Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 43 h |
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 10 h |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 11 mm |
| Multipoint | false | true |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 g | 4.8 g |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP55 |
Between the AirPods 4 with ANC and Buds Pro 3, the AirPods 4 with ANC comes out ahead in weight per bud, while the Buds Pro 3 wins on battery — with case / battery — buds. Overall, the AirPods 4 with ANC scores 71.1 and the Buds Pro 3 scores 82.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Buds Pro 3 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 11.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the AirPods 4 with ANC if you care most about weight per bud. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight per bud. The single most decisive one: Weight per bud — 0.50 g less. 4.3 vs 4.8.
Pick the Buds Pro 3 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — with case, battery — buds, driver size, among others. The single most decisive one: Battery — with case — 115.00% more. 43 h vs 20 h.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Buds Pro 3 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC or OnePlus - Buds Pro 3?
OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 leads the current Mars Score by 11.7 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery — buds, weight per bud against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC if…
Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC has the measurable edge on weight per bud g.
Choose OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 if…
OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 has the measurable edge on battery life case h, battery life buds h, driver size mm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC wins
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.50 g less. 4.3 vs 4.8.
Why OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 115.00% more. 43 h vs 20 h.
- ▲Battery — buds — 100.00% more. 10 h vs 5 h.
- ▲Driver size — 10.00% more. 11 mm vs 10 mm.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Water resistance: IP55 (vs IP54).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | openlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.3 glead | 4.8 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP54 | IP55lead |
Audio
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10 mm | 11 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 5 h | 10 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 20 h | 43 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - AirPods 4 with ANC | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.4lead |
| Codecsⓘ | AAC,SBC | LHDC,LDAC,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, AirPods 4 with ANC or Buds Pro 3?+
Buds Pro 3 lasts 10h per charge vs 5h.
Do AirPods 4 with ANC or Buds Pro 3 support multipoint?+
Buds Pro 3 supports multipoint pairing; AirPods 4 with ANC does not.
Which has ANC, AirPods 4 with ANC or Buds Pro 3?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.