The best wireless earbuds bring you high-quality sound, noise-canceling, and free you up from wires, all at the same time. Wireless earbuds, also called true wireless stereo earbuds (or TWS) connect to your phone or media player via Bluetooth and are stored in a case that also charges the buds. Some would argue that wired headphones will give you better sound, but advances in Bluetooth have produced earbuds capable of amazing sound quality. Add to that the lack of 3.5mm headphone jacks on today's phones, and it's quickly becoming Bluetooth or bust.
There are a few things you'll want to look for in a good set of wireless earbuds. In addition to sound quality, you'll want to find a comfortable fit, good isolation and/or noise cancellation, and battery life. Plus, keep in mind that battery life comes from the buds and from the case as well. Solid connectivity is important too. There's nothing quite as off-putting as frequent drops in sound while you're listening to your earbuds. If you work out, you'll want a set of buds that is sweat and waterproof. You'll also want a sound profile that matches your music taste. As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider, so without further ado, let's dive in.
Best Overall: Apple AirPods Pro
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Amazing ANC
High-quality sound
Water/Sweat resistance
iPhone simple pairing
Touch controls inconsistent
Subjective looks
If you asked us to award any set of Apple earbuds as our top pick before the AirPods Pro came out and you would've gotten a hard pass. But the AirPods Pro finally addressed every issue we've ever had with Apple's earbuds. They have great isolation, impressive Active Noice Cancellation (ANC), and solid battery life. That checks all of our boxes.
Apple's never been a slouch on sound quality, but the design of its earbuds, all the way back to the wired EarPods have always rested outside the ear canal making isolation terrible and ANC impossible. The addition of the silicon ear tips that rest inside your ear canals makes a world of difference.
In addition to great ANC, Apple also has one of the best ambient noise modes as well. Ambient mode allows you to hear your surroundings in situations like jogging or when having a conversation. When you add all that to the dead-simple pairing to an iPhone that Apple enables, and this is a complete package. Plus Airpods work with both iPhone and Android (without the simple pairing), so overall they're an easy top pick.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
Best Budget: Anker SoundCore Liberty 2 Pro
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Solid sound
Wireless charging
Great build
Larger charging case
No ANC
Anker is a company known for high-quality budget devices in a lot of different areas. You'll find Anker or one of its sub-brands in portable batteries, charging stands, projectors, and in this case, wireless audio. Right off the bat, our reviewer Jason loves the sound quality. "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. One driver is focused solely on the bass side of the spectrum, while the other driver takes care of mids and detail." That dial driver setup allows the earbuds to produce cleaner sound across the spectrum.
Jason goes on. "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." Wireless charging is making its way into more and more TWS because many of the best smartphones include reverse wireless charging. That's not ideal for phone-to-phone charging but is great for charging accessories.
There's a lot to like with these earbuds. They're priced right for the features they offer, but with new options coming all the time, Soundcore is still standing out. One other thing we like is the physical buttons on the buds for controls. Touch surfaces are all the rage, but they're flawed. You just can't get more reliable than having a button. We'd love to see ANC which is becoming more and more common at this price point. Make sure to catch these on a sale, and if you can, you'll be getting a great set of buds.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"In terms of durability, I’m a little concerned about the lifespan of these earbuds. The sliding lid of the case, while nifty, does feel like it is susceptible to dirt scraping and perhaps even failure after a ton of repetitions of opening and closing it."
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Best Noise Cancelation: Sony WF-1000XM3
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Great sound
Impressive ANC
Great battery life
No IP Rating
Some connection issues
Expensive
The Sony WH-1000XM earbuds continue Sony's tradition of high-quality audio and best-in-class ANC. Jason, our reviewer came away quite impressed with the earbuds. He writes, "As is the case with the WH-100XM3 over-ears, the sound quality of the WF-100XM3 earbuds is virtually best in class. The closed 0.24-inch driver is a very capable little speaker that provides an impressively rich response across the full 20–20kHz range. This is not common in earbuds by any stretch, and I can say in practice, these earbuds took everything I threw at them completely in stride, from bass-heavy hip-hop music to the lightest acoustic tunes."
One concern that Jason had was in the connectivity of the earbuds. Jason found the buds had trouble maintaining their connection to his phone when in a crowd. That's not uncommon, but we would have hoped, considering the price tag, that Sony could have avoided that trouble.
One other area of concern is the lack of an official IP rating. That in and of itself isn't terrible, but for those who are looking for earbuds for workouts or working outside, then sweat and train resistance can be quite important. Jason writes, "This could actually be a dealbreaker for some users, especially those who want earbuds for working 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. Just take note of this if you want an all-around pair of earbuds."
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"Sony is widely regarded as having some of the best noise cancelling in the business, giving former industry leaders like Bose a run for their money." — Ajay Kumar, Tech Editor, Lifewire
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Best for Sound Quality: Sennheiser Momentum True
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Excellent sound quality
Full-featured Bluetooth codecs
Expensive
Battery life is not goo
No ANC
Sennheiser has been a leader in sound for a long time, and now it's bringing that expertise to TWS. Reviewer Jason Schneider calls them "the best-sounding true wireless earbuds on the market." 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. This allows for better sound quality and better sync with videos and games."
Build quality is an issue here. Jason calls it "middle of the road". Battery life is also not impressive. Sennheiser advertises about 5 hours on a charge, which is consistent with our testing and not bad in the category, but the case only holds another 5 hours for a total of ten. That will get you through a workday and maybe even a commute, but not much else. And, you'll be charging every night which is not awesome. Jason reports he often opened the case for the buds only to find them dead. Needless to say, that's not a great experience.
Bottom line, our reviewer sums it up best. "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." That's not as bad as it sounds. Indeed, Jason wrote that the sound quality is so good, for some it will outshine any other inconvenience. If you want the best sound you can get, these are the buds for you.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"Even when switching the eartips, I found the fit to be just a little too tight—a choice most likely made to have the sound isolation as clean as possible." — Jason Schneider, Product Tester
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Best for Outdoors: Jabra Elite 85t Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
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Good build
Great battery life
Good sound
Qi charging
Not comfortable long term
Missing aptX
Jabra started off in the consumer audio space with phone headsets. Since then it has expanded into general audio, and the Elite 85t's are Jabra's best step forward in that space. This is a more refined generation of earbuds, succeeding the Jabra 75ts. They have the same durability and ruggedness. 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, in addition to bringing great call quality, also brings expertise in the area of 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."
The Jabra Elite 85t's also brings up to 30 hours of battery life when you include the charging case. They also have an IPX4 rating for splash and sweat proofing. Add to that the rugged build and these are earbuds that can stand up to a good run, being caught out in the rain, and still sound great for phone calls.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"The battery case is also a real selling point on the design front as it’s one of the sleekest cases I’ve seen to date—even smaller and simpler than Apple’s Airpod cases." — Jason Schneider, Product Tester
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Best EQ Settings: Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
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Comfortable fit
Solid ANC
Multiple EQ options
Charges quickly
Won't fit all ears
Finicky touch pads
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are a solid entry into the TWS space. Samsung makes some of the best all-around earbuds out there. They're not really the best in any one category, but they have fewer compromises than you'll find on other earbuds. The Galaxy Buds Live, also called 'the beans' because of their distinctive shape, do not go into your ear canal like other buds. Rather they slot into your ear just outside the canal, forming a seal around the ear itself. This can be a tricky fit for some ears, so bear that in mind. But if the fit works, it's much more comfortable than silicone tips in the ear canal.
Because of that seal, ANC is possible, and on the Buds Live, it's quite good. As is the sound quality and isolation. Add to that, the Galaxy Wear app gives you six different present EQs to fit your preferred sound profile. That includes bass-heavy settings for songs that thump and more neutral settings for things like podcasts and audiobooks. Whatever you're listening to, the Buds Live have an EQ setting for you.
We should also mention that the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live are not Samsung's latest premium earbud; that goes to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro (View on Amazon), which debuted in early 2021. While the Buds Pro are not too much more expensive, we're giving the nod to the Buds Live because of their unique fit and finish. If you're ok with silicone tips that go into your wear canal, the Buds Pro are a great choice.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"When I was walking across campus, the Buds actively reduced traffic and other background noises for a more focused listening experience." — Rebecca Isaacs, Product Tester
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Best for Running: Beats Powerbeats Pro
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Awesome sound quality
Physical controls are great
All day battery life
Pricey
No noise cancelling
Charging case is large
Before the AirPods Pro, there was the Powerbeats Pro. Seeing as how the AirPods Pro are our top pick, that should give you a good idea as to what the Powerbeats Pro are capable of. Basically, they're pretty awesome. You get great sound quality, solid battery life, and physical controls that some prefer over touch controls. You can get up to 12.5 hours on a single charge which is pretty unheard of in the TWS space. The case is pretty big, but that's because the buds themselves are pretty big. The case can charge up the earbuds in 45 minutes, which is pretty fast for this category.
The physical controls are easy to learn and easy to use. You can access your phone's assistant with a single touch. If you're using an iPhone, the buds support Hey Siri activation as well. The physical controls include both volume and track skipping, which is awesome. The passive noise isolation is really good, but there is no ANC. Since these are our pick for runners, that's a good thing.
We also like these for runners because of the ear hooks built into the buds. They're adjustable and can fit most ears. 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." The tough part is that they can be difficult to put in with one hand, but we consider that a small price to pay for ensuring that your expensive earbuds aren't going anywhere once they're in.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes
"During our testing, we had the Powerbeats Pro continuously playing music, audiobooks, podcasts, videos, and more. It took a lot longer than nine hours to drain the battery." — Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick, Product Tester
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Bst for Audiophiles: Grado GT220
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Audiophile sound
Great battery life
Wireless charging
No official IP rating
Tricky touch controls
No app
Grado is an audio brand known for very high-quality audio. You might be wondering if the terms "high-quality audio" and "wireless" belong in the same sentence. Grado thinks they do, and our reviewer Jason agrees. The Grado GT220 earbuds have been tuned to the flattest sound possible, allowing the listener to hear the music as the artist intended, without artificially changing the equalizer. Some earbuds are tuned to provide deep bass, or a V-shaped equalizer to help the music "pop". Not so with the Grado GT220 earbuds.
Jason, our reviewer, notes, "the focus is placed on providing detail and support in the mid-range. This section of the spectrum is usually the weakest part of consumer earbuds and can get fairly muddy if not treated well. The Grados let you hear all of your music." Also, the earbuds have good battery life, lasting between four and five hours on a charge, with an extra 30 hours in the case.
The earbuds do not have ANC, relying instead on passive noise isolation. That's not unusual for audiophile gear. The controls on the headphones are not the best. 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."
But overall, if you're someone who likes to hear the music that the artist intended, these earbuds are probably for you.
Type: TWS | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No
"The brand touts more than seven decades of audio experience, and that experience comes in the form of truly impressive headphone drivers." — Jason Schneider, Product Tester
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Overall, if you're an iPhone user, it's hard to go wrong with the AirPods Pro (view at Amazon). It took Apple a while to get there, but once it did, it nailed it. From the easy pairing to the comfortable fit to the active noise cancellation, Apple really hit a home run with its wireless earbuds. They sound great and easily switch between devices if you pair more than one.
If you don't have an iPhone, check out the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds (view at Amazon). They're small and comfortable, and they have some of the best noise-canceling you've ever (not) heard. It's hard to go wrong with either of these pairs of earbuds.
How We Tested
Our expert reviewers and editors evaluate wireless earbuds based on design, audio quality, connectivity, fit, and features. We test their real-life performance in actual use cases—commuting, working out, or at our desks at home or in the office. We also consider each unit as a value proposition—whether or not a product justifies its price tag, and how it compares to competitive products. All of the models we reviewed were purchased by Lifewire; none of the review units were furnished by the manufacturer or retailer.
About Our Trusted Experts
Quentyn Kennemer is a freelance writer covering all facets of consumer technology, such as wireless earbuds.
Jason Schneider is a musician who's been working in tech media for nearly a decade. With a degree in Music Technology from Northwestern and expertise in audio equipment, he's tested almost every audio device Lifewire has to offer.
Ajay Kumar has worked in the tech industry for nearly a decade and has personally used the wireless earbuds from Anker, Jabra, and Sony. He particularly likes the noise-cancellation Sony has to offer.
Rebecca Isaacs has been writing for Lifewire since 2019. She tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and praised their EQ options and noise cancellation.
Danny Chadwick is a tech writer specializing in consumer and mobile audio technology, including wireless earbuds.
Adam Doud has been writing in the technology space for almost a decade. When he's not hosting the Benefit of the Doud podcast, he's playing with the latest phones, tablets, and laptops. When not working, he's a cyclist, geocacher, and spends as much time outside as he can.
What to Look For in Wireless Earbuds
Wireless earbuds command a massive section of the audio market for several reasons. First, since more and more smartphones are doing away with the headphone jack, Bluetooth-connected headphones are a virtual necessity for those who listen to music on the go. Second, wireless earbuds are just a lot more convenient than pulling a tangled nest of wired headphones out of your bag.
Since Apple released the first generation of AirPods in 2016, flagship wireless headphones have largely gone the way of “true wireless”, so much of this guide will focus on the features and considerations when purchasing this style of headphones. These kinds of earbuds cut the cord completely, untethering each earbud so they fit into your respective ears. Others usually sport earbuds, might keep a neckband for a secure fit, larger battery, and added features like water and/or sweat proofing along with various ear tip sizes.
Does Wireless Compromise Sound Quality?
One other thing to consider before we jump into wireless specs: wired headphones are still where you’ll find the true audiophile headphones. While there are tons of amazing options in the wireless space, there is one thing that will naturally hold the audio quality back, and that’s the presence of Bluetooth transmission. That’s because with Bluetooth your audio is compressed in a way that makes it easier to transmit, but will naturally lose some information in the original file.
"Standard Bluetooth audio is compressed and doesn't offer a high-fidelity experience. That’s why you need to look for devices that support AAC and AptX Codecs for a high-quality audio transmission with nearly lossless compression to get the same quality as if you were using wired earbuds." — Vlad Perianu, Founder of NOVA Products (Audio Earrings)
That doesn't mean wireless earbuds can’t sound amazing—they certainly can with lossless protocols like aptX and LDAC. On top of that, there’s the fact that earbuds like the Airpods Pro come with noise-cancellation, letting them blot out background noise to improve your overall listening experience. It’s a feature that you rarely get on a wired pair of earbuds, and best-in-class noise canceling from companies like Sony and Bose are only available through their Bluetooth offerings.
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Form Factor: How Much Cord To Cut?
Before getting into the nuts and bolts, it’s important to ask yourself this first question: how important is “true wireless” to you. Before true wireless even existed, consumers could purchase wireless headphones where a wire still remained to connect the two earbuds. That is still the case, and can in fact give you much more bang for your buck. If you don’t mind having a short wire between the earbuds, you’ll get amazing sound quality from options like the Bose SoundSport wireless earbuds or the Jaybird Tarah or X lines.
Many true wireless users are prone to a poor fit in the earbud department, so a non-true wireless earbud pair might be ideal. That way, if the headphones fall out, they will still be draped around your neck rather than falling to the ground. However, you tend to lose out on battery life with non-true-wireless earbuds because most don’t include the charging case so common with true wireless units.
Design: Keep Profile In Mind
The look of a pair of earbuds can go in a few directions: you’ll have the bud-and-stem design made popular by Apple, or you’ll have the oblong oval design seen on earbuds from Sony and Anker’s Soundcore brand. You can also get earbuds that are so low-profile that they virtually disappear into your ear, sticking out only marginally.
While many brands stick to a darker color for their earbuds, some brands stand out with a ton of color options (think: Samsung Galaxy Buds or the M&D MW series). While earbuds are, on some level, always earbuds, this is a category that has a striking amount of versatility. But this is subjective, so we recommend considering a lot of brands to find your style.
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Comfort: A Snug Fit Matters
One common gripe about AirPods is that they don’t fit snugly into your ear—a fact that Apple responded to with the silicone-tipped AirPods Pro. The stakes for earbud fit become much higher too when you consider that true wireless earbuds can fall out of your ear and suffer actual damage when they hit the pavement or get lost.
In general, most earbuds will come with interchangeable silicone tips (some even including additional foam options), so it’s important to really try out all the sizes before wearing them outside. Another consideration of fit and comfort is whether there is a second point of contact outside of that eartip.
While some of the most popular brands (Sony and Apple included) rely solely on a snug ear tip fit, other brands like Bose and Samsung offer an additional rubber wing that actually grabs the cartilage of your outer ear. This is a game-changer for those who can’t find a proper fit and is an important consideration.
One last point is on snugness: on the one hand, you want to make sure the earbuds are snug enough that they stay in and provide a good seal for better sound quality. However, this can be a little stifling for some listeners. If you don’t love a snug fit, and want a little breathability, you might consider Bose SoundSport’s pinched, breathable eartips, or the afore-mentioned Apple-style fit.
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The build quality of wireless headphones is paramount for two reasons: first, it ensures that this often-premium purchase will last you a reasonable amount of time, and second, it ensures that the headphones feel fancy and premium, just like their price tag. Most products are made of a soft-touch plastic and a softer-touch silicone ear tip design. Many of the more budget options will tend to lean on a plastic build—so if you want a premium-feeling product you’ll have to shell out for it.
The other key factor here is waterproofing and dust resistance. This is not a given. Most will sport an IP rating. The letters, followed by a number denote the "ingress protection" or how well the devices keep out dust and water.
You will often see earbuds sport IPX4 or IPX5 (the 4 and 5 denoting mid-to-moderate levels of splash and drip resistance, but very limited resistance to full immersion into water). When it comes to water resistance, the higher the number, the better. An IPX4 device is resistant to splashes from any direction, while IPX5 can resist low-pressure water (being run under a sink for instance). IPX6 can handle higher pressure water sprays, while IPX7 means the earbuds can survive full immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.
Most earbuds don’t fill in a number for that X, meaning there’s no dust resistance, though there are a few exceptions. What this amounts to is that most true wireless earbuds are water-resistant enough to survive a sweaty gym workout or moderate precipitation on a run, but might not survive if dropped into a pool.
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Controls: Buttons Or Gestures
On-board controls sit in two categories: push buttons and touch gestures. The former is more common in low-to-mid-priced models and tends to be clunkier as they require you to physically push the earbud into your ear. Touch gestures can be a little tricky to get the hang of but will give you much more powerful onboard control of your earbuds.
Expanding that control, many manufacturers offer a significant and robust accompanying smartphone app. An app can add functionality like allowing for EQ controls, battery monitoring, and smart assistant adjustment. Some earbuds allow you to adjust commands for the touch area using the app. In short, a well-made app can be the difference between a good experience and a great one.
Audio Quality: Your Biggest Considerations
From an audiophile perspective, there are common specs across all headphones that you should keep in mind. First, what is the frequency spectrum covered by the headphones? Usually displayed in hertz/kilohertz, this number represents the frequency range (bass through treble) that is actually reproduced by the headphones.
The widest range the human ear can hear is 20Hz through 20kHz. Most earbuds will cover slightly less than this, usually skimping on the bottom end, but that ends up being a tradeoff for portability. That’s largely due to the driver size of the earbud speaker itself—usually measuring only a few millimeters, and therefore, less able to produce a truly bolstered bottom end.
As a result of all this, most manufacturers choose to include a lot of software audio processing to artificially boost bass or clarify the midrange of earbuds. Therefore, if you really like that flatter Bose sound, your ear will likely prefer Bose’s wireless earbuds. If you prefer Sony or Sennheiser, go for their earbuds. You aren’t getting a perfect representation of audio like you would in a pair of wired studio monitors, but you’re getting a top-tier manufacturer’s best attempt at molding a quality sound spectrum for your ears.
Drivers: Size Matters But Isn't Everything
In general, the size of a pair of headphones drivers (the tiny speaker that’s inside each ear piece), mostly affects its power across the frequency spectrum. At its simplest form, the larger the driver the more capable it is at performing at a high level on the low end of the sound spectrum. Earbuds across the board have much smaller drivers (usually around a quarter-inch) than over-ear headphones, and as a result, they will tend to perform better in the high/mid range of the spectrum.
This is why cheap earbuds tend to sound tinny and thin. On the premium side of the market, brands use techniques like ported enclosures and digital EQ processing to give you additional low-end for the smaller drivers. But for truly bass-heavy performance, go for earbuds that sport slightly larger drivers, when possible.
Audio Codecs: How Do They Improve Sound Quality?
The other side of this conversation is the Bluetooth codecs available on the device. A codec is basically the compression format the Bluetooth device uses to send the data, often making a trade-off for file size vs. speed.
"An efficient codec that can be quickly processed is ideal for producing the minimum delay in delivering the audio. This becomes significant if you are using wireless earbuds to watch video images, as a bigger delay will mean the audio is noticeably out of sync with the picture." — Stevie Haywood, Film and TV Sound Mixer
There are basically three codecs at play here: SBC, AAC, and aptX/aptX HD. The Bluetooth standard requires at least compatibility with SBC. Both SBC and AAC are very common across most modern headphones, and they also happen to require the most compression of your file. It's oversimplifying the technology to say that more compression means more degradation to the file so you get less sound quality.
AptX and its HD counterpart employ a proprietary compression algorithm developed by Qualcomm that aims to give you a better-represented source audio file while still maintaining quick transmittance. Many higher-end earbuds feature this protocol and use it to achieve truly impressive sound quality. While the codec is only half the story (the headphone hardware and digital processing are the other half), it’s an important consideration if sound quality is high on your list.
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The only other major feature you’ll likely find on a pair of wireless earbuds is the presence of active noise cancellation and active pass-through of outside sounds. The top brands, like Jabra, Sony, and now Apple all offer perfectly serviceable noise cancellation, and reversing those microphones and passing through sound from outside is helpful for maintaining awareness of your surroundings while wearing the headphones.
This does tend to be a premium feature only, so don’t expect to find these marquis functions or a robust app with anything under $100. You’ll also generally find better quality noise canceling on over-ear headphones rather than earbuds.
Connectivity And Software: Staying Connected While Listening
The setup process for Bluetooth earbuds sits in two camps: basic Bluetooth pairing, and software-based connectivity. To be clear, in both cases, your phone or computer will connect to the earbuds via Bluetooth, but some device manufacturers have chosen to develop software-based walkthroughs to make it easier.
The most prevalent example of this is with Apple AirPods. Thanks to Apple’s S1 chip in each earbud, when you unbox headphones that include this protocol, all you have to do is snap open the battery case and there will be a popup on your iPhone asking you to pair. This essentially skips a few steps, making it a much more seamless pairing experience.
Other earbuds require you to make sure they’re in pairing mode (most earbuds, if charged, will be in pairing mode automatically upon their first powerup) and then enter your device’s Bluetooth menu to find the device to pair. Once initially paired, turning on your headphones should automatically reconnect them to the most recent device.
The two most common Bluetooth versions you’ll find in today’s market are Bluetooth 4–4.2 or Bluetooth 5.0. The former allows your headphones to remember multiple devices, but only play music via one at a time, while the latter allows you to actually play dual music on multiple devices. In practice, for headphones, you’re still going to want to switch between host devices manually, but we’ve found that Bluetooth 5.0 allows jumping between computers, phones, etc. to be much easier.
Range And Stability: How Far Can You Wander?
Carrying on the connectivity conversation, Bluetooth versions aren’t just about connected devices. There’s a lot of detail that goes into the workings of Bluetooth 4.0–4.2 and 5.0 (the most common Bluetooth protocols you’ll see on modern Bluetooth headphones), but the two that are most important to the average listener are range and stability of connection. The Bluetooth 4 family allows for about 10 meters or 33 feet of coverage in most environments, though that range can extend through line of sight when outdoors.
While this is likely plenty for the average user, Bluetooth 5.0 gives you more than 40 meters or over 130 feet of indoor coverage. While most of us don’t have rooms that require this much range, what it means is that you are likely never going to push a Bluetooth 5.0 pair of headphones to their range limit. And because Bluetooth 5.0 transfers data much faster (virtually double the speed of 4.0), you’ll get a much more reliable connection with your device and slightly less lag when it comes to syncing with video.
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Battery Life And Charging Cases: How To Stay Charged On The Go?
The final piece of the puzzle here is the charging case that comes with the earbuds. Because the onboard batteries for the earbuds have to be small to keep the device small, manufacturers have opted to put a larger rechargeable battery into the case. Interestingly, this is the feature where you’ll see the widest swing of difference, with some devices giving you only about 12 hours of use even with the case, and some devices provide closer to 30 hours.
Even more interestingly, a high price tag doesn't always guarantee battery life—we’ve seen some budget pairs clocking in at over 36 hours and some premium brands really lacking. Most cases charge via micro-USB, but we’re seeing a strong push in the market toward USB-C charging cables. Some charging cases even support wireless charging, letting you get rid of the cables entirely.
Price: How Much Do You Want To Spend?
The price of wireless earbuds ranges from sub $20 all the way to $400+. What’s more is when you get into the premium side of the price range, you’ll still have to make some trade-offs. Bose SoundSport Free earbuds, for example, have excellent fit and solid sound quality, but don’t offer very much battery life. Soundcore Liberty headphones, on the budget end, are very capable in the battery department but feel cheaply made. In short, you can spend as much or as little as you want in this category, but research is paramount.'
Popular Brands: An Increasingly Crowded Market
Apple: Probably the most popular, Apple’s AirPods come in three options: the original without a wireless charging case, the second-gen with a wireless charging case, and the Pro model with more battery life, better silicone eartips, and active noise cancellation. The price here sits firmly premium and the design is virtually ubiquitous.
Bose: Definitely in the top three for all-around audio brands, Bose offers two versions of the SoundSport—a standard Bluetooth with wire and a true wireless option (labeled SoundSport Free). Their offering tends to be sturdy, comfortable, and sports that rich, Bose sound. It is lacking in battery life and the fit and finish leans much sportier than it does premium.
Jabra: Jabra was an early adopter of the true wireless market, and the 65T and 75T offerings are truly impressive. The 75T is at the top of its game with active noise cancellation and impressive phone call and sound quality.
Sony: The other king of the Bluetooth audio game is Sony, and the WF-1000 series is an exercise in a brand trying to cram every single feature under the sun into one pair of earbuds. For a hefty price tag over $200 you’ll get noise cancellation, insane battery life, even more insane feature control through an app, and a really nice build quality.
Samsung: The electronics giant does have a pretty humbling offering in this space, largely because their headphones act as an accessory to their smartphones. The Galaxy Buds and Buds+ are small, premium, and totally inoffensive, but they don’t have as many bells and whistles as other brands.
Anker Soundcore: There are a lot of budget earbuds out there, many of which seem like the same earbuds labeled with different brand names overseas. Soundcore (a sister company to Anker) provides some of the best low-cost earbuds out there, offering tons of designs, tons of different models and feature sets, and nothing that really breaks the bank.
Conclusion: How To Pick The Best Wireless Earbuds
The best tip to get you started is to prioritize your hopes and dreams for the spec sheet. If you want great sound quality first and foremost, that really narrows down the list. If your on-the-go life requires solid battery life, you’ll be able to count out a few. If you need waterproofing or an extra wingtip for a better fit, that narrows things further. While brand loyalty can play a part (if you’re a Bose fan, for example, you might forgive the lackluster battery life), it’s important to know the limitations of the brand you love. Thankfully, once you start narrowing down the list, the crowded field of wireless earbuds gets much smaller, and the decision will likely become obvious.
