The OnePlus Buds Z2 and OnePlus Buds Pro are both excellent wireless headphones, but at the end of the day, which one is the best choice for most people? Shopping for audio gear is always a challenge — especially when it comes to true wireless earbuds. There are seemingly endless models to choose from, heaps of features to consider, and a wide variety of price points.
For fans of OnePlus gadgets, two of the company's best options right now are the OnePlus Buds Z2 and OnePlus Buds Pro. The former launched in December 2021 for $99, while the latter was released in September for $149. The distinction between the Buds Z2 and Buds Pro is supposed to be pretty clear. Want good earbuds for not much money? Get the Buds Z2. Prefer having a lot of features without worrying too much about price? Get the Buds Pro. While that sentiment is mostly true, the Buds Z2 and Buds Pro are much more similar than the contrasting price tags suggest.
If there's one area where the OnePlus Buds Pro have a clear advantage, it's their design. They have an AirPods Pro-like aesthetic with a matte plastic finish and metal stems. That AirPods inspiration even carries over to the playback controls, with the Buds Pro allowing users to play/pause, skip tracks, and more by pressing and holding either stem. It's not the most original design on the market, but it's one that works really well. Comparatively, the OnePlus Buds Z2 are less premium. They have a glossy finish, are made entirely out of plastic, and use more traditional playback controls with a capacitive touch area on the buds. It's not a bad design by any means, but it does look and feel a step below the Buds Pro.
The OnePlus Buds Z2 & Buds Pro Are Almost Identical
If the saying 'Don't judge a book by its cover' ever applied to a pair of earbuds, the OnePlus Buds Z2 are a perfect example. Despite the cheaper design and presentation, virtually everything else about the Buds Z2 is right on par with the Buds Pro. It all starts with audio quality. The OnePlus Buds Z2 and Buds Pro have the exact same 11mm drivers and 98dB driver sensitivity. Both earbuds also come with Bluetooth 5.2, Dolby Atmos support, and a 'Pro Gaming' mode (on paired OnePlus phones) that takes latency down to just 94ms. The biggest difference on the audio front is how OnePlus tailors its audio for different listeners. On the OnePlus Buds Z2, users can choose one of three audio profiles — including Cinematic Movie, Immersive Music, and Mobile Gaming. The OnePlus Buds Pro crank this up a notch, using a feature called 'OnePlus Audio ID' to "create a personalized hearing profile" based on each person's unique hearing.
Another big feature for wireless earbuds is active noise-canceling. Both the Buds Z2 and Buds Pro can block up to 40dB of background noise, so you can focus on just your music. The Buds Pro elevate the experience with the option to have ANC automatically adapt to the noise around you, but the max noise-canceling effect is the same across the board. The Buds Z2 and Buds Pro also share Transparency Mode for easily hearing background sounds, have an IP55 rating for dust/water resistance, and their cases are backed by IPX4 protection. As if that wasn't enough, battery life is also identical. No matter if you choose the Buds Z2 or Buds Pro, battery life is as follows: With ANC enabled, the earbuds get 5 hours of continuous use and 27 hours of total endurance. Turn ANC off, and those numbers go up to 7 hours and 38 hours, respectively. Fast charging is supported on both models as well, though the Buds Z2 get just 5 hours of playback after 10 minutes while the Buds Pro get 10 hours in that same time. Last but certainly not least, only the OnePlus Buds Pro supports Qi wireless charging.
Considering all of that, the decision between the OnePlus Buds Z2 and OnePlus Buds Pro should be pretty easy. If someone really values a premium design, more personalized audio, and better charging options, the Buds Pro are still an easy recommendation. However, if none of those things matter and someone wants to keep an extra $50 in their wallet, there's no reason not to buy the Buds Z2. They have the same drivers, noise-canceling, battery, and even come with Google Fast Pair — something the OnePlus Buds Pro strangely lack. The Buds Pro still remain as OnePlus's 'best' earbud option, but for a lot of folks, the Buds Z2 make the most sense.
Source: OnePlus