OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: For bass-o-holics

TWS may be the rage of the moment, but we think neckbands have a clear edge over them when it comes to having the right mix of functionality and freedom. They offer you the wire-free experience your Bluetooth heart may be looking for but with enough wire to keep the earbuds safe and secure. OnePlus seems to agree with this line of thought which is why even though it has been releasing TWS, it has continued to come out with neckbands. The latest in line is the successor of the popular OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z. The newly launched OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 come with the biggest drivers seen on any OnePlus earphones yet and are priced at Rs. 1,999. But can this Bullet hit the bull’s eye like its predecessor?

Looks like any other neckband

Neckbands usually have little to no scope of creativity when it comes to design. The most brands can do to make their neckbands standout is to either go with an out of the ordinary color like Realme Buds Wireless 2 that are available in a striking yellow color, or have a hard plastic-like material around the middle like some of the early Samsung neckbands but none of these design elements really change the basic idea or structure of a neckband. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 look just like any other neckband on the market. We received the Magico Black color, which is literally as basic as it gets, but there is a more striking Beam Blue option that does not look as ordinary.

Do not get us wrong. There is nothing wrong with the looks of the Bullets Z2; they are actually quite decent looking. They are just a neckband, and this is what neckbands look like, and we have made our peace with it. The middle part is a thicker, slightly more stiff, U shaped-silicon band, with two chunky pill-shaped units at the end. The wires stem from these pills and have earbuds on the end. One of these pill-shaped units houses the battery, while the other has control options and the USB Type C port on the side. You get volume buttons on this control unit and a multi-function play/pause button. The battery unit has the OnePlus branding and the logo, while the volume buttons are highlighted in red.

The earbuds on the end are pretty standard, with eartips on one side and a flat back with magnets. When the buds are attached together, they will simply stop playing the audio, which you can resume once you put them back in. The Bullets Wireless Z2 are quite light and can be worn around the neck all day without ever feeling like a burden. The material used is quite skin-friendly and feels quite sturdy as well. It also comes with an IP55 rating.

Pairing, controls and Fit

Pairing the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is a pretty fuss-free process. All you have to do is press and hold the play/pause button, and the buds will go into pairing mode. You can then look up the buds in the list of Bluetooth pairings on your device and connect the buds. Once connected, the Bullets Z2 will connect to your phone automatically once you put them on.

You get the usual volume buttons on the buds and another button in the middle in terms of controls. Now instead of simply sharing the command load amongst its button comrades, OnePlus has put all the burden on this one button in the middle. Apart from the usual pairing/play/ pause/ call receiving/ call ending functions (which are already a lot for a single button), OnePlus has also made it responsible for changing tracks. You have to press the button twice to skip to the next song and thrice to go back to the last song. It may all sound simple but can actually be chaotic in practice as you have to keep track of how many times you have pressed that tiny button before the command is completed.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 come with three different ear tips options like most earbuds do. You can select the one which fits your ear best, and you are good to go. Once you have jammed them in, the earbuds are unlikely to fall out easily. We have put them through rigorous workout sessions, and the buds stayed put. They also make a very good workout buddy as they come with an IP55 rating, making them sweat and water-resistant.

Bass forward sound, impressive battery life

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 comes with the biggest drivers seen on a pair of OnePlus earphones- 12.4mm. The fact that OnePlus is offering such big drivers for under two thousand rupees is a major plus point for the buds. The earbuds support two audio codecs, SBC and AAC.

As for the audio performance, the Bullets Wireless Z2 are pretty loud and come with plenty of bass, something that seems to be every brand’s audio formula in the budget segment. While this kind of signature sound gives the audio some faux body, it actually fails to deliver what the audio is truly supposed to sound like.

If you are someone looking for a pair of earphones that offer balanced sound, then you might not like the sound profile that the Bullets Wireless Z2 offer as they lack balance, majorly.

That said, if you are someone who likes bass-heavy audio output and do not mind if some bass sneaks into your mids, then the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 will definitely be your cup of tea.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 were pretty good in terms of call quality. We could hear the speaker clearly, and we heard no complaints whatsoever regarding our audio quality while using the buds. As the buds fit deep into your ear canals, they offer really good passive noise cancellation.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 come with a 200 mAh battery, and OnePlus claims the buds can last an impressive 30 hours on a single charge. We found this claim more or less true as we got about 27-28 hours worth of battery on a single charge. The Bullets Wireless Z2 also come with support for fast charge, giving them a battery life of about 20 hours when charged only for 10 minutes. Again, very impressive.

Big drivers, bigger bass

With the price of Rs. 1,999, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 bring a lot to the audio table. They come with big 12.4 mm drivers, offer really long battery life, have a bass-heavy signature sound, and have a really solid build. But because the earbuds are really bass-heavy, they lack balance, and for those who like to listen to melodious or classical music, these might not be a great option.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 also face some heat from the likes of Oppo Enco M32 and the Realme Buds 2, which are priced in the same vicinity. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 are actually a great proposition for the price; you only need to have a liking for bass.

Buy OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2