Is the OnePlus Buds 3 worth the upgrade from the Apple AirPods Pro 3?
Verdict
Downgrade
The OnePlus Buds 3 actually scores 13.4 points below the Apple AirPods Pro 3, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in calls (7.4 to 8.0). You do give up ground on noise cancelling (9.3 to 6.0) and sound (8.6 to 8.0). On paper: battery life 8 h to 10 h, codecs SBC, AAC to SBC, AAC, LHDC and drivers per side 1 to 2. Worth checking: battery life (anc on) goes 8 h to 6.5 h and wireless charging goes Yes to No. One caution: this steps down a line tier (AirPods Pro 3 to Buds 3), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. It is at least $81 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.68.0
- Noise cancelling9.36.0
- Battery7.37.0
- Calls7.48.0
- Value8.38.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | AirPods Pro 3 | Buds 3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 8 h | 10 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LHDC | |
| Water resistance | IP57 | IP55 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 8 h | 6.5 h | |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 | |
| Microphones | 3 | 6 | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid | |
| Driver | 10.7 mm dynamic | 2-driver hybrid | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 15 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "AirPods Pro 3 to Buds 3". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.