OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus Review: A Budget ANC Earbuds for Daily Use

The budget TWS segment is crowded; some earbuds excel in features, others focus on pricing, and very few manage to deliver all of it together. That's where OPPO's latest Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus aim to stand out in the crowd.

The latest buds from OPPO offer punchy sound, ANC, long battery life, and a clean design, all of these for just Rs 2,099. I have been using these buds for several days, and here's why this is one of my favourite budget TWS options of this year. Let's find out.

PROS

• Long-lasting battery life
• Comfortable and secure fit
• Loud and punchy sound
• ANC

CONS

• Transparency mode is weak
• Case is prone to scratches
• Limited EQ options

OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus Design

The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus is offered in Midnight Black and Sonic Blue colour options. Our review unit came in the blue variant. It features an oval-shaped case with a matte finish. The design resembles the OnePlus Nord Buds 3, with the charging indicator and charging port placed in the same positions.

Each earbud weighs just around 4.2 grams, while the combined weight of the earbuds and the charging case is around 46.2 grams, making it compact and easy to carry. The fit is also very comfortable, even during long hours of use. While running on a treadmill, the earbuds stayed securely in place, and I didn't face any issues with them falling out-something I experienced with a few budget TWS earbuds like the Boult Klarity 1 and the Mivi SuperPods Opera ANC.

The Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus comes with an IP55 rating, making them resistant to dust and water splashes. This makes them suitable for workouts, as they can easily handle sweat and light splashes.

However, I didn't like the finish much, as it is prone to scratches, especially if you have long nails. In comparison, the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro (Review) offers a more premium design, despite being priced in the budget segment.

Audio Quality

The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus feature 12.4mm extra-large titanium-coated dynamic drivers that produce deep bass. If you enjoy songs with deep bass, the Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus will suit your taste, as the music feels more lively and engaging. The earbuds are very loud, so you don't need to keep the volume at full all the time. Even at high volume, the sound stays clear and doesn't distort.

You can also adjust the sound using the HeyMelody app, which offers three EQ modes. These modes let you slightly adjust how the music sounds based on your preferences, though the options are limited.

ANC Performance

The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus supports Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). While we cannot expect flagship-grade performance at this price, it is noticeably more effective than some competitors, such as the Mivi SuperPods Opera ANC, despite having "ANC" in its name.

The Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus can easily block background noise like fans or chatter when you're sitting on the balcony. However, while travelling on a local train, the ANC struggles to block out the constant noise, which is understandable at this price point.

There is also a Transparency Mode, but it's not very effective. It doesn't let outside sounds come in clearly, which takes away from its main purpose – helping you stay aware of your surroundings without removing your earbuds.

Touch Controls and Connectivity

The OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus comes with Bluetooth 5.4 and supports multi-device connectivity. This makes switching between devices hassle-free, without needing to disconnect and reconnect each time. The earbuds also support 47ms low latency, and while playing BGMI with game mode enabled, the audio stayed almost perfectly in sync with the visuals.

Even touch controls and connectivity were very smooth. I didn't face any lag. Unlike some earbuds that require manual reconnection at times, the Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus connected automatically every time I used them.

Battery Life

Each earbud is equipped with a 58mAh battery, while the charging case houses a 440mAh battery. OPPO claims a total playback time of up to 28 hours with ANC turned on, which can go up to 43 hours with ANC turned off. On a single charge, the earbuds can deliver up to 8 hours of playback with ANC on or up to 12 hours without ANC.

In my daily usage, I mostly use the earbuds with ANC turned off. On average, I listened to music for about 3 hours per day, and on weekends, this rose to about 4 hours. After fully charging the earbuds and the case – which took about 1.5 hours – the Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus easily lasted more than 10 days for me.

However, if you use the earbuds throughout the day and keep ANC enabled most of the time, the battery life should still last 3 to 4 days without needing to recharge.

Verdict

Features like ANC in this segment, long-lasting battery life, a comfortable fit, and punchy sound make the OPPO Enco Buds 3 Pro Plus one of the best budget earbuds of this year for me. However, if you want better ANC performance, you have to spend more. Design-wise, there are also better options available in this price range nowadays.

Overall, if you are looking for earbuds under Rs. 2,000 for daily use, you can definitely go for these.