So funny you ask this — last summer I was actually dealing with the same "new phone, old buds" drama when I upgraded. I was at this outdoor music festival — hot, crowded, the works — and my old pair just wouldn't stay connected to my new phone. Re: "tbh if youre sticking with the brand the..."

• I totally get why people say stay in the ecosystem for the "magic" pairing, but after my experience, I'm not so sure it's the only way. I was looking for something that wouldn't make a huge bulge in my pocket (seriously, why are some cases so thick?) and I went through three different pairs in two weeks.
• I tried the Nothing Ear (2024) mostly because I liked the look, but they ended up being my daily driver because the case is so slim — it’s like a polished pebble — and they support LHDC 5.0 which sounds incredible on the OnePlus.
• The battery life was the real surprise; I was getting through almost two full days of travel without hunting for a USB-C cable.
• Wait, no — I mean, I did try the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 for a bit because I was worried about sweat, but the case felt a bit more "functional" than "compact."
• The LHDC implementation on the Nothing app was actually way more stable for me than the native settings on the phone sometimes. My journey basically taught me that you don't have to stay brand-loyal to get those high-end codecs and a case that actually fits in your pocket.

I've been calculating cost-per-year—I saved eighty bucks on a pair I repaired myself—but wait, are you strictly buying brand new, or would you consider refurbished Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?

tbh if youre sticking with the brand the <a href=" https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw= OnePlus+Buds+Pro+3&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p4624852.m570.l1311&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337998953&customid=22&toolid=10001&mkevt=1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is lowkey the safest bet for that phone but you gotta be careful with the firmware. i heard about those LHDC issues too so just make sure you check for an update the second you unbox them. if you decide to go with the Sony WF-1000XM5 instead just double-check the price because they usually run over $250 which is past your budget. heres a few things to watch for:

• always verify the return policy just in case the software acts up.
• check the charging port for any debris before you plug in since fast charging can get hot.
• id recommend checking the battery health settings to make sure you dont wear out the cells. the sony anc is AMAZING but the integration on the oneplus buds is way smoother... just stay on top of those updates.