These $160 earbuds have a whopping 65 hours of battery life — here's why they’re my new go-to

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 in black colorway photographed ona blue background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Earbuds with great sound that aren’t going to break the bank can seem hard to find because with so much choice available, how do you decide which are the best wireless earbuds?

On my search for the fabled best buds, I came across the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2, and boy, do they pack a punch in the ANC department. They also sound amazing. With help from the Audio-Technica app, you can get your perfect sound with custom EQ settings. There’s a lot to love about these earbuds, but the main reason I love them is the jaw-dropping battery life.

Knock out battery life

If all of my earbuds when a few rounds in the ring, the Audio-Technicas would be the only ones left standing. With a listening time of up to 65 hours, it’s not hard to see why these buds are a firm favorite for frequent travelers and audio enthusiasts alike.

This 65-hour playback time is made up of 25 hours in the earbuds and an extra 40 hours from the case with ANC turned off. But with how awesome this ANC is, you’ll probably want it turned on. Even then, you get up to 40 hours of playback time, which blows other popular earbuds like the Apple AirPods Pro 3s out of the water.

Magnetic Switch technology

The ATH-CKS50TW2 earbuds have Magnetic Switch technology, which means you can stick them together outside of the case to switch them off and conserve energy. I found this feature ideal for heading out on a walk when I didn’t want to have the case with me. If I needed to take the buds out, I just stuck them together, and my music immediately stopped playing.

As soon as you pull them apart again, they turn on and start playing music right away. With a lot of other buds I’ve tested, the music just keeps playing through and you lose a lot of battery life, so I love this feature.

What did you say?

That’s all you’ll be asking, because with the ANC turned on, I couldn’t hear a thing. Even when my colleague sat next to me in the office was talking to me, not a peep came through. This is amazing for focus when you don’t want to be disturbed at all, or if you just want to block out the hustle and bustle when walking down the street.

There are also hear-through nodes for the moments when you don’t want to be completely shut off from the world. I used this when I was waiting on the train platform to listen out for any changes or delays, so I was never caught out on my journey.

Star Wars fans are catered for

As someone who watches all of the Star Wars movies every year, I love a cute little gimmick to remind me of my favorite characters. I mean, I have Lego BrickHeadz and plushes of my favorite characters (yes, Grogu), so having a little nod to the characters on my earbuds too is awesome.

You can pick up these versions of the buds from the Audio-Technica website for $179, where you have the choice of editions inspired by The Mandalorian, Grogu, R2-D2, and Darth Vader. And although they are inspired by the characters, the designs aren’t garish at all; they’re actually pretty cute.

You can find out more about these buts in this full Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 review.

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Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health. She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best. When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good fantasy novel or out hiking.

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