To enable it, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Earphone mode, then turn on Auto Play. (OnePlus 5/5T will support Auto Play function after OxygenOS updates released in August.)
OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 review
It’s designed similarly to the original Bullets Wireless with improved battery life and aptX HD support to justify the price hike. Editor’s note: this OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 review was updated on March 2, 2021, to address an FAQ about the Samsung Galaxy M31.
Sound quality is clearer than the original Bullets Wireless due to the three-unit driver array, which is similar to the 1More Triple-Driver.
A rubberized material coating the flexible collar creates a comfortable amount of friction during wear.
OnePlus’ safety information guide explicitly advises against letting the earbuds contact liquid. To actually pair the Bluetooth 5.0 headset, press and hold the shortcut button (located on the left end of the neckband) for five seconds.
External noise fades away, making these a great choice for commuting and studying in high-traffic areas. Thanks to the dedicated low-end driver, the kick drum leaves Rogers’ vocals unmasked. I’ve listened to this song tens of times, if not a hundred, and failed to hear the cowbell prior to these ‘buds. In fact, this happens to be one of my favorite headsets for fielding phone calls, but don’t take my word for it; hear it for yourself instead. When I wore a jacket, the microphone often rubbed against the collar, transmitting an unappealing crackling noise. Both headsets have neutral-leaning frequency responses, and the Bullets Wireless 2 Knowles balanced armature drivers amplify the low end a bit, which the 1More earphones avoid altogether.
This means the 1More earbuds have a technically more accurate sound, but OnePlus has the upper hand when it comes to battery life and lasts nearly three hours longer on a single charge. I’m partial to the rounded design of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 over the 1More Dual Driver ANC Pro, but you may very well feel differntly.
Fellow SoundGuys Editor Adam Molina has a great in-depth review for those itching to learn more.
The aptX HD support satiates most audiophile needs, while the top-notch passive isolation will make you wonder if these are actually noise cancelling earbuds.
While you may be able to find the Bullets Wireless 2 from a third-party seller, we don’t recommend doing so because it’s very possible you’ll get a knockoff pair. Battery life is rated at 20 hours on a single charge, and quick-switching between devices is retained via an onboard switching button. Automatic ear detection is accurate and enables the auto-pause/play functionality of the headset, a rare feature for cheap true wireless buds. Not all is perfect with OnePlus’ debut totally wireless earphones, though: the headset can only be updated with a OnePlus device, which means non-OnePlus Android users are unable to receive basic improvements to connection stability, and are barred from customizing the touch controls. This is a real shame, as firmware and software updates add a lot of value to headsets (e.g. the Samsung Galaxy Buds).
They have an IP55 rating, automatic ear detection, support fast charging, and they sound pretty darn good too. These true wireless earbuds have great isolation, customizable EQ settings, an excellent microphone, and can be updated from any smartphone so long as you download the SoundCore app. They are a bit more expensive than the OnePlus Buds Z, but if aptX support, longer battery life, the ability to equalize the sound, low frequency noise attenuation, and amazing mic quality are important to you, it might be worth the extra bucks.
The best headphones for the OnePlus 8 series: OnePlus Buds and more
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great headphone options out there, including OnePlus’ own Bullets Wireless Z. The OnePlus Buds Pro should be in your pocket if you’re a fan of true wireless technology and want noise-cancelling earbuds that fit well. The Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds are IP55 dust- and water-resistant and are a fine option for rock climbers and runners alike. OnePlus retains the recognizable neckband design that makes it easy to keep track of the earbuds when inactive. Onboard controls include playback and volume adjustments along with direct access to your virtual assistant. The earbuds don’t support Bluetooth multipoint but allow you to quickly switch between a current and last-used source device. No matter what operating system you subscribe to, you’ll enjoy optimal wireless audio quality. Heck, there’s even a headphone jack for wired listening, so you can enjoy FLAC files from services like Amazon Music HD or Tidal HiFi.
Athletes in need of a reliable pair of workout earbuds to go with their OnePlus 8 handset should turn their attention to the Jabra Elite Active 75t. These IP57-rated earphones are dust- and water-resistant, making them a great option for a wide variety of applications. Battery life is solid for true wireless earphones, with over seven hours of listening on a single charge. Microphone quality is excellent, and other neat features like automatic ear detection and multipoint are supported.
These earbuds forgo features for raw performance and premium perks usually only afforded by more expensive alternatives. iPhone users are granted hands-free access to Siri, seamless device switching, and power efficiency benefits. OnePlus Buds: Users benefit from the same Warp Charging technology used in the company’s smartphones, so plugging the case into a USB-C cable for just 10 minutes yields 10 hours of listening. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus: Although these are Samsung-branded, OnePlus 8 series owners will enjoy all the Galaxy Buds Plus have to offer including Qi Wireless charging, great mic quality, over 11 hours of battery life, and Spotify integration.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Review
They have the longest battery life, proper water-resistance, and a low-latency mode designed to work specifically with OnePlus phones. We will be getting into all of the features and also all of the compromises that come with such drastic price reductions, so if you’re interested in getting a pair of these, make sure you read on before you click purchase. For the third time in a row, OnePlus has decided to stick with the neckband design despite the ever-growing popularity of truly wireless earbuds.
Not that I am complaining – this style has its advantages, such as not having to worry about losing one of the earbuds, physical volume and playback controls, longer battery life, and not having to fumble with the case when you are done using them. However, the design had some flaws, such as the soggy buttons on the remote and the tiny LED light that makes it annoying to check whether the earphones are charging or in pairing mode. You get the earphones and a short charging cable but OnePlus no longer bundles the silicone carry case.
Can’t say this is a big loss, as the carry case was always oddly cramped despite being an official accessory and occasionally resulted in the earphones inside being split apart from their magnetic lock, which caused them to power on and waste battery. As far as neckband style goes, the Bullets Wireless Z are a well-designed pair of earphones that look and feel better than what the price might suggest.
The soft rubberized material for the neckband sits comfortably on your neck and the whole thing is light enough that after a whileyou barely notice they are there.
A lot of it comes down to the source that you are listening to and if it’s mostly compressed music then you aren’t going to notice any difference.
It’s even hard to measure these differences sometimes, as even the basic SBC codec has enough bandwidth to fully reproduce the audible audio spectrum while having low enough noise floor and distortion. It lacks the refinement of the Bullets Wireless 2 but the new tuning should be more appealing to buyers in this price range.
Playing Better by Khalid had the bass just linger in the background with little decay, causing a constant rumble in your ears. Wow by Post Malone saw an unrelenting tsunami of low-end take over the entire track.
Depending upon what your preference is, this could be desirable but there’s no denying that the bass tends to overwhelm the rest of the sound at times. But the Bullets Wireless Z goes ham on the lower-end, which causes some audible distortion at times in the low-end, which seeps into the mids.
The mids are a bit recessed, as you’d generally expect for a more fun-focused sound, but not aggressively so that you would have a hard time hearing the vocals or the instruments. Vocals in tracks like Kanye West’s Black Skinhead come across loud and clear.
The bite of the snare drum and Michael Jackson’s hushed vocals in Blood on the Dance Floor were also quite forward as they should be on this track. Part of the reason why the instruments often feel toothless on the Bullets Wireless Z is the anemic top-end. A typical v-shaped sound would have a more exaggerated treble response but the Bullets Wireless Z dials it back way down for some reason, which rounds off some hot or particularly shimmery tracks but significantly clouds others. But the lack of detail in the mids and highs is almost always felt, and on tracks with heavy low-end, the rumble tends to make things a bit fatiguing.
Comparisons to the more expensive Bullets Wireless 2 are inevitable, especially considering how similar they look, which might cause some people to assume they sound the same but they don’t. The company made the arguably correct decision to tune the drivers in a way that would be more pleasing to buyers in this price category while the more expensive Bullets Wireless 2 had a more mature and refined sound that not everyone can appreciate.
This feature enables a custom sound profile for these earphones and makes a significant impact on the audio quality. Finally, the latency when paired with an iPhone XR was also quite acceptable, both for watching videos and playing casual games. As mentioned before, I did not have a OnePlus smartphone at hand to test the low latency mode and that feature doesn’t work with any other device. The Bullets Wireless Z went on for just a few minutes over the 20 hour mark, which means OnePlus’ claim is right on the money. As for the second claim, our Bullets Wireless Z actually managed to go on for a lot longer than 10 hours after a 10-minute charge. The reason for this is that OnePlus specifies a conservative 5V/600mA minimum charger to reach the advertised 10 hours claim.
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