The OnePlus Bullets Wireless headphones are here to take on Google’s Pixel Buds

Jonathan Bray May 16, 2018

£69

Price when reviewed

Update: Two weeks after the OnePlus 6 went on sale, and almost a month since it unveiled its Google Pixel Buds rival, OnePlus is finally launching its Bullets Wireless earphones in the UK, Europe and the US.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless headphones are here to take on Google’s Pixel Buds

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless earphones are going on sale from the OnePlus website at 10am BST on 5 June, at the same time the firm is launching the silk white OnePlus 6 model. The OpenPlus Bullets Wireless earphones cost £69 ($69/€69).

Buy the OnePlus Bullets Wireless earphones here

Original article continues below

My heart usually sinks when a phone manufacturer tells me it has two products to tell me about (or in Nokia’s case, six), but it’s not so bad when that product isn’t yet another smartphone. In OnePlus’ case, the company is piggybacking on the announcement of the OnePlus 6 (which looks brilliant by the way) to bring us a new pair of OnePlus-branded earphones: the OnePlus Bullets Wireless.

READ NEXT: OnePlus 6 review

This isn’t the first time OnePlus has made a pair of headphones – it’s gone through two versions of its wired Bullets earphones and these cost a very reasonable £16.

This is the first time OnePlus has made a pair of wireless headphones, and it’s clear to see where the inspiration for the Bullets Wireless comes from. They’re designed in a very similar way to Apple’s Beats X headset: you get a pair of earbuds with a cable running between them that’s designed to hang around your neck.

READ NEXT: OnePlus 6 deals and offers

The earbuds snap together magnetically when they’re not in your ears, pausing the music automatically and resuming when you pull them apart again, and each earpiece comes with silicone “fins” – rubber loops designed to hold them in your ears when you’re exercising.

A couple of features set these apart from your standard exercise earphones, though. First is Google Assistant support, although this will only be available via OnePlus phones. Second is battery life. Despite the absolutely tiny battery box (on the left-hand cable), OnePlus says the Bullets Wireless will last eight hours per charge, which is pretty good for this type of earphone.

oneplus_bullets_wireless_1

Perhaps the Bullets Wireless’ best feature, though, is that they support fast charging via USB Type-C, which delivers five hours of use from a mere ten minutes of connection to the mains. Perfect for those times when you need your headphones for the commute home but forgot to plug them in during the day.

If you’re tempted, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless will be available for £69 from the OnePlus website. You won’t be able to order them straight away, however, as OnePlus has pushed availability back to 5 June.