OnePlus Type-C Bullets Earphones Review

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The OnePlus Type-C Bullets are a new pair of in-ear earphones from OnePlus. They're based on the OnePlus Bullets V2 but replace the standard 3.5mm jack with a USB-C connector.

The Type-C Bullets have nearly the exact same design as the Bullets V2. The earphones have the same cylindrical design as before with metal housing.


The cable is the same thin, flat style that is relatively tangle free. On the right speaker cable sits the remote control module that has large and very easy to use buttons for controlling playback, volume and calls.

The difference in the design comes with the presence of a Type-C connector at the end of the cable instead of a standard TRRS headphone jack. That end likely also houses the electronics, including the DAC/ADC and amp. The other difference is that splitter in the middle that splits the single cable into two is now circular. Oh, and the Type-C Bullets come in a sick all-black finish.

Because the design is identical to the Bullets V2, the comfort level is also the same. This means if you found the V2 uncomfortable, the Type-C Bullets aren't going to be any different. I'm one of those people who finds the V2 uncomfortable because the rim of the housing tends to dig into my ears, which is the exact problem everyone who complains about their comfort has. It's a shame they didn't fix this issue, which means a it's automatically ruled out for a fair number of people.


The Type-C Bullets are active digital earphones, which means they have their own audio processing hardware on-board. All they need is a direct data output from the connected device and they are good to go. I was able to make them work with every recent Android smartphone I had lying around. They also worked with a Windows 10 PC with USB-C connector. I didn't have any Mac with USB-C or the 2018 iPad Pro but it should theoretically work with those as well.

However, some older devices could have issues. USB-C accessories require constant power from the connected device and if your phone decides to cut power, which many phones do after the accessory has been idle for some time to prevent wasting power, then the earphones could still be plugged in and not work. In that case, you may need to disconnect and reconnect them to get them working again.

With regards to OnePlus' own phones, the 3/3T/5/5T/6 require you to first enable OTG Mode from Settings (which they do for all USB devices). The 6T, just like every other Android phone on the market, just works. The 3 and 3T did not initially have calling support on these earphones but it was patched in earlier this week.

Basically, while in most cases these should work with your device, especially if it was purchased in the last two years, there is a possibility of a compatibility issue with older devices. USB-C is an extremely scattershot standard and I would never simply assume compatibility unless it was explicitly stated.


Coming to the audio quality, I expected the Type-C Bullets to be identical to the Bullets V2, seeing as they seemingly have the same drivers. However, the Type-C Bullets also have their own digital to analog converter and amplifier built-in, which creates a notable difference in sound, and not necessarily for the better.

The OnePlus Bullets V2 are revered for their audio quality. Despite being a mass market product, the sound was anything but. They have a relatively neutral sound profile that doesn't favor any particular frequency range. This makes them extremely versatile and easy to like as they work with all types of sources. They were my go-to earphones for a while before I realized they are way too uncomfortable to keep using.

The Type-C Bullets are not like that, except for the part where they are still uncomfortable for me. The sound here is significantly darker. The Type-C Bullets primarily favor mid-bass for a warmer sound. However, the mid-range sounds bit recessed compared to the Bullets V2. Most importantly, the Type-C Bullets lacks a ton of high-end deta


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