Wireless earbuds that are the best

The best wireless earbuds are nothing like they were in the early days of the category, when Apple’s AirPods were the only ones on the market and battery life was measured in minutes rather than hours. True wireless earbuds with specialized attributes such as sound quality, comfort, water and perspiration resistance, battery life, compatibility, and even smart assistant features are now available for a reasonable price.

But here’s the thing: there’s a catch. There are simply too many choices, especially if you’re just skimming through an Amazon or Google search. That’s why we’ve put together a brief list of the best wireless earbuds in a range of areas in the hopes of helping you make a more informed purchase.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 are truly wireless earphones that have set a new benchmark. They provide good audio quality and noise cancellation, as well as a long battery life. They are smaller than their predecessors, the popular WF-1000XM3, and fit more comfortably in the ears for longer listening sessions, despite their size. Along with usual SBC and AAC codec support, Sony added high-quality LDAC compatibility for people with Android phones (iPhone users are limited to still great-sounding AAC) to go along with the upgraded drivers. The main spec boost here is in the active noise cancellation quality. Sony’s Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is as good on earbuds as it is on the WH-1000XM4s over-ear headphones. The WF-1000XM4s successfully eliminate more mid- and high-frequency harmonics than any other true wireless earbuds, from background street noise to the hum of a jet engine. The WF-1000XM4s aren’t cheap, at $280, but if you want the best of the best, they’re right here.

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Jabra is taking on the true wireless earbud industry with a small-iteration strategy: the Elite 7 Pro seeks to strike a balance between price and performance, compactness and capability, and succeeds in practically every way. There are few rivals in terms of sound quality, battery life, comfort, and call quality. Where it falls short – active noise cancellation and certain comfort issues — it still outperforms the majority of its competitors. In our Elite 7 Pro review, we discovered that the earbuds are excellent in practically every situation, but there is no competition in the industry if you make a lot of phone calls. Jabra utilizes a bone conduction sensor – the vibrations in your jaw — in addition to high-quality noise-canceling microphones to fill in the blanks in noisy areas, and the results are amazing. The Elite 7 Pro are a bit on the pricey side at $180, but they’re worth considering if you’re searching for a pair of earbuds that can do it all.

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Anker’s new Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro wireless earbuds have some of the highest sound quality available in a set of wireless earbuds, as well as a variety of tip and wing choices to accommodate even the most difficult ear canals. The Liberty 3 Pros are among the best wireless earbuds you can purchase today, with great ANC and respectable call quality, a better-than-average battery, and an app you’ll actually want to use.

On the negative, they’re a little huge and hefty, and they might not be the appropriate style for everyone – particularly those who train out frequently. With an IPX4 water resistant rating, these won’t withstand more than a light rain shower or sweat session, but for the rest of us, these are some of the best-sounding buds available.

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If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on headphones, Soundcore’s superb Liberty Air 2 Pro are a great option. With features like wireless charging and decent ANC for the price — you can typically find them for about $120 if you wait for a sale — these AirPods knockoffs are virtually certain to please. While call quality isn’t great, they’re quite comfortable, thanks to a variety of silicon tip sizes that, like the AirPods Pro and other stem-based wireless earbuds, make finding the correct fit a breeze. The problematic tap-based gesture system and the overly sensitive ear detection sensor that mistakenly pauses the music with the slightest movement are less appealing, although Soundcore’s parent company, Anker, is good about delivering software updates to correct small flaws.

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The Galaxy Buds Pro are the result of Samsung’s four-year quest to develop the true wireless earbud, and while they’re far from flawless — we’ve heard tales of a few individuals having allergic responses to them — they’re a long way from delivering on that promise. It all starts with the design, which, combined with the jewelry box-style casing, makes it seem and feel like something you’d want to carry and flaunt. Samsung has also improved the sound quality of the Galaxy Buds Plus, introducing effective customizable active noise cancellation via the company’s user-friendly Galaxy Wearables app (iPhone users need not apply here). Samsung earbuds are obviously tailored for Samsung devices, with features such as Fast Pair-like auto-pairing and AirPods-like switching between Samsung products, but they operate well across the Android ecosystem. They’re also water resistant to IPX7, making them suitable for exercises, and have a good but not exceptional battery life.

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Sound quality at its best The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are your best pick if you’re seeking for the highest sound quality in a pair of wireless earbuds. They provide incredible sound that can be further tuned to your preferences thanks to the sophisticated equalizer controls. And, while it isn’t as good as some of its competitors, the ANC gets the job done. They’re also light and comfy, making them suitable for long-term use, but some users have complained that the TW2s are too hefty and don’t stay in their ears consistently. Your results may vary. The TW2s can endure perspiration and light water splashes, but they won’t survive being submerged. The call quality isn’t as high as some of the competition, so get these if sound quality is your first priority.

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Earbuds for working out that are the best The Jaybird Vista 2 are the superior successors to the originals, designed primarily as comfy workout-friendly true wireless earbuds that sound great. The successor, which was introduced in early 2021, improves on the design, fit, sound quality, battery life, and water resistance, as well as incorporating active noise cancellation. Jaybird is concerned about comfort and “earthproof” durability: the earbuds come in three tip sizes, which we found to fit better than most of the competitors and enable for strenuous workouts without dislodging either earpiece. These are suitable for adverse weather as well, with an IP68 water and dust ingress protection grade and a MIL-STD 810G rating, though if you’re working out in the ice or snow, that’s on you. The secret weapon of the Vista 2 is Jaybird’s app, which allows you to customize equalization settings, change ANC intensity, and more. The Jaybird Vista aren’t cheap at $200, but if you want the greatest exercise buds on the market, these are the ones to get.

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Selecting a Budget Google wanted to develop a set of true wireless buds that offer the necessities at a reasonable price with the Pixel Buds A-Series. Because of their good audio quality and comfortable fit, they usually succeed. However, because they’re an A-series device, they’ve been stripped of some capabilities, including as noise cancellation and wireless charging, and have a lower battery life than the competition. They’re a great all-arounder if you don’t need ANC and aren’t searching for the highest audio quality. They’re great for listening to music and making phone calls while commuting, but they’re not waterproof, so be careful if you workout with them. Nonetheless, these remain our best budget selection at about $100.

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The Creative Outlier Air V3 may be unfamiliar to you, but they could be your next truly wireless earphones. They have a lot to offer, beginning with a low price point and a large variety of features. Indeed, you get decent ANC, wireless charging, and long battery life for this money. They may not be the most attractive pair, and you shouldn’t expect them to sound as good as some of the more costly models on this list, but for the price, they’re a good option for anyone who need a pair to listen to music or make phone calls during the day. Furthermore, its IPX5 designation ensures that they are protected from water splashes and rain, making them a great all-arounder. If you’re searching for a cheap pair of headphones but don’t need ANC or good audio quality, these are a good option. These budget buddies are definitely worth considering for under $60.

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We hope that this list has assisted you in selecting the best pair for your needs. Please let us know if you use a different model in the comments below, and let us know which one you believe is the best.