Is the OnePlus Buds Pro 4 worth the upgrade from the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro to the OnePlus Buds Pro 4 buys you 12.0 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in battery (6.0 to 8.5), noise cancelling (6.0 to 8.0) and sound (7.0 to 8.5). On paper: active noise cancelling, weight 70 g to 4.73 g and bluetooth 5.0 to 5.4. Worth checking: drivers per side goes 2 to 1 and microphones goes 4 to 3. It's also $20 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound7.08.5
- Noise cancelling6.08.0
- Battery6.08.5
- Calls7.07.5
- Value8.09.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Liberty 2 Pro | Buds Pro 4 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX | SBC, AAC, LHDC 5.0 | |
| Weight | 70 g | 4.73 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 | |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes | |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IP55 | |
| Battery incl. case | 32 h | 45 h | |
| Full charge time | 90 min | 70 min | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Microphones | 4 | 3 | |
| Transparency mode | No | Yes | |
| Wear detection | No | Yes | |
| ANC type | none | adaptive | |
| Quick charge | 10 min = 2 h | 10 min = 11 hours playback | |
| Driver | hybrid | dual drivers; 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter | |
| Frequency response | 20Hz-20kHz | 10Hz-40kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Liberty 2 Pro 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.