OnePlus has officially launched its latest wireless earbuds, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, entering a competitive market dominated by established players like Apple's AirPods Pro 2, Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2. The Buds Pro 3 aim to challenge these giants with a suite of upgraded features and promises of "killer sound quality."

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 bring a fresh design to the table, including a redesigned charging case that blends elements from both the Pixel Buds Pro and AirPods Pro cases. The case is compact with a two-tone finish, featuring a textured PU leather surface and a colorful band around the edges. A prominent Dynaudio logo, indicating the collaboration between OnePlus and the Danish audio specialist, is present on the case, signaling the audio engineering pedigree behind these earbuds.

Available in two color options, Midnight Opus (black) and Lunar Radiance (off-white), the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 maintain a premium look while being priced at £199 (approximately $260.

The standout feature of the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is its audio performance, which has been significantly improved through collaboration with Dynaudio. The earbuds are equipped with dual drivers: an 11mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter.

The woofer now includes two magnets and a new ceramic-metal composite diaphragm, designed to improve power generation and sound sensitivity, while the tweeter features an upgraded diaphragm and a 35-micrometer flat voice coil for enhanced high-frequency response.

OnePlus has also introduced dual digital-to-analog converters (DACs) per earbud, one for each driver. This setup is expected to deliver more accurate sound reproduction, with OnePlus and Dynaudio working together to create presets aimed at providing a high-quality listening experience.

The Buds Pro 3 offer up to 50dB of active noise cancellation (ANC), an improvement over the 48dB offered by its predecessor. The ANC system is adaptive, adjusting in real-time to the user’s environment, similar to the technology found in Apple's Adaptive Audio and Samsung's Ambient Sound Mode. This feature not only enhances the noise-canceling experience but also contributes to better battery management.

Battery life is another area where the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 shine. With the charging case, users can expect up to 43 hours of total playtime. The earbuds themselves provide up to 5 hours of listening time with ANC enabled, making them competitive with other premium wireless earbuds on the market. A quick 10-minute charge offers an additional five hours of playback, which is particularly useful for users on the go.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 come with Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, which supports Google’s Fast Pair technology, allowing for quick and seamless pairing with Android and Chrome OS devices. Spatial Audio is also supported, enhancing the immersive experience when watching compatible content.

OnePlus has incorporated intuitive touch controls on the Buds Pro 3. Users can slide to adjust volume, pinch to control music playback, and pinch and hold to toggle between noise-canceling and transparency modes. These controls are designed to be user-friendly, building on the interface of previous OnePlus earbuds.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are positioned as a direct competitor to other high-end wireless earbuds, yet they offer several unique features that set them apart. While priced similarly to other flagship earbuds, the combination of Dynaudio-tuned audio, dual DACs, advanced ANC, and robust battery life could make them a compelling choice for consumers seeking premium audio quality without venturing into more established brands.

The earbuds are available for purchase now in selected regions, with pre-orders available through major retailers like Amazon and the OnePlus official website.