Top-Rated Wireless Headphones : A Comprehensive Guide

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• We have updated our roundup with many great new earbuds. Give it a look!

The best truly wireless earbuds offer a nice refuge from untangling pesky wired headphones without compromising sound quality. Drown out the sounds of the world around you with some of our favorite wireless earbuds.

UPDATE: 01/16/2024

We have updated our roundup with many great new earbuds. Give it a look!

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds

Best Wireless Earbuds Overall
$249 at Amazon

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds

Best Budget Wireless Earbuds
$100 at Amazon

Moondrop Space Travel

Best Wireless Earbuds Under $50
$25 at Amazon

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

Best Wireless Earbuds for iPhone
$192 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Best Wireless Earbuds for Android
$140 at Amazon

• See More

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Jabra Elite 8 Active

Best Wireless Earbuds for Workouts
$150 at Amazon

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  Source: Sony

Sony WF-1000XM5

Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds
$248 at Amazon

What to Look For in Wireless Earbuds in 2024

The best wireless earbuds allow for complete untethered use of your smartphone, tablet, or computer, allowing you to enjoy high-quality audio and stay connected via Bluetooth.

In determining what to look for with wireless earbuds, you need to consider four main criteria: comfort, audio quality, battery life, and ease of use.

Today, many wireless earbuds come with active noise cancelation that automatically or manually adjusts based on the level of ambient sound. Good earbuds also have settings that can be toggled to eliminate all or some background noise. Other options come with dedicated smartphone apps that allow you to change EQ presets, configuring the audio exactly as you want to hear it.

In addition, the best wireless earbuds come with a long battery life. We recommend wireless earbuds with six or more hours of juice per charge, long enough to not cause annoyance with constant recharges. Kudos for any wireless earbuds that include a charging carrying case, which can hold up to 20 more hours of power.

In terms of comfort, many wireless earbuds come with silicone ring tips that adjust to your ear’s shape for a snug, comfortable fit. Don’t forget waterproof protection for water and sweat resistance.

With that said, keep reading to learn more about our picks for the best wireless earbuds in 2024.

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best Wireless Earbuds Overall: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Bose was unchallenged at the top of the noise-canceling game for years before Sony took over at the top. That company’s reign was short-lived, however, as Bose has comfortably returned to form for the past few years. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds are, quite simply, the best wireless earbuds for most people.

As you’ll see in our review of the QuietComfort Ultra , these have the same ANC performance as the previous model, which is an excellent thing. Whether you’re trying to concentrate on a task or simply block out the world, the noise cancelation here lets you shut out everything around you, should you wish to.

Of course, Bose takes the “comfort” part of the QuietComfort Ultra branding seriously as well. These are comfortable to wear for hours at a time, at least once you find the proper fit. This is easy thanks to the options you get: multiple silicone ear tips are included, as are stability bands that help keep the earbuds steady in your ears.

Unlike the QuietComfort Earbuds II that preceded the QuietComfort Ultra, there is no IP rating here. This means that you’ll want to avoid getting these wet as much as possible. Wearing them under a hat during a brief rain might be okay, but they’re certainly not the best options for intense exercise.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are available in simple black and White Smoke finishes, as well as a Bose-exclusive Moonstone Blue . They’re great for iPhone and iPad users, but Snapdragon Sound Certification means they’re an even better fit for Android users.

Best Wireless Earbuds Overall

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds

$249 $299 Save $50

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds feature some of the best noise-canceling you’ll ever hear in a set of earbuds, and as the name implies, they’re comfortable enough to wear all day.

$249 at Amazon

Best Budget Wireless Earbuds: Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds

Soundcore

Not everybody wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a set of wireless earbuds. The good news is that Anker’s Soundcore line offers plenty of affordable options. If you’re looking for the best you can get without going much over $100, the Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds are a fantastic option.

These earbuds feature 11mm drivers, which are on the large side for in-ears. This makes for an extended bass response as well as more effective ANC. Anker claims that these earbuds cancel up to 98.5% of noise around you. You also get support for the LDAC codec, which offers higher resolution than traditional Bluetooth codecs.

Anker claims up to 10 hours on a single charge, and the case will recharge the earbuds four times for up to 50 hours of listening time before you need to charge the case. A quick 10-minute charge will get you up to four hours of playback time, but if you’d prefer to take your time, the earbuds also support wireless Qi charging.

The Liberty 4 NC earbuds are also tougher than you may expect. These feature IPX4 water resistance, which means they can withstand splashes, but not prolonged water exposure. If you’re looking for headphones to wear on a run in the rain, these will work perfectly.

The Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds also feature AI-enhanced call support and are available in five finish options: Velvet Black , Clear White , Light Blue , Navy Blue , and Pastel Pink .

Best Budget Wireless Earbuds

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds

The Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4 NC Wireless Earbuds are the perfect budget wireless earbuds, with good noise canceling, plenty of battery life, and surprisingly good sound.

$100 at Amazon

Best Wireless Earbuds Under $50: Moondrop Space Travel

Moondrop

If you’re in the market for ultra-affordable earbuds, and you haven’t heard of Moondrop before, that needs to change. The Moondrop Space Travel earbuds retail for well under $50, plus they offer features you won’t find in even significantly more expensive headphones.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Moondrop Space Travel is the look. While the earbuds have their own unique, angular appearance, it’s the transparent case that is more eye-catching. This is a traditional charging case, albeit with a non-traditional appearance.

These earbuds feature ANC, which comes as a surprise given the price. The earbuds also feature a Transparent mode that focuses specifically on the vocal range of frequencies, making it easier to hear those around you when you’re listening to music. You get a choice of three presets for handling low-end: Reference, Monitor, and Basshead.

Using the Moondrop Link app , you can switch between music and game mode. Game mode reduces the latency to just 55ms, making the earbuds much more effective for not just games but also watching movies or music videos. The earbuds also automatically switch between monaural and binaural modes depending on whether you’re listening on one or two earbuds.

The Moondrop Space Travel TWS earbuds are available in two color varieties. The black version features a striking amber case, while the white version uses a more muted gray tone for the charging case.

Best Wireless Earbuds Under $50

Moondrop Space Travel

The Moondrop Space Travel true wireless earbuds look and sound so good that you’ll be sure that you paid too low a price for them. They’re not perfect, but for the price, they’re awfully close.

$25 at Amazon

Best Wireless Earbuds for iPhone: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

Justin Duino / How-To Geek

People sometimes complain about the Apple “walled garden,” but one benefit of this is tight integration across the company’s hardware ecosystem. Nowhere is this clearer than the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro . While they sound great with any device you pair them with, they’re designed to work best with Apple products.

In our Apple AirPods Pro review , you can see just how Apple integrates everything about the earbuds into its own operating systems. You no longer need to dive into the Bluetooth menu to find the earbuds, though the same quick adjustments are found in the iOS Control Center. In the Settings apps, you can enable ANC or Transparency mode , plus you can try the built-in fit test to make sure noise cancelation works effectively.

Apple has updated the AirPods Pro with improved audio components and a new H2 chipset. They’ve also got new controls, though you’d be hard-pressed to spot them. Swiping up and down on a capacitive touch strip on the stems now acts as volume control, and even as I was reviewing the AirPods Pro, I never found myself accidentally adjusting the volume.

Thanks to the new H2 chip, the active noise cancelation is a major improvement from the original AirPods Pro. Apple’s Transparency mode has always been miles ahead of the competition. Here it’s better than ever with the new Adaptive Transparency mode that automatically lowers loud sounds that could damage your hearing.

Instead of multipoint Bluetooth , Apple uses its own system based on iCloud to let the AirPods Pro connect to your other Apple devices. This is seamless, even compared to well-implemented multipoint, making swapping between your iPhone and iPad effortless.

Another way the AirPods Pro are tailor-made for iPhone users is integration with Apple’s Find My app. Thanks to the same U1 chip used in AirTags, you can now find your AirPods and their case in the Find My app. A new built-in speaker in the case helps you find it if it’s lost on the couch.

Best Wireless Earbuds for iPhone

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

$192 $249 Save $57

It may not look like much has changed with the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro, but they bring great sound quality, vastly improved ANC, and the best Transparency mode in the game.

$192 at Amazon See at Best Buy

Best Wireless Earbuds for Android: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Because many manufacturers produce Android phones, it’s hard to find wireless earbuds that tightly integrate with your phone. Samsung’s Galaxy devices are very popular, but even if you have a phone from another brand, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro will work well with your Android device.

While previous Galaxy Buds models didn’t always sound the best, Samsung got it right with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. While they’ll sound good with any device, Samsung users have it even better. Instead of the standard SBC Bluetooth codec, the company uses its own Samsung Seamless Codec, which offers higher-resolution audio, more comparable to Sony’s LDAC .

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro feature ANC and Ambient modes. They also feature what Samsung calls Intelligent Conversation mode. Instead of acting like a standard transparent mode, the earbuds detect your voice, automatically deactivate noise cancelation, and lower the volume. This feature exists in other headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 , and it’s often useful.

One area Samsung is ahead of most competition is weather resistance. While many wireless earbuds feature IPX4 weather resistance at best, the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 feature IPX7 water resistance. This means that they can also handle a quick dunk in a puddle in addition to your workout.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are available in three color options: White , Graphite , and Bora Purple .

Best Wireless Earbuds for Android

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

$140 $230 Save $90

Most Samsung Galaxy S24 owners will be very happy with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. The Buds2 Pro offer excellent sound, impressive ANC, and a much better design compared to the original Galaxy Buds Pro.

$140 at Amazon See at Best Buy See at Samsung

Best Wireless Earbuds for Workouts: Jabra Elite 8 Active

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Music makes any form of exercise better, whether you’re going for an early morning run or hitting the stationary bike after work. That said, if you’re going to be sweating, you’ll want earbuds that are meant to handle it. The Jabra Elite 8 Active are built from the ground up for workouts, which makes them the perfect option.

The Elite 8 Active earbuds have an IP68 rating, which means they’re completely dust-proof and waterproof. The case is rated IP54, which offers slightly less protection, but this makes sense given that the earbuds themselves are already so tough. These will handle anything your workouts can throw at them.

Of course, all that toughness doesn’t matter if the earbuds go flying out of your ears, and you lose them. In this case, the Elite 8 Active earbuds use Jabra ShakeGrip technology to keep them from ever falling out of your ears. The earbuds feature eight hours of playback on a single charge, with up to three more charges in the case, for a total of 32 hours between full charges.

The Elite 8 Active features ANC, and it’s tuned to block out not just crowds and other noise, but also the noise from wind, which makes them perfect for running or bike rides. The earbuds also feature multipoint Bluetooth, making it easy to switch between connected devices.

While the Jabra Elite 8 Active comes in a Dark Grey finish, it’s also available in more colorful Navy Blue or Caramel varieties.

Best Wireless Earbuds for Workouts

Jabra Elite 8 Active

$150 $200 Save $50

The Jabra Elite 8 Active can handle anything you throw at them, with IP68 dust and water protection to hold up through any workout, with great ANC and sound quality to keep you motivated.

$150 at Amazon

Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

While Bose may have reclaimed its spot at the top of the noise-canceling earbud game, that doesn’t mean that Sony has dropped off significantly. Sure, the ANC may not stack up quite as well as Bose offerings, but the audio quality the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds offer is difficult to ignore.

As you’ll see in our WF-1000XM5 review , the emphasis here is on an overall smaller size for better portability, as well as better audio quality. Music sounds fantastic on the WF-1000XM5 earbuds, with a full, satisfying sound that still allows you to pick out individual voices and instruments. Plus, while it may not quite reach the same heights as Bose, the ANC is still quite effective.

Using the Sony Headphones Connect app , you can perform a fit test similar to the test Apple’s AirPods Pro offer. This lets you know whether you could be better off using differently sized silicone tips, as a good fit makes for both better ANC and better sounding music.

The WF-1000XM5 is 25 percent smaller than the previous model, which makes them both easier to carry and more comfortable to wear. They may not be quite as comfortable as the QuietComfort Ultra or Apple’s AirPods Pro, but you’ll still find them less fatiguing over time than previous models of Sony earbuds.

These earbuds feature up to eight hours of playtime, as well as two extra charges in the case, for a total of 24 hours. Similarly to Bose, Sony kept color choices simple here, with simple black and silver finishes.

Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM5

$248 $300 Save $52

The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds offer excellent noise cancellation, superior audio quality, and easily sync with Nintendo Switch. Consider giving them a closer look if you want the best audio possible for your hybrid console.

$248 at Amazon See at Best Buy [See at Sony](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/truly-wireless- earbuds/p/wf1000xm5-b)

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