OnePlus Buds Z2: More Mics and Better Noise Reduction for Under $100

By Mara Anton

Posted on October 13, 2021

The day of the big OnePlus event is here. The company introduced, as expected, the brand new OnePlus 9RT as well as a sequel to their budget-friendly true wireless earbuds, the OnePlus Buds Z2. Let’s see what we get this time around for less than $100!

At first glance, these ones look extremely alike their predecessors. You’ll notice the same long stalks, with silicon tips with one difference: the earphone body seems slightly rounder, which could make for a more modern feel.

Inside the earbuds, things change dramatically. Almost every part of the device has been upgraded one way or the other.

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The double mics have gained a third one which, incidentally, helps with noise reduction also. The user experience should be better this time around. For gamers and binge-watchers, OnePlus has given extra thought to the latency aspect, making it fall under 100ms for this model.

The audio has been improved as well; you’ll notice bigger 11mm drivers and a transparency mode has been added, for those times when you don’t want to be isolated from the world.

The Buds Z2 are IP55 water resistant and come in two colors – black and white – with a longer battery life than the Buds Z.

Expect 27 hours of battery with active noise reduction and up to 38 hours with help from the charging case.

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How about price? OnePlus is keeping this line of earbuds accessible so the Buds Z2 are $77, about 20 dollars more than its predecessor.

The OnePlus Buds Z2 can be pre-ordered today or bought starting with October 19. As for global availability… unfortunately, that remains a mystery. For now, the buds are only available in China.