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The translucent Beats Studio Buds Plus are half off
Gaming Gear

The translucent Beats Studio Buds Plus are half off

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Noise-canceling earbuds are great productivity tools, blocking out noisy roommates and busy coffee shops so you can focus on studying or work. While there are a number of great options these days, few are as eye-catching like the translucent Beats Studio Buds Plus. And right now, you can buy the stylish wireless earbuds for just $84.99 from Woot — a 50 percent discount and the best price we’ve seen outside of a brief drop to $63 earlier in June.

The wireless earbuds are some of our favorites, and not just because they look cool. Despite the fact Apple owns Beats, they play well with both iOS and Android devices. They don’t support every software feature — like Apple’s automatic device switching — but they still offer perks like one-tap pairing and integration with each platform’s respective Find My networks. Their sound quality also comes close to matching the latest AirPods Pro, and their active noise-cancellation does a good job of tuning out distractions — even if it’s not as powerful as Apple’s premium earbuds.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus are also comfortable, arriving with four swappable silicone ear tips. You also get IPX4 water resistance, as well as up to six hours of battery life on a single charge with ANC enabled. While we wish they also offered wireless charging and multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, all in all they’re a well-rounded option that can help you focus while looking good — especially if you own both iOS and Android devices.



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Google Pixel Buds 2A hands-on: ANC, Gemini, and replaceable batteries
Product Reviews

Google Pixel Buds 2A hands-on: ANC, Gemini, and replaceable batteries

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Four years after launching the original Pixel Buds A-series, Google’s back with the Pixel Buds 2A. The new budget buds are $30 more expensive at $129.99, but add some notable updates like an upgraded chip, Gemini access, a replaceable battery, and most importantly, active noise cancellation.

The 2A also adds a Tensor A1 chip, which Google says “unlocks the power of Google’s advanced AI and Gemini features.” That Gemini access was heavily emphasized during my briefings, though in practice it mostly replaces Google Assistant on the buds. For most people, the most exciting feature enabled by the new Tensor chip is active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. The acoustics have been re-engineered — there’s also AI-powered wind and background noise reduction for calls. Google says battery life has increased to roughly seven hours with ANC on and 10 hours with it off. The case holds an extra 20 hours of juice. Five minutes of charging also gets you about an hour of playtime. The buds also have improved IP54 water and sweat resistance, while the case gets an IPX4 rating.

Perhaps most interesting is that these buds are more repairable than the previous model. While fiddling around with the case at a hands-on, I was told that the inside insert pops out, allowing you to replace the battery when it gets old. This dovetails nicely with the Pixel Watch 4, which is also more repairable than previous versions.

These updates aren’t too shabby, but the Pixel Buds 2A aren’t exactly the stars of this year’s Made by Google announcements. While the Pixel 10 phones and the Pixel Watch 4 took center stage at my hands-on, the buds were sequestered to the side, next to the watch straps and other accessories. The units I was shown weren’t even connected, so I couldn’t try the noise-canceling features. Even if I could, a quiet Google office isn’t the ideal environment for getting an accurate sense of the buds’ noise-cancelling prowess. But, the design is familiar, the buds are still extremely lightweight, fit nicely (there are now four eartip sizes and no protruding fins), and the new purple color is fetching. I wish the cases supported wireless charging in addition to USB-C. You can’t have everything.

If there’s a clear theme to all these upgrades, it’s that Google is prepping its hardware for on-the-go AI. For the earbuds, that means futureproofing everything to work with Gemini. It’s the obvious reason for adding the Tensor A1 chip to its budget line, as well as the new noise reduction features that are also coming to the Pro 2. When you consider that the Pixel Watch 4 adds Gemini to the wrist, and that Google’s embarking on a new era of smart glasses with Android XR, the rationale for these particular updates starts falling into place.



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Samsung’s budget Galaxy Buds 3 FE are here
Gaming Gear

Samsung’s budget Galaxy Buds 3 FE are here

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The Fan Edition Galaxy Buds 3 have ditched the blob for a stemmed design popularized by Apple and found in Samsung’s higher end Galaxy Buds 3 models launched last year. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE arrive with improved sound, enhanced active noise cancellation, and IP54 resistance to dust and rain, according to Samsung.

For music, the Buds 3 FE promise 6 hours of listening with ANC on, or 8.5 hours with it off. Those numbers extend to 24 hours / 30 hours, respectively, when recharged in the case. Talk time is 4 hours with ANC on or off, which can be extended to 18 hours through case recharging.

The Buds 3 FE are also designed for seamless access to Galaxy AI capabilities on Samsung smartphones. A “hey google” or long press puts you in a conversation mode with Gemini or the Galaxy AI Interpreter app to translate someone speaking in another language.

Other specs in include Find My Earbuds support, an ambient sound transparency mode, voice isolation to help improve call quality in noisy environments, and the ability to auto-switch between Samsung devices.



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New OnePlus products on a blue background
Gaming Gear

Exclusive: OnePlus reveals the OnePlus Nord 5 series, OnePlus Buds 4, OnePlus Pad Lite, and a new OnePlus Watch

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Whichever way you slice it, OnePlus is enjoying a fruitful 2025. Just a few months after the OnePlus 13 sailed onto our list of the best phones money can buy, the OnePlus Watch 3 became one of the best Android smartwatches around, and the newly announced OnePlus Pad 3 looks set to feature prominently in our guide to the best Android tablets.

All three of those products are flagships in their respective categories, but OnePlus is now gearing up for its annual swipe at the mid-range tech market.

In an exclusive interview with TechRadar, Celina Shi, Chief Marketing Officer at OnePlus Europe, revealed the names and details of five new mid-range OnePlus products heading to stores in July – specifically the OnePlus Nord 5, OnePlus Nord CE5, OnePlus Buds 4, OnePlus Pad Lite, and OnePlus Watch 3 43mm.


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TechRadar: What do you see as the key USP of the OnePlus Nord series in 2025, in terms of both its place in the OnePlus portfolio and the wider mid-range smartphone market?

Celina Shi: The OnePlus Nord Series is our mid-range smartphone series designed to offer a balance of flagship features at an affordable price. It’s become much-loved by a significant number of our community who enjoy its fun and more playful tone. The OnePlus Nord Series is bolder in color and style than our flagship Series and offers a real opportunity for people to demonstrate their personal identity through the devices and its brand.

In July this year, I’m pleased to announce that OnePlus will launch two new devices in the OnePlus Nord series: the OnePlus Nord 5 and the OnePlus Nord CE5. The latest series is a performance powerhouse that offers endless endurance, allowing you to play and create all day and night.

The OnePlus Nord 5 (left) and OnePlus Nord CE5 (right) (Image credit: OnePlus)

TR: What, specifically, makes the OnePlus Nord 5 a “performance powerhouse”?

CS: The new OnePlus Nord 5 is what we’re calling a double-punch – it has an exceptional camera and an exceptional chipset.

While you’ll have to wait to find out about the camera, I can confirm that the OnePlus Nord 5 will include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, an unfairly high-spec chipset for the mid-range market.

The OnePlus Nord 5 is equipped with LPDDR5X RAM and an advanced 7,300mm² CryoFlex Liquid Cooling System, ensuring consistently smooth performance even under pressure.

The new OnePlus Nord 5 is what we’re calling a double-punch – it has an exceptional camera and an exceptional chipset.

Celina Shi, OnePlus

For the gamers, OnePlus Nord 5 will also support Battlegrounds Mobile India at native 90 frames per second to 144fps with frame rate interpolation, meaning smooth gaming and less lag.

We’ve included all of these features as our core OnePlus Nord audience wants a fast and smooth experience, since they use their smartphones for creating, gaming, and multitasking. As these types of activities get more complex with more processing load, we’ve doubled down on our chipset to ensure we deliver the signature fast and smooth experience that we’ve become famous for.

TR: Both new Nord models feature a vertical camera array. Why the move back to this orientation on the flagship model this year?

CS: With any smartphone, there is always negotiation between aesthetic design and what’s physically possible within those parameters. As tech components evolve, so too will our design to make the best-looking products that function optimally.

The camera module is vertical in the latest OnePlus Nord Series as this layout optimizes space within the device, allowing us to include a best-in-class chipset, battery, and screen within.

TR: And similarly, what can you tell us about the rear panel design?

CS: While I can’t reveal specifics about the OnePlus Nord 5 Series materials just yet, I can say that it won’t be in a metal frame this year.

Our design concept for all of our devices is grounded in consumer insight. Following a global survey conducted across Europe, North America, India, and China, we found that our target audience places strong emphasis on practicality in design.

The camera module is vertical in the latest OnePlus Nord Series as this layout optimizes space within the device.

Celina Shi, OnePlus

They consistently prefer styles that are brief, simple, and elegant. In response to this, in the OnePlus Nord Series this year, we are offering a Nordic-inspired design that reflects these values and resonates with our consumers globally.

With that in mind, I’ll exclusively reveal to you one color each for the OnePlus Nord 5 and the OnePlus Nord CE, which will launch in Europe on July 8: the OnePlus Nord 5 will launch in Dry Ice, and the OnePlus Nord CE 5 in Marble Mist.

TR: Are you confident that users will embrace the new Plus Key and Plus Mind interface on the Nord 5 series?

CS: We’re really excited about the new Plus Key, the extension of OnePlus’ personalized AI experience. The Plus Key is not a removal of our Alert Slider, it’s a natural evolution to allow it to be more capable, more intuitive to use, and now highly customizable. The Plus Key is a customizable button programmable for various actions like switching sound profiles, launching the camera, initiating translation, or starting recordings.

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The Plus Mind interface sits perfectly alongside our Plus Key and is the first step to building a truly personalized smartphone experience with AI. Users can simply press the Plus Key to recognize screen content and add it as a ‘memory’. This includes actions like saving on-screen content, suggesting schedules to be added into a calendar, storing on-screen content into Mind Space, and searching with a conversational prompt via AI Search.

Beyond simple screen capture, AI Plus Mind leverages AI to analyze content contextually. For instance, it can extract schedule details from an image or text and add them directly to the user’s calendar. AI Search, integrated with AI Plus Mind, supports natural language queries for easy retrieval of saved content.

TR: With mid-range smartphones improving in quality every year, how does OnePlus distinguish between mid-range and flagship in 2025?

CS: At OnePlus, our vision is to empower the world through better technology. We launched the OnePlus Nord series to make cutting-edge technology, including the OnePlus Fast & Smooth experience, accessible to more people. Therefore, when we look at the OnePlus Nord Series offering, we try to balance flagship technology with an affordable price.

But the identity of the OnePlus Nord Series is quite different to that of our flagship series. It’s more playful, colourful, and bolder in style.

The OnePlus Nord 4 is still one of the best mid-range Android phones (Image credit: Future)

People who buy our OnePlus Nord Series are different to those buying flagships. For our flagship products, like the OnePlus 13 series, we target power users. These are tech enthusiasts that place high demands on their devices, and expect bleeding-edge hardware and frictionless, performance-focused software.

Our OnePlus Nord products are a way for us to take our flagship technology and make it more accessible to a wider range of users. These are value-aware consumers that expect a Fast & Smooth experience at a price point that allows more people to join our community.

At OnePlus, the flagship line and Nord line play equally important roles in our product and brand strategy. On one hand, we will continue building flagship devices that integrate the most advanced technologies to deliver cutting-edge experiences in the premium and ultra-premium tiers. In parallel, we are also committed to making the OnePlus experience and quality more accessible to more users with the Nord product line.

TR: Moving away from smartphones for a moment, what else is OnePlus planning on launching next month?

CS: This summer, on July 8, we are focusing on building our product portfolio across different categories and price segments. Alongside our OnePlus Nord Series devices, I’m pleased to announce that we will be launching three new products: a new wearable, the OnePlus Watch 3 43mm, our latest flagship headphones, the OnePlus Buds 4, and a new tablet, the OnePlus Pad Lite.

In February this year, we launched our latest flagship wearable, the OnePlus Watch 3. It was highly popular due to its huge battery life, accurate GPS, and health and wellbeing metrics.

We’re bringing a smaller iteration of this device that’s perfect for those with smaller wrists – but don’t underestimate it! It’s packed with specs that rival the full-sized version, as well as exclusive monitoring features not found on any other device – and will be available in sleek Silver Steel!

We are deepening our roots into broader consumer electronics sectors to become a premium ‘Android Builder’.

Celina Shi, OnePlus

Hot off the heels of the OnePlus Pad 3 launch in June, we’ve found that a strong section of our Community is looking to OnePlus for an affordable tablet that works seamlessly with their other OnePlus devices. We’re delighted to bring this to them this summer. The OnePlus Pad Lite will be available in Europe in Aero Blue.

For OnePlus Buds 4, you can expect a flagship sound experience, with Dual Drivers, Dual DACs, Hi-Res LHDC 5.0, and 3D Audio. For gamers, the OnePlus Buds 4 also offer 47ms ultra-low latency in Game Mode, ensuring audio syncs perfectly with on-screen action for a competitive edge.

As with all OnePlus products, style has been front and centre of the design process [for our new earbuds]. This year, the OnePlus Buds 4 are available in two colour options: Zen Green and Storm Gray.

The OnePlus Buds 4 in Storm Gray and Zen Green (Image credit: OnePlus)

TR: And lastly, looking ahead, what’s the overarching product strategy for OnePlus in 2025?

CS: Our journey started in 2014 with the release of our first smartphone, the OnePlus One, which shared great technology with the world and challenged the industry status quo. While our ambition remains to deliver exceptional value to our smartphone users, we are deepening our roots into broader consumer electronics sectors to become a premium ‘Android Builder’. Today, we offer a broad portfolio of devices across four main categories: smartphone, tablet, audio, and wearables.

Through our ecosystem of devices, we want to elevate the digital life of our community with products that seamlessly connect and improve their lifestyle through better technology. We host Open Ears Forums for our community, where we get invaluable feedback from our users. In 2025, we have doubled down on that effort through regular community catch-ups through one-on-one sessions where we carefully listen and understand their needs.

On the product side, we will continue to enhance our hardware and software offering with features we’ve become famous for, like long battery life, [unique] design and [powerful] performance; but also integrate newer technologies, like upgraded OxygenOS, OpenCanvas, and AI, to ensure the OnePlus product experience across all categories and all devices is faster and smoother than ever.

So there you have it, folks – the OnePlus Nord 5 and OnePlus Nord CE5 will launch in the UK and Europe on July 8, along with the OnePlus Watch 3 43mm, OnePlus Buds 4, and OnePlus Pad Lite. We’ll be getting all five new products in for testing over the coming weeks, so stay tuned to TechRadar for our full verdicts on OnePlus’ latest mid-range devices.

Which of the newly announced OnePlus products is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

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