Best Wireless Earbuds to Buy Right Now

For a perfectly balanced, expressive audio experience in a comfortable and sturdy pair of earbuds, you can’t go wrong with the Jabra Elite 5. Pair with up to two devices using Bluetooth Multipoint, and once connected, Jabra’s intuitive Sound+ app lets you play around with EQ settings and ANC sound modes. That hybrid noise cancellation does a decent job of drowning out an airplane’s engine or muffling voices at a coffee shop, though it does struggle with high-pitched sounds.

While you enjoy a pleasant listening experience similar to some of the best headphones, others will appreciate the six microphones that make your voice super clear on calls, even on windy days. Answering those calls is simple thanks to the button control on each earbud, which also gives you access to playback and Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, along with some other functions that can be assigned using the app. And you won’t need to worry about breaking a sweat or getting stuck in the rain thanks to the earbud’s IP55 dust and water resistance.

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)

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Simple connectivity, water resistance, fantastic sound with spatial audio, and a comfortable design make these AirPods a boon.

You can’t go wrong with Apple’s AirPods (3rd generation) when you want a pair of affordable, dependable AirPods that easily connect to the best iPhones or really any smartphone. To start, these earbuds sound spectacular, delivering virtually flawless, rich, detailed audio. You even get Adaptive EQ to customize the sound to your ears, while spatial audio with head tracking makes it feel like the sound is wrapping around you.

However, you won’t get ANC like the Pro model, and you’ll notice some sound leakage due to the open-back design. But that open-back makes these AirPods wicked comfortable, lightly resting in your ear and remaining in place. Add in some sweat- and water-resistant, and you’re sure to have an easy-going listening experience wherever you wear these great iPhone earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S

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Get excellent ANC in a light, compact pair of earbuds that also offer ambient sound modes and support for high-res codecs.

Sony’s exceptional WH-1000XM series of over-ear headphones has set the high bar for noise-cancelling technology for years. And with the Sony LinkBuds S Wireless Earbuds, the same great noise-cancellation in a light, compact form factor. Its ANC eliminates sounds like an airplane engine or noisy air conditioner. But you’re probably still going to notice incidental sounds like a car horn or dog barking, though it’ll definitely come through more muffled thanks to the impressive passive sound isolation due to the tight fit of the earbuds. An ambient sound mode is also supported, which gives you 20 different options on what external sounds you can hear, providing an ideal listening experience catered to you.

In addition to being excellent noise cancelling headphones, these earbuds offer up to six hours of battery life even with noise-cancelling running, and there’s an extra 14 hours of charge out of the carrying case. That means you take advantage of these earbuds on the longest work and travel days. It’s even possible to enjoy higher resolution audio with LDAC and AAC codec support over Bluetooth 5.2. You also get on-ear controls to adjust volume, skip tracks, answer calls and activate voice assistants. And thanks to modest water resistance, you can use these earbuds to tune into your music while you’re working out and tune out everything else.

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (Gen 2)

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True wireless Bluetooth earbuds with 60ms latency, ANC, and Chroma RGB lighting

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (Gen 2) Bluetooth earbuds are a great choice for gamers, with a visual nod to the inclusion of Razer Chroma RGB. This allows users to personalize their gaming earbuds with 16.8 million colors and various effects. This not only adds a stylish flair but also ensures that users can stand out from the crowd with the ultimate wireless earbud flex.

With an omnidirectional microphone pick-up pattern, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, and a 64dB signal-to-noise ratio, the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (Gen 2) guarantees a clear and immersive audio experience during calls and gameplay. The integration of ANC further enhances the user experience by eliminating unwanted ambient noise, ensuring users can fully immerse themselves in their favorite tunes or games without disruptions.

For gamers, the 60ms Low Latency Gaming Mode is a game-changer. Activating this mode optimizes the earbuds’ performance, providing a seamless and lag-free gaming experience on Bluetooth devices.

Beats Fit Pro

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Wingtips and three different ear tip options ensure a snug fit, while an IPX4 rating means you can wear the earbuds in the rain or during a sweaty gym session.

If you’re looking for a solid pair of earbuds that you can sweat out at the gym with or take along on a jog, then the Beats Fit Pro are for you. These headphones are designed to stay in your ears no matter what you’re doing thanks to wingtips that tuck into your upper ear and three different ear tip options to ensure a snug fit. There’s no need to worry about accidentally knocking one into the dirt during a trail run or interrupting a lifting session to put the device back in your ear. Plus, the IPX4 rating means it’ll hold up great against sweat and rain, just maybe don’t bring the earbuds along for a swim.

Not only are the Beats Fit Pro designed to stay in your ear making them some one of the best earbuds for running, but they also sound great, too. Spatial audio and active noise cancellation are supported, so you’ll be fully immersed in your music no matter the environment you find yourself in. And, the six hours of battery life with ANC on plus 18 additional hours with the compact charging case means these wireless headphones are the perfect travel companion, as well. With on-device controls, you won’t need to worry about taking out your phone to change songs or answer calls, either. The earbuds even rock an Apple H1 chip for hands-free help from Siri.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

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Enjoy Apple’s H2 chip and experience better noise cancellation, crisp audio, and rich bass.

Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro looks the same as its predecessor, but almost everything inside has been re-engineered and runs on the H2 chip to amp up performance. For starters, the active noise cancellation has improved at dampening sounds in your environment, while a new adaptive transparency mode does a solid job at minimizing louder sudden sounds like a plate breaking at a restaurant or a loud siren passing by. The audio on these earbuds is also more dynamic, bringing you a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience, though you still don’t get the support for higher-res audio files.

There’s plenty of other tech going on with these wireless earbuds, including Spatial Audio which uses head tracking to create a sound profile tailored to you. Apple also makes it easy to adjust the media you’re listening to on your iPhone with voice control using “hey, Siri” or tap controls on the earbuds that feature a new swipe functionality to adjust the volume. The AirPods offer good battery life, too, with up to six hours on the buds and another 24 hours in the MagSafe charging case, and that case even has tracking for those prone to misplacing it. These AirPods also charge via USB-C, making them slightly more universal.

Sony WF-1000XM5 – Photos