OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: Subtle, but powerful changes!
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Its price in India is Rs 1,999, which is not very expensive, but still many good features and functions are given at this price. The company has launched them as the successor to OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z. They look similar to the old model, but come with some differences. Are these headsets the best neckbank wireless headsets under Rs 2,000? Let’s find out in this review.
big drivers
Like the Bullets Wireless 2 and the Bullets Wireless Z before it, their design looks familiar. If you have used OnePlus headsets before, then you can easily recognize the brand by looking at the new model’s flexible neckband, the familiar shape of the earpiece and the short cable running from the end of the neckband to the earpiece.
As mentioned earlier, there is some variation in this. As such, you will notice the lack of an in-line remote and microphone. The buttons for volume, playback, voice assistant activation and pairing are now fitted on the left module of the neckband. The eartips are also a bit small. I found its fit and user experience to be very similar to the older model, including its comfortable fit and noise isolation levels, which were quite good. It is rated IP55 for dust and water resistance.
The inner side of the left module has a USB Type C port for charging, while the right module has been left blank for the company logo. Like the old models, they can be turned on or off by separating or bringing together the earpieces, which remain connected by magnets. For this reason, they may sometimes turn on accidentally, such as when kept in a purse or back-pack. A little pulling is required to separate them.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 has large 12.4mm dynamic drivers. For wireless connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5 with which SBC and AAC Bluetooth codec is supported. Pairing is done quickly with OnePlus 6T and subsequent OnePlus smartphones. Quick Switch feature was provided in Bullets Wireless Z, through which one could quickly switch between two recently used devices, it is no longer provided in Bullets Wireless Z2. In the sales package, you get three pairs of silicone eartips which come in different sizes. A short charging cable is also available.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 also has a fast charging feature. It has been claimed that it reaches 70 percent battery level in ten minutes of charge. This battery will be enough for about 20 hours of playback. I found that the earphones took 20 minutes to fully charge. Because of this, these become the fastest charging earphones at present.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is said to provide 30 hours of backup on a single charge, but with me, it was able to run for 20 hours continuously at 60 percent volume. This will still be considered a good backup time. These prove to be more useful with fast charging.
more base than before
The 12.4mm drivers in the wearable make a big difference. This has improved the sound quality. In particular, many changes have been seen in the sonic signature. The Bullets Wireless Z2 now offer a slightly more punchy sound, and the level of clarity and detail was also balanced, as the company introduced in the Bullets Wireless Z in 2020.
A major advantage of larger drivers is seen in the volume level, when the sound becomes quite loud only after going to 50 percent volume. This means I rarely had to go above 80 percent volume level, which is well within what many wireless headphones can tolerate.
If you listen to them in an environment where there is a lot of noise, then they prove beneficial. With this, it also compensates for the lack of active noise cancellation. This feature is available in Realme Buds Wireless 2 by spending a little more money. Indoors I didn’t have to turn the volume up too much. But, outdoors it was easily suppressing outside noises and giving a good sound experience. I enjoyed playing audiobooks and games through earphones while travelling.
I listened to Velvetine’s The Great Divide on this and the aggressive sonic signature of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 was immediately apparent. The fast, punchy beats of this sound track sounded quite powerful. Interestingly, the bass felt deeper and more grounded. Although at high volumes it also caused a little fatigue.
I also listened to Focus’ Hocus Pocus on this, which showed complete control of the device on the bass. This showed how well the midrange and highs were maintained on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Loved the level of details. The elements of the track sounded quite crisp.
Connectivity on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 remained stable and reliable for me. It worked flawlessly up to a distance of 3 meters from the source device. Its call quality also proved to be quite good in both indoor and outdoor conditions. The neckband microphone worked well even in noisy environments.
Verdict
Wireless audio technology is constantly improving. This means that now even in the price range of Rs 2 thousand or thereabouts, you can get a better sounding product which was not possible till a few years ago. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offer better value for money at this price, but they don’t impress in this segment as much as the original Bullets Wireless Z did in 2020. These are good earphones which offer some better features like fast charging, good battery life at this price. But, here the price will also depend on the customer’s thinking as to which offer he goes with.
By spending a little more money, you can get Realme Buds Wireless 2, which is a great headset. It has LDAC Bluetooth codec and active noise cancellation. Still, if you are a OnePlus fan and are looking for something reliable that has good battery life, fast charging, and strong bass-heavy sound, then you can go for the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2.
