We purchased the The 8 Best Wireless Earbuds so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full products reviews.
The best wireless earbuds eliminate the need for wires while still providing high-quality sound. Wireless earbuds use Bluetooth to connect to your phone or music player. That’s a common protocol for compressing and transmitting sound between devices, and it’s gotten a lot better in recent years. You can now stream high-quality audio wirelessly from your phone to your ears without the use of wires. Most people use their phones to listen to music or podcasts, and most high-end smartphones have ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack. That means you’ll need Bluetooth headphones to listen to your music if you have a high-end smartphone.
In wireless earbuds, there are a few things to look for. The first is interconnection. If you like to move around while listening to music, such as cleaning the house or working out, you’ll want rock-solid connectivity to avoid interruptions. When it comes to working out, sweat and water resistance are important factors to consider. Your musical preferences will aid you in determining which sound profile to seek. If you prefer music with a lot of bass, go for thumping earbuds; if you prefer classical music, go for a more balanced profile.
Whatever the case may be, there are numerous options available. Our experts scoured the market for the best headphones and compiled a list for you.
Apple’s AirPods Pro (Check latest price on Amazon) are our clear favorite. Apple has a well-known earbud design that it has used for many years. The AirPods Pro, which have silicone ear tips that go into your ear canal, changed all of that. This improves sound quality while also providing better isolation. The addition of ANC aids greatly in keeping noise levels low, which is beneficial to long-term hearing.
Apple’s sound quality has always been excellent, but the design change mentioned earlier makes a significant difference. With the addition of ANC, you can truly enjoy your music and podcasts without being distracted by outside noise. To be honest, it’s past time. Apple also added an ambient hearing mode, which lets you hear outside noise when it’s appropriate, such as when you’re out jogging or conversing with others.
If you have an iPhone, pairing AirPods is a breeze. Simply open the case next to your iPhone and press the pair button. There’s no fiddling with pairing codes in Bluetooth settings. It’s a piece of cake. The small touchpads have a bit of a learning curve, and the stems that stick out from your ears are highly subjective. But if you don’t mind them, these are great headphones for everyone, not just iPhone users.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Anker (Check latest price on Amazon) is a company that specializes in a wide range of products. True wireless earbuds are one of those areas. Anker is known for producing high-quality products at a low price. Our reviewer, praises the sound quality. “I can attest to the fact that these earphones sound fantastic, and that’s before you consider their low price… Each earbud contains two separate speaker drivers (a standard 11m and a Knowles balanced armature driver) that are aligned on top of each other. One driver is solely responsible for the bass end of the spectrum, while the other is responsible for the mids and detail.” The multiple drivers allow the headphones to deliver great sound quality by focusing each driver on what it does best.
Our reviewer continues. “What surprised me the most was that the battery case itself supports Qi-enabled wireless charging, which means it should work with the same wireless charger you use for your phone. Even the best in the business (from Sony to Apple’s entry-level AirPods) leave this option out, making it a highly sought-after feature for true wireless earbuds.” In the TWS industry, wireless charging makes a lot of sense right now for two reasons. First, because TXS batteries are small, wireless charging takes less time. Furthermore, many high-end phones support reverse wireless charging, allowing you to charge your TWS using your phone’s battery. It’s not the preferred way to charge, but in a pinch, they can get you a little extra runtime.
Overall, these are a great pair of TWS that deliver great sound at a reasonable price. When you factor in the premium build quality, you have a pair of earbuds that are well above their weight class. We’d love to see ANC here, and if they offered noise cancellation, they’d be our first choice. As is, they’re pretty awesome on their own.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Sony has a long history of producing high-quality audio, and the WH-1000XM3 headphones (Check latest price on Amazon) are no exception. Our reviewer, was very pleased with the earbuds. As he puts it, “The sound quality of the WF-100XM3 earbuds is virtually identical to that of the WH-100XM3 over-ears. The closed 0.24-inch driver is a capable little speaker with a rich response across the entire 20–20kHz frequency range. This isn’t something you’ll find in most earbuds, and in practice, these earbuds handled everything I threw at them with ease, from bass-heavy hip-hop to the lightest acoustic tunes.”
One of our reviewer’s main concerns about the headphones was something that will become increasingly common as we return to our offices. He had connectivity issues when he was in large crowds. Although this is a common issue with the Bluetooth protocol, we had hoped that Sony would have addressed it given the high price tag.
These earbuds also lack an official IP rating, which is a major drawback for earbuds of this price range. As our reviewer puts it, “Some users, particularly those who want earbuds for working out, may find this to be a deal breaker. While I did bring these to the gym and they didn’t appear to be harmed by the sweat, I can’t say with any certainty that they’d withstand a long, strenuous session, or even some light rain. If you want an all-around pair of earbuds, keep this in mind.”
Despite that, if you’re looking for a nice set of earbuds with best-in-class noise cancellation, these are a great pick.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Sennheiser (Check latest price on Amazon) has long been one of the most prestigious names in sound, and it’s bringing its expertise to TWS. “The best-sounding true wireless earbuds on the market,” according to our reviewer. Our reviewer goes on, “The harmonic distortion on the Momentum earbuds is less than 0.08 percent, which is about the same as 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…you’ll find Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX low latency, both of which give you higher resolution compression and seamless transfer speed…you’ll find Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX This improves sound quality and synchronization with videos and games.”
Our reviewer, on the other hand, was not impressed with the build quality, describing it as “middle of the road.” Another issue is battery life. Sennheiser claims a 5-hour charge time, which we found to be accurate, but charging from the case only adds another five hours for a total of ten. That’ll get you through a single workday with a completely depleted charging case at the end of the day, so it’s not bad. He would frequently take the buds out only to find them dead. It was not a pleasant experience.
In the end, our reviewer says it best. “The Momentum True Wireless earbuds should definitely be considered if you’re an audiophile first and foremost, but if you’re looking for an all-around product, look elsewhere.” That isn’t necessarily a condemnation. Indeed, our reviewer claims that the sound quality is almost good enough to make up for the game’s other flaws. So, if you’re willing to give up some other features in exchange for incredible sound, these are the headphones for you.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Plantronics began as a consumer audio company, but has since shifted its focus to phone headsets. With a utilitarian design that is still very comfortable, the Plantronics BackBeat 5100 (Check latest price on Amazon) represents those ideals quite well. The oval shape of the ear tips better conforms to the ear canal, providing better isolation and a more comfortable fit.
“What impressed me most about the sound quality on the Backbeats was how balanced they sounded,” writes our reviewer. Many of the earbuds I’ve tried with a lot of volume suffer in the midrange, resulting in a muddy sound. The Backbeat Pros were right at home whether I was listening to podcasts, heavy bass music like hip-hop or EDM, or delicate folk tunes. This is also in line with Plantronics’ recent focus. The well-balanced sound is excellent for all types of music, but particularly for phone calls (and podcasts).
When it comes to microphones, here’s once more “I can report that call quality is excellent, thanks to four microphones, a degree of DSP to help isolate your voice during calls, and Plantronics’ WindSmart technology. It is, however, possibly more detailed than you might expect. Some of the people I spoke with on the phone said that the call was more detailed than usual, and that it was a little distracting. I also noticed that in noisy environments, such as the subway, the WindSmart technology seemed to be working overtime, causing some distortion. However, I was generally impressed.”
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Samsung recently introduced its Galaxy branding to TWS and has made significant progress since then. One such example is the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, also known as “the beans” due to their unusual shape.
The Galaxy Buds Live (Check latest price on Amazon) sit outside your ear canal, but their unique shape creates a solid seal that provides excellent sound isolation. The final piece of sound isolation you’re looking for in a great pair of earbuds is provided by ANC. You can choose from six different equalizer settings in the Galaxy Wear app, so you can find the right sound for whatever you’re listening to. Buds Live is up to the task of playing bass-heavy music. For podcasts, you can also choose a neutral sound. Buds Live can cater to any taste you may have.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are not the company’s most recent earbud; the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro debuted in early 2021. Despite the fact that the Buds Pro aren’t much more expensive, we prefer the Buds Live due to their unique fit and finish. The Buds Pro are a great choice if you don’t mind silicone tips that go into your wear canal. Aside from that, these are a fantastic option.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
The Powerbeats Pro (Check latest price on Amazon) proved to be Apple’s forerunner to the AirPods Pro, which we recommend. That should give you a good idea of the capabilities of the Powerbeats Pro. Simply put, they’re incredible. They have excellent sound, simple physical controls, and a long battery life. Danny, one of our reviewers, put them to the test and got an average of 12.5 hours on a single charge, which is unheard of in TWS. The case is quite large, but that is due to the size of the buds themselves. The case, on the other hand, holds even more power and can charge the earbuds in just 45 minutes.
Physical controls are also simple and intuitive to use. One-touch assistant access, iPhone “Hey Siri,” track skipping, and individual volume controls for each side are all included. Compared to traditional earbuds, it provides a much more balanced and personalized sound. The earbuds have excellent passive noise isolation but no active noise cancellation, which is probably fine given that they’re our favorite for runners.
The ear hooks built into the buds are the main reason we like these for runners. The ear hooks can be adjusted to fit your ears perfectly. Danny pens the following: “No matter what you’re doing, they’ll never fall out because of this. The Powerbeats Pros stay in your ear until you take them out, whether you’re working out, walking around town, or even hanging upside down.” The earbuds, on the other hand, can be difficult to put in, especially one-handed. We think it’s a small price to pay to know that your expensive earbuds won’t fall out once they’re in.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Try the Jabra 85t earbuds (Check latest price on Amazon) if you spend a lot of time outside. These are Jabra’s most recent earbuds, and they’re a significant improvement over the Jabra 75ts, which is a good thing. They share the same toughness and durability, which is a good thing. Furthermore, according to our reviewer Jason, “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 most extensive I’ve seen, but it’s more than enough to cover the entire range of human hearing.”
Jabra began its career in the headset industry before transitioning to consumer audio. Jara’s expertise in voice technology is also transferred to the 85ts, which is a plus. It has a lot to do with the software. Jason clarifies, “Jabra is one of my favorite headphones companion apps because it walks a fine line between being overly complicated and being fully functional. It’s extremely easy to use, and it’s a major selling point for these earbuds.”
The long battery life (up to 30 hours with the charging case) is one of the main reasons we like these for the outdoors. These earbuds have an IPX4 rating for splash and sweat resistance. Plus, they’re built to last, but if you’re caught outside in the rain, make sure you stash these buds.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Related: The 8 Best Wireless Headphones
The Final Word
Overall, if you’re an iPhone user, the AirPods Pro are a solid choice. Apple took its time getting there, but once it did, it nailed it. Apple’s wireless earbuds are a home run, from the simple pairing to the comfortable fit to the active noise cancellation. They sound great, and switching between devices is simple if you have more than one.
If you don’t have an iPhone, the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds are a good option. They’re small and comfy, with some of the best noise cancellation you’ve ever (not) heard. It’s difficult to go wrong with either of these earbud sets.
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