Wireless earbuds are your best friend, whether you’re on your commute, going for a run, or hitting the gym. A common misconception is that wireless earphones are not going to match the quality of the very best over-the-head headphones. This poor opinion was understandable when connectivity and battery life were issues.
However, both wireless transmission standards and battery technology have improved to the point that they are no longer downsides, making it possible for the average listener to enjoy the benefits of wireless earbuds without experiencing any of the past frustrations.
Of course, all that said, you probably still want to know which brands are best. There are plenty of companies competing for the top spot, including RHA, Jaybird, and big players like Apple.
I put together this review to help you choose the best wireless earphones for your needs. I’ve compiled a list of the best of them below for your quick reference. If you’d like to read a little more just check their reviews below. There’s also a short buyer’s guide at the end.
Best Wireless Earbuds 2022 – Comparison Table
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Contents
- Best Wireless Earbuds 2022 – Comparison Table
- Best Wireless Earbuds 2022
- 1. Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds – Best Overall
- 2. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 – Best for Audiophiles
- 3. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless – Best for commuters
- 4. Apple AirPods Pro – Best for iPhone Users
- 5. Beats PowerBeats Pro – Best for bass audio enthusiasts
- 6. Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 – Best for call quality
- 7. RHA TrueConnect – Best for a balanced sound experience
- 8. Jaybird Vista – Best for exercise
- 9. Jabra Elite 65t – Best for both Android and iPhone users
- 10. headphones – Best for overall sound quality
- Bonus. SENSO Bluetooth Headphones – Extremely budget Friendly
- Earbuds Buyer’s Guide
- Conclusion
- Best Wireless Earbuds Offers
Best Wireless Earbuds 2022
1. Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds
2. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
3. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless
4. Apple AirPods Pro
5. Beats PowerBeats Pro
6. Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2
7. RHA TrueConnect
8. Jaybird Vista
9. Jabra Elite 65t
10. Jabra Elite 75t
1. Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds – Best Overall
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 70 grams
- Drivers: 6mm
- Driver Type: Dome Type
- Onboard Battery Life: 6 hours
- Charging Case Battery Life: 8 hours
- Wireless Range: 30ft or 9 meters
- NFC: Yes
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Noise cancelling is awesome
- Design is sleek and inconspicuous
- Great audio experience
- In-flight noise can be a bit much
- Does not support LDAC
- Not well suited to sports
Review
If this article was all about the design of a model, then the Sony WF-1000XM3 earphones would be the clear winner. They aren’t bulky or dorky and they’re pretty light, fitting very comfortably in the ear. The charging case is smart, has a copper lid, and there are magnets in place to hold the headphones down. The case, as might be expected for cases to true wireless earbuds, also happens to be a rechargeable battery pack for the earbuds, allowing you to extend their practical lifespan.
These earphones are the successors to the Sony WF1000X that launched in 2017. They improve on the predecessor in a number of ways. The noise cancellation and sound quality are better. The comfort is superior, and the fit is tight. The box also comes with a large variety of foam and non-slip rubber covers so you can find whichever fits you most comfortably.
These earbuds have Bluetooth NFC pairing, which is a huge win. They also have the usual audio processing controls that Sony is known for, such as DSEE HX, and support for Google Assistant. You can also do hands-free voice calls.
If you want to be able to make changes to the EQ settings, that’s possible via the app. And of course, they also have physical controls for play/pause and skip. For volume control, however, you’ll have to go through the app. They also have a proximity sensor that lets them know when you wear them and when you take them off. If you take even one off the music will conveniently pause. A Quick Attention mode is also available on the right earbud that allows you to let in ambient sound by touching the earbud.
Unfortunately, these wireless earphones don’t support the LDAC Bluetooth extension from Sony or aptX HD. The audio processor is also only a mere 24-bit, instead of the 32-bit found in their over-ear cousins, the WH-1000XM3 headphones.
When it comes to performance, the 6mm driver does quite well, showing great rhythm and clarity. The soundstage is quite wide and the detail is deep. The mid-range is smooth. The high frequencies are also positively clear and the bass is reasonable, though not very deep.
The noise cancelling feature on the WF-1000MX3 is also pretty good. It’s actually the same noise cancellation engine as the WH-1000XM3, though it’s not directly comparable. That said, the feature works perfectly for daily commutes, with very high noise suppression. In fact, with the Active Noise Cancellation activated, I practically couldn’t hold a conversation with anyone. That said, they don’t do so well in airplane cabins. So ground commutes are probably best.
The battery life of these earbuds takes them way ahead of their competition, even from big name brands such as the Apple AirPods. They will give you 6 hours of playtime when fully charged. Switch noise cancellation off and they’ll go even longer. There’s also a quick charge mode on the charging case, which gives you 90 minutes’ worth of charge after just 10 minutes of charging. A USB-C cable will charge the case to full capacity in 3 hours.
2. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 – Best for Audiophiles
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 9.2 grams
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
- Drivers: 5.8mm
- Driver Type: Dome Type
- Sensitivity: 9.8 dB
- Onboard Battery Life: 12 hours
- Charging Case Battery Life: 9 hours
- Charging Case Battery Life: 36 hours
- NFC: Yes
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Design is quite comfortable
- Audio quality is incredible
- Overall great value for money
- The control buttons are not intuitive
- They don’t feature noise cancellation
Review
These wireless earphones have a very sleek look. Their bullet shape is compact and the charging case slim enough to easily fit in your pocket. There’s an LED band on the outer housing of each earbud to indicate pairing and charging status. That same design is on the charging case, which has 5 LED lights arranged in a row on the front. These LED lights will flash on when you open the lid of the charging case and give you an indication of how much charge is left. The case has a magnetic holder for the buds, which snap satisfyingly into place when you’re not using them.
These earbuds are fairly long and will stick out of your ears when you wear them. I don’t think it’s a bad thing overall, but I did feel a little insecure about the ability of the earbuds to hold on when I was moving around. I was however pleasantly surprised by their firmness. I chose a pair of eartips that fit perfectly into my ear (the case comes with a variety of them to choose from) and provided an excellent seal.
These earbuds weigh 4.6 grams apiece and are very comfortable. They also have an IPX5 rating, which means you can do some light workouts with them as they can withstand a fair amount of sweat.
When it comes to pairing, all you have to do is remove the buds from their case. Be sure to switch on Bluetooth on your device. You will see each of the earbuds appear on the list of available devices. However, you only have to tap on one of them to pair both earphones. The connectivity is top-notch and I certainly didn’t experience any dropouts. These earbuds support Bluetooth 5.0 as well as aptX and AAC codecs, making them the perfect pair of headphones for audiophiles.
The control buttons are in the housing of the earbuds. Pressing and holding the right button turns the volume up while doing the same on the left button turns the volume down. You can also do a bunch of other things, such as pausing/playing your music, skipping tracks, responding to calls, and summoning your device’s voice assistant. If you find the controls a little hard to remember, the earbuds ship with a small cheat sheet of all the controls. It’s about the size of a small card, so you can just throw it in your purse or wallet for reference on the go. My big issue with the buttons is that it’s easy to inadvertently pause/play or do something else with the music when adjusting the earbuds.
The battery life on these earphones is incredible. The buds will give you 9 hours of battery life while the charging case will give another 36. That’s double what you get from the Apple AirPods.
The sound quality is also magical. It’s actually as good as, or better than, a number of over-ear headphones I’ve listened to. The drivers are 5.8mm in length and have graphene diaphragms. Graphene is a strong but flexible material that delivers a more dynamic and clear sound than other materials. If what you’re looking for is clarity, you’ll get loads of that with the Cambridge Melomania 1s. The bass is warm, without overpowering, the mids clear, and the highs fresh.
3. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless – Best for commuters
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 72.6 grams
- Frequency Response: 5Hz to 21 kHz
- Drivers: 7mm
- Driver Type: Beryllium
- Battery Life: 4 hours
- Charging Case Battery Life: 12 hours
- NFC: No
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Sound is strong with wide range
- Very sleek design
- Case comes with enough charge for 2 full cycles
- Volume control isn’t very precise
- The fit isn’t very comfortable
Review
These earbuds are the smallest offered by Sennheiser yet, right after they completely got rid of the neck cable on the Sennheiser Momentum Free model. The driver on these is also 7mm long. That said, there are a lot of classic design elements of the Momentum line that are still present in these earbuds. The detailing is silver and the carrying case has magnetic points made of gold. These are the points that allow the earphones to sit securely in the carrying case.
While we’re on the topic of the carrying case, it’s interesting to note that it has a full charge for each earbud. That leaves you with a total of 12 hours of charge. The carry case is also quite practical and makes for good charging while in transit.
The material of choice here is silicone, which means that they’re quite lightweight. They also easily fit in your ear and are comfortable, so long as you’re not moving around a lot. There are 3 sizes for the ear tips, which allows you to find the right fit for you.
That said, these earphones are really made for the commuter. They are not made for heavy exercise. They will easily stay put on your ears when you aren’t engaged in vigorous physical activity, but I wouldn’t be too sure about going on a run with them. These things get lost easily.
I love the controls. They are touch controlled and highly intuitive. A tap on the left earbud will pause or play your music. To skip a track you tap twice. To turn the volume up you hold your finger on the right earbud and to turn it down you hold it on the left earbud. Overall, it’s a great replacement for the neck cable and works surprisingly well. That said, I would have loved it if they could make the volume control a little more precise. It’s hard to tell just how long I should hold the earbud to turn the volume up or down by the right amount. That said, the hands-free functionality is excellent. You can access your phone’s voice assistant by tapping the right earbud. From there you can control much of the rest with your voice.
As far as the performance is concerned, I love the audio range. The 7mm driver certainly does not disappoint. Strictly speaking, the lower end of the range isn’t as crispy as it should be, limiting the range of the sound stage at that end of the frequency spectrum. However, the mid and high frequency sounds are perfectly clear and you can hear the vocals and instrumentals perfectly.
The Sennheiser also features Transparent Hearing, which allows you to remain aware of what’s happening in your surroundings. The earbuds record the ambient sounds and play them back into your ears in such a way that it blends well with your music but still keeps you alert to whatever is going on around you. That said, I felt like it might be a bit of overkill since these earbuds don’t have such effective noise isolation that you wouldn’t be able to hear anything going on in your environment in the first place. Anyway, even though the feature doesn’t make so much of a difference, it’s still pretty cool in action.
4. Apple AirPods Pro – Best for iPhone Users
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 5.4 grams
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Onboard Battery Life: 5 hours
- Charging Case Battery Life: 24 hours
- NFC: Yes
- OS Support: iOS
- Noise cancellation is great
- Health tracking is awesome
- They fit comfortably
- A little on the pricey side
- Fit isn’t tight enough for workouts
- They use a USB-C charging cable
Review
The Apple AirPods Pro are just as Apple as other Apple devices. As soon as you open the case, they connect to your iPhone. You’ll be better able to take full advantage of them if you upgrade to iOS 13.2 or higher though. With that, you should have icons for the AirPods, as well as the ability to control noise cancellation from your phone.
Once you’ve switched the AirPods Pro earbuds on they should connect automatically to any Apple device that is linked to your iCloud account. They will also tell you if the tips you’ve chosen are the right size for your ear. You get 3 sizes when you buy the AirPods: small, medium, and large. It’s important that you get a tight seal with the tips you choose so that you get the right amount of noise cancellation and sound isolation. It also helps the sound quality you get through the earphones.
The AirPods will play a bit of music and an internal microphone will assess whether the sound is as expected. If you’ve got the right fit the Bluetooth settings will tell you in large green letters. The AirPods can even tell when sound is leaking out, such as when the earbuds begin to dangle out. The ear tips themselves aren’t silicone buds that you wiggle onto and off the earbuds. They neatly click into place. Overall this gives the AirPods Pro a very premium feel. That said, the ear tips are pretty expensive to replace at $4 apiece. They also require more than a bit of force to remove as they don’t instantly snap off.
The AirPods Pro are very light. As soon as I got them into my ears I could hardly feel they were there. That’s a good thing for comfort, of course. But it’s also a bad thing because it means I could easily lose one and be clueless about it if there wasn’t any music playing. They also have shorter stems than their predecessors, the AirPods 2, which means touch control is a little less comfortable with these. They have a capacitive force sensor which you squeeze to activate such features as the Transparency mode and to pause and skip tracks. It was a little hard for me to get used to at first, but eventually it became more intuitive. I still would have preferred haptic feedback, such as in the form of a click, at least so I could know when I had pressed something. Nothing wrong with a little confirmation. That said, there isn’t a way to control the volume from the AirPods. You’ll have to do that with your phone.
The AirPods also feature an optical sensor and an accelerometer, which allow the bud to sense when you remove them or put them on so they can start and stop music automatically.
To be sure, the AirPods Pro are much tighter fitting than their predecessors, the AirPods 2, and they’re also IPX4 water resistant, which means you don’t have to worry about rain or sweat affecting them.
The bass and vocals on the AirPods Pro are definitely way better than on the AirPods 2. Sure, they won’t give you the kind of quality you would expect from really good headphones, but they were really good for earbuds. Much of the greatly improved sound quality is because of all the noise cancellation going on in the background. You can turn it on the capacitive sensor on your AirPods or on your phone. There are also microphones in the earbuds that analyze both the internal and external sound.
There’s also the Transparency mode in the AirPods, which causes the earbuds to filter through ambient noise so you know what’s going on in the world around you. It’s very well engineered. The sound isn’t suddenly dumped into your ears, but rather gently fades slowly in and out.
Having a conversation with the AirPods on is a little difficult with noise cancellation activated. This is because the microphones aren’t very sensitive in this mode. Instead, you’ll have to switch on Transparency mode. It’s a great experience for sure, but it’s still not entirely as good as having your phone held to your ear.
The AirPods also feature hearing health. They send the volume levels from your Apple device and tell you if the levels are healthy for your ears.
The charging case holds about 24 hours of battery life in total. Each AirPod gives you 5 hours of listening when fully charged. Note that you will get less than this if you have things like Transparency mode and noise cancellation switched on. 5 minutes of charging should give you about an hour of battery life.
What I didn’t like was the fact that the charging case doesn’t really tell you how much charge it has left. It’s only ever green or red. You can only check the leftover power on your iPhone.
The charging cable in the case is a USB-C-to-Lightning cable and isn’t very useful unless you have a new Macbook or iPhone 11 Pro. You should therefore either already have a lightning cable lying around or spend more money buying one. Or alternatively you can buy the wireless charging case.
5. Beats PowerBeats Pro – Best for bass audio enthusiasts
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
- Case Battery Life: 25 Hours
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Pairs easily with iOS
- The fit is very comfortable and firm
- The sound is excellent
- Bulky case
- Noise isolation not so good
Review
The first thing that struck me about the PowerBeats Pro was the design. The look is certainly sporty enough for those who want something to wear when they’re exercising, but it’s also sleek enough that you can confidently wear them in other contexts.
Each earbud has a button to control playback in the center, right on the Beats logo. There’s also a rocker for volume. The redundancy means you can control your music with either hand. You could also use Siri if you wanted, of course.
The PowerBeats Pro earbuds are also very comfortable. They fit in your ear well, but they also feel great when the music is playing. This is in contrast to the kind of pressure you feel in your ear with many other true wireless earphones. That pressure is all but absent in the PowerBeats. Apple claims that it’s because of a ‘micro-laser barometric venting hole.’ I say it’s because of good design.
These earbuds come with 4 options for the ear tips and have a narrow nozzle, which helps further to give a tight seal when you wear them.
One thing that I personally found to be an issue was that the PowerBeats have a hard time maintaining a low profile when I wear them. They jut out, unlike the Apple AirPods, which makes them a bit uncomfortable if, for example, I want to wear them to bed. The PowerBeats also come with a bulky case, which can be a bit difficult to carry in your pocket, such as when you’re going to the gym. It sort of forces you to carry the case in your bag or keep it in your locker. It’s definitely not ideal for those who want to listen to music on the PowerBeats in the office.
Perhaps a counterpoint to the above issue is the fact that these earbuds have a battery life of 9 hours and are capable of storing 2 full charges in the carrying case. That all adds up to 24+ hours of battery life. The downside is that they don’t offer wireless charging, so keep your lighting cable handy.
Just like the AirPods, the PowerBeats Pro will quickly pair with the Apple devices registered on your iCloud as soon as you open the case. A few touches will then sync your device. From then on opening the case will show you the charge left on your device.
The good news is the PowerBeats will work with any device, even if it doesn’t run on iOS. Just hold the pairing button found in the case and select the earbuds on your device. That said, you will still get faster pairing times on iOS devices because of the H1 Wireless Chip, just like the one on the AirPods. Siri also allows you to send texts and pick calls without ever touching your phone.
As far as performance is concerned, the PowerBeats do very well. They sound great, whether you’re in a noisy gym working out or in a quiet place. As might be expected of a Beats product, the bass is very strong, but it’s not that pronounced here. They have also put in a lot of effort into boosting the highs and mids. As a result, the music is just energetic enough for music and just mellow enough for movies. That said, while I found it lovely, I’m not sure you’ll have the same sentiments. It’s all very subjective, of course, so you’ll have to judge it for yourself. For me, it was magical.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to control the EQ settings. You can’t set the lows, mids, or highs as you want them, and the PowerBeats don’t offer the noise cancellation feature. They’re also not very good at sound isolation. You’re therefore going to have to play your music loud if you want to be shut out from the world around you.
Another issue I had with the PowerBeats Pro is that they only have an IPX4 rating (splash resistant). Sure, they can take a slight splash of water, or a bit of sweat, but they’re not properly waterproof. Keep them as far away as you can from pools and beach parties.
6. Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 – Best for call quality
- Acoustic Design: open
- Weight: 22 grams
- Battery Life: 7 hours
- Range: 33 feet or 10 meters
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Call quality is perfect
- Features both USB charging and wireless charging
- The battery life is impressive
- No active noise cancellation
- The sound might be a little too rich for some
Review
The Anker Soundcore are quite the mixed bag. They don’t have active noise cancellation like the Apple AirPods Pro, which means they struggle to filter out ambient noises. They also don’t have a transparency mode that lets you hear ambient sounds when it suits you. They do, however, have noise isolation, which works as long as the tight seal is present (so, if you’re wearing the right-fitting eartips).
They do have a compact charging case that fits perfectly in a pocket. They also have wireless charging, which is a huge win for them, and USB-C charging as well, which makes for very fast charging. They also have a matte finish on the charging case and earbuds, which gives them a very slick look.
The sound is pretty decent and will impress many of the audiophiles who feel underwhelmed by the majority of true wireless earphones on the market. All it takes is a little tweak through the settings on the app. That said, I found the treble rather bright. This works well with some sounds but not so well with others. Compare it with the AirPods Pro, which are more laid back and have a greater emphasis on the bass, giving them a more general appeal. I had to turn off the “Treble Reducer” on the app to take some of that edge off.
On to more good news: the call quality is excellent. These earbuds come with four microphones, which are two more than the two that came in their predecessor, the Liberty Air. You can use the buds independently of each other while making calls, opting to either work with both of them or just one in the ear at a time. The microphones certainly improve the noise reduction and give calls better sound quality. The only unfortunate thing is that they don’t have a sidetone feature, which is pretty common in other premium true wireless earbuds. It always feels more natural when you can hear your own voice in your ears as you make a call with true wireless earphones.
As for the controls, I found them intuitive. They are touch sensitive and can be programmed from the Soundcore app. For example, volume could be set to tap and hold on either ear. I had the left ear lowering the volume and the right one raising it. Double tapping the touch controls can skip tracks forward and back. Just be sure to tap on the right spot or you won’t get a response.
There were quite a few bugs related to firmware. Sometimes I had to retry with the app several times for it to link up with the buds. Sometimes, when taking one bud out of my ear, the music would pause. However, the music wouldn’t resume upon putting the bud back in its place. I would have to put the buds back in the charging case and then return them to my ears for them to work. These bugs need a firmware update. I hope Anker handle it soon.
The Anker Liberty Air 2 have a battery life of 7 hours, which is pretty impressive by true wireless earbuds standards. They also have an IPX5 rating. That means they can survive heavy sprays of water and dust, but they’re not 100% waterproof. Still, they can easily handle the gym and running just fine.
7. RHA TrueConnect – Best for a balanced sound experience
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 13 grams
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
- Drivers: 6mm
- Driver Type: dynamic
- Battery Life: 25 hours with case
- Wireless Range: 10 meters or 33 feet
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- The wireless connection is reliable
- The build quality is excellent
- The sound is detailed and balanced
- The buttons are a little mushy
- Not much control over finer sound settings
- The earbuds get imprinted with fingerprints too easily
Review
The design of the RHA TrueConnect is best described as understated. Everything is matte black and the earbuds and earbud case are all coated in rubber, making them especially warm when you wear them. It’s a nice and comfortable feeling!
You can activate all of the controls via one button found on each earbud. That means you can play and pause with either earbud. However, playback can only be controlled from the left while volume can only be controlled from the right. To increase volume by a unit, you double press the button on the right earbud. To lower the volume you triple press it. It’s not the most intuitive format but I got used to it quickly enough.
As for the case, it has a swivel design and is well built with PVD-coated aluminum. It also has a USB-C charging port on the bottom, meaning the earphones are probably going to charge faster than if it had a microUSB port.
As for performance, the strength on these earbuds is remarkable. They connect with my phone almost as soon as I switch my Bluetooth on and I have never experienced a single dropout.
Their sound quality was also quite impressive. I didn’t hear any hiss, which I’ve heard with a few other true wireless earbuds. The tone was also well balanced. The bass wasn’t overbearing, yet remained deep, and the mids had good texture. The highs didn’t suffer from sibilance at all.
The battery life was also remarkable. The earbuds themselves will give you 5 hours of playtime. With the case, you get another 20 hours, adding up to 25 hours of playtime. With the USB-C charging, you can easily top off the charge in no time.
8. Jaybird Vista – Best for exercise
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 13 grams
- Battery Life: 16 hours with charging case
- Range: 33 feet or 10 meters
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- They’re pretty lightweight and have a comfortable fit
- They sound quality is excellent
- They are completely waterproof
- They have a 6-hour battery life between charges
- The charging case carried little charge, compared to other charging cases
- They don’t have transparency mode for ambient sound to filter in
Review
There were quite a few things I liked about the Jaybird Vista earbuds. For starters, I liked the secure fit they had in my ears. For me, they were both light and tight. In-ear earphones, however, don’t fit everyone perfectly, since ears come in all shapes and sizes, but these are definitely a little more universal than the 65t model.
I also liked the charging case, which was quite small and compact, fitting in my pocket with no issues at all. It has a USB-C charging port on the bottom, which allows for fast charging. 5 minutes of charge will give you about 1 hour’s worth of playback. That is the least they can do, considering the fact that the charging case only delivers 10 hours of charge, which is less than what you get with the predecessor and a lot of other true wireless earphones. On the flip side, the earbuds themselves can play for up to 6 hours between charges, which is pretty good.
The sound quality is certainly good, and the tight seal offered by these earbuds ensures great noise cancellation. The bass is well-defined, as is the treble, though there is miniscule sibilance in the highs. While the sound isn’t on the same level as what you would get from, say, a Sony WF-1000XM3, it is still right up there with the better sounding earphones.
The earbuds themselves are quite durable with an IPX7 rating. That means they are completely waterproof. You can submerge them in water at 1 unit of atmospheric pressure for 30 minutes without having to worry about them. That makes them perfect for exercising.
They use Bluetooth 5.0, which is good for the battery life and also improves the connectivity. I didn’t experience any audio dropouts or syncing problems while watching videos.
As for playback control, there are physical buttons on the earbuds. You will have to program the buttons in the app that comes with the earbuds. Once you program the volume buttons, all you have to do to raise the volume is press and hold the right earbud. To lower the volume, press and hold the left earbud.
9. Jabra Elite 65t – Best for both Android and iPhone users
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
- Driver Type: dynamic
- Battery Life: 15 hours with charging case
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Audio quality is incredible
- Call quality is impressive
- Small and comfortable
- You have to pay more for the upgraded model to get sweat resistance
- The noise isolation might not be for everyone.
Review
I like the design on these earbuds which, among other things, are refined and comfortable. They are the successors to the Jabra Elite Sport, and so there were some changes made to make them superior. For starters they took out the heart rate monitor. This may seem like a bad thing, but it allowed Jabra to improve the quality of the sound and battery life of the buds – up to 5 hours from 4.5 on its predecessor. The charging case in turn delivers two full charges, bringing the total play time to 15 hours.
The earphones come with three differently sized pairs of eartips so you can find the right fit. Once you find the right size, they fit pretty tightly. This might be uncomfortable for some ears at first, but you get used to the tight fit after a while. I know I did. Plus it’s necessary for the noise cancellation to work.
The Jabra Elite 65t has an IP55 rating, which makes it resistant to splash and dust. However, for resistance to saltwater, which includes your sweat, you’ll have to pay an extra $20 for the Elite Active 65t, which has an IP56 rating. I personally didn’t see the point of that. Why not just put it all in one earbud?
The noise isolation is really good. The earbuds passively seal the ambient sounds and give you an immersive listening experience. There’s also a HearThrough feature available in the Jabra Sound+ app that allows you to decide how much of the ambient sound you want to let in. The app also has an equalizer that gives you more control over the sound profile of the earphones.
To pause and play music automatically, simply pull an earbud out of your ear. This will automatically pause whatever’s playing. It will resume as soon as you put the earbud back in. To skip forward tracks, press and hold the volume buttons until you hear a beep, then let the button go. The volume up button skips a track forward while the volume down button skips it backward.
Another cool thing about the Jabra Elite 65t is that you can choose which voice assistant to use. For the iOS you can choose between Siri and Alexa. For Android phones you can choose Google Assistant. The headphones are really good at this, since they have 2 microphones in each earbud. That also makes them perfect for making calls, giving you unrivalled quality. The app also offers a sidetone feature that you can toggle on or off. It allows you to hear your own voice during calls.
Playback is high quality in these earphones, with no audio dropout and no lip syncing issues. They paired with my iPhone X almost as fast as the AirPods. They also paired with a MacBook Air and worked just fine, despite the company saying they’re not made to perform especially well with computers. While paired, the sound quality was also great. The bass was well defined, the mids mellow, and the high not shrill at all.
10. headphones – Best for overall sound quality
- Acoustic Design: closed
- Weight: 15 grams
- Battery Life: 7.5 hours without case and 28 hours with case
- Range: 33 feet or 10 meters
- OS Support: Android/iOS
- Has great sound quality, actually sounds better than AirPods Pro
- Earbuds are comfortable and fit firmly
- Battery life of 7.5 hours (without case) is pretty impressive
- It could do better with wireless charging
- The call quality isn’t as good as what you get with Apple products
Review
When the Jabra Elite 65t first came out, it was a hit. The Jabra Elite 75t had the sole purpose of improving on that platform. I think, for the most part, the model succeeded. The idea behind it was to make it smaller while extending the battery life. Some people complained that the Elite 65t earbuds were too large for their ears, which compromised the firm fit of the earphones. I personally didn’t experience this, but then again, my ears aren’t exactly the smallest. At any rate, the new Elite 75t earbuds fit perfectly for me, just like the 65t did, and I hear they fit well for most other people as well. The result is that the seal is tighter and the bass delivered is of a superior quality. True enough, the sound quality on these earbuds is pretty good for true wireless earbuds. I daresay even better than what you get on the AirPods Pro.
The charging case is also smaller than the one that came with the 65t earbuds and has magnetic pins that hold the earbuds in place, not to mention a USB-C charging port for fast charging. Jabra has also announced that they will be releasing a premium model later on with a wireless charging feature.
The microphones have been moved around a bit. There are microphones at the front and back of each earbud, as opposed to being in the same place like they were in the predecessor. This has significantly improved call quality, though it still seems to lag behind the likes of the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 and the Apple AirPods Pro.
While the predecessor allowed you to remove either earbud to pause music, these go a step further: if you remove the left earbud, the right one can still go on with mono playback. All you have to do is press the multifunction button to activate it. As for the volume and playback, you can use the buttons on the right and left earbud. Pressing and holding the right earbud steps up the volume while pressing and holding the left earbud steps down the volume.
The earbuds run on Bluetooth 5.0, which really helps the connectivity and also improves battery life. The batteries last for 7.5 hours, with the charging case holding an additional 20.5 hours of charge. That’s really good by true wireless earbud standards.
The IP55 rating is about the same as the 65t, which means it may be splash and dust resistant, but you may have to be careful about prolonged sweating with these earbuds on.
These earbuds feature the same noise cancellation technology as their predecessor. They also have a HearThrough transparency feature, just like the 65t, which allows ambient sounds to trickle in. In fact, if you press the left earbud shortly, or choose to pause the music in the app, you should be able to talk to anyone who walks up to you without taking out your phone. A tap of the left earbud is all it takes.
The app also allows you to play around with the EQ settings and choose which voice assistant to use. You can choose between Amazon Alexa and your native voice assistant, though you have to press a button to do so, a stark contrast to saying “Hey, Siri” on the AirPods Pro. That said, these earbuds are fantastic and are definitely making Jabra a more prominent player on the wireless earbud market scene.
Bonus. SENSO Bluetooth Headphones – Extremely budget Friendly
Bonus! Here, we are going to include something unconventional. 10Beast readers have complained that we always look at high-end stuff and forget to include some budget-friendly high-value products.
So, we decided to listen and look at the budget-friendly SENSO Bluetooth Headphones.
The good thing about these earphones is that they don’t cost a lot.
The headphones come with a nice carrying case, and you get three different size ear tips. If you are worried about the fit, the earphones do have soft textured flexible ear clips on both sides to make the fit easier to control.
Senso was kind enough to provide a small car charger for these earbuds. Although this is unusual, we hope more companies adopt this trend.
As for the sound quality and overall performance, we had a lot of doubts. Every other budget-friendly earphones we reviewed was simply not good enough.
As for Senso earphones, the good thing is that they can deliver actual high-fidelity sound quality. Sure, you’re not going to get the same performance you get from high-end earphones, but for the price you pay, what you’re getting is more than enough.
Another good thing about this product is that these earphones come with an IPX7 rating. This means you can sweat as much as you want, shower, or take a swim – your earbuds are protected against immersion up to a depth of 1 meter (for up to 30 minutes).
- Sound perfect for the price you pay.
- Earphones come packed with a lot of accessories.
- They have an IPX7 rating and can play Hi-Fi audio files.
- Comfortable for long periods of usage.
- The noise cancellation works well.
- The earpieces are a bit too big for our liking.
Earbuds Buyer’s Guide
There are mainly two types of earbuds. Those that still have a cord connecting the earbuds to each other are simply known as wireless earbuds. Those that do not have any cords whatsoever are known as true wireless earbuds. Technology seems to favour moving in a direction with fewer and fewer wires over time. Most of the products reviewed in this article are the first kind, with just one falling under the true wireless category. I felt like true wireless earbuds would probably need their own separate review, which I might do in the future. For now, let’s look at the things you should consider when buying yourself wireless earbuds.
The Quality of the Sound
This is arguably the most important feature you should be looking at. It just so happens that many manufacturers seem to put sound quality considerations on the backburner when designing their wires earbuds. That is why, on average, wired headphones seem to perform better. It’s not that wired headphones have better technology; it’s just that manufacturers are so focused on creating resilient, comfortable, and waterproof earbuds that they forget the most important thing in these earbuds: sound.
There are a variety of things that influence the quality of the sound. The most important, perhaps, is the supported codec. Codecs are compression algorithms that compress sound data for faster transmission. There are many of them, with the best and most popular being AAC, Standard Bluetooth, and aptX.
The Standard Bluetooth codec is pretty common stereo Bluetooth headphones and will give decent audio quality without requiring too much processing power. The downside is that there can sometimes be inconsistencies which degrade the audio quality. AAC and aptX are superior codecs and will provide better sounds. In fact, aptX has the aptX HD and aptX LL variants, which are even better than base aptX. The major downside with advanced codecs is that there are some devices that do not support them. Before buying a pair of wireless earphones, check that your phone supports the codec used.
The Battery Life
Nobody wants a pair of earbuds that don’t play for long without needing a recharge. Battery life matters a lot as a result. No matter how good the earphones, it doesn’t matter if the battery life isn’t great, seeing as everything dies when the battery dies.
When it comes to battery life, there are 3 important things to consider. First, there is the play time, which is how long you can play music on a single charge. There is also a standby time, which is how long the earbud can stay on without playing anything. There is also the charging time, which is how long it takes to charge the battery. Most earphones will have a play time of 7 or more hours. This is typically good enough for a full day of listening to music or audiobooks. However, it can be greatly reduced depending on how often you make calls, use fitness tracking features, and so on. Luckily, most earbuds will also come with a charging case that you can carry with you to charge them and extend their life, such as when you’re on a commute. That said, make sure you check the battery life to see if it’s something you’re comfortable with.
Comfort and Stability
The last thing you want is a pair of earphones that keep falling off. You also want them to be comfortable enough that you can wear them in your ears for long durations without feeling irritated or uncomfortable. It is therefore important that you consider the fit and comfort that the earbuds afford. Some are designed to fit naturally into the lines of the ear while others have wings to hold onto the pinna of the ear and stay in place. The most secure are those with ear wings and these are generally preferred by runners and people who go to the gym a lot.
User Friendliness
When it comes to software, wireless earphones vary a lot. Many of them are simple enough in that all you have to do is pair them and you’re good to go. Others have apps that augment their function. Some of these apps are quite intuitive while others can have a bit of a learning curve, leaving you to wonder why the designers didn’t put more of that time into improving the sound quality, rather than making complicated software. At any rate, make sure you go for a pair of headphones with just the right kind of user-friendliness for you, complicated software or not.
Earbud Form
The form of the earbuds is yet another important factor to consider. Some earphones are truly wireless while others have a bit of wiring, which makes them a little less wireless. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. True wireless earbuds are great for those who are future oriented and want to be completely free of wires. However, you have to contend with earbuds that are easy to lose and a higher price. Not to mention their battery life is weaker. Wireless earbuds, on the other hand, are harder to lose and have longer battery life, but they get tangled more easily. It’s important to choose what works for you.
Your Own Lifestyle
Your own lifestyle also matters. You need to know what you’ll be doing most of the time while you have your earbuds on. If you’ll be exercising a lot, then you’ll want earbuds which are built for that. If you want something for your daily commute, then noise cancellation and audio quality will obviously matter a lot. If sweat and water are something you would like your earbuds to withstand, then you should factor that in as well. The best criteria, by far, for choosing the best wireless earbuds for yourself is your lifestyle.
Conclusion
And with that we come to the end of the review. Hopefully, you feel better prepared to select the right earbuds for yourself or as a gift. I just want you to enjoy the experience of finding the right earbuds as much as I did trying many of these wireless earbuds on. Happy shopping!
Best Wireless Earbuds Offers
Last update on 2023-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Rowkins are better
We have also been avoiding radioactive waves, i hope this is also taken care of
If you’re looking for a well priced earbud with really nice sound quality and other cool features, go for Rowkin.
You should also check out the H2T. Remote battery, active noise cancelling, multiple sizes of buds, and they are pretty small/portable.
I have used some locals but Plantronics Back Beat Go 2 is seems good by reviews and design is also awesome.
Sincerely speakin’..I’m not china product pro..but check this spec bro:…1)NFC ready 2)able connect 2 phones at one, receivein’ call 3) 4.1bluetooth 4)IPX4 5)aptX 6) 8hr play, talk time 7)auto off 8)Hi fidely sound quality 9)2hrs fast usb chargin’ 10)multismart button 11)…just 10USD..hehe Hong Kong originated!!…ops it’s awei A885BL
I went through your article and I bought Jaybird x3 Sports headphone for myself. I am pretty confused to select a good phone under Rs25000. Can you please check Best phones under 25000 and help guy like me.
Thank You
Marque Lewon
Edward, your reviews are great.. really liked them….. Came to this site after reading a lot of success stories. I am a researcher by profession and wants to start my own affiliate site one day. But this has been a dream for last 4 years. I think its time that i start the action. You are among a few ones who inspire people like us.
Regards,
Ans