OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z earbuds review – heavy on quality, light on pocket

• The Bullets Wireless Z are the latest wireless earbuds from OnePlus.
  
• Launched at ₹1,999, the Bullets Wireless Z comes in four colours – Mint, Black, Blue and Oat.
  
• To keep the price down, OnePlus had to cut back on some design and quality elements when compared to the Bullets Wireless 2.
  
• Are these compromises deal-breakers? How well do the Bullets Wireless Z perform and does the price make up for it? Read on to find out.
  

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z earbuds were launched alongside the OnePlus 8 series earlier this year. While most OnePlus fans were waiting for a pair of truly wireless earbuds to compete with the AirPods, Galaxy Buds and the like, OnePlus instead launched the Bullets Wireless Z at a price of ₹1,999.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z are not exactly a successor to the more premium Bullets Wireless 2 – OnePlus undercut its own wireless earbuds to make the Bullets Wireless Z an attractive option. But does it mean the Wireless Z brings compromises to the table? Let’s find out.

Light on your neck, light on your pocket

I’ve been using the Bullets Wireless 2 earbuds for a few months now, and one of the best things about it is its weight. Despite its metal earbuds, the Bullets Wireless 2 weigh just 32 grams. As a result, there’s no strain on your neck or your ears.

The Bullets Wireless Z takes this a step further, weighing just 28 grams. With these earbuds, OnePlus has cut some corners to bring down the price by 67% when compared to the Bullets Wireless 2, which launched at ₹5,990.


As comfortable as earbuds can be


The neckband style design is thick yet comfortable thanks to the rubbery material. The earbuds also come with silicone tips that are really soft, so no matter how your ear canal is shaped, they settle in really well.

One-tap pairing process makes for a smooth out-of-the-box experience

Pairing Bluetooth earphones can be a hassle at times if the earphones are not well-optimized.

Thankfully, pairing the Bullets Wireless Z is a breeze – all you have to do is take them out of the box and separate the two earbuds. Your phone should automatically prompt you to pair the earbuds. When it does, just tap on “Pair” and you should be good to go.

Decent sound quality, but bass is slightly less thumpy

The Bullets Wireless Z don’t support the high-quality aptX HD Bluetooth codec, but that shouldn’t really be a cause for concern.

In our testing, the Bullets Wireless Z performed mostly well across genres, but the lack of bass was evident in songs like Wow by Post Malone. Essentially, if you like bass, you’ll find these earbuds to be a little lacking in this department.

Apart from bassy songs, the Bullets Wireless Z offer decent sound quality.

As far as call quality is concerned, I found these earbuds to work just well. The in-line microphone is also positioned well, so audio distortion is minimal in indoor surroundings.

Long battery life and quick charge support are two standout features

Despite cutting back on some features to bring the price down, OnePlus has made a drastic improvement in the battery life of the Bullets Wireless Z when compared to the Bullets Wireless 2.

The Bullets Wireless Z battery life is rated at 20 hours, and in my testing, they lasted for at least 18 hours before I decided to plug them in.

Besides, they don’t take too long to charge either – OnePlus has added Warp Charge support, so you can juice them up for 10 minutes and enjoy 10 hours of audio.

Verdict

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z are among the best wireless earbuds if you’re looking for something affordable. At ₹1,999, there really is nothing to complain about – you get decent audio experience, quick pairing and quick charge support, and a good battery life.

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