I have been waiting for OnePlus to fill the gap between its budget and premium earbuds, and today they did exactly that with two launches landing at once. The Nord Buds 4 hits the Indian market at ₹3499, and the Buds 4 sits above it with a more premium driver setup. Having looked through both spec sheets carefully, I want to break them down side by side so you are not guessing which one fits your needs.
OnePlus Nord Buds 4 vs OnePlus Buds 4: Full Comparison
| Feature | Nord Buds 4 | Buds 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | 12mm dynamic | 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | — | 15Hz to 40KHz |
| Sensitivity | — | 118±1.3dB @1mW |
| Impedance | — | 18Ω / 10Ω |
| Codec | AAC, SBC | LHDC 5.0, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth | 6.1 | 5.4 with Steady Connect |
| ANC Depth | — | Up to 55dB |
| ANC Frequency Range | — | Up to 5500Hz |
| Noise Modes | ANC on/off | ANC / Adaptive / Transparency / Off |
| Microphones | 6-mic array | 3 mics per side (6 total) |
| Earbud Battery | 62mAh | 62mAh |
| Case Battery | 530mAh | 530mAh |
| Playback ANC Off | 13hrs (earbud), 54hrs total | 11hrs (earbud), 45hrs total |
| Playback ANC On | 6.5hrs (earbud), 27hrs total | 6hrs (earbud), 24hrs total |
| LHDC Playback ANC Off | — | 9hrs (earbud), 37hrs total |
| LHDC Playback ANC On | — | 5.5hrs (earbud), 22hrs total |
| Fast Charge | — | 10 min = 3.5hrs playback |
| Full Charge Time | ~55min (buds), ~90min (full) | ~50min (buds), ~80min (full) |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Low Latency | — | 47ms |
| IP Rating | IP55 | IP55 |
| Earbud Weight | — | 4.73g each |
| Case Weight | — | 39.57g |
| Spatial Audio | OnePlus 3D spatial audio | OnePlus 3D Audio |
| Game Audio | Game spatial audio | 47ms low latency mode |
| AI Features | AI translation, AI assistant | AI translation, Voice assistant |
| Find My Earbuds | Yes | Yes |
| Google Fast Pair | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Swift Pair | Yes | — |
| Dual Device | Yes | Yes |
| Camera Control | — | Double tap |
| App Support | — | HeyMelody |
| Colours | Nebula Blue, Interstellar Black | Zen Green, Storm Gray |
| India Price | ₹3,499 | — |
Looking at both side by side, the differences become clearer than the marketing language suggests.
The Nord Buds 4 runs a single 12mm dynamic driver, which is a straightforward and proven approach for this price tier. The Buds 4 goes with a dual driver setup pairing an 11mm woofer with a 6mm tweeter, which theoretically handles bass and treble separation more cleanly. Whether that translates to a meaningful difference in daily listening depends heavily on what kind of music you play, but for anyone who listens to a lot of vocals or acoustic music the dual driver approach tends to reward the investment.
The codec gap is the most practically important difference for me. Nord Buds 4 tops out at AAC, which is perfectly fine for casual listening but does not give audiophiles much to work with. The Buds 4 adds LHDC 5.0, which delivers higher bitrate wireless audio and noticeably better detail on compatible devices. If your phone supports LHDC and audio quality matters to you, this alone tips the decision.
Battery life is one area where the Nord Buds 4 actually edges ahead. Thirteen hours from a single earbud with ANC off and 54 hours total is genuinely impressive for a ₹3,499 product. The Buds 4 offers 11 hours per earbud and 45 hours total under the same conditions, which is still excellent but slightly behind its cheaper sibling. The Buds 4 makes up ground with fast charging: ten minutes in the case delivers 3.5 hours of playback, which the Nord Buds 4 specification sheet does not mention.
The ANC performance gap matters too. The Buds 4 is rated for up to 55dB noise reduction across a frequency range up to 5500Hz, with four distinct noise modes including an adaptive setting that adjusts to your environment automatically. The Nord Buds 4 offers ANC on and off without the adaptive middle ground. For commuters or office workers who need nuanced noise control throughout the day, the Buds 4 handles that better.
Call quality on both models uses a six microphone total setup with AI noise cancellation. The Nord Buds 4 specifies its array as a combined six-microphone system while the Buds 4 runs three per side independently. In practice both should handle calls in moderately noisy environments without the person on the other end complaining.
The Nord Buds 4 at ₹3,499 (roughly 251 yuan or around $34) is the answer for anyone who wants solid ANC, long battery life, and a clean feature set without spending more than necessary. The colour options in Nebula Blue and Interstellar Black are both sharp and understated.
The Buds 4 in Zen Green and Storm Gray targets buyers who want dual drivers, LHDC 5.0, faster charging, deeper ANC, and the full HeyMelody app experience. Pricing for the Buds 4 in India has not been officially confirmed yet, but based on OnePlus's typical positioning I would expect it to land somewhere between ₹5,499 and ₹6,999.
Both are solid options. The choice comes down to whether the codec and ANC upgrade is worth the price difference for your specific listening habits. For me I think I have to give try to both or if you are on little budget take the nord buds it will worth it.
