Wireless earbuds that are high quality and noise-canceling will provide you with excellent sound and freedom from wires. The wireless earbuds are also known as true wireless stereo headphones (or TWS). They connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone or other media device and can be stored in a case which also charges them. While wired headphones may sound better, Bluetooth has made it possible to produce a remarkable sound quality with earbuds. It's fast becoming Bluetooth, or not.
You should look at these things when choosing wireless earbuds. You'll also want good sound quality and comfortable fit. Remember that the battery life is not only dependent on the case, but also the buds. It is also important to have solid connectivity. It's hard to listen to your headphones if there are frequent drop in sound. You'll need a pair of buds that are waterproof and sweat-proof if you exercise. A sound profile that suits your musical tastes is also important. There are many factors that you need to take into consideration. Let's get started.
Apple AirPods Pro - Best Overall
You would have gotten no response if you had asked us to choose the best set of Apple headphones before the AirPods Pro was released. The AirPods Pro solved every problem we had with Apple's headphones. These earbuds are extremely quiet, have excellent Active Noice Cancellation and a long battery life. This ticks all the boxes.
Apple has never been a bad company when it comes to sound quality. However, the design of Apple's earbuds from the original wired EarPods is terrible for isolation and makes ANC difficult. Silicon eartips that fit inside the ear canals make a huge difference.
Apple has the most advanced ambient noise mode, in addition to ANC. Ambient mode lets you hear the sounds around you while you are walking or conversing. This package includes the simple pairing with an iPhone Apple allows. Airpods are compatible with Android and iPhone (without any pairing), making them a top choice.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
The Best Price: Anker SoundCore Liberty Pro 2
Read full review：Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 Review
Anker has a reputation for producing high quality budget devices across many different industries. Anker, or one its sub-brands, is a company that makes portable batteries, charging stand, projectors and wireless audio. Jason, the reviewer of the Anker earphones loves its sound quality right away. "I can confirm that these earphones sound amazing, and that’s before you even factor in their budget-friendly price tag...Soundcore has put two separate speaker drivers (a standard 11m and a Knowles balanced armature driver), aligned on top of each other, inside each earbud. The bass driver is the only one, and the mids and details are taken care of by the second driver. The dial driver configuration allows for cleaner sound throughout the spectrum.
Jason continues. "What I found most surprising is that the battery case itself supports Qi-enabled wireless charging—meaning you can just drop that case onto the same wireless charger you use for your phone and it should work. This is actually a highly sought-after feature for true wireless earbuds because even the best in the business (from Sony to Apple’s entry-level AirPods) leave this option out." TWS are seeing wireless charging more as many smartphones have reverse wireless charging. This is not the best option for charging accessories, but it's great for phone-tophone charging.
These earbuds have a lot of great features. These earbuds are priced well for their features, and Soundcore continues to be a leader in the market. Another thing that we love about the buds is their physical controls. Although touch surfaces are very popular, they can be a bit finicky. A button is the best way to make your device more reliable. We would love to see ANC, which is getting more popular at this price. These buds are great for grabbing on sale.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
The Best Noise Cancellation:Sony WF1000XM3.
Read full review：Sony WF-1000XM3 Review: Almost Perfect True Wireless Earbuds
Sony's tradition for high-quality sound and best-in class ANC continues with the WH-1000XM earbuds. Jason, the reviewer of these earbuds was very impressed. Jason writes that the WF100XM3 earbuds have the best sound quality in their class, as is the case for the WH100XM3 Over-ears. The closed 0.24-inch driver is a very capable little speaker that provides an impressively rich response across the full 20–20kHz range. It is rare to find this feature in an earbud. In practice I found it very easy to use, despite the fact that they could handle everything, even heavy-bass hip-hop and acoustic music.
Jason was concerned about the connectivity of his earbuds. Jason noticed that the buds struggled to connect with his smartphone when he was in crowds. This is not unusual, however, we wish Sony had the budget to have prevented this problem.
Another area that is of concern to me is the absence of an IP rating. This is not a problem in itself, but it can make things more difficult for people who need earbuds that are sweat- and water-resistant. Jason wrote, "This might actually be a dealbreaker to some users, particularly those who need earbuds that can work out." While I did bring these along for a gym session and they didn’t seem to be harmed by any sweat, I can’t say with any firm confidence that they’d survive a long, strenuous session, or even some light precipitation. If you're looking for an all-purpose pair of headphones, this is the place to look.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Best for Sound Quality:Sennheiser Momentum True
Read full review：Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Earbuds Review: Premium Earbuds With Amazing Sound
Sennheiser is a global leader in sound quality for many years. Now, it will bring that knowledge to TWS. Jason Schneider, a reviewer of the earbuds says they are "the most true-sounding wireless earbuds available." Jason continues, "One spec Sennheiser lists is the harmonic distortion, which measures at less than 0.08 percent on the Momentum earbuds, and is about the same as you’ll get on the Sennheiser HD 600 studio earbuds...you’ll find Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX low latency, both of which give you higher resolution compression and seamless transfer speed. It allows for better sound quality, better sync with video and other games.
Quality is a problem here. Jason refers to it as "middle-of-the road". The battery life is not great. Sennheiser claims that the battery can last for 5 hours, and this is in line with our tests. However, the case holds only 5 more hours, so the total time of 10 hours. This will last you for a day, and possibly even your commute. You'll also be charged every night, which can make it not great. Jason says that he opened many cases for his buds to discover they were dead. It's not an enjoyable experience, it seems.
Our reviewer summarizes the best of it all. "If you’re an audiophile first and foremost, you should definitely consider the Momentum True Wireless earbuds, but if you want an all-around product, look elsewhere." It's actually not nearly as terrible as you might think. Jason said that Jason's sound quality was so great, it would outshine all other inconveniences. These buds will give you the most amazing sound quality.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Ideal for outdoor use:Jabra Elite Bluetooth Earbuds 85t
Read full review：Jabra Elite 85t Review: Solid Earbuds with Tons of Features
Jabra began in consumer audio with its first phone headsets. Jabra has grown into general audio since then, with the Elite 85t being its best-selling product. These earbuds are a refined version of the Jabra 75ts. These earbuds are rugged and durable. Plus, our reviewer Jason says, "the Elite 85t earbuds are quite possibly Jabra’s best foot forward into the audio space...the "massive 11mm drivers they’ve managed to squeeze into these earbuds. The frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz isn’t the widest I’ve seen but is certainly enough to cover the full spectrum of human hearing."
Jabra is not only great at calling quality but also has expertise in software. Jason writes, "Jabra is one of my favorite companion apps for headphones because it tows a nice line falling short of too complicated but still enough to be called full-featured. It’s really user-friendly, and it’s a huge selling point for these earbuds."
With the included charging case, Jabra Elite 85t can also provide up to 30 hours battery life. These earbuds are also IPX4 certified for sweat and splash proofing. These earbuds are rugged and can withstand being dropped in rain and remain squeaky clean for calls.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Best EQ Settings:Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live is a great entry point into TWS. Samsung produces some of the most versatile earbuds available. Although they aren't the best in every category, there is less compromise than other earbuds. Because of their unique shape, the Galaxy Buds Live are also known as "the beans" because they do not fit into your ear canal. Instead, they fit into the ear at the outside of the canal and form a tight seal. Some ears may find this difficult to fit. If the fit is good, silicone tips will not be required in your ear canal.
ANC can be achieved on Buds Live because of this seal. The isolation and sound quality are also excellent. The Galaxy Wear app offers six present EQs that can be customized to your sound preferences. You can choose from bass-heavy settings to hear thumping songs or more neutral settings such as for audiobooks and podcasts. The Buds Live has an EQ setting that will suit your music.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live aren't the latest premium earbuds; they go to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, which launched in the early 2021. The Buds Pro may be more costly, but we prefer the Buds Live due to their distinctive fit and finish. The Buds Pro can be used if you are okay with silicone tips going into your wear channel.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Beats Powerbeats PRO is the best for running
Read full review：Beats Powerbeats Pro Review: Even More Power and Utility
The Powerbeats Pro was before the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro being our favorite, should give you an idea of the Powerbeats Pro's capabilities. They're simply amazing. They offer great sound quality and a solid battery life. Some prefer physical controls to touch controls. The TWS industry is rare in that you can run up to 12.5 hours from a single battery. Although the case itself is quite large, it's not because of how big the buds are. It can charge the headphones in as little as 45 minutes. This is quite fast for this type of product.
It is easy to understand and use the physical controls. With a simple touch, you can easily access the assistant on your smartphone. The buds also support Hey Siri activation if you have an iPhone. Physical controls allow for volume control and track skipping, which is great. Although passive noise isolation works well, there's no ANC. These are the best runners' shoes, which is a great thing.
These are great for runners, thanks to the built-in ear hooks. These buds can be adjusted to fit any ear. Our reviewer, Danny writes, "This ensures that they never fall out, no matter what you’re doing. From working out to taking a walk around town or even hanging upside down, once the Powerbeats Pros are in your ear, they’re staying there until you take them out." Although they are difficult to insert with one hand, we think that this is a minor inconvenience that will ensure that you have the best earbuds possible.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Best for Audiophiles:Grado GT220
Read full review：Grado GT220 Review: Audiophile True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
Grado audio is a brand that produces high-quality sound. It is possible to wonder if "high-quality audio", "wireless" are the same thing. Grado believes they do. Jason, our reviewer agrees. Grado GT220 headphones have been designed to produce the best sound quality possible. This allows the listener hear the original artist's intent without having to adjust the equalizer. Some earbuds have a deep bass or V-shaped equalizer that makes the music "pop". Grado GT220 headphones are different.
Jason, our reviewer notes that "the emphasis is on the middle-range. If not taken care of, this section can become very muddy. Grados allow you to hear your music. The earbuds are also very durable, last between 4 and 5 hours, depending on how full they charge.
Earbuds don't have ANC and rely instead on passive noise isolation. This is not uncommon for audiophile gear. These headphones have poor controls. Jason writes, "Each earbud has touch controls that should, in theory, allow you to skip tracks, adjust volume, pause music, answer calls, and all the usual parameters. I found these controls not to be nearly as responsive as I’d like, and the one control I did want access to (putting the headphones into pairing mode by holding a touch panel when the earbuds are off) didn’t work every time."
These earbuds will work for anyone who enjoys the original music.
Connection Type: Bluetooth | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No
