being a better option (and for less money).