TL;DR: These buds offer all the functionality in the OnePlus Pro Buds but in a Buds Z casing and price tag. A great gift and great performance. Fixes everything wrong with the Buds Z.
I was skeptical to try these buds after my terrible experience with the OnePlus Buds Z. I caved in after hearing how much they had improved and I can definitely confirm that. They’re pretty good overall and have definitely knocked down the One Plus Nord Buds out of my everyday use buds. I wouldn’t fight anyone over sound quality, but they’re okay.
One Plus Buds Z2
OnePlus Buds Z2 Open case
OnePlus Buds Z2 Open case with ear pieces out
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Design wise it’s the same design as the Buds Z. I literally can’t tell them apart easily. I can only do it because my normal Buds Z’s case logo is a tad bit lighter than the Z2.
The Good #
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They offer almost the same functionality as the Buds Pro but cheaper.
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You can turn off In-ear detection. This was the biggest flaw in the original Buds Z.
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Up to 10 different tap commands at a time. This is 5 per bud
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Noise cancellation
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Staple OnePlus fast charging
The Bad #
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Exact same design as the previous version
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No wireless charging. Which isn’t a big deal but it sure was a feature for the Buds Pro.
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There’s no Dual Connection feature. While I like this feature, this is always a hit or miss for me. There’s always a device that will hog the audio even if there’s nothing playing.
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It’s very easy to trigger the Single-tap control in the buds, and it’s very annoying. You trigger it when adjusting it, you trigger it when you scratch your ear, you trigger it when it touches anything else. I suggest disabling this and in-ear detection right out of the box. That is, if you wish to conserve your sanity.
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When I say it’s the exact same design, I mean it. Here they are side by side. Good luck finding which one is which!
The Verdict #
If you’re looking for a reliable pair of buds and don’t want to think too much, this is your best bet. They’re also a great gift. These are the buds to get when you’re thinking on getting the pro buds but don’t want to pay full price or are out of stock. They are definitely the best choice, right next to the Nord Buds, which are the winners in the $30 budget ear buds category.