Oneplus Buds 4 vs Earfun (Budget Kings)
Here’s my breakdown of the new OnePlus Buds 4 versus what I still consider to be the pound-for-pound champs of value: the Earfun Air Pro 4. OnePlus clearly put in the work here, and the Buds 4 deliver in a lot of areas — but the real question is, are they worth the extra $50–80 depending on the sale?
Let’s get into it.
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🔧 Look and Build Quality
I’ve gotta give OnePlus some real credit here, they came through with a better look, especially in that green colorway. It's sleek, stylish, and stands out in a world of boring black and white earbuds. Earfun gives you black (standard), navy blue (which is so dark it might as well be black), and white... but let’s be honest, white earbuds are Apple’s domain. So design-wise, OnePlus wins with personality.
In terms of build quality, OnePlus did their thing again. These are smooth, lightweight, and have that "premium but not too flashy" vibe. They’re light but don’t feel cheap at all.
Now the Earfuns? Yeah... they look like your standard generic earbuds. I was honestly put off by them at first because they scream "budget" just by the look. But once I gave them a listen, that all changed (more on that below).
Winner: OnePlus
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🦻 Fit and Comfort
The OnePlus Buds 4 are extremely comfortable. The lightweight design makes them basically disappear in your ears after a while. I swap out the included silicone tips for foam tips (as always), and with those, the fit is snug and stays in place. I had zero issues after a few hours of listening — no fatigue, no pressure.
Earfun also does a good job here. They're lightweight too, and I never had major discomfort, but I do get more fatigue over time compared to the OnePlus buds. It's subtle, but noticeable during long sessions.
So while both are good, OnePlus edges them out.
Winner: OnePlus
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🔗 Connection
This one’s not even close. OnePlus crushed it.
You get Google Fast Pair, and the second I opened the case for the first time, my phone, tablet, and laptop (all on and nearby) popped up the pairing animation like its suppsoed to work. Super smooth. After the initial setup, opening the case connects you instantly, no delays. Plus, multipoint is here and it works well, even across brands (not just the same ecosystem, cough Samsung cough).
Earfun, on the other hand... it’s fine. But sometimes it feels like it’s thinking about whether or not it wants to connect. Sometimes it’s fast, like 1 second. Other times, it takes 7–8 seconds and has that weird interference stutter like you're about to go out of range, even when the phone is sitting right next to it. It always connects eventually, but it’s not that "instant, confident" connection.
Winner: OnePlus
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🎧 Sound Quality & EQ
OnePlus has always been known for great sound and punchy bass, and they’ve kept that tradition going. Bass is rich, deep, and has that subwoofer-style rumble that echoes in your ears. It’s powerful, but controlled, doesn’t drown out the mids and highs. Vocals are crisp, instrumentation sounds layered, and the overall signature is energetic and fun.
The “Golden Sound” feature actually works — adds about 10–15% more clarity and volume boost to your music.
The Earfun Air Pro 4s? Honestly, incredible for $50. They go toe-to-toe with OnePlus in most areas. Bass is there , deep and impactful. Mids and highs are clear too, but just slightly flatter compared to the OnePlus. If you A/B test them, OnePlus has about a 10% edge in depth and clarity. The Earfuns do get louder overall, but that loudness doesn’t come with more richness, just more volume.
Winner: OnePlus (by about 10%)
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🔇 ANC and Transparency
This is probably the second most important thing for people (or first depending on how much you commute/travel/work in noisy places).
OnePlus Buds 4 have excellent ANC, especially in the low to mid ranges. I tested them with a dryer running and it completely wiped out the low hum. The only thing I could hear was the occasional metallic clink from a zipper. Same with YouTube’s airplane cabin noise test (played through my 500w surround setup) the rumble disappeared. High-end noises, though? That’s where it stumbled a bit. It didn’t block out my laptop keyboard typing, and café chatter came through more than I expected.
Now the Earfuns? Surprisingly better at the high-end. They can block out my keyboard clicking where OnePlus couldn't, and they’re about the same when it comes to café noise. But they lag behind in low-end ANC, you’ll still hear engine hums or dryer noise faintly.
Transparency Mode is good on both. OnePlus sounds a bit more natural. Earfuns can sound slightly artificial when no music is playing, but it’s not bad.
Winner: OnePlus by a small margin
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🎤 Mic Quality
Mic quality matters a lot to me as I’m constantly on calls for work and talking to friends and family in the evening. I hate holding the phone to my ear, so my earbuds need to perform.
In quiet environments, both are great. Loud, clear, no complaints.
But when you throw in background noise? That’s where OnePlus pulls ahead.
I tested both with YouTube “Office Sounds” playing on my surround system and using the Voice notes app and left myself voicemails. OnePlus handled it really well, my voice came through strong, and while you could hear a hint of background noise, it never took over. This is just a step below the black magic Samsung is doing on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Earfun... not so much. As soon as that office noise kicked in, my voice got buried. You could tell I was talking, but good luck making out every word.
Winner: OnePlus with background noise (Equal in quiet environments)
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🧠 Final Thoughts
So what’s the verdict?
The OnePlus Buds 4 are a strong 9/10. These are some of the most complete earbuds I’ve used under $100. If you already own the Earfun Air Pro 4, I wouldn’t say you need to run out and upgrade , the difference is about 10–15% in overall experience, so not night and day. But if you’re choosing between the two for your first buy? I’d say spend the extra and get the OnePlus Buds 4.
Right now, they’re around $100 on Amazon with a coupon, while the Earfuns sit at about $55. If you're on a tight budget, the Earfuns are still the best $50 buds in the game, no question. But OnePlus is showing what a little extra polish and R&D can get you.
Personally, I’m going to hold off and wait for the OnePlus Buds Pro 4, those should be absolute killers. But I’m also curious to see how Earfun responds with the Air Pro 5, so that battle will definitely be one to watch.
TL;DR
- OnePlus Buds 4: Worth the hype. Great all-around buds for $100.
- Earfun Air Pro 4: Still the best budget buds. If you already have these, no need to upgrade.
- If you’re buying your first pair and can afford the extra, go with the OnePlus Buds 4.
Posted Jul 19, 2025, 7:41 PM UTC