OnePlus Bullets Wireless have fast charging and magnetic controls

OnePlus just launched the OnePlus 6, but that’s not the only hardware product coming from the company today. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless, featuring quick charging, magnetic earbuds, and Google Assistant integration, are the first wireless headphones from OnePlus.

Here’s what you need to know about the OnePlus Bullets Wireless.

First of all, relax. The OnePlus 6 still has a 3.5-mm audio jack, an increasingly rare feature on modern smartphones. Unlike other manufacturers, OnePlus is not offering the Bullets Wireless to somehow compensate for the missing audio jack. In fact, OnePlus says it will continue to sell the wired Bullets V2, which were first released back in 2016.

The Bullets Wireless are not wire-free, like Apple’s AirPods or the new Free Buds from HUAWEI. Instead, there’s a wire connecting the two buds, which hosts the in-line controls, as well as the earbuds’ built-in battery. This is a matter of personal preference, but you might appreciate the fact that you can just let your headphones dangle around your neck when you don’t listen to them.

The new Bullets are water resistant (unclear if they have an actual IP certification). They’re milled out of aluminum, with built-in silicon fins that should make them stick in your ears even during vigorous workouts. The sides of the earbuds are magnetic, so you can stick them to each other, forming a kind of high-tech necklace around your neck.

Snapping and unsnapping the earbuds will turn them on and off automatically, which should save battery. If you pair the Bullets Wireless with the OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5, or OnePlus 5T, snapping the magnetic buds together will automatically pause your music. Pull them apart to automatically resume your music. OnePlus says you will also be able to pick up and hang up phone calls following a future update.

One of the coolest things about the Bullets Wireless is the fact that they incorporate OnePlus’ fast charging technology. The company says that as little as 10 minutes of charging will be enough for five hours of continuous listening (out of a total eight hours of quoted battery life). That’s quite handy, especially for those who, like myself, can’t be bothered to keep all their gear charged. However, OnePlus did not reveal how long it takes to fully charge the Bullets Wireless.

The best part about the fast charging function is that it doesn’t require a OnePlus Dash Charge charger brick or special cable. Any USB Type-C charging cable should do the trick.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless feature Google Assistant integration – just press and hold the button on the in-line controls to talk to everyone’s favorite digital assistant. Note that the Bullets don’t have Google Assistant onboard – pressing the button will just activate it on the paired device.

OnePlus says the Bullets Wireless feature high quality audio, but we’ll have to take their word for it, for now. We were only able to use the Bullets Wireless for a few minutes during our pre-brief period and they sounded…good. Our upcoming review, done in collaboration with the experts at SoundGuys, will give you a full assessment of the new Bullets. Let’s hope they keep up with their wired counterparts, the Bullets V2, which are pretty solid.

OnePlus also touted a few technical features of the Bullets Wireless, including the Qualcomm aptX standard and the 9.2 mm moving coil driving units with “Energy Tubes”, which are tiny structures inside the earbuds that minimize distortion.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless price and availability

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless will go on sale on oneplus.com from June 5. They will sell for $69 in the US, 69 pounds in the UK, and 69 euros in Europe. We have no info on the Bullets Wireless’ availability in India and other markets, but we’ll update this post with details when we get them.

At $69, the Bullets Wireless compare favorably with the likes of Google Pixel Buds and Apple AirPods, which cost a full $100 more.

What do you think of the new OnePlus Bullets Wireless? Let us know in the comments.

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