Wireless earbuds are a daily need for most people, whether they are using them to listen to podcasts or answer calls at work. Apple headphones are now the most preferred option in the US. They are not, however, the sole choice available.
GO Ahead and Skip2024’s top wireless earbuds | How to buy wireless earbuds | Why NBC Select is a reliable source?
I examined dozens of options, including some of the most well-known brands available, to help you narrow down your search for the best wireless earbuds. In order to better meet your unique daily demands, I concentrated on important elements like comfort and quality.
Selected.
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Best for iPhoneApple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C)
$189.00$249.00Amazon
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Best for AndroidSony LinkBuds S
$158.00$199.99Walmart
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Best noise cancellationBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
$229.00$299.00Amazon
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Best budgetAnker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
$undefined$99.99Amazon
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How we picked the best wireless earbuds
We evaluated dozens of brand-new, highly regarded wireless earbuds, evaluating each one according to the following features:
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Comfort
: We selected earbuds that were comfortable to wear for multiple hours. -
Usability
: We highlighted versatile earbuds good for the office, the gym, the commute and at home. -
Battery life
: We picked earbuds that last through the day and charge quickly.
How I test wireless earbuds
Every year, I integrate wireless earphones into my everyday routine and test out hundreds of them. This includes working in an office, making video calls, commuting by train, going on runs outside, working out indoors, and watching videos on my phone, tablet, or laptop. I was particularly aware of the following aspects when I was using the earbuds:
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Comfort
: A pair of earbuds is only useful if you feel comfortable wearing them for hours at a time. I wore earbuds for upwards of 3 hours to get a feel for long-term comfort. I also tried different-sized ear tips to find my ideal fit. Everyone s ears are a little different. If the earbuds don t fit comfortably right out the box, try different eartips to get a more comfortable fit. -
Noise-cancellation
: I used each pair of earbuds for my office commute on the NYC subway. I also used them in-office to block out background noise and conversations. -
Sound quality
: I listened to the same music playlist with each pair of earbuds to identify differences in sound quality and instrumentation. I also compared more expensive earbuds to some of my favoritenoise-canceling headphones
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Ease of use
: When trying earbuds, I exclusively used the on-ear controls to take calls, play media and more. I also downloaded and used each brand s mobile app, noting how easy it was to use and the utility offered. Some earbuds let you connect to multiple devices at the same time, called Bluetooth multipoint I tried this feature with my phone and laptop when available. -
Battery life
: I tried each pair of earbuds for at least a week. Throughout that period, I paid attention to how many times I needed to charge them.
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The best wireless earbuds of 2024
Following dozens of earbud tests, the majority of our top choices were from well-known companies like Bose, Sony, and Apple.
Best for iPhone:
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C)
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C)
- Very versatile
- Great noise cancellation
- Not for Android users
- Pricey
Apple’s most recent AirPods Pro, which won our Select Giftable Tech Awards, are adored by the NBC Select crew. These earphones are a favorite among many employees, who use them for everything from work and commuting to the gym, exercising outside, and sleeping. They are among the best-sounding and noise-canceling earphones available, in our opinion. When noise canceling is activated, office banter and airplane noise disappear. A lanyard loop on the cover, a swipe for volume control, and many ear tips in the box are all extra features.Instead of using Apple’s original Lightning connector, this version charges using a USB-C port.
Consider the Apple sAirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation if you like all of this but can’t stand rubber eartips. They lack the rubber eartips but offer just as good sound and call quality. In my experience, though, this does mean that the noise reduction is not as good as it is with AirPods Pro.
Silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, and L supplied) • Water resistance: IPX4 • Bluetooth multipoint: No • Transparency: Yes • Battery life: Rated up to 6 hours (ANC on) • Wireless charging: Yes
Best for Android:
Sony Linkbuds S
Sony LinkBuds S
- Lightweight design
- Worthwhile Sony app
- Nondescript design
Another employee favorite and Wellness Award winner are the Sony Linkbuds S. They were above average in everything we asked of them, including voice calls, noise cancellation, fitness, and more, even though they weren’t the greatest at any one task. One area the Linkbuds S had the competition beat is size: these are small, lightweight earbuds you can easily forget you re wearing.
While they launched at $200 MSRP, we have seen them priced at $150 often, a great price for the features. They are available in black, white, sand, violet (in collaboration withOlivia Rodrigo) and blue.
Noise cancellation: Yes|Transparency: Yes|Battery life: Rated up to 6 hours (ANC on)|Wireless Charging: No|Water resistance: IPX4|Bluetooth Multipoint: Yes|Works best with: Android or Apple|Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L included)
Best budget:
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
- Great value
- No missing features
You don t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get fully featured earbuds these have active noise canceling, transparency mode, Bluetooth multipoint and wireless charging, all for under $100. I test new earbuds monthly, and found that these headphones can compete with much more expensive competitors in comfort, convenience, sound quality and app support. The only weakness I can point to is its noise cancellation, which can sometimes be overpowered by plane, train and car noise.
The Liberty 4 NC earbuds work equally well on iPhone and Android phones, and come in five colors.
Noise cancellation: Yes |Transparency: Yes |Battery life: Rated up to 8 hours (ANC on) |Wireless Charging: Yes |Water resistance: IPX4 |Bluetooth Multipoint: Yes |Works best with: Android or Apple |Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L included)
Best cheap earbuds:
Jlab Go AirPop
JLab Go Air Pop
- Very low price
- Not many features
These are some of the most affordable wireless earbuds that still deliver a steady Bluetooth connection, surprisingly good sound and a convenient charging case. The earbuds and case have a combined battery life of around 32 hours, according to the brand, and the case has a cable built-in for recharging. If you purchase the earbuds from thebrand s website, you can choose from 13 bright and earth-tone colorways.
They don t have active noise-canceling or transparency modes. I ve also found the Jlab app lackluster, but these are fair trade-offs at such a low price point.
Editor s note: JLab recently launched an updated version of these earbuds called theJLab Go Pop+. We may update this recommendation after we ve finished testing out the new earbuds.
Noise cancellation: No|Transparency: No|Battery life: Rated up to 8 hours|Wireless Charging: No|Water resistance: IPX4|Bluetooth Multipoint: No|Works best with: Android or Apple|Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L)
Best splurge:
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony WF-1000XM5
- Excellent sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Pricey
The Sony WF-1000XM5 may have a terrible name, but they are some of the best earbuds I ve tried. Music and media sounded rich and more detailed when compared to the competition. The touch controls work without issue, a rarity, in my experience. They are significantly smaller and lighter than the previous WF-1000XM4s, leading to a much more comfortable fit, even after hours of use. They have a longer 8-hour battery life, and come with four different foam ear tips in the box for a personalized fit I found the small-sized ones most comfortable.
Noise cancellation: Yes|Transparency: Yes|Battery life:Rated up to 8 hours (ANC on)|Wireless Charging: Yes|Water resistance: IPX4|Bluetooth Multipoint: Yes|Works best with: Android or Apple|Ear tips: Foam (XS, S, M, L included)
Best noise cancellation:
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Top-notch noise cancellation
- Great sound quality
- Bulky
- Pricey
If your top priority is blocking out background noise like the distinctive hum of plane engines, the rattling of subway trains cars or the latest office water cooler chatter, these earbuds have the best noise cancellation of any that I have tried. They replaced Bose s QuietComfort Earbuds II and maintain a similar design, with a swappable rubber ear tip and rubber stability band the brand includes three sizes of each in the box. Like Apple s AirPods Pro, you can adjust the volume by sliding your finger up and down on the side of the earbud.
They are larger and heavier than other options I found small earbuds like the Sony Linkbuds S and Beats Fit Pro more comfortable for fitness activity. They are also pricey if you are looking for great noise cancellation at a lower price, consider theBose QuietComfort Earbudsas an alternative.
Noise cancellation: Yes|Transparency: Yes|Battery life:Rated up to 6 hours (ANC on)|Wireless Charging: No|Water resistance: IPX4|Bluetooth Multipoint: No|Works best with: Android or Apple|Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L included)
Best for fitness:
Beats Fit Pro
Beats Fit Pro
- Great fit
- Easy button controls
- Case could be improved
The Beats Fit Pro have been my go-tofitness earbudsfor years and remained favorites even after comparing them to other fitness-oriented options. The wing-tip design creates a secure fit that never faltered during runs, bike rides or gym activity. Unlike full ear-hook earbuds, the Beats Fit Pro case is small enough to fit comfortably in most pockets. They are available in seven colors, more than most options on the market.
Noise cancellation: Yes|Transparency: Yes|Battery life: Rated up to 6 hours (ANC on)|Wireless Charging: No|Water resistance: IPX4|Bluetooth Multipoint: No|Works best with: Android or Apple|Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L)
Best durable earbuds:
Jabra Elite 8 Active
Jabra Elite 8 Active
- Waterproof
- Small and portable
- Weaker noise cancellation
These Jabra earbuds are a 2023NBC Select Giftable Techwinner and one of ourfavorite workout headphones. They are some of the most durable we ve tested I dropped them into a jug of water for over a minute and used them later with no issue. They also sit snug and comfortable in my ears on my commute, at the gym or while running outdoors.
The earbuds are IP68 dust and waterproof (up to a depth of about 5 feet), according to the brand. Between the case and the buds, they have a combined battery life of up to 32 hours. They can handle anything I throw at them, and I don t have to baby them as much as other tech I own.
Noise cancellation: Yes |Transparency: Yes |Battery life: Rated up to 8 hours (ANC on) |Wireless Charging: Yes |Water resistance: IP68 |Bluetooth Multipoint: Yes |Works best with: Android, iPhone |Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L)
Related
Block out sirens, background noises and chatter with noise-canceling headphones
How to shop for wireless earbuds
There are hundreds of wireless earbuds on the market. Despite many looking the same, they can vary wildly in features and price (which is why you might want to use acredit cardto purchase them). Below are a few factors to keep in mind when shopping for a new pair.
Operating System (Apple and Android)
Not all wireless earbuds play nice with both Apple and Android devices. If you use Apple AirPods on an Android device, for example, most of their features will be difficult or impossible to use. Earbuds that work well on both platforms tend to have useful standalone apps that can help control noise cancellation, audio equalization and more.
Automated noise canceling and transparency
Noise canceling and transparency modes are both useful features that add versatility to any pair of earbuds. Noise-canceling blocks outside sound, while transparency mode lets sound in so you can better hear the noise around you, a useful safety feature for activities like outdoor running. Both features tend to drive up the price tag, however. If you do not need either feature, consider a more affordable pair of earbuds that forgo one or both.
Water and dust resistance
Water and dust resistance is indicated by an earbud sIP (ingress protection) rating. IP ratings are denoted with two numbers, for example, IP55. The first digit represents intrusion protection against dust and debris. The second digit denotes moisture protection.
If you want to wear your earbuds in wet and rainy conditions, get a pair with a higher IP rating, they are less likely to malfunction in such conditions. All of our recommendations have a moisture protection rating of at least four.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am areporterat NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories onfitness trackers,tabletsandrunning shoes. For this piece, I tried over a dozen newly released and top-rated fitness trackers throughout 2024. I spoke with other members of the NBC Select team about their experiences with the earbuds they use and have used previously.
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