OnePlus Nord Buds CE

OnePlus Nord Buds CE are the latest TWS earbuds from OnePlus, offering the truly wireless earbuds experience to those on a budget. The Nord Buds CE are essentially the cheapest earbuds the company currently offers, sold only in India at the moment. Despite being low-priced, the earbuds are designed to provide good quality sound, which is not what one would typically expect from a $29 pair of earbuds.

Design:
The Nord Buds CE have a classic one-size-fits-all earbud design similar to the AirPods, featuring capacitive touch surface for gesture control. Unfortunately, the earbuds do not support in-ear detection, which means no automatic play or pause when you insert or remove the earbuds from your ears. The earbuds are IPX4 rated, which means they can survive rain and splashes of water. The charging case has a small and curvy design, with a glossy finish that can get scratched quite easily.

Comfort:
The one-size-fits-all design of the Nord Buds CE can be temperamental and rarely ever works for everyone. Depending on your ear shape, you may find the earbuds either too small or too large, affecting their comfort and sound quality. This style of earbuds sits in your concha and put pressure around it to stay in place. The pressure tends to mount when you press them in a bit to create a better seal. This does mean that over time, your ears will start to hurt a little bit. The Nord Buds CE are not as comfortable as in-ear models, but they are still comfortable for those who found the original AirPods comfortable.

Software:
The Nord Buds CE features can be controlled natively on OnePlus phones and through the HeyMelody app on other devices. The functionality on OnePlus phones is handled by a system-level application that integrates the features within the Bluetooth settings menu, similar to the way AirPods operate on iOS. Once you manage to get there, there's not much to adjust with the Nord Buds CE as they have a fairly basic feature set. The HeyMelody app is easier to use because it's right there on your device. You can update the firmware, and there is a manual Game mode option to lower latency.

Price:
The Nord Buds CE are the cheapest earbuds that OnePlus offers, making them a good option for those on a budget who want decent sound quality. They are currently sold only in India for $29.

Recommendation:
The OnePlus Nord Buds CE are a good choice for those who want affordable earbuds with decent sound quality. They have a classic earbud design similar to the AirPods, and their touch control gestures work well. However, those who prefer in-ear models may find these earbuds uncomfortable after prolonged use. Additionally, the earbuds lack some features like automatic play/pause when they are removed from the ears.