Best wireless earbuds 2024 tested and rated

Best wireless earbuds 2024 — tested and rated

Introduction

Finding a pair of wireless earbuds might prove quite a task, taking into consideration all sorts of options that are available today in the market. In case one wants to add some high-end features or look out for budget-friendly options, then there's something out there for everyone. The best earbuds in accordance with one's needs can be selected only by knowing how they would perform concerning sound quality, battery life, noise cancelation, and comfort. In this review, we make it easier by looking into the best models available using in-depth testing.

Each of the wireless pairs of earbuds presented here has been critically analyzed and their performance evaluated at length by audio experts with years of experience. The products have been tested under real conditions, so every recommendation will be in line with what is expected by the end user.

From high-end models like the Sony WF-1000XM5 to more affordable options like the OnePlus Buds 3, our handpicked selection has got you covered. Whether you're commuting, hitting the gym, or just want great audio quality, we think we've found the best wireless earbuds amidst all those options for you to make a right choice.

Sony WF-1000XM5: Best Overall

None outperform the Sony WF-1000XM5 across categories. They are full of high-end features, including industry-best noise cancelation, great sound quality, and a comfortable fit. For about Dhs 1,080, they'd be a tad on the expensive side, but for an unalloyed listen, you'll have little to compare them with. You get 8 hours of battery life with noise cancelation turned on and a total playtime of 24 hours if you use it with the case, hence making them good for extended and long listening. Its lightweight design keeps your ears all-day comfortable.

Sony WF-C700N: Best Value

The most affordable option, Sony WF-C700N, presents great value at Dhs 370. These earbuds boast good active noise cancellation, excellent sound quality, and have a reliable battery life of 7.5 hours on one charge. They include 360 Reality Audio and adaptive ANC, among other features you'd find on more premium pairs, but at a fraction of the price. Their IPX4 rating also means they can withstand rain or sweat with the best of them.

OnePlus Buds 3: Best Budget Option

Buyers can also opt for more affordable options: the OnePlus Buds 3. Priced at Dhs 330, they bring active noise cancelation and decent sound quality into a robust design that's IP55-rated against water and dust. The earbuds sport Bluetooth 5.3 for smooth connectivity and boast an ultra-long-lasting battery life of 44 hours-with the charging case,. The sound is not the greatest when it comes to 3D audio, but it is a strong performer if one wants reliable wireless earbuds on a tight budget.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4: Best Audio Quality

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 is what one would call audiophile-level earbuds for anyone who wants extraordinary sound. Priced at Dhs 880, these earbuds are designed with sound performance in mind, wrapping aptX Lossless audio to ensure near-CD quality sound transmission over Bluetooth.

This indeed would mean a listen to every nuance and detail in your music, from crystal-clear highs down to deep, resonating bass that makes the earbud an instant favorite of any music lover. The sound signature is well-balanced with rich mids and clear trebles, which result in excellent listening, quite similar to the previous option.

Although Momentum True Wireless 4 does not give much importance to noise cancelation as some other siblings, it makes it up by availing ultimate sound supremacy. Also, this is one of its strong attributes: the battery life, permitting up to 7.5 hours on a single charge and up to 30 hours when using the charging case altogether.

That makes them ideal for marathon listening sessions-either when commuting or just lounging around the house. For those who rate audio quality over the feature set, including active noise cancellation, these earbuds should be a necessity because they tie Sennheiser's history of quality audio with impressive battery life.

AirPods Pro 2: Best Noise Cancelation

For anyone looking for the best noise-cancellation there is, the AirPods Pro 2 remain one of the very best. Priced at Dhs 850, these earbuds boast Apple's optimized Active Noise Cancellation that deftly eliminates the bevy of ambient noise-whether in a busy office, a noisy café, or on an active street.

The noise cancellation works automatically and splendidly adapts itself to the ambient noise, so you could hear your music or podcasts in quiet convenience. All in all, the AirPods Pro 2 could be a great choice for those who want peace and quiet in daily life.

In addition to noise cancellation, these earbuds include class-leading sound quality, with the added benefit of Dolby Atmos spatial audio support for a promised three-dimensional listening experience. Especially when it works in watching movies or music tracks with enabled spatial audio.

The extended wear becomes apt with the comfortable and secure fit of the AirPods Pro 2. With up to six hours of battery life with a single charge and an additional 24 hours provided by the charging case, they're well-suited for daily use. Users of Apple devices would like smooth integration with iOS, setting these buds as not bad on all counts.

Beats Fit Pro: Best for Fitness Enthusiasts

For the fitness enthusiast who wants earbuds that will keep up with his active, ceaseless lifestyle, the Beats Fit Pro is all one needs, and at Dhs 720, it checks all the right boxes. Engineered for exercise with secure-fit wingtips, Beats Fit Pro keeps perfectly in place during the most intense workout routines. Whether that exercise involved running, weight-lifting-even high-intensity interval training-the Beats Fit Pro would either not budge, yet remained comforting.

Lighter in weight, the comfortable fit design makes the earbuds easily wearable for extended hours of use while causing no discomfort-an important factor in fitness-oriented users. Technically, the Beats Fit Pro feature Apple's H1 chip, so pairing is easy, among other smooth integrations with iOS devices. While their sound and noise cancellation may not rank first in the market, they will do a good balance between performance and practicality.

These earbuds come with an IPX4 water resistance rating, six-hour battery life, and serve well against sweat and light rain, thus making them perfect both for outdoor and indoor workouts. Where gym enthusiasts need something waterproof, comfortable, and iOS-friendly, the Beats Fit Pro certainly stands tall in the queue.

Conclusion

Wireless earbuds have come a long way in the last years, and their feature sets have widely varied based on different users' needs. Whether you are an audiophile, a fitness enthusiast, or just a person looking at earbuds that can get the job done reliably, this guide covers recommendations that span price and functionality. The Sony WF-1000XM5 remains the best overall, combining excellent sound quality, noise cancelation, and comfort. Meanwhile, budget-conscious consumers can pick up the OnePlus Buds 3, which are much more reasonably priced.

FAQs

1. HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT WIRELESS EARBUDS?

Basically, to be able to make a choice of any wireless earbuds, you should know a keystone that will make them fit for their purpose. First, the sound quality should be good enough to make someone consider buying them.

For those who love music or are interested in only perfect audio qualities, aim at purchases with high-quality drivers with jacked-up bass, like Sony WF-1000XM5, valued for a premium sound profile-they cancel these key noises. When one is always on the move or working in a noisy environment, this might be the difference between hearing and not hearing; in that case, Active Noise Cancellation does wonders. Next comes the judgment of the battery life.

For those who find themselves on their feet and running around constantly or simply need their earbuds to actually last a really long commute or grueling workout, check out Extended Hours from the earbuds. Recently announced, the OnePlus Buds 3 promises up to 44 hours of battery life, which is with its charging case. Comfort and fit probably are the most basic of requirements for painfully obvious reasons: you will likely use them for an extended period of time.

Look for models featuring ergonomic design and custom ear tips for comfort. Again, budget and consider actual use case-scenarios: calls, exercise, or casual listening. More premium versions, such as the AirPods Pro 2, have a full suite of features, whereas budget units like the OnePlus Buds 3 do just fine for everyday use without giving up too much in quality.

2. Noise Cancellation Earbuds: Worth Their Price?

Noise-cancelling earbuds are, of course, worth investing in, especially for those people who work in loud environments such as public transport, cafes, and busy offices.

With the help of Active Noise Cancellation technology, these earbuds can go a long way in totally reducing the ambient noise even to when it is turned on, which may help improve one's listening and even help reduce one's level of stress. Noise cancellation in premium-type models-for example, Sony WF-1000XM5 and Apple's AirPods Pro 2-intercepts more than just cancellation of consistent background noises, like airplane engines or city traffic.

This was adapted for multiple sound environments, especially for those frequent travelers or in loud areas where one needs to put their focus on. Noise-cancelling headphones also help you stay at a low volume and save your hearing over time. Some even have transparency modes that pipe in outside sound when you need it, so you don't have to remove the earbuds.

There's a slightly higher upfront cost with the noise-cancelling buds than with the standard models; again, the increased comfort and clarity make them worth purchasing if you're after a quality audio experience. Whether this is put toward improving your commute, productivity at work, or even toward unwinding, ANC can be a game-changer when it comes to daily life.

3. What's the difference between Bluetooth 5.2 and 5.3?

Both Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth 5.3 have their modem versions; the option of Bluetooth 5.3 is considered a couple of steps further ahead, with regards to overall performance.

The difference is in the energy efficiency to begin with. Bluetooth 5.3 uses a better sorted protocol at saving energy, hence allowing devices like wireless earbuds to operate on less power and achieve the same, if not better, level of performance. That is to say, longer battery life, something of essence to look out for in wireless earbuds that have to make it through the day.

Another refinement to Bluetooth 5.3 is its ability to be more stable in its connections. This reduces the instances of signal interference and generally improves on connection reliability, something quite useful in places where many Bluetooth devices run. Additionally, Bluetooth 5.3 offers better sound with AptX or AAC class advanced codecs for a more profound and richer experience.

That is the case, for instance, with products like the OnePlus Buds 3, which use Bluetooth 5.3 in pursuit of clearer calls, better sync of audio with video, and lower latency. In short, Bluetooth 5.3 can be considered more capable; meanwhile, it features incremental enhancements in order to take the wireless earbuds experience further.

4. How is the battery life?

Of course, the battery life remains one of the most critical choices regarding wireless earbuds and, more exactly, in those cases that require longer use-for example, during extensive walks to and from work, or during workouts or working sessions.

It means that long-life battery earbuds enable one to have a relation with convenience itself and can keep a person at ease, so people need not be concerned with their constant recharging.

Where the competition, like the Sony WF-1000XM5, boasts some of the very best battery performances in this category, cramming in up to 8 hours of continuous playback with ANC turned on and even more when it's turned off. In this case, users who rely on earbuds to get them through the day will find the total life with the charging case included more applicable.

Take, for example, the 44-hour total that the OnePlus Buds 3 tout with their use of the charging case. These make for a great option in case a power user doesn't want to have to concern themselves with having to charge midway through the day. For those who use the earbuds a lot for taking calls or attending video conferences, you'd need reliable battery life even more so. Poor battery life may interrupt an important meeting or workout session. Therefore, whenever choosing Bluetooth earbuds, consider those with enough playback time for your lifestyle and habits.

5. Is it good to use wireless earbuds at workouts?

Yes, wireless earbuds are rather decent for working out, considering that a lot of them are designed exactly in order to elevate the workout experience.

Some wireless earbuds, like the Beats Fit Pro, boast a secure fit that's sweat-resistant. They should thus remain intact during high-intensity activities, such as running, cycling, hitting the gym, or simply getting out into fresh air and mountains for hiking. Workout earbuds should be comfortable and fit well-thus, models featuring changeable ear tips or wing tips will offer a comfortable, secure fit and won't drip or fall out while you are on the move.

Another critical factor is water and sweat resistance, afforded by an IPX rating. You'll want to get at least an IPX4 or better, such as what is used in the Jabra Elite Active 75t, capable of surviving heavy sweats and splashes. Further, there is the question of battery life-the longer the playback time, the more extended the earbuds can be used without a break in your entire workout session.

Some have ambient modes, too, which let them hear the outside surroundings for additional safety outdoors. All in all, wireless earbuds bring about flexibility and convenience for fitness enthusiasts, wrapping up in one frame aspects such as quality, durability, comfort, and other features that make for an optimum workout experience.