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One of the critical features of the best wireless earbuds is the ability to jump on a call regardless of whether you can physically reach your phone. Many also come with active noise cancellation (ANC) so that ambient noise does not distract you from the person you’re talking to when you're on that call. Plus, algorithms are often used on your voice to reduce that ambient noise, so you're also heard clearer.
These cheap Skullcandy earbuds are over half price in this Black Friday weekend deal
Enjoy the convenience of ANC and true wireless audio fused in a fashionable package
Skullcandy has made a name for itself selling some of the most fashionable headphones on the market, often at a slightly steep price. The brand's Indy ANC earbuds offer everything one could ask of true wireless earbuds — five hours of battery life which extends to 19 hours with the charging case with active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on, and a stylish design with ear gels for a secure fit. The Skullcandy Indy has a $130 MSRP, but it is down to an all-time low price of $50 this Black Friday. We've previously seen them around the $70 mark, but this is the absolute lowest price so far.
Audio-Technica's new earbuds offer the cleanest audio experience yet
Coming with an auto-sterilizing feature
It has been two years since flagship audio brand Audio-Technica launched its first true-wireless earbuds with active noise cancelation (ANC). The brand has an established reputation for top-notch audio and a price to match. The brand’s latest true-wireless earbuds — the ATH-TWX9 — promise to deliver the quality we know the brand for, but it has one feature setting it apart from similarly priced rivals. So far, there's no word on a U.S. release for these headphones but they're on sale in other markets from today.
The Edifier W240TNs have a very plain bullet-style earbud design, but the hardware tucked away inside is much less run-of-the-mill. Rather than a single speaker driver, Edifier has opted for a 6mm and 10mm coaxial driver combo. Multiple drivers are less surprising in wired in-ear monitors, and this same coaxial arrangement is common with automotive speakers.
Nothing teases its next earphones, the Ear Stick
The company showcased the design of the charging case at the London Fashion Show
Nothing managed to make quite a name for itself with its first pair of wireless earbuds last year—the Nothing ear 1. That's no small feat, given how crowded the cheap wireless earphones market is. The earbuds stood out with their transparent design, giving them a distinctive design. Building on the success of the Ear 1, the young company launched the Nothing Phone 1 this year, with a similar transparent back design. Nothing is now preparing to launch its third product and second pair of wireless earbuds, which it first teased in mid-September. Dubbed the Ear stick, the company revealed the design of its carrying case at the London Fashion Week.
The Sennheiser CX Plus Special Edition earbuds are a bargain at $100 during Prime Day
Audiophile-tier earbuds for nearly half off
There’s no shortage of excellent true wireless earbuds on the market. However, very few of them aim to appease the sensibilities of the audiophile crowd, and fewer still have a price tag that could be called affordable. The Sennheiser’s CX Plus True Wireless Special Edition is one of the few that strikes a balance between high-quality neutral audio while also staying well below the $200 mark. They already ranked as one of the best wireless earbuds of 2022 with their original $180 retail price, but you can get them for just $100 during Prime Day.
OnePlus Nord Buds review: A better value than OnePlus phones
These deserve to sell for more than the $39 price tag
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OnePlus has proven it's a force to be reckoned with in wireless earbuds. It offers capable audio products from the budget-friendly Buds Z through to the high-end Buds Pro. The company recently launched its first set of earbuds under the even more budget-oriented Nord brand, previously known only for phones. Like the Nord phones, these earbuds offer more value than the rest of OP's lineup, but there are some compromises. No surprise with the very approachable $39 price tag, but these buds strike a great balance between quality and cost.
The Pixel Buds Pro's best feature has nothing to do with ANC
Gesture controls give Google's newest earbuds the winning edge
Of all the hardware announced at Google I/O, far and away the most exciting product wasn't the Pixel Watch we've waited almost half a decade for; it was the Pixel Buds Pro. The Pixel Buds (2020) were amazing buds ruined by horrendous connection issues, but they nailed gesture controls better than anyone before — or since. And while the Pixel Buds A-series fixed the connectivity, they also lost the wireless charging and those gesture controls.
Jabra Elite 4 Active review: Ideal workout buds on a budget
These durable earbuds can ride around in your gym bag for weeks between recharges
When looking for a pair of great truly wireless earbuds for the gym, you need something durable that also sounds good while blocking out all the racket. With that in mind, Jabra has done an excellent job with the Elite 4 Active earbuds. These aren’t the most attractive earbuds, but the price is very reasonable for the comfortable fit and IP57 rating you get. The Elite 4 Active buds also feature the latest Bluetooth 5.2, so these buds should last you quite a while in your workout bag. On top of all that, the active noise canceling is quite good, something you don’t always get at the $120 price point.
Sony LinkBuds review: Uniquely inadequate
Points for creativity, but the LinkBuds are little more than an experiment
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You've no doubt seen plenty of true wireless earbuds in recent years—they've expanded from a niche luxury product to an omnipresent smartphone accessory. You've never seen anything quite like the Sony LinkBuds, though. These TWEs eschew the traditional closed-ear design for a radical ring-shaped driver, keeping you in touch with the outside world while you're listening to tunes. Sony actually hopes people will just wear their LinkBuds around all day like AirPods, and the LinkBuds have several innovative features aimed at making this experience better. However, the LinkBuds don't work as well as I'd hoped, and the price tag is high for a device that has such a narrow use case.
Oddict Twig Pro review: Lossless Bluetooth is here at last
Your phone probably isn't ready for it, though
With the recent focus on hi-res and lossless audio by nearly every music streaming service, the Bluetooth in your average earbuds is not up to the challenge. Only the latest standards can handle these larger files with newer codecs capable of higher bandwidth. The latest one of these to hit the market is Qualcomm’s update to aptX Adaptive, known as aptX Lossless. Qualcomm makes it easy to identify these products at a glance with a “Snapdragon Sound” badge on the box. The Oddict Twig Pro earbuds are one of the first devices to bear the badge outside of the $1,500 Snapdragon Insider bundle, which included a modified set of Master and Dynamic’s $300 MW08 earbuds. While the Oddict Twig Pro aren’t cheap at $150, the combination of Airpods Pro-like features and great sound quality do a lot to justify the price tag.
Jlab has been making earbuds for a while now, and they all seem to have one thing in common: They’re all cheap as hell. Cheap doesn’t always mean a bad experience, but neither does it guarantee a good value. At just $20, the GO Air Pop buds are some of the cheapest on the market, but I’ve heard worse that cost more. They aren’t great, but since they can practically be bought with pocket change, they don't have to perform miracles to get a pass. While they clearly aren’t for audiophiles, they do okay if you don't want to invest heavily in earbuds you plan to use and abuse.
Sounds like Google's got some big audio plans for 2022
At least if its recent acquisitions are anything to go by
In the years since nearly every phone manufacturer decided to retire the 3.5mm headphone jack, wireless audio technology has become more important than ever before. That's likely why we've seen every Android company under the sun put out new headphones year after year — and Google is no exception. Based on some recent acquisitions, it seems like there might be some big plans on the horizon for the future of the Pixel Buds lineup.
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As a staple of the audio industry, a certain level of quality is expected from Sony headphones. Fortunately, the Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds deliver, making them an attractive option for budget shoppers who can’t quite justify the flagship WF-1000XM4s. The sound quality is surprisingly good for just $99.99, and the durable case makes you feel like they might actually last longer than a few months. Plus, the device offers a common option to connect to an app, which allows you to really dig into how you want your headphones set up.
Sony announces loopy LinkBuds, hopes you'll never take them off
True wireless earbuds with a "transparent" design
Try as it might, Sony wasn't able to keep the wraps on its latest audio product. The newly official LinkBuds are just too strange-looking to remain a secret, but now they're official. These $180 ring-shaped buds are intended to help you listen to the audio of your choosing without completely missing out on the real world. Sony is so confident these holey earbuds will help you stay connected that it thinks you should wear them all the time.
Moto Buds-S ANC review: AirPods clones worth your consideration
Clear sound and decent noise-canceling, all at a competitive price
Motorola Sound has a budding lineup of true wireless earbuds, largely in the budget end of the spectrum, making the new Buds-S ANC their most expensive set to date. With features like active noise-canceling, an IPX5 rating, wireless charging, and 6 hours of active noise-canceling before you need to pop them back into the case, it’s clear that Motorola Sound wants the Buds-S to compete with the Apples and Samsungs of the world. Is trading blows on paper like this enough, though?
OnePlus Buds Pro update lets you seamlessly switch between two Bluetooth devices
Who knew this would be so useful?
Wireless earbuds are all sorts of awesome, and for many of us the biggest problem (besides keeping them charged) is that we just want to use them with so much stuff. Between our phones, gaming consoles, computers, and TVs, the ability to easily connect earbuds to more than one device is increasingly a must-have feature instead of a cool gimmick. Now, four months after their launch, OnePlus is enabling Dual Connection for its Buds Pro headphones.
Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro review: These earbuds are a big deal
Anker's new earbuds do almost everything right
Soundcore’s excellent Liberty 3 Pro headphones are flawed, sure, but they’re among the best wireless earbuds I’ve used in the past few years.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 are our 2021 wireless earbuds of the year
Sony's small earbuds are a huge upgrade
We've reviewed a lot of true wireless earbuds this past year, and one thing is clear: cheap earbuds are getting good. However, expensive earbuds are also improving. Case in point, the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds. These buds retail for $280, but you get what you pay for. I'm still going back to the XM4s months after wrapping up the review because they're just so good. They represent a high mark in audio, ANC, battery life, and more. That's why they're the best true wireless earbuds of 2021.
The OnePlus Buds Z2 earbuds offer ANC and other 'Pro' goodies for just $99
Dolby Atmos and enduring battery life are on the list
Wireless earbuds. Not just wireless earbuds, but ones with active noise cancellation. You can't take a walk outside without having some rain down from the sky. Well, it seems that way, doesn't it? And it's not as if all of them seek to burn a hole your pocket with plenty hitting the $100 level lately. Chalk another up on the board with today's announcement of the OnePlus Buds Z2 — these new Bluetooth 5.2 earbuds walk the line between the $150 OnePlus Buds Pro and the $50 Buds Z, but don't skimp on value.