OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: A Great Value for Money Product

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is a comeback device for the company and, with a Rs 1,999 price tag, looks promising.

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OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is a comeback device for the company in a segment that got popular soon after the first product hit the market in 2018. The Bullets Wireless started it all and was followed by the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 in 2019. Next year, we got the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z, and after a gap of almost two years, we are finally seeing the Bullets Wireless Z2. The Bullets series was the one that gave OnePlus a good boost in the wireless audio segment before the company’s TWS products made their way to India.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2

1,999
8.1

DESIGN

8.5/10

Build

8.0/10

Ergonomics

8.0/10

UI

7.5/10

Audio Performance

8.0/10

Battery Life

8.5/10

VALUE FOR MONEY

8.5/10

What Is Good?

  • Comfortable fit
  • Excellent battery life and fast charging support
  • IP55 rated
  • Sufficiently loud and punchy

What Is Bad?

  • Bass overkill
  • Not ideal for long hours

By at least design, not much has changed in the new Bullets Wireless Z2. But, what remains the same is the price tag of Rs 1,999. The features are also pretty much the same as what we saw on the 2020 Wireless Z. So, is the new OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 worth the money? We try to answer that in our review.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: Familiar design, fit

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 looks a lot similar to its predecessor, but that’s not at all a deal-breaker. When kept side-by-side, it will be tough to identify between the Bullets Wireless Z that launched in 2020 and Bullets Wireless Z2. But, some minor differences can help anyone identify the newer from the older Bullets.

Like the older Bullets neckband earphones, the new Bullets Wireless Z2 also sports a silicone-built neckband that wraps around the neck and is a skin-friendly material that offers a comfortable wearing experience.

The left column on the neckband offers a volume rocker, USB Type-C, and an LED indicator light to help understand the charging status. For example, when the neckband shows a red LED light after being plugged into charging, it means the neckband is charging, while when it turns white, it’s fully charged. The LED light comes in handy and is, again, something retained from the older models by OnePlus.

There’s also a function key that supports multi-touch on the left column of the neckband. Located in the middle of the volume rocker keys, one long press will play or pause the song or pick or cut the call. On pressing twice, the Bullets will skip to the next song, while pressing thrice will go back to the previous music. The right column is bare of any buttons and has the OnePlus branding.

In India, OnePlus has launched the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 in two colours – Beam Blue and Magico Black, which we got for our review. While the Black variant is subtle and looks classic as other neckbands on the market. The Beam Blue is targeting young users and offers a more flashy style.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 may be an entry-level neckband, but it offers IP55 water and dust resistance. Additionally, it comes with a hydrophobic nano-coating which offers extra protection even when used in the rain.

Similar to other Bullets, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 comes with magnets. Separating the earphones enables an auto Bluetooth connection with the paired device. We used the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 with both OnePlus and non-OnePlus devices. Our experience in both cases was more or less the same.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers one of the easiest ways to auto-connect to the paired device. Separate the earphones, and the music automatically switches from phone speakers to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. However, we agree that using a OnePlus device with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers more functions than any other device. The only issue with this design is that the moment earphones separate while kept in a bag or pockets, they turn on unintended, thus killing the battery.

Coming to the fit, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is among a handful of neckbands that are available in India at affordable prices. The fit is one thing that goes in favour of this neckband. The soft rubber ear tips are comfortable to wear and use for a couple of hours. The best is when you’re tired or feel uncomfortable plugging the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2, you can join the earphones. This makes the Bullets Wireless Z2 a great travel companion.

A neckband hanging around the neck can be fine for some but annoying for others. So, this is mostly a subjective choice. At 230 grams, the Z2 feels slightly heavier than its predecessor.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: Audio quality

The earphones sound good when it comes to the real-world audio performance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Be it for hardcore music, watching videos or movies with dialogues; the Wireless Z2 is an excellent companion. But, of course, the credit goes to the 12.4mm drivers, the largest to date in an audio product from OnePlus.

The big drivers offer bass overdose on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. We call it overdose because we could sometimes feel uneven base during the audio tests. From Hans Zimmer to Led Zeppelin, we could notice bass overkill in tracks. The vocals are clear, but the moment there’s some bass play, we could notice OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 going all out.

But, on bass-heavy tracks like the Lone Wolf by Zomboy, the Bullets Wireless Z2 outshine even some premium neckbands and TWS options in the Indian market. But, again, this makes the neckband a more appealing choice for those who love bass.

Our detailed audio tests found the Wireless Z2 offers a good overall detail with a clean and sharp soundstage while handles low-end nicely. The highs are also managed well. Unfortunately, there’s no active noise cancellation, but we are not complaining considering the price.

While the extra bass dose could be great for those who love to hear it, it isn’t something that is loved by one and all. Even more, concerning that there’s no setting to keep the base down despite using a OnePlus phone. For non-OnePlus phones, there’s no way to access more than a few basic settings.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is an excellent earphone for calls. We could experience clear sound on both sides of the call. The microphone on the Wireless Z2 does a good overall job. There’s no official word from OnePlus on the latency bit, and after testing a few games, we understood why. We experienced a delay in some games and some third-party apps. But, again, the core buyers of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 will be buying this for everyday use for listening to music, calling, and watching videos on the go. And in that department, the Wireless Z2 does an excellent job.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: Battery impresses

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is an excellent neckband for those who travel a lot. The battery life that the Wireless Z2 offers is mind-blowing, and we have to admit that we couldn’t run through the entire battery drain test of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2.

The Wireless Z2 offered almost 24 hours of continuous music playback in our battery tests, with nearly 30% remaining battery. So, you can imagine the crazy battery performance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. What’s the cherry on the cake is it supports fast charging.

OnePlus claims an incredible 20 hours of audio playback in just 10 minutes of charging. The best thing is that the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 supports all OnePlus adapters, so it was very convenient to charge it. As a result, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 raises the bar for other neckbands when it comes to battery life.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review: Verdict

At Rs 1,999, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a reliable neckband option in the market. It offers an excellent value for money proposition. The build quality, comfort and battery performance are top-notch.

Coming to the audio performance, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 offers a balanced music experience. Though, we agree that the bass overkill spoils the fun slightly. With the neckband being slightly heavier this time, we experienced discomfort using the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 for more than a couple of hours.

At this price, there are not many options that we can recommend. However, we are confident that you cannot go wrong with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 in all probability, at this price.