Best Earbuds 2023: ultimate sound quality and comfort

In the present era, when discussing the best earbuds, the focus is mainly on true wireless earbuds, which eliminate the need for a cord between the buds, providing a completely wireless experience. With each new version of Bluetooth technology, like the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and the upgraded Bluetooth audio chipsets that come with it, performance and battery life keep getting better.

Some wireless earbuds have ear tips, but others, like the regular AirPods, are open and don’t have tips. The second option is best for people who don’t like having ear tips put in their ears and would rather let some outside sound in. Noise-isolating earbuds with silicone or foam ear tips are usually the only ones that have active noise cancellation, which used to be rare but is now a standard feature. Still, you can get good sound quality from either style. Below we have mentioned the best earbuds.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Earbuds

Choosing the right earbuds can make your listening and comfort much better. Here are some important things to think about before you decide:

One of the most important things is the sound quality. Look for earbuds that have clear highs, rich mids, and well-defined bass. Some earbuds have equalization settings that you can change, which can be helpful if you like a certain sound profile.

Comfort and fit: Earbuds can be worn in the ear, on the ear, or over the ear. Choose the kind that fits your ears well and stays in place. A good fit is important for both comfort and sound quality because it helps block out outside noise and stops sound from leaking.

Noise isolation/cancellation: If you often use your earbuds in noisy places or on your commute, you might want to get a pair with noise isolation or active noise-canceling (ANC) features. Noise isolation blocks outside sounds with physical barriers, while ANC uses technology to cancel out background noise.

Check how long the earbuds’ batteries will last, especially if you plan to use them for a long time without charging them. Look for earbuds with long-lasting batteries so you don’t have to charge them all the time.

Wireless or wired? Choose whether you want Bluetooth earbuds that don’t have a cord or ones that do. Wireless earbuds give you more freedom to move around, but wired ones may sound better and don’t need to be charged.

Best Earbuds Comparison Table

We’ve carefully compared the best earbuds on the market in this table, taking into account things like sound quality, comfort, battery life, and extra features. Our top picks have great sound, a secure fit, and batteries that last a long time. They can fit a wide range of tastes and lifestyles. Find the best audio companion for you among these options.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The best overall in-ear headphones

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Sony’s WF-1000XM4 are the best overall wireless earbuds you can buy, but they are expensive. They have great active noise cancellation and sound that is warm and clear. Even though the ANC is not quite as good as Bose’s newer QC Earbuds II, it’s still a powerful pair of headphones. With noise cancellation turned on, their long battery life lets you listen for up to eight hours straight, which is longer than any of Sony’s top competitors. Overall, it is one of the best earbuds that you can buy.

The WF-1000XM4s look high-end with a matte black (or light gray) and rose gold design. Most earbuds come with standard silicone ear tips, but Sony’s come with foam tips that expand in your ears to make a good seal. This, along with the noise cancellation, does a great job of shutting out the outside world. Since Sony’s ear tips are on the bigger side, they may not be the most comfortable for everyone. If you can, try them out for yourself.

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Jabra Elite 3

The best budget earbuds with great sound quality

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The 1000XM4s support Sony’s LDAC codec for better music playback on Android phones. But even when used on other devices, they are on par with the best audio-focused premium earbuds, like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2, but with much better noise cancellation. Sometimes the basics are all you need, and that’s where the Jabra Elite 3 earbuds stand out from the rest of the sub-$100 competition. Their sound puts more emphasis on the bass, but it still sounds well-balanced and clear for this price range. Currently, it is one of the best earbuds that you can buy.

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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

The best affordable earbuds for workouts

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The earbuds can play music for up to seven hours straight, and the small case can hold three more charges. Their big buttons are easy to use, and the earbuds are rated IP55, which means they can stand up to dust and water. The Elite 3s don’t have the multipoint feature that Jabra has been known for for a long time, which is the main thing you give up for the price.

However, unlike older models, either earbud can be used alone in mono mode, which is an improvement. They are also very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. You don’t get features like active noise cancellation or wireless charging, but the Elite 3s are reliable and have a strong Bluetooth signal. They’re a great deal for the price. Still, it is one of the best earbuds that you can buy.

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Beats Studio Buds

The best earbuds for noice cancellation

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The Beats Studio Buds+ wireless earbuds, which are the latest from the famous brand, are now our top pick for most people. The new version is a follow-up to a product we’ve been recommending for the past two years. It has better sound and noise cancellation, a better fit, and a longer battery life, but keeps the same cool design and reasonable price. The Studio Buds+ come in black, ivory, and a brand-new transparent color that we really like.

Again, I liked that I didn’t have to use an app to get the best sound and noise cancellation out of the earbuds. Both were well-balanced and great right out of the box. I also have to give Apple props for making it easy for the new Beats earbuds to work with Android and Chrome OS devices as well as its own. I only wish that the case for the new headphones could charge wirelessly.

If you can spend an extra $30, you might want to get the Beats Fit Pro instead. We go into more detail below, but the Beats by Dre headphones at the top of the line have extra wingtips for a more secure fit and, thanks to the Apple H1 chip, support fancier spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. With Apple Music content that works with the last bit, you can listen to it as if you were at a live show. Overall, it is one of the best earbuds that you can buy.

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Beats by Dr. Dre Fit Pro

Wireless earbuds with impressive sound quality and voice control

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The Beats Fit Pro earphones are the best true wireless option from the brand and the best choice for Apple users, hands down. With the H1 chip from the tech giant, they can deliver spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. The experience is very real and the content has been improved, but you should know that it is only available on Apple devices. For now, it is one of the best earbuds that you can buy.

The Beats Fit Pro headphones have a custom audio driver that gives you a balanced sound. Apple’s H1 chip, which was already mentioned, also lets the buds respond to Siri voice commands without touching them and switch between all devices that use the same iCloud account without any trouble. The Beats Fit Pro’s built-in wingtips make it fit more securely than the cheaper Studio Buds from the same company. The way the earbuds are set up makes them a great choice for working out.

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Beats Fit Pro

The best earbuds for affordable ANC at a decent price

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The Powerbeats Pro, which had been the best fitness earbuds for a long time, have finally been beaten. And it’s only right that Beats’ latest earbuds are better. The Powerbeats have ear hooks, but the Beats Fit Pro have wing tips that keep them in your ears even during the most intense workouts.

Because of this, these earbuds are much smaller, and their carrying case is thankfully much easier to handle. Because these earbuds magnetically attach to the case, you don’t have to worry about one or both of them not charging in the case, which was a common problem with the Powerbeats Pro. Still, this is one of the best earbuds you can buy right now.

In contrast to the Powerbeats Pro, the Fit Pros have noise cancellation built in. In this way, they are the same as the AirPods Pro, so you won’t be distracted while you work out. When you do want to be aware of what’s going on around you, the transparency mode sounds just as natural and clear as it does on the AirPod Pros.

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Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen)

Affordable wireless earbuds with mind-blowing sound

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If you use a lot of Apple products, the second-generation AirPods Pro are a good choice because they cancel out noise better and sound better than the first pair. As usual, they have many features, like spatial audio, audio sharing, automatic syncing across iCloud devices, etc., that make them a great match for Apple’s other products. They are also the only AirPods that come with different sizes of ear tips, including a new extra-small size. Overall, this is one of the best earbuds you can buy right now.

The AirPods Pro come with a small case that can be charged wirelessly. To set them up, just hold the open case close to your iPhone. The earbuds are small and light, and they fit most ears well. The force sensor pinch controls are easy to use, and Apple added swipe-based volume controls to the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have always been one of the best wireless earbuds for voice calls, and the second-generation earbuds are no different. Their ANC has gotten better since the first model and is now on par with Sony’s. Also, the transparency mode can now quickly block out sudden, loud noises that might happen around you.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Premium earbuds with audiophile-quality sound

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The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro from Samsung sound great, and that’s before you use the extra 24-bit audio support. Compared to the first Pros, these are smaller, lighter, and don’t stick out of your ears. They also sound almost as good as the Sennheisers, which are another of our favorite earbud picks. Thus, this is one of the best earbuds you can buy right now.

Like the AirPods Pro for Apple devices, the Buds 2 Pro have features that only work with Samsung devices, such as head tracking for spatial audio and automatic switching between Samsung devices. The Buds 2 Pro have an IPX7 rating against water and sweat, making them even more durable than the AirPods. The charging case is small and can be used to charge the buds wirelessly.

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Google Pixel Buds Pro

A technically sound pair of in-ear headphones

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With the Pixel Buds Pro, Google has finally made a good pair of wireless earbuds. They are much better than the second-generation Pixel Buds because they block out noise very well, have good sound quality, and fit comfortably. Most importantly, they don’t have any of the problems with connectivity and audio dropouts that plagued Google’s earlier headphones.

Instead, the Pixel Buds Pro always give a great listening experience and last a long time on a single charge. They also support multipoint Bluetooth, so you can connect Google’s best headphones to two devices at once. It is a very useful feature that Apple, Bose, Samsung, and Sony haven’t added to their earbuds yet. Overall, this is one of the best earbuds you can buy right now.

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Choosing Earbuds Based on Your Device Compatibility

To have a smooth audio experience, it’s important to choose earbuds that work with your device. Here’s a guide to help you pick earbuds that work with your device:

Wired vs. wireless: Choose whether you want earbuds with wires or without. Most wired earbuds have a 3.5mm audio jack, while Bluetooth is used for wireless ones.

Bluetooth Version: If you choose wireless earbuds, make sure that your device is compatible with the Bluetooth version of the earbuds. The sound quality and battery life of newer Bluetooth versions are better. As of my last update in September 2021, Bluetooth 5.0 and later versions are commonly used, but newer versions might be out now.

Operating System Compatibility: Make sure the earbuds work with the operating system of your device. Most earbuds work with different operating systems, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS, but you should double-check to make sure there are no problems.

Codec Support: Some earbuds support certain audio codecs like aptX, AAC, or LDAC, which can affect audio quality and latency. For the best sound, make sure your device and earbuds both support the same codec.

Brand-specific Some earbuds are made to work best with certain devices or ecosystems. For example, when Apple’s AirPods are used with an iOS device, they often have extra features. In the same way, some earbuds may have apps or settings that only work with certain smartphones.

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