It’s no secret that phones and wireless earbuds have become essential items in our everyday lives. Thanks to technological advancements, wireless earbuds have become more popular than ever. They offer a range of benefits, such as high-quality sound, dust and water resistance for the most rigorous of workouts, and the ability to connect to multiple devices. Whether commuting to work, working out at the gym, or simply relaxing at home, wireless earbuds make it possible to enjoy your favorite music or podcasts without disturbing others.
But picking through the jungle of wireless earbuds available has gotten increasingly difficult as the breadth of brands continues to grow and tech-heavy features like active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, hi-res audio capabilities, and more challenge what it is we need and want in our earbuds, as well as what we can and are willing to pay for them.
That's where this list of the best wireless earbuds comes in. We test a boatload of wireless earbuds. And the ones that really stand out from the crowd in terms of value, performance, and features are assembled right here. We currently struggle to find a better pair of wireless earbuds that tick all our boxes for features-to-price ratio than Sony's latest and greatest, the WF-XM1000XM5. Sony just crushes it year after year with this model line, which has consistently lived atop our list for years. Check those out below, but don't stop there as we go through a whole bunch more that might hit your sweet spot better.
Best overall wireless earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM5
- Small and comfortable
- Top-notch sound
- Excellent noise canceling
- Superb call quality
- Bluetooth multipoint with LDAC
- Fit isn't super secure
A new model of Sony's flagship earbuds is always a major event — after all, its WF-1000XM lineup has sat at the top of the earbuds mountain for several generations now. And for good reason – they're consistently great sounding and super comfortable, have fantastic battery life, and deliver some of the world's best ANC. And while Digital Trends' headphone reviewer, Simon Cohen, billed the Sony WF-1000XM4s as "almost perfect wireless earbuds," it appears that the new WF-1000XM5s have bested them. Also, it should be noted, the XM5s have now bested the Jabra Elite 7 Pros, which you can still get, if you're lucky.
The XM5s are smaller and 20% lighter than the XM4s, and Sony has addressed some of the key concerns users had with the predecessor right out of the gate. The XM5s are also more streamlined and elegant, and the microphone port, which used to have a slightly protruding gold cap around it, now sits flush to the earbud's body, making it less intrusive and sleeker. Fit-wise, the XM5s have redesigned foam eartips and come with a new extra small size, bringing the total to four options to fit ears of even more shapes and sizes.
New accelerometers in the XM5s open the door for some neat head-movement gestures (nod to accept a call, shake your head to decline), and Sony has switched to a dual processor system that, combined with resigned microphones and drivers, allow for a dedicated chip to specifically handle noise cancellation. Active noise cancelation is slightly better on the XM5s than the XM4s, and the model has a decent voice-targeting mode that helps you better hear conversations. But if ANC is a high priority for you, Cohen admits that the XM5s don't quite match the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for that.
With redesigned drivers that are 40% bigger than on the XM4s, it's no surprise that the XM5s sound every bit as good as the XM4s, and then some. Bass response is great, vocals are clear and defined, the soundstage is wide for a set of earbuds, and there's even new head-tracked spatial audio support that works well, as long as the phone you're using supports it.
Sony added Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity to the XM4s in an update last year, and thankfully the feature has hopped over to the XM5s as well, allowing you to connect to two devices at once.
All-important battery life is unchanged in the XM5s, giving you up to eight hours of playtime with ANC on and 12 when it's off, along with two full charges from the case, for a total of up to 35 hours. A quick three-minute charge nets a whopping hour of playtime.
Of course, if it wasn't already evident here, the Sony WF-1000XM4s are still a top-notch set of earbuds that you should definitely consider as well, especially as they start to drop in price as the new kid in town takes over.
The best budget earbuds
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
- Thoughtful design
- Great sound
- Impressive noise-canceling
- Very good call quality
- Superb battery life
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- Mediocre transparency mode
Every so often, a pair of budget earbuds comes along that are so good for the price and have so many features that they leave us impressed and scratching our heads. Anker's latest Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are $100, but are arguably better than most of what you can get for twice that price.
The Liberty 4 NC are comfortable, fit well and snugly, and have an IPX4 rating that workout folks will appreciate as they can stand up to sweat and can be rinsed off. They sound robust and balanced, have excellent bass response, and keep things free of distortion at reasonable volumes. There's also an app (HearID) that gives you some good personalization options for your perfect sound. For the audio nerds out there, the Liberty 4 NCs also support the hi-res LDAC audio codec (Android only, sorry), which is rare for a budget pair of earbuds.
The Liberty 4 NCs shine when it comes to ANC and transparency mode, though, with our reviewer gushing that the ANC stood up to even the $250 AirPods Pro 2. And the features! For your hundred clams, the Liberty 4 NCs feature excellent adaptive noise canceling, presets for things like planes and busses, and a manual slider for you to pick yourself. Transparency mode, our reviewer found, sounds natural, like you're not wearing earbuds, and does a good job of letting in just the right amount of outside noise. Call quality on the Liberty 4 NCs is good too, with solid compression of environmental noise.
But how's the all-important battery? The Liberty 4 NC will last up to eight hours on a charge with ANC turned on, and a total of 40 hours when you include the charging case. They best the AirPods Pro (5.5/24 hours), and their next-step-up sibling, the $150 Soundcore Liberty 4 (7/24). Just buy them already.
Still outstanding
Sony WF-1000XM4
- Great sound quality
- Good battery life
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Wireless charging
- May not fit small ears
- Slightly lacking in high-end detail
Even with the new kid in town, the latest Sony WF-1000XM5s, it's still hard to beat Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds for an overall superb listening experience. Sony threw the kitchen sink at these buds, adding proper water resistance for workouts, wireless charging, and Sony's own LDAC Bluetooth codec for wireless hi-res audio performance, they're the whole package.
Sound quality has always been a Sony strength, and the XM4 continue this tradition with even richer bass. There's a warmth and resonance to the low end on these buds that benefits a variety of music genres, especially with string instrument- and drum-centric styles like jazz, classical, and even EDM. Sony made the decision to equip the XM4 with foam eartips as opposed to the usual silicone style. This increases comfort and provides an excellent and secure seal, but it also has a slight tendency to rob the high frequencies of precision.
The Sony Headphones app gives you deep control over all settings, like EQ, ANC, transparency, and touch controls, and includes an option to customize both the earbuds and your music apps (like Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music) for use with Sony's 360 Reality Audio (360RA) immersive music format.
Active noise cancellation is superb, as is transparency mode, but Sony throws in a cool new feature: Voice sensing. Simply start talking and the XM4 will automatically shift into transparency while dropping the volume of your tunes. Speaking of, well, speaking, the WF-1000XM4 are some of the few true wireless earbuds that give you hands-free voice access to your choice of Google Assistant (Android only) or Amazon Alexa (iOS and Android).
Battery life, at eight hours of playtime with ANC turned on and 12 hours when it’s off, is excellent, although total playtime — at 24 hours — is pretty standard. A fast charge will get you an additional hour for just five minutes of charging.
With an update last year, Sony added Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, so, huzzah! Our only critiques of the WF-1000XM4 are small: Their size and shape might simply be too big to fit some ears, something that has been remedied in the XM5s.
Impressive noise cancellation
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very comfortable
- Excellent sound quality
- Top-notch noise canceling
- Hi-res and lossless audio
- Excellent spatial audio
- No wireless charging
- Outdoor call quality could be better
If you know anything about Bose, you know that noise cancellation is kind of the company's calling card. Bose was the first to debut the technology in a set of headphones and has been refining the science of silence ever since.
And while it's only been about a year since Bose dropped the second-gen QuietComfort Earbuds II (QCE II) on us, rest assured, its latest version is still a marvel when it comes to keeping the outside world at bay with some of the best ANC on the planet and adaptive "Aware Mode" transparency mode that sounds natural.
So why a new set of QCEs so soon then? And should you upgrade? Design-wise, they still fit comfortably and are almost identical save for a new metallic paint job. Sound-wise our reviewer didn't notice much of a difference either — they're still clear, rich, and extra sparkly in the mids and upper high frequencies.
What is different is that, first, the QC Ultra Earbuds now supports higher resolution audio through Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound platform that incudes its aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless Bluetooth codecs for hi-res audio, and second, Bose's own take at spatial audio with head tracking it calls Immersive Audio.
Battery life is, sadly, one area that hasn't changed from the QCE II, and it remains on the lower end: Six hours per charge, with an additional 18 hours in the charging case. With immersive audio on, though, you only get 4/16, and you can quick-charge the earbuds, which earns an extra two hours after 20 minutes.
Unfortunately, there's still no wireless charging or Bluetooth multipoint pairing, which is a bit of a bummer.
These caveats aside, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are easily some of the best true wireless buds you can buy, and a must-have for those who crave quiet.
High-end sound and design
Master & Dynamic MW09
- Beautiful design and materials
- Excellent sound quality
- Capable noise-canceling
- Huge amounts of battery life
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- Wireless charging
- A bit heavy for workouts
- Long delay between ANC modes
Master & Dynamic, a New York-based brand known for producing high-quality wireless earbuds, has taken things a step further with its latest offering, the MW09. An upgrade to its predecessor, the MW08, it comes packed with features like hi-res audio, Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging. This $350 set of earbuds is a great option for those looking for a premium audio experience.
M&W has kept its unique and stylish aesthetic with the MW09s, as well as their easy-to-use physical controls on each earpiece. They're also very comfortable and come with both silicone and foam eartips to you can get the perfect fit. The M&D app also has a fit test and the earbuds themselves feature an IP54 rating making them tolerable to sweat and rain, although our reviewer suggested that there are likely better earbuds for working out due to the MW09's extra bulk.
The MW08s were, by our estimation, some of the best sounding earbuds you could buy, and we're glad to report that the same is true for the MW09s. Full, beautiful bass is complimented by their insane level of definition and clarity in the mids and highs. EQ presets and five-band EQing is also available through the app, too, but they sound great out of the box.
However, new surprises on the sound front come with the addition Snapdragon Sound, which brings aptX Adaptive on board for the ability to enjoy lossy hi-res at up to 24-bit/96kHz, and lossless CD quality at up to 16-bit/48kHz. Sadly though, these advanced audio codecs will only be available to those with Android devices and those with support for Snapdragon Sound. Apple devices need not apply.
While the MW09's ANC and transparency modes don't compete on the same level as the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000QM5, or Bose QC Ultra Earbuds, they're still pretty good at blocking out all of life's everyday noises and letting you hear conversations and the outside sounds you want to hear. Call quality also holds its own, too.
You get to choose from two charging cases, one made of kevlar, and one made of aluminum, and they both offer wireless charging, IPX4 water resistance, and 32 hours of charging capacity. The MW09 earbuds themselves deliver an impressive 12 hours per charge with ANC on and 16 hours with it off, which is more than you'll ever really need.
The best for Apple fans
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C
- Excellent noise canceling
- Best conversation mode we've tested
- Solid audio quality
- Capable of wireless lossless audio
- Yes, USB-C
- Best features only for Apple products
- Still no biofeedback
With the original AirPods Pro proving to have been one of the most successful wireless earbuds of all time, Apple needed to show it could do it again with the second-gen model. First, it did, adding to their great design, comfortable fit, and improvements to ANC and battery life. But then they did it again is September of 2023 by ditching Lightning for USB-C, and adding dust resistance for a new IP54 designation.
All that said, the new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C still feature shockingly good active noise cancellation. They are the only buds to give the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II some real competition. Transparency — always a high point for the AirPods Pro — has a feature called Adaptive Transparency. Just like Bose's ActiveSense, it keeps loud sounds from causing you discomfort and it works like a champ.
The Apple H2 chip in each earbud also delivers better call quality that handily kills off any background sounds that might interfere with your voice being heard.
Sound quality is excellent, too, with beautiful detail and depth, and excellent bass response and compatibility with Apple's immersive Spatial Audio. There's still no EQ adjustments, but if you love music, you'll love the way the AirPods Pro 2 sound.
Battery life in the latest USB-C version still stands at six hours per charge, with 30 hours total when you include the charging case – which still has a built-in speaker, lanyard loop, and Apple U1 chip for ultra-precise location reporting via Find My. It also gets the same IP54 protection upgrade, and you can now charge the AirPods Pro 2 with your iPhone 15 or Mac using a USB-C-to-USB-C cable, which is super handy if you don't have access to power or a portable charging bank.
The new standard for Android users
Google Pixel Buds Pro
- Compact and comfy
- Very good sound quality
- Very effective ANC/transparency
- Wireless charging
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- No real EQ adjustments
- No high-quality/low-latency codecs
- Still no iOS Pixel Buds app
Apple has its AirPods Pro, and Google has answered with its first "Pro" earbuds. The Pixel Buds Pro build on their lesser cousins with the addition of Active Noise Cancellation that's just a hair's breadth away from Apple's.
The Pixel Buds Pro are comfortable, they look good (and come in four colors), and the starting price undercuts AirPods Pro by $50. The multipoint connection works great with multiple devices, and Google's got a little extra AI available for Android users, with the goal of better predicting what you need to hear from which device at what time. It's not quite magic, but it works very well.
That's not to say that you can't find serious competitors in the space for a little less money. You can. But the Pixel Buds Pro absolutely are a strong winner from Google, and that means extra software features if you're also using an Android phone.
Still in the works, however, is the inclusion of spatial audio. For now, we'll wait on the firmware update.
Classic Technics sound, affordable ANC
Technics EAH-AZ60
- Excellent sound quality
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Hi-res audio support
- Hands-free Alexa
- Bluetooth multipoint
- No wireless charging
- No in-ear sensors
For the price, we are hard-pressed to think of a set of earbuds that offer a better combination of sound quality and ANC performance than the Technics EAH-AZ60 — they are superb. But the best part is that these qualities are just the starting point for a set of buds that might fly under a lot of people's radars.
They're very small and ergonomically shaped — a big improvement over the older AZ70 — and are comfortable enough for prolonged wear. However, the AZ60s lack some features such as full waterproofing (the AZ60s are sweat- and splash-proof), wireless charging, and wear sensors, but they justify their higher price through their amazing sound, and absolutely killer noise cancellation and transparency modes.
Like the WF-1000XM5, they support Sony's LDAC Bluetooth codec, which will give you as close to lossless, hi-res audio as you can get right now in a set of wireless buds (as long as your Android phone supports it). Android users also get the option of hands-free access to Amazon Alexa, which is a helpful feature.
Battery life is very good at seven hours per charge and they'll last for a total of 24 to 25 hours when you include their charging case. But my favorite feature is Technics' inclusion of Bluetooth multipoint on the EAH-AZ60 — which lets you stay connected to two devices at once — perfect for those of us who need to juggle Zoom calls on our computers and voice calls on our phones.
If you like the idea of wireless hi-res audio via the LDAC codec, the 1More Evo are an excellent alternative, at a significantly lower price. They can't quite match the AZ60's ANC performance, but given how they sound, you may not care.
The best sound for under $200
Final Audio ZE3000
- Unique design
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Excellent sound quality
- IPX4 water resistance
- Good battery life
- Good codec support
- No active noise cancellation
- No transparency mode
- No wear sensors
- No wireless charging
With features like ANC, transparency mode, wear sensors, and wireless charging now showing up on wireless earbuds for as little as $100, can we really justify recommending a set that has none of these options, yet still cost $149? Yes, as long as that set is the Final Audio ZE3000.
The ZE3000 may lack a lot of bells and whistles — in fact, they're missing just about every feature we can think of – but they excel in one area that matters above all else for music lovers: Sound quality. With an impressive amount of accuracy and detail, these earbuds offer the best sound quality you'll find under the $200 mark, and we'd argue they even hold their own against many models that are more expensive than that.
The ZE3000 have a warm but still very balanced EQ that lets each frequency come through clearly and distortion-free, which provides the perfect sonic platform for a huge array of music genres. We think they perform their best with jazz, classical, and vocals-intensive tracks, but their energetic mids and highs make them just as enjoyable for pop, rock, and EDM.
Bass is beautifully balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum, but this is one area where some folks may find the ZE3000 lacking — if you want chest-pounding low-end, you should consider the Technics EAH-AZ40 instead.
With an IPX4 rating and seven hours of battery life (35 in total), the ZE3000 can join you on any adventure, and in quiet environments, they have stellar call quality. As long as you can forgive their lack of other features, these earbuds will reward you with fabulous sound for the money.
The best for sports and athletes
Jabra Elite 8 Active
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Dolby Audio
- Rugged IP68 dust and water protection
- Good battery life
- Wireless charging
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- ANC could be better
Jabra has always done a great job at making earbuds for active people who need quality products that can take a beating, whether that's during workouts or, say, you find yourself getting in a lot of water balloon fights.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active ANC earbuds are a perfect match for this kind of punishment. They're affordable at $200 (making them a great gift to give for the holidays), they come from the same pedigree as Jabra's flagship Elite 10s, and they come with an impressive IP68 dust and waterproof rating. In fact, they even carry the U.S. military's STD-810H standard, which means they've gone through a battery of tests, including for corrosion, heat, humidity, vibration, and more.
Another thing Jabra has gotten right over the years is great sound. The Elite 8 Active, with their snug fit and great seal (courtesy of Jabra's "ShakeGrip" liquid silicone rubber eartips), allow for balanced sound on all frequencies that can also be tailored to your exact specs with the earbuds Jabra Sound+ app. The Elite 8 Actives also feature Dolby Audio spatial sound for immersive audio, but sadly there's no head tracking if you're hip to that kind of thing.
Jabra’s adaptive hybrid ANC system can't match the Elite 10s, but they do a great job at listening to your environment and filtering out all the nonsense, and their hear through transparency mode offers wind neutralizing when you're running your fastest lap. Calls are also beautifully quiet. and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity means you can take those calls from one connected device while still having sound form another.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active's battery offers up to eight hours of playtime with ANC on, with a total time of up to 32 hours with the case. A five-minute quick charge adds an hour of playtime.
Impressive ANC and call quality for under $200
Beats Studio Buds+
- Very comfortable
- Great battery life
- Excellent noise canceling
- Solid call quality
- Clear transparency mode
- No wireless charging
- No Bluetooth Multipoint
- No EQ controls
You'd be forgiven if you thought that the Beats Studio Buds+ were the second generation of Beats' excellent Studio Buds. But they aren't. As the story goes, they somehow briefly showed up on Amazon before being pulled down, but the cat was already out of the bag. At just $20 more then the Studio Buds, the Buds+ turned a few heads with their nifty transparent look. But under the hood is another story as the Buds+ are better in nearly every way, including battery life, active noise cancelation, and transparency mode. For just $170, you should just get them.
Also available in ivory and a black/gold option, the Buds+ are fantastic ANC earbuds that Beats says offer 160% better ANC than the regular Studio Buds (which you can still find, often refurbished, by the way). Our reviewer Simon Cohen not only agreed with this assessment, he thought it was higher putting them on par with top-tier ANC buds like the AirPods Pro 2. With new mics and noise processing, the Buds+ superbly block outside noises like construction, subway and plane sounds, and other unwanted audio annoyances so you can enjoy music to the fullest. Transparency mode is also improved and the call quality is clear.
But how do they sound? Well, if you're familiar with the Studio Buds, the Buds+ sound very similar, as even though Beats says that 95% of the Buds+'s internal components in the earbuds and the case are new, the drivers are not. But that's not a bad thing — they still sound clear, full, and energetic. The only thing on our wish list is that they had some kind of EQ control and that they supported more than just SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs.
Battery life on the Buds+ has taken a big step in the right direction. Despite the measly one-hour bump in their playtime per charge, going from eight to nine hours, the total playtime goes from 24 to a whopping 36 hours — both ratings are without ANC on. With ANC on, you get about six hours per charge. A five-minute quick charge, however, will buy you an hour of playtime, which is pretty good.
IPX4 water and sweat resistance makes them OK for gym folk (feel free to give them a clean with some water afterwards), and they're comfy as heck.
Everything but the kitchen sink earbuds
JBL Tour Pro 2
- Tons of features
- Very good ANC
- Solid sound quality
- Strong battery life
- Custom EQ and controls
- So-so call quality
- No high-quality codecs
- Smart case doesn't add a lot of convenience
The $250 JBL Tour Pro 2 are an excellent-sounding pair of wireless earbuds with great ANC, and respectable battery life, which, under normal circumstances, might be all you'd need to know about these impressive buds. But JBL went and added this cool and surprisingly functional smart charging case that offers a small touchscreen that opens up a ton of features you didn't know you needed.
One of the first sets of earbuds to bring the smart charging case to life at this level (there was a rumor that Apple's AirPods Pro 2 were to have it), the JBL Tour Pro 2 lets you keep your phone in your pocket, allowing you do everything from the basics (play/pause, volume control, track skip, accept/reject calls) to the more advanced (turning on/off ANC and transparency mode, EQ settings) to the borderline unnecessary (get notifications and even previews of messages and emails, and add lock screen art). All of this is controlled and configured in the JBL headphones app, and whether you totally buy into it all, there are some pretty useful features, a more detailed account of which you can read about in our full review.
Outside of all that, the JBL Tour Pro 2 are an excellent-sounding, comfortable pair of buds that, our reviewer says, stand up to the top-notch sound quality of the AirPods Pro 2s. While they only support SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs, they offer adjustable EQ in the app as well as new tricks like Person-Fi, which uses the app to assess your hearing to personalize the sound to suit. The Tour Pro 2s will even perform a fit test so you can pick the best eartips, and they have a spatial sound setting that tries its best to imitate Apple's immersive spatial audio with a few filters for movies, music, and gaming. They don't do head tracking like Apple's, but they will let you listen to Dolby Atmos audio and Atmos Music tracks.
ANC on the Tour Pro 2 is also top-shelf, effectively blocking out intrusive conversations and loud noises letting music and podcasts to be heard perfectly, and there's a Silent Now mode that disconnects the buds from Bluetooth and turns off notifications for a do-not-disturb experience. There's also an adaptive ANC mode, which adjusts itself as outside noises change. Ambient (transparency) mode has four settings depending on what you want to hear (conversations and surroundings, for example).
See, we mentioned that these are "everything but the kitchen sink" earbuds, but we can't cover it all here. The last thing we'll mention is the battery life. The JBL Tour Pro 2s deliver up to six hours with adaptive ANC on, eight with non-adaptive ANC, and up to 10 with ANC completely off. JBL boasts up to 40 total hours of playback from the case, and a 15-minute charge will deliver four hours of battery life.
The best semi-open fit earbuds
Apple AirPods (3rd gen)
- Very good sound quality
- Wireless MagSafe charging
- Head-tracking spatial audio
- IPX4 water resistance
- Not great in noisy environments
If you love the comfortable fit and easy simplicity of Apple's original AirPods, you owe it to yourself to consider getting the 3rd-gen AirPods, which you'll sometimes see listed as AirPods 3. The new design takes some of the best features of the AirPods Pro, like a more secure fit, better sound quality, and physical pinch controls on the stems, while keeping the semi-open shape that AirPods fans have enjoyed for years.
The AirPods 3 come with wireless charging as a standard feature (it used to be a $50 upgrade on the second-gen units) and the case is compatible with both Qi-standard chargers as well as Apple's MagSafe chargers. Battery life has also been improved, with six hours per charge and 30 hours of total play time with the case — giving these AirPods the best stamina of any of Apple's iconic white buds.
Like the other AirPods models, the 3rd gen have wear sensors that can auto-pause your tunes when you remove a bud, plus Apple has added head-tracking spatial audio, a feature that was previously reserved for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. The feature only works with Dolby Atmos Music and multichannel movies from select streaming apps like Apple Music and Apple TV+, but it's a fun and very immersive way to enjoy movies and music.
But the big upgrade for AirPods fans is the third-gen's sound quality. It's a big leap from the first and second-gen products, and when you're in a quiet room, they can sound every bit as good as the more expensive AirPods Pro. The new buds also get an IPX4 rating for water resistance, something that previous AirPods lacked. When combined with the AirPods 3's more secure fit, they're now a gym-ready companion.
Most comfortable high-end earbuds
Technics EAH-AZ80
- Really comfortable
- Warm, detailed sound
- Top-notch noise cancellation
- Class-leading call quality
- Convenient 3-way Bluetooth
- A bit pricey
- Slightly lacking in clarity
If comfort in your wireless earbuds is your primary concern, and you don't mind paying a premium for it (and excellent ANC and sound), then the Technics EAH-AZ80 earbuds' seven sizes and shapes of silicone eartips help make sure you can dial in a perfect, secure fit, that will stay comfy after several hours of use. How comfy? In our review, Simon Cohen figures that they can go toe-to-toe with the top-rated, super comfortable Sony WF-1000XM4s, and you just have to fork over an extra $20 for it.
As they should from the audio experts at Technics, the EAH-AZ80s sound warm, distortion-free, and balanced across the frequency spectrum no matter the kind of music you're playing. Plus, the Audio Connect app allows you to adjust the EQ as you see fit. And what would a high-end pair of earbuds be without great ANC? Cohen put the AZ80's ANC to the test and found that they do a great job at effectively blocking out all the noises of life — street sounds, commute noise, crowds, and more — just as well as some brands much better known for their ANC, such as Sony, Bose, and Apple. Customizable transparency mode also allows for fine-tuning the amount of outside noise you want to hear, too.
Android users can take advantage of hi-res audio playback with support for Sony's LDAC Bluetooth codec, and if multipoint Bluetooth connectivity is a feature you're after, the AZ80s are unique in that they offer three connections at a time instead of the standard two, which means you can connect to, say, a laptop and two different smartphones, if you like, and can seamlessly switch between them. An IPX4 water resistance rating on the AZ80s means you can sweat in them at the gym and rinse them off afterwards. With ANC off, the battery power tops out at up to 7.5 hours per charge (25 total with the case), but drops a bit to 4.5/16 with ANC on. The carrying case also supports wireless charging.
The best for staying aware of your surroundings
Shokz OpenFit
- Incredibly comfortable and secure
- Stay fully aware of your surroundings
- Very good call quality
- Good battery life
- Mediocre sound quality
- Not great for noisy locations
- No wireless charging
Wireless earbuds are great for sound quality and for blocking out the outside world, especially when they're equipped with ANC — like the Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds or AirPods Pro 2. Sure, transparency mode is great for letting in outside sound, but for prolonged use, the sealed, in-ear fit can cause ear fatigue, so you might want to explore open-ear earbuds like the Shokz OpenFit earbuds.
With a comfortable silicone loop that fits around your ear, it's easy to forget you're even wearing them — they're that comfortable. A bit different than Shokz's other popular technology – bone conduction, which sends sound to your inner ear via your skull – the OpenFit use air conduction. A small speaker (but bigger than most earbuds) sits just outside your ear canal, and the sound is pushed through the air to your eardrums instead.
But how to they sound? For music, they deliver natural and airy sound that's great for pop music and other genres that aren't big on bass, an area where the OpenFit lack a bit. And the open-ear style, as to be expected, means that when it's noisy outside, you're going to hear it. Indoors, however, and especially for those using them in the office for work, they're excellent and can be comfortably worn all day. Bluetooth Multipoint would have been nice though.
Of course, there's a companion app that allows you to customize the tap control features on each earbud, and has a basic EQ console. Battery life on the Shokz OpenFit is a respectable seven hours per charge and 28 with the charging case. However, if you like this open-air style of earbud, but are more of a stickler for sound quality and battery life, we also suggest checking out the slightly more expensive Oladance OWS Pro.
The best for gamers
HyperX Cloud Mix
- Excellent battery life
- Comfortable
- Solid sound quality in games
- Work with virtually any device
- Great microphone quality
- Frustrating touch controls
- Expensive
- No ANC
With the comfort and convenience of wireless earbuds, you'd think they'd be a natural choice for gamers, but most gamers stay as far away from wireless headphones and earbuds as they can.
Why? It turns out that Bluetooth connections introduce an unacceptable amount of lag — the delay between when an in-game sound is generated (like a foot-fall or a rifle shot) and when you actually hear it. It's a big enough problem that many serious gamers consider it a liability that can harm their results.
That's where the HyperX Cloud Mix Buds find their niche. They're Bluetooth wireless earbuds that work like any other set of wireless buds on this list. They connect to your phone or laptop and let you listen to music and take calls. But they also have a feature you won't find on the other models listed here: They come with a special USB adapter that provides a nearly lag-free wireless connection for those times when the game is afoot, and you're playing for keeps.
A small switch on the adapter lets you seamlessly move between that dedicated wireless link and a normal Bluetooth connection, so convenience is still maintained. The Mix Buds may not have advanced features like ANC or wireless charging, and bass response can't quite compare to the best full-size gaming headphones, but you do get a strong set of EQ adjustments and DTS:X surround sound processing.
When you take that into consideration, with their 30-hour total battery life and dedicated wireless connection for gaming, the HyperX Cloud Mix Buds start to look like a great option for gamers who also want to take their tunes on the road.
The biggest bass and battery life
Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW
- Great sound with massive bass
- Huge battery capacity
- Very good noise cancellation
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- IPX4 water resistance
- aptX Adaptive
- No wireless charging
- No wear sensors
- Bulky charging case
The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW are big and chunky and so is their charging case, but if size and style aren't major concerns for you, these earbuds are chock-full of rewards and come at an unbeatable price.
Let's start with their battery life. With ANC turned off, the earbuds will last for 20 hours before dying — a huge leap over the previous battery life king, the JVC HA-XC90T, which maxed out at 15 hours. Better yet, when you add in the case's capacity, it takes you to an enormous 50 hours. Yup, more than two full days of continuous use before you need to go in search of a charging cable.
Sound quality is also superb, as you might expect from a brand with Audio-Technica's reputation. In particular, bass heads will revel in the absolutely monstrous low-end that these earbuds can pump out. This isn't just bass you hear — you feel it too. If it's too much, there's plenty of control within the companion app, where you can also adjust the control buttons to suit your tastes.
ANC is excellent, with the ability to hush most unwanted outside sounds, and the transparency mode will help you keep tabs on what's going on around you if you need it. Calling on the CKS50 is equally good, but we recommend you look for quieter places for your chats to get the best sound quality for your callers.
These earbuds aren't perfect — there's no wireless charging and no wear sensors for auto-pause, but these are small omissions that are easily compensated for by the CKS50's many positive attributes and their terrific price.
A custom-molding process guarantees a good fit
UE Fits
- Ultra comfortable and secure fit
- Very good passive sound isolation
- Sweat resistant
- Customizable EQ and controls
- Expensive
- No ANC or transparency modes
- No wireless charging
Some folks have a really hard time finding a set of wireless earbuds that fit their ears. Regardless of the number of included ear tips, comfort, and security prove elusive. But the UE Fits might just be the answer if this has been your experience.
Ultimate Ears (UE) has dipped into its extensive experience of providing custom-fit wired earbuds for audio professionals in order to create a product that does the same thing — at a fraction of the price – for the rest of us. No trips to the audiologist and no waiting for molds to be created.
Instead, the UE Fits use a combination of UV light and heat to turn a blank set of silicone ear tips into moldable inserts that fully conform to the shape of your outer ear in just a few minutes. The result is a set of earbuds that fit like a glove and stay securely in place no matter what you do.
Unfortunately, most of the price of the UE Fits has gone into the customization process. They are otherwise fairly basic. You won't find ANC, wireless charging, transparency mode, or any other extras. But sound quality and call quality are both good, and battery life, at six hours per charge, is perfectly serviceable.
We don't necessarily recommend the UE Fits for everyone, but for those who simply can't find a comfortable fit with off-the-shelf products, these could be the perfect solution.
The best for those who value sound quality above all
PSB Speakers M4U TWM
- Superbly detailed sound
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Easy, intuitive controls
- IP65 dust and water protection
- Very good battery life
- Bluetooth Multipoint
- No ANC or transparency
- No wear sensors
- No side-tone for calls
- No direct equalizer control
These well-received earbuds omit some of the biggest features in the wireless earbuds market today, including noise cancellation, transparency, and spatial audio processing. Yet, there’s no denying they are still worth your time for one simple reason: They provide the best possible sound at the lowest possible price among wireless earbuds.
The PSP M4U TWM are truly a remarkable piece of technology. The dual-driver architecture is a unique feature that differentiates them from other wireless earbuds. A planar magnetic transducer takes car of the highest frequencies, while a more traditional dynamic transducer delivers the lows, allowing for distortion-free sound and excellent separation. The dual drivers create a perfect balance between the frequencies, resulting in a crystal-clear sound without sacrificing any low-end bass response.
Our reviewer noted beautifully precise soundstaging with the M4U TWMs, with "lifelike quality and razor-sharp resolution." He also enjoyed the earbuds' support for aptX Adaptive codec as well as the available EQ presets: RoomFeel, Better Dialogue, More Detailed, and Tighter Bass. That's high praise, making the M4U TWM a great choice for audiophiles who want a high-quality sound experience on the go for much less than you’d pay otherwise.
Lastly, these PSB earbuds feature excellent call quality and eight hours of listening time on a charge, with a total of 32 hours when you add the charging case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as the PC has Bluetooth. Some have Bluetooth by default, but if yours doesn't, you can add it with an affordable USB adapter. Many increasingly feature Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity giving you the ability to connect the earbuds to more than one source, like a smartphone and a computer, at the same time.
Yes. You can enable most devices' Bluetooth radio while in airplane mode.
Not usually for sound quality, although that is changing with the introduction of higher-quality Bluetooth audio codecs such as aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, as well as the Bluetooth LE Audio standard. Wireless earbuds are better for convenience, especially now that many phone makers have stopped including a headphone jack.
Not always, but the vast majority do come with a charging case and some come with wireless charging cases. If they don’t come with a case, we strongly recommend you don’t buy them.
Yes, they are awesome for workouts, as long as they have waterproofing or an IP rating and fit snugly in your ears.
