Is the OnePlus Buds Pro 4 worth the upgrade from the Nothing Ear 3?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The OnePlus Buds Pro 4 scores 6.0 points above the Nothing Ear 3. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in value (8.0 to 9.0), sound (8.0 to 8.5) and noise cancelling (7.5 to 8.0). On paper: battery life 10 h to 13 h, weight 10.4 g to 4.73 g and battery life (anc on) 5.5 h to 7 h. Worth checking: driver size goes 12 mm to 11 mm and microphones goes 6 to 3. It's also $31 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.08.5
- Noise cancelling7.58.0
- Battery8.08.5
- Calls7.07.5
- Value8.09.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Ear 3 | Buds Pro 4 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 10 h | 13 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LHDC 5.0 | |
| Weight | 10.4 g | 4.73 g | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP55 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 5.5 h | 7 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 38 h | 54 h | |
| Driver size | 12 mm | 11 mm | |
| Microphones | 6 | 3 | |
| Case weight | 71.4 g | 50.62 g | |
| ANC type | hybrid | adaptive | |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 10 h | 10 min = 11 hours playback | |
| Driver | dynamic | dual drivers; 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter | |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Ear 3 to Buds Pro 4". 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.