The company is making some moves to put down roots in India’s budget audio space. We’ve seen the official word from OnePlus: the Nord Buds 4 are being teased, the design is out there, and a launch is right around the corner. It’s all about giving value to those who watch their pennies, while staying a step below the Pro version.
Design and first look
If you look at the teaser, you’ll see the outline of an in-ear with some silicone tips and stem-style touch controls. The whole thing has a compact, ergonomic feel to it – made for comfort, not for show.
You will notice a change in the case, though. The one for the Nord Buds 4 is more of a rectangle, which is a departure from the oval you had with the Nord Buds 3 that came to us in 2024.
Price positioning and target user
OnePlus has put it on the record: the Nord Buds 4 will be cheaper than the Pro. The Pro hit India earlier in the year for Rs 3,999, and was built to be a feature-rich option for the masses.
This one is for the person who just wants something to get by with for a call or a commute without breaking the bank. It is a volume game, not for the sake of having something to show off, and it should open up the door for more to get into the brand.
What we have so far from the teasers:
– A standard model that won’t cost as much as the Pro
– A rectangular case to make way for the old oval one
– In-ear with stems for the touch controls
– A dark silhouette to give you an idea of the form
– An Indian launch on the horizon
What to put in your cart, and what you might not find
We don’t have the spec sheet yet. But if you know the Nord Buds line, you know they like to keep things simple and within reach. You can count on a decent battery, a connection that holds up, and clear calls.
Then again, the 4 Pro has 55dB of ANC, LHDC 5.0 for high-res, 3D spatial audio and 54 hours of juice from the case. That is the bar for the top shelf.
To make room for a lower price, the regular Nord Buds 4 will have to do without some of the frills. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see the same level of codec support or noise cancellation on this end.
Timing, the field, and where OnePlus is heading
All of this is happening as the brand gets ready for a new N phone in India. A microsite shows off a flat frame and a big camera hump in the top left, with black and green in the mix. Amazon is where you will be buying it.
Word on the street is it may be called the OnePlus N6. No dates or numbers have been put out. Yogesh Brar has pointed to the N series as a foray into the sub-Rs 20,000 range.
Has OnePlus said the earbuds and the N series will come out together? Not exactly. They have a ‘coming soon’ up for the Buds 4, so the timing is there, but there is no joint event on the books.
Why you should care
There is a lot of noise in the affordable audio scene in India, but people still go for the name. By having the Buds 4 under the Pro, OnePlus gives you an upgrade track and puts up a wall against the competition’s discounting.
It is the same playbook as with their phones. You have the Nord CE 6 Lite, and now an N series to sit below the Nord, plus some inexpensive TWS. It is a way to pull in more of the ecosystem without treading on the premium stuff.
So what happens now? OnePlus has to put a number on the Buds 4 and a date on the calendar. The teasers are up, so we should be hearing about the rest of it in short order. If you are after a deal, keep an eye on this one.
