OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 review: Good one at Rs 2,000

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers bigger drivers and better audio quality at the same price as the predecessor. It comes at Rs 1,999. Here's the full review. 

8/10

HIGHLIGHTS

• OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 succeeds the Bullets Wireless Z from last year.
• The Bullets Wireless Z2 comes at similar to the predecessor, at Rs 1,999. 
• OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers minimal yet significant upgrades over the Bullets Z. 

With offices reopening, having a good pair of earphones becomes a must for people like me who often have difficulties concentrating with people chattering around. While most audio product manufacturing companies are focusing on truly wireless earbuds, there are some that still give equal importance to neckbands. One such company is OnePlus.

I personally prefer neckbands over TWS earbuds, the primary reason being fit and comfort. The constant fear of losing the tiny earbuds freaks me out. With neckbands, that’s never the issue. I recently started using the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2, which the company launched last month, as my daily companion and I am surely going to use them hereafter.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 not only offers bigger drivers, in turn, much better audio quality than the predecessor but also comes at the same price of Rs 1,999. Rarely do we find good earbuds under Rs 2,000, Bullets Wireless Z2 is surely not one of them. The Bullets Wireless Z2 succeeds the Bullets Wireless Z from last year.

I have been using Bullets Wireless Z2 for the last few weeks and here is what I think about these affordable pair of earbuds.

Design and build

Not a lot has changed since last year in terms of design. The new OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 looks almost the same with very minimal but significant changes in some areas. The two earpieces include magnetic backs, which when stuck to one another automatically stop the music. Separating them turns on the ongoing music. This is a good feature, but can also be problematic at times, especially when traveling and the earbuds are kept inside a backpack or a purse. There is no pouch to keep the earbuds securely.

The volume and power buttons have been shifted to the left, which can be a little problematic for right handies. Every time I had to adjust the volume, I used the phone instead of the earphone since it was a little too much effort to adjust with the earbuds unless the phone was away. It will take multiple attempts for users to get used to the left-aligned buttons. There’s also the USB Type C port for charging.

The ear tips have also become slightly smaller when compared to the predecessor. This is a good change since it ensures a much better fit. Be it during workouts or morning walks, the eartips never fell off the earhole.

In other aspects, the Bullets Wireless Z2 is similar to the predecessor in terms of design. It offers a sturdy and clean design and also comes with IP55 rating for dust and water resistance. It is offered in black and blue colour options with a slight touch of red around the buttons. I personally like the black one as it looks quite classy, which is rare to find in this price segment.

Most neckbands under Rs 2,000 offer a flimsy build, but that’s not the case with the Bullets Wireless Z2. Whether it is the neckband, the short cable running from neck to ear tips, or the earpiece, all of it is built very well. In terms of design and build, the Bullets Wireless Z2 looks quite expensive, unless someone already knows the price.

Fit and connectivity

Fit and comfort are two of the most important aspects consumers consider while buying a new pair of earbuds. Most earbuds at this price often struggle to offer a good fit and comfortable experience but the Bullets Wireless Z2 is different from them. The earbuds fit perfectly and don't fall out even during workout sessions or while taking a long walk. The Bullets Wireless Z2 comes with three ear tips in total.

It comes with Bluetooth 5 for wireless connectivity with support for the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. It is extremely easy to connect the phone to the Bullets Wireless Z2. Turn on the earbuds, and enable the Bluetooth of your phone, then head to the Settings and connect the Bullets Wireless Z2 with the phone. It works seamlessly with Android as well as iPhone.

The Bluetooth range between the devices is somewhere around 30 feet, which is also usually the case with most earbuds at this price. So, if you are going from one room to another, it is better to take your phone along.

Audio quality

The Bullets Wireless Z offers good audio quality for the price, but the Z2 is much better. The larger 12.4mm drivers are a major differentiating factor between the new and the old Bullets. The Bullets Wireless Z2 sounds a bit punchier and more driven, but also maintains a reasonable level of detail and clarity. It supports two audio codecs, SBC and AAC.

The larger drivers offer amazing volume levels when compared to the predecessor. The Bullets offers impressively loud music even at around 40 - 50 per cent level. Rarely did I have to increase the volume level to 70-80 per cent. At these higher levels, the buds sounded screechy and missed details.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 is really bass-heavy but they lack balance. So, for those who like melodious or classical music, this one may not be the best option. For people who like bass-heavy audio output and don’t care even if bass sneaks into the mids, this one is one of the best options out there for the price.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 doesn’t offer noise cancellation but increasing the volume helped in eliminating the unwanted surrounding sound. I had to do this most when in the office. At home, 40-50 per cent volume helped do away with unnecessary sound in the surrounding.

The call quality was surprisingly quite good for earbuds priced so aggressively. Calls were smooth, and the callers’ voice and details were quite clear in all instances, indoors and outdoors. The microphone on the neckband also worked pretty well for me regardless of the situation.

Battery life

OnePlus claims the Bullets Wireless Z2 offers 30 hours of playback time but I got somewhere around 22 hours at volume mark between 40 - 50 per cent. The best thing is the fast-charging support, the charging cable comes with the box. It took around 25 minutes for the Bullets Wireless to fully charge. The Bullets Wireless Z2 is one of the best wireless neckbands available at the price when it comes to battery life and charging.

Should you buy the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2?

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is surely one of the best wireless neckbands available in the market for Rs 2,000. So, if you are looking for decent earbuds for day-to-day usage, this one is worth spending on. However, if you already own the previous generation Bullets Wireless, there’s no need to upgrade. In case you are looking for a good wireless neckband with noise cancellation, there’s the Realme Buds Wireless 2 that also includes the LDAC Bluetooth codec at Rs 2,299.

Overall, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers better bass and fits very comfortably in the ear. Though there’s no noise cancellation, the larger drives ensure to eliminate the unwanted background noise in both indoor and outdoor situations. It also offers excellent battery backup, not as much as the company claims but still very decent for the price. The fast-charging support is icing on the cake.

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OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 review:8/10

Pros

• Fit
• Build Quality
• IP55 rating

Cons

• Audio breaks at high volume
• No noise cancellation