After testing the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO open-earbuds, I’m certain that everyone will love them. The sound quality makes them some of the best earbuds I’ve ever tested, and the open-ear design means they’re perfect for anyone needing to listen out for ambient sound around them.

Open-earbuds aren’t for everyone since noise-cancelling is a must for some, but these buds will change your mind. They’re extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time, given their lightweight design, and the IP54 durability rating makes them a great companion for anyone sporty or who spends a lot of time outdoors in all-weather conditions. The customizable EQ settings in the companion app also meant I could make the most of my music.

My only issue is the battery life, which at 20 hours isn’t exactly competitive. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it is something to keep in mind if you’re considering these buds. To find out more, you can keep reading this full Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Specs

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Price & availability

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO open-earbuds are available to purchase from Best Buy for $179 in the U.S. and on Amazon for £129 in the U.K. The earbuds are available in three color designs, including Black, White and Sport.

They’re on the more expensive side of open-earbuds, but they also come with the best sound quality I’ve experienced in this style of bud. My favorites up until now have been the Soundcore Aeroclip earbuds, which cost $129. But I think the extra $50 is well worth it for the Amiron’s better sound.

And while the Amiron ZEROs aren’t exactly a budget option, they’re still a whole lot cheaper than the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which cost $299. However, the Bose buds have an extra seven hours of battery life on the Beyerdynamics.

You could also look at the cheaper EarFun Clip 2 earbuds, which cost $99. They offer awesome performance and comfort. They also have a whopping 40 hours of battery life with the charging case.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Design

There’s no denying that the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO are good-looking earbuds. The design is completely minimalistic, unless you get the Sport colorway, which has bright orange accents — that’s sure to make you stand out. But the Black and White color options are far more subtle.

The buds hook around the cartilage of your ear like a cuff, and I much prefer this design to hook-style open-earbuds like the JLab Epic Open Sport ($114). The cuff style feels a lot more secure. I’d also recommend this style to runners rather than wrap-around headphones like the H2O Audio Tri 2 PRO ($199), especially if you have long hair like me.

With a durability rating of IP54, the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO are protected against water splashes and dust, making them well-suited to resisting sweat during your workout or coping with unpredictable weather.

The buds also have wear detection, which I find useful as I never want to miss a second of my music, but you can switch this off in the app if you prefer.

Comfort

Since they’re lightweight at just 0.2 ounces per bud, the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear all day long. Since these are open ears, you can hear everything going on around you, so I always felt comfortable in my surroundings when out and about.

It’s worth considering that since these are open-earbuds, there’s a lot of sound leakage. My colleague Erin sits next to me in our office and said it sounded like the earbuds were actually in her ears instead of mine — sorry, Erin.

Controls

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO have touch controls that are customizable through the Beyerdynamic app. This is easy to do, and you can use a series of taps to skip through and play and pause songs.

I found the touch controls responsive, even when moving around, such as when I was out hiking. I usually prefer to have button controls for more deliberate touches, but the touch-sensitive controls are really great here as they quickly beep to let you know how many taps you’ve made, and therefore what function is taking place.

Connectivity

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO use Bluetooth 5.4. They have a connection range of 15 meters (50 feet), so I was able to walk away from my phone and move around without worrying about losing connection. The buds only support SBC and AAC codecs for wireless audio, so they have no hi-res capabilities, but the audio sounds great anyway.

You also get multipoint connectivity for pairing the buds with up to two different devices. You can control these connections in the Beyerdynamic app, and it’s very easy to set up. It made it easy to switch between my phone and laptop when working in the office.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Sound quality

Beyerdynamic makes some of my favorite detailed listening headphones, the DT 270 Pro. Despite being open-earbuds, the Amiron ZERO are no different — they’re perfect for appreciating the finer details of your music.

The earbuds have a wide soundstage that lets me appreciate the layers of the music and take in all the instruments at once, while still hearing the ambient sound around me. I created a V-shaped custom EQ for the earbuds, as this is the way I prefer to listen to my music. This increases the bass and treble while decreasing the mids, and it's the type of default EQ setting you’ll find on most commercial headphones.

To test out the bass performance from the earbuds, I listened to Television/So Far So Good by Rex Orange County. There’s rumbling bass throughout this song, and the earbuds did a good job of keeping the lower frequencies warm and balanced throughout. I had no issues with distortion here, which can often be the case with open-earbuds.

For the mids, I listened to The Downtown Lights by The Blue Nile, as it uses a driving drum beat and bright synth sounds. The whole song was well-defined, and the guitar sounded clean throughout. The drums also stood out even though they’re very far back in the soundstage.

The treble performance of the earbuds is great, too. I listened to Soda by Nothing But Thieves, as the lead singer’s vocals are incredibly strong, but can sometimes become lost if the balance isn’t quite right. The vocals were crisp and clean, with good replication of the reverb. The detail from the whole song is impressive, and I felt like I was listening with studio headphones with the benefit of an open-ear design.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: App

As discussed, most of the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO’s settings — like the touch controls — can be customized in the Beyerdynamic app. The app is simple but effective, putting everything you need in one place without too many bells and whistles. It’s much easier to use than rival apps from EarFun or Soundcore.

For music customization, the app has a five-band EQ where you can use EQ presets and create a custom EQ. I enjoyed using all of these settings, and it gave me a lot of different options based on what I needed from the particular track. I may have settled on my favorite V-shaped EQ for the most part, but I appreciated having the option to change it up every so often.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Call quality

To test call quality, I called my mom while using the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO earbuds (my standard microphone test), and her voice sounded crisp and clear. On the other end, she said I also sounded clear, and much better than I sound when I use my Apple AirPods 3.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Battery life

When up against other open-earbuds, the battery life of the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO looks disappointing. The earbuds have a total battery life of 20 hours with the charging case, with six hours from the earbuds on a single charge.

The EarFun Clip 2 earbuds have a whopping 40 hours of battery life, and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have 27 hours. Despite the disparity, I’m personally able to overlook the battery shortfall since the overall performance of the Amiron ZEROs is so impressive, and six hours is likely to be enough time for one listening session anyway.

You can see the battery percentage and remaining hours in the Beyerdynamic earbuds in the companion app. The case charges with a USB-C cable and a 10-minute charge gives two hours of listening time, which I found ideal for a quick juice-up before leaving the house.

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review: Verdict

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO open-earbuds are, for me, the ones to beat. After a year of testing open-earbuds from many different brands, these are the only ones I’ve tested with performance to match a pair of in-ear earbuds.

They have excellent sound quality with impressive detail, and the intuitive app makes using the earbuds even better. The customizable EQ settings also give complete control over your music. They’re lightweight and totally comfortable to wear for long periods of time, while the IP54 durability rating means they’re reliable come rain, shine or sweat.

Nothing’s perfect, and I do have a qualm with the Amiron ZEROs… but it’s a small one. The battery life just isn’t as strong as other open-earbuds on the market. This isn’t the end of the world, though, and it’s certainly not a dealbreaker considering how amazing the sound quality is.

Open-earbuds aren’t usually for everyone, but the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO could and should be.

If you're a serious music fan, you likely have a pair of the best headphones sitting at home. And if you're an audiophile, you probably have some of the best studio headphones too.

I love having studio headphones on hand when I'm at home to listen to my favorite music, but I can't exactly use a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 270 Pro wired headphones when I'm hiking. I usually opt for my Apple AirPods 3, which don't give me the same crisp audio quality. Beyerdynamic seems to have noticed that there are people like me who want the benefits of studio detail and the convenience of earbuds.

But what if I were to raise you one better: open-earbuds. They are the ultimate convenience solution, but because of the added ambient awareness, the sound quality can sometimes suffer. However, after reviewing the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO, I know I can have the best of both worlds.

Here's what I think of the earbuds after using them as my everyday earbuds for everything from commuting to hiking.

Excellent sound quality

First things first, sound quality. Although I'm a big fan of open-earbuds, I know they're not for everyone. That's because they don't have the acoustic seal you get from traditional earbuds, meaning their sound quality can suffer.

This usually results in bass that isn't as punchy and poor instrument isolation. But somehow the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO earbuds have blown me away with some of the best sound quality of any earbuds I've tried. Seriously.

The earbuds have a wide soundstage and let me listen to all the layers of the music and take in all the instruments at once.

When I can immerse myself and enjoy the music I'm listening to, I end up focusing for longer. Give me a good playlist, and I can walk much farther than usual, so these earbuds are serving as a great source of motivation.

A winning design for hikes

Open-earbuds let in a lot of ambient sound, making them the perfect hiking companion. Staying aware of your surroundings is a must, and taking in all the natural sounds around, like the birds chirping and the swaying of the tree branches, is incredibly therapeutic.

The buds have a durability rating of IP54, meaning they can withstand water splashes from all directions and are dustproof. I have no worries about getting caught out in the rain with these buds, and I know they can cope with a little sweat too.

Battery life isn't competitive, but I'll live

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO are without a doubt the best open-earbuds I've tested... but the battery life lets them down. It's just not competitive.

There are other open-earbuds, such as the EarFun Clip 2, that have a whopping 40 hours of battery with the charging case, but the Amiron ZEROs have just half of that. But 20 hours of battery life isn't bad, and you can still get a lot done. The battery life didn't affect me at all, and given how awesome the sound quality is, it's something I can look past — but it's worth considering.

To find out more, you can read my full review of the Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO earbuds.

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The last few years have seen the resurgence of retro tech. Video cameras have been inspired by and designed after Super 8s. iPods, MP3 players and even cassette players have grown in popularity. And, best of all, wired earbuds have made a strong comeback.

More and more people are ditching wireless buds for wired ones, not just for style, but because wired earbuds — or in-ear monitors (IEMs) — deliver superior hi-res audio. Something Bluetooth can't compete with.

I, for one, am thrilled that wired earbuds are back in vogue. Thanks to wired connections, you don't lose any data (as you do over Bluetooth) so you can listen to music just the way the artist intended. And because technology has come leaps and bounds, you don't need to spend hundreds on a good pair of IEMs either — just look at the Dunu Titan X.

The Titan X cost just $39. Thirty. Nine. Dollars. Given that most of the other IEMs I've tested cost over $100, the Titan X feel like a game-changer. Having used them for a week, I've been blown away by their detailed and spacious soundstage, premium build and design, and their sheer value for money.

I never thought budget IEMs could sound so good.

All about the bass. And treble. And mids

Using wired earbuds or IEMs has its advantages, the biggest being that you don't lose data as you do over Bluetooth. This means that you can enjoy plenty of detail across frequencies, and the Dunu Titan X are up to the challenge. These IEMs are fitted with 10mm dynamic drivers and dual-magnetic circuits to cover a frequency response range of 5Hz to 40KHz.

The average human hearing ranges from 20Hz to 20KHz, so this means that the Titan X are more than capable of reproducing sound accurately.

Truth be told, the only other time I've been able to appreciate the sheer amount of detail in my favorite tunes was through the Sennheiser IE 200 — IEMs that cost $150. That alone says a lot about the Titan X as these cost just $39.

Regardless of the song I listened to — whether that was Tame Impala's psychedelic tracks, Lana Del Rey's liquid smooth vocals, or an orchestral arrangement from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — I was left gobsmacked. The Titan X's vocal capabilities are incredible as voices possess striking clarity. Bass response is powerful and controlled and it never sounds booming. Treble is vibrant without sounding too piercing.

The highs, lows and mids are all well-tuned and refined, and Dunu has really knocked it out of the park. For a detailed analysis of the sound quality, check out my full Dunu Titan X review.

Bang for your buck

I know what you're thinking, "The Dunu Titan X cost $39, surely there's something wrong with them — perhaps the build quality is shoddy." It really isn't. Unlike pricier IEMs, like the Sennheiser IE 200 or the Sony Inzone E9, the Titan X's earpieces are enclosed in high-density alloy housing which is scratch- and sweat-resistant. The gunmetal finish lends the IEMs a premium touch too.

In addition to the fantastic earpieces, the Titan X's braided cable features a 2-pin detachable design, which means you can swap the cables with ease, so the IEMs can still be used if the stock cable breaks.

The silver-plated copper cable itself sports an anti-tangle design. As someone who spent countless hours untangling wired earbuds as a teenager, you have no idea how much I appreciate this design choice.

I'll be honest: I'm usually skeptical of super-budget audio products. I've tested a couple that I dare not even think about, so I was a little apprehensive about the Titan X. They sounded too good to be true — but oh, how they have proven me wrong.

They're ridiculously comfortable. They sport a design that makes them look classy and pricier than they are. They boast insanely good sound for the price.

$39 can buy you perhaps six iced coffees in Los Angeles — bang-for-your-buck IEMs really don't get better than this.

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget spending $150 on Sennheiser IEMs — I just tested the $39 Dunu Titan X and they’re perfect for audiophiles on a budget
• I just tested a $40 pair of wired earbuds perfect for beginner audiophiles — they sound incredible for the price
• I test headphones for a living — here are the 5 best wired headphones I recommend to friends and family

There’s no better way to listen to your favorite tunes than through a pair of wired earbuds — or IEMs, if you want best-in-class sound and detail. If you’re an audiophile on a budget, I’ve got good news for you: I’ve just tested a pair of super budget IEMs that delivers incredible sound quality. Not only are the Dunu Titan X built extremely well thanks to their metal housing, they’re comfy for all-day listening too.

As for the sound, it’s 10/10 from me. Meaty bass without sounding booming, vibrant treble that doesn’t overpower the rest of the soundstage, and a detailed midrange, the Titan X will have you appreciating your favorite artists in newfound ways. While there are no in-line controls and eartip replacement is finicky, neither of those are massive dealbreakers.

To find out if these are the best wired headphones for you, read my full Dunu Titan X review.

Dunu Titan X review: Specs

Dunu Titan X review: Price & availability

IEMs, or in-ear monitors, don’t always come cheap, and the Dunu Titan X has carved itself a niche here. Priced at just $39 for the 3.5mm version or $44 for the USB-C with mic model, it’s one of the cheapest ways to stream hi-res audio. It’s available in just one color only: gray.

The Titan X are priced similarly to the Sennheiser CX 80U ($39) and the Final VR500 ($44) but those are wired earbuds and don’t call themselves IEMs. See, IEMs are the premium, high-performance subset of wired buds, so the Titan X compete with the likes of the Sennheiser IE 200 ($149) and the Sony Inzone E9 ($149) but as you can see, these IEMs are far pricier than Dunu’s offering.

Dunu Titan X review: Design

For the price, I wasn’t expecting the Dunu Titan X to be built this well and look so premium. Unlike the pricier Sennheiser IE 200 and the Sony Inzone E9, the Titan X don’t utilize plastic in their construction. They feature a high-density alloy housing with a gunmetal finish, and Dunu claims that this makes the IEMs scratch- and sweat-resistant. Having used the Titan X extensively, I can confirm that they’re indeed built very well — and the gunmetal finish is nothing short of stunning.

Just like the Sennheiser IE 200, the Titan X’s braided cable features a 2-pin detachable design, which means you can swap the cables with ease — handy for making the IEMs last as long as possible. Speaking of, the silver-plated copper cable has a tangle-free design which means that you don’t need to worry about untangling the IEMs every time you take them out of your pocket.

Weatherproofing

IEMs and wired earbuds are rarely waterproof, and the same applies to the Titan X. They don’t have an IP rating so I’d be reluctant to use them in the pouring rain. This isn’t unique to the Titan X — the Sennheiser IE 200, the Sony Inzone E9 and the Sennheiser CX 80U aren’t weatherproof either. You may want to consider a pair of the best wireless earbuds for that.

Comfort

Having worn the Titan X for four straight hours, I can confidently say that they’re very comfortable. Like I mentioned earlier, the Titan X feature alloy housing, and the metal build makes them heavier than the Sennheiser IE 200. Each earbud weighs 0.45oz, which is substantially more than the IE 200 (0.14oz each). While that feels like a lot when the IEMs are in your hands, you realize the Titan X have fantastic weight distribution when you put them in your ears. The cable wraps around each individual ear too to help with that.

Included in the box are six pairs of silicone eartips of different sizes: three of these are designed for vocal clarity while the others are for extra bass, according to Dunu. This is down to how airtight the seal is, and I’ll discuss this in the sound quality section shortly. All you need to know is that the eartips themselves are quite comfortable, and depending on the size you pick, they sit snugly in your ears.

But one of the most annoying things about the Titan X is the eartip replacement. It took me 30 minutes to try and get a pair of eartips onto the earpieces. And I failed. I then asked my colleague to try and she got the eartip on one earpiece and struggled with the other, before I somehow managed to put it on.

Controls

Similar to other IEMs, like the Sennheiser IE 200 and the Sony Inzone E9, the Titan X don’t feature any in-line buttons to control playback. You’ll need to use your smartphone, laptop or other audio source to adjust the volume and play/pause music. The Sennheiser CX 80U feature in-line controls if that’s a priority for you.

Connectivity

Unlike wireless earbuds which feature either Bluetooth or 2.4GHz connectivity, the Titan X IEMs can be used wired-only. You can get either the 3.5mm model, or the USB-C version. All you need to do is plug the jack into your phone or laptop and you’re good to go. No need for any apps or finicky Bluetooth pairing — simply plug and play. If you're going to be mainly streaming from a smartphone or USB-C device, the USB option is the one to get.

Dunu Titan X review: Sound quality

The Dunu Titan X are well-endowed IEMs, featuring 10mm dynamic drivers and dual-magnetic circuits to cover a frequency response range of 5Hz to 40KHz (compared to 6Hz-20KHz on the Sennheiser IE 200). This means that the Titan X cover the entirety of the human hearing spectrum (20Hz-20KHz) and reproduce most sound accurately.

To test the IEMs, I plugged them into my MacBook Air M2 and listened to my favorite testing tracks on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio, starting with ‘Radio’ by Lana Del Rey. The first thing I noticed as soon as I hit play was that the Titan X provided fantastic noise isolation even without featuring ANC. I couldn’t hear anything or anyone else, and I felt fully immersed.

The Titan X’s vocal capabilities are incredible, as Lana’s voice emerged with striking clarity. Her subtle vibrato and layered harmonies were rendered with impressive precision, and the song sounded more expansive and spacious than it does on most wireless earbuds.

To test the bass, I listened to ‘Elephant’ by Tame Impala. The Titan X showcased just how satisfying a well-tuned bass response can be. The track’s iconic fuzzy bass riff hit me with impressive weight and texture, as well as solid low-end impact. The IEMs delivered a thick, gritty growl that felt powerful without becoming bloated. I also appreciate how well the Titan X captured the bassline’s distortion: they preserved its raw energy as well as excellent definition between notes.

The Titan X handles treble beautifully too, ensuring that it never pierces through the rest of the soundstage without making it feel too dim. In Of Monsters and Men’s ‘Mountain Sound,’ the bright acoustic guitars shimmered through the Titan X, and the crisp percussion cut through the mix with vibrance. I noticed that the Titan X lent plenty of air to the track, which allowed high-pitched cymbal strikes and the tambourine to breathe without sounding fatiguing.

Overall, the Titan X are outstanding IEMs for detailed listening, and for those who want to enjoy their favorite artists to the fullest.

Listen along to my review with the Dunu Titan X testing playlist:

Dunu Titan X review: Gaming performance

Alongside being excellent for listening to music, the Dunu Titan X are fit for gaming too, especially FPS titles where you want to be able to pinpoint footsteps with precision. If you get the 3.5mm model, you should be able to plug the IEMs right into, say, your PS5’s or Xbox Series X’s controller, and your computer of course.

I played some Cyberpunk 2077 to see how the Titan X performed, and they didn’t let me down. I was able to pinpoint footsteps with precision, even when enemies were behind doors and I couldn’t see them. This helped me adjust my strategy accordingly, and I was able to infiltrate the gang’s base with ease. I also appreciated how the Titan X brought the techno soundtrack to life, as I could headbang to the OST while riding my bike through the streets of Night City.

Of course, if you want gaming-specific IEMs, I’d recommend the Sony Inzone E9 — but the Titan X suffice if you want a pair of earbuds that do it all.

Dunu Titan X review: Call quality

Whether you can answer calls with the Dunu Titan X depends entirely on the model you get. The USB-C version comes with an in-line mic. Unfortunately, I tested the 3.5mm model which doesn’t feature a mic, so I couldn’t test the IEMs’ call quality.

Dunu Titan X review: Verdict

Great sound doesn't have to come with a premium price tag, and the Dunu Titan X prove just that. For less than $40, these budget-friendly IEMs deliver an audio experience that rivals products costing several times more, such as the Sennheiser IE 200 and the Sony Inzone E9. They combine impressive detail with controlled but powerful bass, as well as clear mids in a package that feels pricier than it is.

While the lack of in-line controls may be disappointing for some, and the finicky eartip replacement may prove frustrating at times, neither should stop you from getting the Titan X. Given that these IEMs cost just $39, they’re perfect for audiophiles on a budget. If you’re looking for an affordable entry point into the world of IEMs, few are better than the Titan X.

Over a year ago, I ditched in-ear buds for over-ear headphones and didn't look back. You'll usually find me with my trusty Marshall Monitor III headphones around my neck, or sitting atop my head while I jam to my favorite tunes. While I love my headphones, I'm no stranger to itchy ears from sweating, and due to the very nature of over-ear cans, they can be tricky to wear for long periods of time during the summer.

The solution is a simple one, of course: get a pair of in-ear buds. In-ear buds don't sit around your ears, like over-ear headphones do, so they don't feel suffocating during the year's hottest months. And you don't need to spend big bucks to get a decent pair — which is why I'm opting for the Sony WF-C710N.

I tested the WF-C710N back in April 2025, and to date, they remain some of the best wireless earbuds I've ever tested. They're lightweight and ridiculously comfortable, and their see-through Glass Blue design is nothing short of delicious. Meaty bass, crisp treble, refined mids, and with highly effective ANC — these earbuds have got it all. And the best part? They're $170 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. It's time to upgrade your life for less with the WF-C710N.

Like you aren't even wearing them

Having tested and used many earbuds in my time, I believe that the true hallmark of a good pair is when you don't even realize they're in your ears. I should be able to go about my day without feeling earbuds digging into my ear canal. By that standard, then, the Sony WF-C710N are simply excellent.

Each earbud weighs just 0.18oz which is practically nothing. In my ears, they fit snugly and never once have they fallen out, even when I've been walking briskly or headbanging. There have been times where I've forgotten that the WF-C710N are in my ears, and that says everything you need to know about their comfort level.

In addition to that, the WF-C710N are sure to turn heads because they look stunning. Available in white, black and blue, I'd personally recommend the third option. You can see the wires and hardware on the see-through Glass Blue model, and this sets the earbuds apart from any others on the market right now.

They sound amazing

I would never recommend a pair of earbuds unless they sounded downright fantastic — yes, even if it's very comfortable and good-looking. The Sony WF-C710N have that covered, with their 5mm drivers delivering powerful bass and vibrant treble. Thanks to Sony's trademarked Digital Sound Enhancement Engine technology, sound is reproduced as close to the original recording as possible.

Through the WF-C710N, the distorted bass in 070 Shake's 'Elephant' and the reverberating bassline in Twenty One Pilots' 'No Chances' sound fantastic. It's powerful enough that you can you feel the music in your skull but not so booming that it overpowers the rest of the soundstage.

Treble is crisp but not overzealous, so you can clearly hear the high-pitched coins in Pink Floyd's 'Money' but that sound doesn't pierce through the soundscape or undermines the other instruments.

For a pair of in-ear buds, the WF-C710N provide an excellent, immersive listening experience. Combine that with the highly effective ANC that goes toe-to-toe with Bose, and you've got a winning formula. The ANC is so good that you can't hear the kettle boiling or the TV indoors, and the noise of a bus rattling while you're traveling is also muted. You're getting bang for your buck here.

In the summer, you need a pair of earbuds that enable your ears to breathe — and while headphones are great, they clamp down on your earlobes, leading to some discomfort, especially during heatwaves. Conversely, when it gets colder, over-ear cans are a great choice, because they can double as earmuffs and provide some warmth to your ears when temperatures drop.

What do you think? Do you swap between over-ear headphones (or on-ears) and in-ear buds depending on the weather? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• Sony WF-C710N review
• Do you need to spend $449 on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen when you can get the new Marshall Milton ANC for $229? I tested both and I’m very surprised
• Not all on-ear headphones are uncomfortable: I’ve been using the new Marshall Milton ANC for 3 weeks and they’re ridiculously comfortable and offer outstanding sound too

In the increasingly oversaturated wireless earbud market, it’s becoming harder and harder to be noticed. But you know what, Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max? I’m noticing you. Are Soundcore’s newest flagship earbuds some of the best earbuds money can buy?

If you value modern, AI features, great sound quality, and impressive battery life (better than Apple, Sony, and Bose, by the way), then yeah. Totally. The only downside is the appearance — of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I’m not sure who these buds are designed for. If Soundcore is serious about competing with Apple, the earbuds need to look better. It’s as simple as that.

But isn’t it about what’s on the inside? And in this case, the inside boasts fantastic, Galaxy Buds 4 Pro-rivaling bassy sound and impressive proprietary AI functionality. Could these be the earbuds for you? To find out, keep reading this Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Specs

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Price & availability

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max are $229 from Amazon U.S. and £199 from Amazon U.K.. The Liberty 5 Pro Max released at the same time as the Liberty 5 Pro, which are the same earbuds, but with a different case. If you want the AI notetaking case, get the $229 Pro Max. Just want great earbuds? Get the $179 Libert 5 Pro instead.

2025’s Soundcore Liberty 5 launched at $129 from Amazon, so we’ve got a price increase of 77% here.

There are, thankfully, a few technological improvements that somewhat justify this price tag. The Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max come with Anker’s proprietary AI chip, which powers live translation and AI notetaking. Think of it like this: the Liberty 5 Pro Max are the AirPods Pro 3 to the Liberty 5’s AirPods 4.

When you’ve got flagship native ecosystem earbuds that only cost $249 — the AirPods Pro 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — and “big name” premium brands that are only $70 more — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 and Sony WF-1000XM6 — the Soundcores have a lot to live up to.

Thankfully, the Liberty 5 Pro Max share a lot of flagship features with these big-name buds, which I’ll get into now. If you want a premium feel for $20 less, they could be a great option.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Design

Unlike the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, which features an AirPods-esque stem design, the Liberty 5 Pro Max have adopted Bose’s pebble-ish design. Say goodbye to the stem, the Pro series is more like a little nugget in your ear.

Whether you like this or not will depend on your preferences. Personally, I’m much more of a stem earbud person, so I was a little disappointed when I opened my new earbuds. However, I know pebble shapes are popular, so I’m sure you’ll get along fine if you’re a pebble preferer.

The buds themselves come in black or blue — I tested black/gray — and are quite plasticky. There’s a nice shiny Soundcore logo, but I’m not sure… something about the design feels quite budget to me — not acceptable at this price point. I’d like to see the design looking more ‘AirPods or Sony WF-series adjacent’ in the future, if Soundcore wants to compete with (and price near) the big guns.

I have weirdly small ears, and I had to use the XXS ear tip. While this ear tip (the smallest option) fit well in my ear canal, the size of the earbud nozzle pressed down on my cartilage during use. I could only wear them for around two hours before my ears started aching — so I’d bear this in mind if you’re one of the small-eared folk too.

Controls

The controls are mostly customizable in the Soundcore app. I adjusted all the playback controls to my liking, but the call controls are set. Weirdly, you need to double-press to accept a call and long-press to reject — I’m not sure why this wasn’t a single tap for accepting and a double for rejecting, but hey.

I don’t really get on with pebble earbud touch controls — I much prefer the versatility of a stem design — but, again, if you’re used to pebble-type buds, the Liberty 5 Pro Max will be exactly what you’re accustomed to.

Connectivity

Connectivity on the Liberty 5 Pro Max is awesome. I never had to cycle through my Bluetooth settings. Every time I opened the earbuds, they automatically connected to my two devices and switched between those devices seamlessly.

The Liberty 5 Pro Max feature Bluetooth 6.1, which is the newest version with the highest reliability and longest range. I never experienced sound glitching or cutting out, and I was able to get all the way out of my apartment and onto the road outside before the earbuds disconnected.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Sound quality

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max sound pro and max in every way. To test sound quality, I listened to a variety of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles, but I’ll discuss a few standouts here.

‘Video Games’ by Lana Del Rey is built over Del Rey’s glamorous, Hollywood starlet vocals and a heady string section. The harp notes were clear and melodious and the soft piano chords rounded everything out delicately. Atop the soft instrumental, Del Rey’s vocals took front and center, but there was a little overprocessing in the final chorus — albeit also present when I listened with the AirPods Pro 3.

Another decadent, layered track is ‘Bliss’ by Muse, with foundations of arpeggiated synths, raw guitars, and strong bass. The vocals weren’t overpowered by this rich soundscape, and the synths twisted and spiralled across the heavy guitars with ease. This song sounded awesome.

I switched up the genre to electronic for the third and final test: ‘Getaway’ by Fcukers. This trip-hop-tinged track has a cello sample throughout — I could feel the vibrations of the string in my ears. The electronic breakdown and breathy vocals slightly obscured this cello note, but not enough to detract from the overall experience.

The sound quality is equal to that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — confidently bassy, rich, and immersive. If you like detail, I’d recommend the AirPods Pro 3, but overall, I was extremely impressed by this sound quality.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: ANC

ANC is really impressive. I would say it’s the same as the AirPods Pro 3, and only narrowly upstaged by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2.

I tested the ANC both in the office and out and about in the city. I couldn’t hear myself typing in the office, and in the city, all car noises and general chatter was completely silent. Conveniently, I walked past some builders jackhammering the pavement and I couldn’t hear much.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: App

As with everything under Soundcore’s belt, the Liberty 5 Pro Max use the Soundcore app. This app is super easy to navigate and well laid out.

There are tons of features stuffed into the app, but my favorite is HearID. This is kind of like a gamified EQ “this or that” — you listen to a variety of clips and choose which sounds best. Then, the app generates an EQ that suits your tastes. Remarkably, it generated me a super bass-heavy EQ, which is not what I would’ve picked for myself.

While this is fun, the audio clips in the game itself are quite compressed, so don’t have the best sound quality, which might have caused a discrepancy between my personal EQ preferences and the generated EQ. I did turn the EQ off after a few listens, but this is great for beginners who might not know what they like.

AI Features

One of the selling points of the Liberty 5 Pro Max is the AI functionality. These earbuds actually have an Anker-designed AI chip — the first ever.

Personally, I never ever use any AI in my earbuds or headphones. I have AirPods Max 2, and I can count on one hand the number of times I used any of the AI features — and those were all for the review.

Of course, I tested all the AI features in the Liberty 5 Pro Max. Strangely, I had to connect to the charging case independently of the buds. When taking notes via the AI notetaker, the charging case (“the box” as referred to in the app) records the content, not the buds. You also have to be connected to the app to do this.

After finishing the recording, I transcribed the report. This took around one minute for a five-minute recording.

The transcription correctly identified different speakers, better than the Viaim RecDot which couldn’t differentiate between male and female speakers, but struggled when the speakers talked over one another. The ‘Intelligent Summary’ took four minutes to generate from the same five-minute recording.

For meetings with defined speakers, this would be great, but I’m not sure how it would handle a chaotic boardroom.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Call quality

To test the call quality of the Liberty 5 Pro Max, I called my boyfriend, who has listened to every single pair of earbuds I’ve reviewed thus far, so he’s kind of a control test at this point. He said I sounded the same as my AirPods Pro 2.

To test the “noise-reducing AI algorithm” I played a city noise track at max volume — about 65dB, which is a loud conversation. He couldn’t hear this at all, so I’d say the Liberty 5 Pro Max have excellent ambient noise reduction. If you’re often calling in loud environments, these earbuds would be perfect.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Battery

The Liberty 5 Pro Max have a huge 50-hour battery life (ANC off) — but this drops to 28 hours with ANC on. Still, this battery life beats the AirPods Pro 3, Sony WF-1000XM6, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2’s 24 hours, but can’t compete with Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s 30 hours.

Even so, I’d much rather see 28 hours than 24 hours, so I’ll take every hour I can get. I listened to the Liberty 5 Pro Max — with ANC on max, fiddling with all the settings — for 8 hours, and the battery dropped to 80%, so that 28 hours checks out.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max review: Verdict

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max are fantastic earbuds. If you want rich sound, strong ANC, and interesting AI features, they’ll definitely suit your tastes. So why not a 4.5-star or a 5-star rating, if they’re that good? It’s all in the design. The only thing holding these earbuds back is their appearance. If Soundcore seriously wants to compete with the big, big names — Bose, Apple, Samsung, Sony — the design needs to feel more premium. Right now, the plasticky nozzle and the weirdly shiny exterior just scream “I’m budget but I’m trying not to be — and I’m $229”.

With a little finesse in the design (and more comfortable for more types of ears), these earbuds would be well on their way to butting heads with the likes of Apple and Bose. But if you happen to like how they look (from all the pictures in this review), then, of course, they’ll be right for you.

I love the sound, I love the ANC, I love the call quality, and I love the battery life. For those who value these features above all else, of course the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max will do the trick.

If you type "wired earbuds" into the search bar on Amazon or any other seller, you'll get hundreds if not thousands of options. In an age where wired earbuds are making a comeback — because they're "fashionable" but also enable you to stream hi-res audio — you're spoiled for choice. But the vast majority you'll find are probably pure junk.

Here at Tom's Guide, it's our mission to upgrade your life for less, so if you're on the hunt for wired buds, you've come to the right place. I listen to music a lot, and I put earbuds and headphones through their paces to answer the question: are they worth their asking price?

While wireless earbuds are convenient, you lose data over Bluetooth, but this isn't a problem when you use wired earbuds. You get more detail, better treble, and powerful bass that doesn't sound booming — with a good pair of wired buds, that is. I've handpicked my favorite wired earbuds that offer bang for your buck under $50, $100 and $150, just for you.

Under $50

Under $100

Under $150

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JBL just announced its latest line of premium earbuds — the Live Buds 4, Live Beam 4, and Live Flex 4. These earbuds are all the same flagship earbuds with premium sound, strong ANC, AI-enhanced call quality, and sleek design.

But this doesn't really set them apart from AirPods Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM6, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. All those bigger-name earbuds do all that, too. So what makes the JBL Live series special? What sets it apart from the oversaturated earbud market?

The design. While AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are stem earbuds with a silicone tip, the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 have no silicone tip — but also fewer features. The Sony XM6 and Bose QC Ultra 2 are stemless pebble earbuds, and you can't get them in any other style.

The Live 4 series isn't available yet, but it should launch any day now for an estimated MSRP of $199.

JBL said "Enough!" — and changed the game

Now, you can get flagship earbuds in whichever style you want. Want the best features but no silicone ear tip? Get the JBL Live Flex 4. These earbuds have the same hardware as the Beam 4 and Buds 4, but they don't have the silicone ear tips.

Previously, if you didn't want the silicone ear tip, you'd need to get the non-flagship model, like the AirPods 4 or Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. This means you'd miss out on "Pro"-level sound and smart features. For example, the AirPods Pro 3 can take your heart rate and live translate into the buds themselves — but AirPods 4 can't do this.

Of course, the Buds and Beam styles will inherently have better ANC than Flex. This is the nature of silicone ear tips — they create a seal that blocks sound waves. Without this, you won't be able to get that snug fit.

But all is not lost! A JBL representative confirmed to me that Flex have a different ANC algorithm from the Buds and Beam, which strengthens the noise-blocking signals to keep your music front and center, even in noisy environments.

I'm watching you, Sony, Apple, Bose, Samsung...

If JBL can do it, why can't Apple, Bose, Sony, and Samsung? Why must silicone-tip haters be forced to buy the cheaper line and miss out on premium features? Why must pebble earbud haters be forced to buy AirPods Pro 3 instead of Sony WFXM6?

Now that JBL's created the same line of earbuds with mostly the same specs, I'm waiting for everyone else to do it. Take a look at the specs below — you can really see how the entire line has the same features.

Of course, there are natural differences in battery life. This is because the Buds have less space for battery, and the Flex have a stronger ANC algorithm due to the lack of a silicone seal. But everything else? Identical.

Now that JBL has changed the game, I want to see it everywhere. AirPods Pro 4 with pebble, stem, and stem + silicone tip. This level of versatility and choice is the future, and I want to live it now.

On top of all of this, you also get a touchscreen charging case that lets you choose ANC modes, EQs, skip tracks (while playing music), and check battery (without needing to connect to your phone). I'm so excited to try these earbuds out and review them.

Which kind of earbuds do you like? Personally, I'm a stem + silicone tip person. I have super small ears, so pebbles are a no-no for me, and I like the tight ANC seal.

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If you're bored with the AirPods Pro 3, JBL has just announced three alternatives that could sway you. JBL has launched its newest line of premium earbuds: the Live 4 series. The Live Buds 4, Live Beam 4, and Live Flex 4 boast JBL Smart OS 3.0, new and improved Personi-Fi, a Smart Charging Case and more colors — which I'll talk about later. JBL has also stuffed four mics with AI noise-reducing algorithms for crystal-clear calls.

Unlike other brands, JBL makes the same earbud in different wearing styles. "Buds" are Sony WF-1000XM6 bean-type, "Beam" are similar to AirPods Pro 3-competitor with silicone ear tips, and the "Flex" style is like the tipless AirPods 4. Now, you don't have to compromise premium features or sound if you don't like silicone ear tips, unlike Apple and Samsung's earbuds.

All styles of the Live 4 — Buds, Beam, and Flex — are available in black, blue, silver, and sand. The Beam (stem and silicone tip) and Flex (stem but no tip) are also available in green, purple, and orange.

We haven't got confirmed U.S. pricing yet, but going off previous models, I'd estimate the Live 4 line will be around $199. Take a look at all the announced features below.

The feature I'm most excited for? The Smart Charging Case

The Smart Charging Case is the feature I'm most excited about. Even though the Smart Charging Case screen was seen on the Live 3 series, it still feels truly new and innovative. I hope this design element comes to other earbuds in time. One of my biggest gripes with the AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is that you can't adjust any settings without a phone.

With the JBL Smart Charging Case, we can now see battery life at a glance — without needing to pair to any device — control EQ, ANC, and skip songs. Of course, you'll need to be connected to your smartphone to use any of the audio-related features.

Although this isn't a new feature for the Tune 4 series, I'm glad to see it return improved. You can now add backgrounds to the screen or customize it with an original photo.

I will say I think the screen could look a little more modern. As it stands, it looks like something from five years ago. On future versions, a more glass-like appearance and sharper text will make the Live a must-have.

Stay tuned for our JBL Live 4 Series review

Of course, it's not just the case that I'm excited for. With Smart OS. 3.0, the Live 4 series have improved Personi-Fi. Personi-Fi is JBL's personalized hearing EQ. I've used this on previous models like the JBL Live 770NC, and I seriously love it. Personalized EQs are one of my favorite things to play around with when I get new headphones — they literally change your music to suit your tastes.

I won't be able to comment on things like sound quality, mic quality, and comfort until I've given the Live 4 series a fair test. I should be reviewing all three of the new earbuds soon, so keep your eyes peeled for our comprehensive review landing shortly.

What do you think about the new Live Buds 4, Live Beam 4, and Live Flex 4? Will you be grabbing a pair? In which color? I'd choose orange!

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The Viaim RecDot are some interesting earbuds. Are they the best earbuds in the world? It completely depends on what you’re looking for. If you want an AI assistant — a la Plaud NotePin — then maybe. But if you want something that can compete with AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, then… no.

As the RecDot are angled as an AI assistant-meets-earbuds device, I’m in two minds. The AI features are plentiful, and they work most of the time. However, the companion app struggled to differentiate between speakers, and the claims that you can record without an app fall flat when you have to transcribe via the app. Even so, I enjoyed the mind-map and summaries generated in the Viaim app — native Apple and Samsung Galaxy buds can’t do this.

But in 2026, the majority of flagship earbuds — AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro included — can transcribe, live translate, and record calls directly into your phone… so why wouldn’t you just do that? On top of the AI functionality, AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound miles better than the Viaim RecDot.

Could these underdog AI native earbuds still be for you? Keep reading to find out the full story in this Viaim RecDot review.

Viaim RecDot review: Specs

Viaim RecDot review: Price & availability

The Viaim RecDot are $209 from Amazon U.S.. They do not seem to be available in the U.K. except on second-hand sites like eBay.

At this price point, there’s not much room for error. As you can get flagship earbuds — Apple AirPods Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — for just $40 more (less during sale periods), I’m not sure why you wouldn’t simply buy the native software version. Personally, I would buy AirPods if I had an iPhone, and Galaxy Buds if I had a Samsung phone.

The RecDot are laden with impressive AI features like live translation, direct call recording and transcription, and can even act as a dictaphone for interviews. However… so can AirPods and Galaxy Buds. I can understand the need for these features if you’re often calling clients or colleagues and need a transcription, but, again, flagship Apple/Samsung buds can do this.

I’ll discuss more about the AI features and sound quality below, but I think the $209 MSRP is a real shot in the foot. If you want similar performance for even cheaper, I’d recommend the $99 EarFun Air Pro 4+, which have live translation, or the $69 CMF Buds 2 Pro, which have ChatGPT integration.

Viaim RecDot review: Design

Considering the price of $209, I was a little disappointed by the design of the RecDot. They’re very plasticky and look more like EarFun Air Pro 4+ than AirPods Pro 3. I wish the plastic nozzle and stem were more matte.

Comfort

I love that the RecDot come with four sizes of ear tips. I went for size small, but you can choose from XS-L. After selecting my ear tips, I then did an ear fit test, which sends a series of frequencies through the buds and seems to analyze your ear’s response.

Although I have very small ears, I was able to listen for hours without my ears aching. I’d recommend these for other small-eared folk without hesitation.

Controls

As these are stem earbuds, all the touch controls are done via the stem, exactly the same as AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. I found these easy to master — pinch for pause, long press for call recording — and it’s easy to adjust said controls in the Viaim app.

Connectivity

I was surprised to find these earbuds had Bluetooth 5.2, as they were only released in 2025. EarFun released the Air Pro 4+ with Bluetooth 6.0 at around the same time, so in the future, I’d like to see Viaim release its earbuds with the newest version for futureproofing.

I had some trouble reconnecting the RecDot after periods of use on my second device. I had to ‘Forget’ and re-pair the earbuds with my phone after using them with my laptop and vice versa — despite setting up dual device connectivity.

Viaim RecDot review: Sound quality

To test sound quality, I listened to music on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. The RecDot are great in some genres, and quite mediocre in others. If you listen to heavier genres, you might want to skip these $209 earbuds.

First, I listened to ‘Body’ by Estrons, a rock track with immersive, gritty guitars and powerful female vocals. However, the instrumental sections were muddy and cluttered rather than grungey. The heavy section towards the end of the track felt squashed and flattened, steamrollered into something bland and ineffective.

I switched genre to soul for ‘TARDIS (hardest)’ by Greentea Peng. This song sounded much better, with drifting bass and melodic, twinkling keys dappling the background of the track. While the percussion sounded a little tinny, overall, this genre sounded far superior.

Last, I switched to pop/acoustic for ‘Solar Power’ by Lorde. This song is built over Lorde’s layered vocals and gentle, sunsoaked acoustic guitars. At the start of the song, the guitars sounded surprisingly clear, and I could hear the fingers moving on the strings. But the bass was a little stuck, trapped in one earbud, and didn’t provide much depth. Towards the end of the song, more instruments came in, which was detrimental to the overall performance. The vocals were pushed back and the percussion a little tinny.

The RecDot perform much better in sparser, more acoustic genres like dub, acoustic, singer/songwriter, or ambient electronic. If you mostly listen to these genres, I’d say these are a great option. However, if, like me, you’re a rock lover, you might want to skip these for the detail-focused EarFun Air Pro 4+ or bass-heavy CMF Buds Pro 2.

Viaim RecDot review: ANC

ANC on the RecDot is good, but it’s not better than AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. I played a city noise track at 65dB, which I could hear through the music. When I tested them side-by-side with my AirPods Pro 3, I couldn’t hear the noise track at all.

While I think RecDot would cut it for everyday use, if you’re on airplanes or the like often, I think you’d be better off with the aforementioned options.

Viaim RecDot review: Call quality

I’ll discuss actual AI call recording features in the ‘App’ section below, but I’ll mention microphone quality here. To test call quality, I phoned my boyfriend, who has listened to every pair of earbuds I’ve reviewed so far, so he’s the perfect lab rat.

He said my voice sounded mostly clear, albeit a little fuzzy in some sibilant words. He couldn’t hear any ambient noise from my end of the call.

Viaim RecDot review: App

The Viaim RecDot boast a plethora of AI features, however you need the Viaim app to take advantage of said features. When I recorded calls and voice notes, the transcription was generated into the Viaim app. Recording calls was beyond easy — I just held down the stem until I heard “Recording start” and the recording was automatically viewable in the Viaim app.

While Viaim claims you can record directly into the earbuds, this is a little more nebulous than I first expected. While you can record using the earbuds/charging case, you do have to transcribe into the app… so you do need the Viaim app to take full advantage of these features.

You get 600 free minutes a month, and here are a few screenshots of what the transcription looks like.

Unfortunately, the transcription was unable to discern between the two speakers — despite one being female and one male — and transcribed laughter and “um” as Chinese characters.

Despite these AI hiccups, as you can see, the app is well laid out and easy to navigate. While these AI features are nice to have if you find yourself often needing to record calls or voice notes, they’re not exactly groundbreaking; it might take an extra step or two but it’s possible with both the Samsung earbuds (you have to configure the long-press button to voice record) and on the AirPods Pro 3 (you can record FaceTime Audio calls natively).

You can also live translate using Samsung and Apple’s flagship earbuds. While the live translation on both the RecDot, Samsung, and Apple models is laggy and imperfect, I found the RecDot’s summaries to be useful if you have a long conversation with someone. Sometimes these summaries were a little off-piste and struggled to differentiate between questions and statements, but overall, it worked better than Apple and Samsung’s native apps.

Viaim RecDot review: Battery

The RecDot buds last for 9 hours on a single charge, and 36 hours when paired with the charging case.

I listened to them for 8 hours and the overall battery went down to 80%, so that math checks out. This is a pretty great battery life given all the processing and listening that's happening.

By comparison, the AirPods Pro 3 last for a measly 24 hours, while the Samsung Galaxy Buds don't fare much better at 30 hours. Still, there are budget options like the EarFun Air Pro 4+ and CMF Buds 2 Pro last for 46 and 43 hours, respectively, so it's not a clean sweep.

Viaim RecDot review: Verdict

If you want AI earbuds capable of transcribing in various formats and can record calls in the earbuds themselves, the Viaim RecDot are a great investment. However, they don’t really do anything you can’t do with AirPods Pro 3 or the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and an AI-enabled smartphone.

Unfortunately, the Viaim RecDot are so focused on being “game-changing” AI-powered earbuds that they’ve lost sight of their purpose: to be earbuds. With a $209 MSRP, there’s very little room for error — muddy bass in the most common genres and confused transcriptions are rookie errors, and $209 isn’t a rookie price tag.

If the price was $150, I’d be able to recommend these earbuds for the smart features and middling sound. But at $209, you can get flagship sound and equally as impressive smart features for just $40 extra, which makes me a little reticent.

When you can get 90% of the same performance with the $99 EarFun Air Pro 4+ — AI translation, and recording with third-party apps — and 99% of the same performance with Apple or Samsung’s flagship earbuds, I just can’t recommend the RecDot for everyone. If you need recording-capable earbuds more than you care for sound or value, you might get on great with the Viaim RecDot. But for most people, I’d get the EarFun Air Pro 4+ — at least then you have excellent sound and AI features.

When you're trying to tune out the world around you, AirPods are great. The ANC in the AirPods Pro 3 is some of the best around and the sound quality on pretty much every AirPods model is superb.

However, they're not the perfect workout partner, especially if you want to hear your surroundings while at the gym or running along the side of the road. That's where open earbuds like the new EarFun Clip 2 come in.

The latest model in EarFun's line of open earbuds is a little more expensive than the originals, but they come with some cool new features. Here's what it's like to use them, and why I'm replacing the AirPods in my gym bag in 2026.

Why are they so great for working out?

For me, staying aware of my surroundings when I'm working out is essential.

Whether I'm on a run and need to listen to the traffic around me or I'm being mindful of those around me in the gym, open earbuds are a way for me to enjoy my music and still be connected with the world around me.

That's exactly what open earbuds like the EarFun Clip 2 and their predecessors, the EarFun Clip, offer.

Besides being designed to let some ambient audio in, the EarFun Clip 2 earbuds also have a durability rating of IP55, which means that sweat and rain won't affect their performance.

What's new with the Clip 2

While I still really like the original EarFun Clip, the EarFun Clip 2 has brought some serious upgrades to an already decent pair of earbuds. Both earbuds have the C-shaped clip design to sit comfortably on your ear for extended periods of time, but the new buds offer a bit more in the tech department.

They have an extra 10 hours of total battery life with the charging case, which is a win if you're like me and forget to charge your buds before heading out the door. They also offer wireless charging.

Audio compatibility has seen an improvement too, with hi-res codecs now compatible for an improved listening experience. That said, the new buds struggle a little with bass performance, but this isn't an issue with the originals.

The Clip 2 also offer real-time AI translation, which is a great addition for anyone who travels a lot. Not only will you be able to stay aware of your surroundings but you'll be able to understand what people are saying around you, too.

Will you need to upgrade?

Both the Clip 2 and their predecessors are great, which means upgrading will be a case of personal preference. If features like real-time translation and hi-res codec compatibility are things you care about, then you should get the Clip 2s.

That said, the original EarFun Clip model is still a good option. They do everything I need from a pair of open-earbuds, just without the bells and whistles. And, let's be honest, if you want really advanced features, AirPods are still the frontrunners.

To get more information about the features of these earbuds, you can read my full EarFun Cilp2 review.

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• I test headphones for a living — here's my top 3 open earbuds of 2025

The Fitnexa SomniPods are taking on the sleep headphone market by stuffing as much as possible into two tiny earbuds. This is your one stop sleep tracker, audio library, calorie counter and personalized AI coach.

That’s a lot, and a lesser earbud might be overwhelmed. But at the core of the Fitnexa is a solid design that impresses as both a sleep aid and headphones. Plus, the integrated AI wellness coaches add an exciting layer of hands-on self-improvement to an otherwise standard sleep tracker... if you pay to subscribe, that is.

Some necessary compromises hold the Fitnexa back from taking on its biggest competitors (the Soundcore Sleep A30, namely.) I might expect better sound for the price and the cluttered app meant it took me more days than I'd like to admit to figure out basic functions like the alarm.

However, the Fitnexa SomniPods certainly pack in enough features to take on the best sleep headphones we've tested. Learn more in my full Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Sleep Earbuds review below.

• Fitnexa SomniPods 3 at Fitnexa for $189.99

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Specs

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Price & Availability

• Currently $189.99 and only available from Fitnexa
• Similar price to competitors Ozlo and Soundcore
• AI Coach and advanced health tools require a subscription at $49.99 per year

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 cost $189.99 at Fitnexa US. They are shipped to Canada, Europe and Australia — but you'll have to convert the currency yourself.

That puts them in the same price bracket as the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds — undoubtedly the SomniPods closest competitor — which typically retail at $199.99. Although the Soundcore earbuds have the benefit of being completely subscription free.

While Fitnexa does offer a variety of features for free (including sleep tracking), a subscription opens you up to the AI Coach and the full-range of health tracking features, but adds another $49.99 per year.

As the SomniPods 3 only came onto the market in November 2025, I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting to see what discounts we can expect. If it's anything like the Soundcore sales, I predict you'll need to wait for Black Friday for the biggest discounts.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Design & Comfort

• Comfortable for side sleeping and back sleeping
• Hard body can cause some soreness
• IPX4 waterproofing

Beige and compact, the Fitnexa SomniPods are designed to fit snugly in your ears and get lost easily in your sheets. Thankfully there's a 'find my earbuds' function, or this whole thing would have been a bust from night one.

But the compact design serves an important purpose: comfort. Unlike your standard wireless earbuds, the SomniPods are almost flat, so they won't dig painfully into your ear as soon as your head hits the pillow.

It’s this super thin design that contributes most to the comfort of the SomniPods because while the included silicon ear wings offer some padding, the shell of the earbud itself is hard. Lying on my side, it took some maneuvering to get my ear, earbud and pillow playing nice and I'd often wake up to some soreness. That's not unusual in a sleep earbud — the Soundcore has a similar problem for side sleepers — but it's worth noting.

Back sleepers, however, are golden. And if you’re traveling or working, the lightweight SomniPods are comfortable to wear for extended time periods.

However, I’d be remiss not to mention the experience of my colleague, Frances Daniels. She’s been testing the SomniPods as well and has yet to start the morning with them still in her ears. Maybe she just has freakish ear canals but as she wears the Loop Quiet 2 ear plugs regularly and they manage to stay in during the night, I think the problem lies elsewhere.

We've experienced this problem with both the Soundcore Sleep A30 and Soundcore Sleep A20 too, so it's not an isolated Fitnexa issue.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Controls & App

• Touch controls can be customized
• But require a firm hand to work
• App is packed-full but not the most user-friendly

The Fitnexa SomniPods use touch controls, which can be customized in the app. It's a fairly standard set-up; the hardest part is actually finding the function in the user interface.

The tap controls aren’t particularly sensitive and require a firm hand before they take notice — I use the JLab Go Pods day-to-day and they're much more responsive. However, the upside is that it's hard to errantly change settings in the night, a problem we noticed from time to time while testing the Soundcore A30s.

The app isn’t the most user-intuitive, which I attribute to Fitnexa trying to do so much with it. As well as sleep sounds, ANC and sleep tracking, you can monitor fitness goals, log meals and speak to an AI helper (more on that later.) As a result, some useful features get buried. It took me far too long to find the alarm setting, for example, despite being a basic addition.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: ANC & PNC

• Decent ANC and PNC
• Masks low-level noise and muffles more disruptive sounds

Active noise cancelation is expected nowadays from a sleep earbud at this price point and the SomniPods deliver with built-in ANC.

Overall, the quality is decent — the ANC alone blocked my ticking clock and the traffic passing by my open window. And while I don’t share a bedroom, I did give the ANC a whirl while my mom enjoyed a post-Sunday lunch nap (she really took one for the team) and it successfully muffled her snores.

Best of all, the SomniPods completely masked the sound of my neighbor’s son hitting a basketball against the side of the house over and over and over, something which had me close to pulling my hair out.

The Fitnexa SomniPods can’t beat the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds when it comes to ANC, but should put up a good fight against the Soundcore Sleep A30s. Once you have the ANC running and some white noise hissing, the rest of the world does almost disappear. Yes, even the basketballs.

The PNC (passive noise canceling) itself is good and with just the earbuds in, sounds were muffled but not blocked. If you are just after PNC with no bells and whistles, the SomniPods are outclassed by a pair of silicone Loop Quiet 2 earbuds.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Sleep features

• Impressive sleep library and integrated ANC help sleep
• Sleep tracker captures the basics well
• AI Coach offers personalized advice for a subscription fee

The combination of ANC and side sleeper comfort alone makes the SomniPods strong contenders for our guide to the top-rated sleep headphones and that's just the start of the dedicated sleep features.

First, you have access to a range of sleep sounds in the app, plus some basic sounds stored local to the earbuds. The local sounds are pretty uninspired and loop regularly, so if you have the battery life, go for the app.

I've been using the brown noise to pretend I'm sitting in first class, jetting off around the world (you can't judge another person's happy place), and I've been impressed with how quickly I drop off. And so is my AI coach, FYI.

Other features like integrated alarms and wind-down notifications add to the day-to-day usefulness of the SomniPods, even though these features are fairly standard among sleep trackers.

Wellness tracking

Integrated wellness tracking is the first of SomniPods big features, bar audio, and it goes hand-in-hand with the AI tools, which I'll dive into next. The app covers the basics I'd expect from any of the best sleep trackers: time to sleep sleep, time to wake, and sleep cycles.

Overall, I’ve found the SomniPods sleep tracking less accurate than my Withings Sleep Mat (although the Withings is the gold-standard here.) The timings are largely accurate but I'm not sure it's nailed my sleep stages — my Withings always tracks more deep sleep and, on a similar note, my colleague Frances found that on some nights, the SomniPods detected no REM sleep at all.

However, one metric I do like is position tracking. It’s a neat feature that trackers rarely include, but it might help identify the causes of aches and pains, or even heartburn (sleeping on your left side eases the digestion process.)

One thing to note is that it takes a moment for Fitnexa to get your sleep tracking data together, so don’t freak out when you open the app to discover you only got three hours last night. Like all of us, the SomniPods take a minute to pull themselves together in the morning.

Sleep is the most detailed and least 'hands-on' of the tracking features, but you can also log your meals, hydration and exercise. The AI meal identification is the stand-out here, although it needs some work — there's no way my brown roll racked up over 400 calories.

AI Coach

As a sleep nerd, I love getting data back from my sleep tracker but even I can admit the numbers aren't always that useful at fighting exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

So the SomniPods offer something different. Upgrade to the subscription plan and you gain access to your own AI 'Coach.'

So how does it work? First, set a wellness goal. Next, pick your AI Coach. I opted for Hebe, a detail-orientated helper who gives you the facts, but there's also supportive Lana and pusher Evan. (Although having chatted to them all, there's not a huge personality difference.)

Once the app starts collecting data, you can mine your coach for personal advice. Expect detailed feedback mixed in with reflections from your sleep tracker and actionable advice — Hebe noted my lack of deep sleep might be behind my afternoon slump and recommended some energy boosting exercises.

You’ll get better responses the more you use every aspect of the app, which can be a bit of a time drag. Hebe is often concerned by my lack of hydration, but I’ve simply forgotten to log my drinks. This means I waste some of my precious chat credits being told to drink water (AI credits are limited per day, so avoid chit-chatting.)

I am admittedly wary of relying on an AI coach for sleep advice. If you do think a lack of sleep is impacting your day-to-day life, I'd recommend speaking to a healthcare professional (sorry, Hebe.)

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Sound Quality

• Decent audio quality for everyday listening
• Expect some tinniness
• Sleep sounds perform best

The SomniPods have decent audio quality… for a pair of sleep earbuds. That’s an important distinction because for $189.99, you might get your hopes up that this can rival some of the best wireless earbuds.

Not so, but the SomniPods do offer good overall sound quality for everyday listening. The layered clarity of Berghain by Rosalía was largely maintained but the oomph of those high notes was let down slightly by a lingering hiss and some tinniness. You also won’t get a particularly complex listening experience — leave that to the AirPods Pro 3.

However, if you’re looking to simplify your tech, the SomniPods are useful as all-round earbuds. Particularly as there’s an equalizer on the app, offering some control over your listening experience. Pre-set options are built-in but you can also tinker to create something to your liking.

The sound quality is best when listening to traditional sleep sounds. The white noise is perfectly drone-y and the brown noise is that soothing hum of rumbling along in your private jet. On that note, songs with a strong bass are delivered with heft through the SomniPods. I took Down By The Water by PJ Harvey for a spin and got happily lost in its sneering, scuzzy repetition.

Audiobooks are also crisp and clear, and if you do cycle through the sleep noises Fitnexa has to offer, I can attest that the dolphin sounds are spot on and super weird to fall asleep to.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Call quality

• Can make and receive calls
• Microphone is fine but not best for day-to-day

Being able to make and receive calls is another string to the all-round usefulness of the SomniPods, even if the call quality is distinctly average. You’ll sound tinny to the person you talk to and, in response, they’ll come across a little thin. However, the vocals are clean and there was no issue with background noise during my brief calls.

All-in-all, it’s a useful addition to the Fitnexa SomniPods and helps it stand out against competitors such as the Ozlo Sleepbuds, which can’t take calls.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Battery life

• 12 hour playback time with ANC off
• Only 6.5 hour playback time with ANC on
• Charges quickly in the case and holds 48 hours altogether

There's really two stories to the battery life of the SomniPods: with and without ANC.

Without ANC you have a playback time of roughly 12 hours, which is more than enough to get you through the night (you should be sleeping around 7 to 9 hours.) I never quite knocked out 12 hours in one go but after around six hours at my desk, the battery had dropped by 50%.

When you turn the ANC on, however, the overall playback drops to just 6.5 hours. That's not enough for a full night and means you have to be careful with your ANC use, lest your sleep tracker packs in around the early hours. After an hour of ANC paired with brown noise, I was down to around five hours of charge.

To help preserve the battery life, make sure to turn on the Sleep Detect feature. This spots when you've fallen asleep and turns ANC off accordingly (the Soundcore A30s have a similar feature.)

The SomniPods also offer timers for almost everything, so you can set your sounds going for as long or as little. By ensuring your music / audiobook / white noise only plays for a set amount of time, you can save some battery life for when it's needed, and not waste energy piping in brown noise when you're already asleep.

The ANC battery life isn't necessarily a flaw — the Soundcore A30 and Ozlo have similar issues — and by the time the buds die, you're asleep. However, if you wake up in the night, you often won't have enough juice to get yourself back to sleep.

Thankfully, the buds charge quickly; after 30 minutes, the case had jumped to around four hours battery life (from completely dead) and it took less than two hours to be back to 100%. Plus, the case holds roughly two days of power, meaning you don't have to charge the earbuds every morning.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Verdict

Fitnexa attempts a lot with the SomniPods and for the most part, this is a solid pair of sleep headphones. The combination of good ANC with a decent audio means if unwelcome noises are keeping you up, you can enjoy a more peaceful night with the SomniPods.

However, the strongest feature is the AI Coach, which is primarily for subscribers. The advice is both helpful and actionable, and because it draws from your own sleep tracking data, it goes beyond the usual AI sleep routines.

It is a case of 'you get what you put in' and to make the most of the features, you'll need to log your food, drink and exercise regime. This is a bit of a time suck, but it might be worth it to avoid my AI Coach telling me to drink another glass of water, especially as chat credits are limited.

If you aren't interested in the AI upgrade, however, the SomniPods fall just behind the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds overall. Both are good all-rounders but the SomniPod newcomers are just pipped by the old guard when it comes to sound quality and ANC.

Still, the Fitnexa SomniPods 3 put up a good fight and at $189.99, I would consider them a decent investment — you get a lot for your money, even though you might question if you need it all.

• Read more: QuietOn 4 Sleep Earbuds review

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds are an impressively comfortable option for gym-goers who want ambient awareness on a budget. They’re a solid contender for the best workout earbuds, with some cool additional features over the previous model of the earbuds, like real-time translation and decent sound quality for a wide range of genres.

Although they are generally good for music listening, they struggle in the bass department, which could put off some users. The app is also very basic, and I find the lack of wear detection annoying.

To save money, you could opt for the previous model of the buds, but to find out more about what the new buds can do, you can keep reading this full EarFun Clip 2 review.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Specs

EarFun Clip 2 review: Price & availability

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds are available at Amazon U.S. for $99 and at Amazon U.K. for £89. For sub-$100/£100 earbuds, they offer awesome performance. They’re a little cheaper than my firm favorites, the Soundcore Aeroclips, which cost $129, but if you want some more color choices than just black, then I’d recommend springing for the Aeroclips.

The previous model of these earbuds, the EarFun Clips, cost $69. If you’d rather save $30, and/or you’re not sure whether open-earbuds are your thing, then I would recommend going for the original model. The original Clips also have a much better bass performance, although you don’t get the new sleek look or the AI-powered translation.

The Earfun Clip 2 open-earbuds have very impressive battery life at 40 hours, and blow big-name brands like Bose out of the water. The $299 Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, for instance, only have 27 hours of battery life.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Design

• Lack of wear detection
• Only one color choice
• Slight movement during HIIT

The EarFun Clip 2 are open-earbuds that clip around the cartilage of your ear. This is my favorite style of open-earbuds to use, as I think they look better than hook-style open-earbuds like the JLab Epic Open Sport ($114).

The EarFun Clip 2 earbuds are only available in black, but they look sleek and understated when worn, so I don’t mind the limited color range. They feel well-built and a lot lighter to wear than the previous EarFun Clip model. The bridge of the cuff also feels a lot more malleable on the new buds, making them easier to put on and take off.

With the charging case, the buds measure 2.8 x 1.9 x 1.1 inches, so they’re a very convenient size to carry around in your pocket or just throw in your bag. They have a weatherproofing rating of IP55, which means they are protected from water splashes in all directions and can be used in some light rain without suffering any damage.

Comfort

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds are very comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. I felt slight movement when doing HIIT workouts, and the up and down motion of running made them move around. But I knew they were secure and wouldn’t fall out since the outer flex ring fits quite tightly. There’s not much pressure where they touch the ear, and the back of the bud where the battery sits isn’t too heavy.

Controls

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds use button controls that sit at the top of the back section of the buds. I like having button controls on workout earbuds, as the controls feel more deliberate. You can change the volume, play, pause and skip across tracks with a series of taps that can be customized in the app. However, there’s no wear detection, which I found annoying as my music kept playing when I took them out. Admittedly, this is often skipped on budget-friendly earbuds. The CMF Buds 2 Plus are a sub-$80 option with wear detection, but they have drawbacks in audio quality.

Connectivity

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds use Bluetooth 6.0 and are compatible with LDAC streaming codecs if you have an Android phone and the correct streaming service subscription. The buds also have multipoint connectivity to switch between devices easily. I don’t use this feature much when using open earbuds, as I primarily use them for working out, where I only have my phone with me. But it was still great to be able to connect them to my work laptop and switch quickly between devices.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Sound quality

• Poor bass performance
• Generally good sound
• Struggles with complex tracks

Upon first listening, I was generally impressed with the sound quality of the EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds. They’re great earbuds for listening to a wide range of genres, but have weaknesses in certain areas, such as bass performance and more complex tracks with many layers.

With that said, since these are open-earbuds, you shouldn’t expect perfect sound since they lose some of the sound by design. There are plenty of equalizers to choose from in the app, but the original sound profile is the one I think works best with these buds.

I first listened to Homewrecker by Sombr for the driving bass throughout the track. The bass was staticky from the get-go, which was disappointing, so any lovers of drum and bass while hitting new PBs at the gym will want to steer clear of these buds. The bass performance on the original EarFun Clip model is far better.

Next up, I listened to She’s American by The 1975 to test out the mids performance of the earbuds. This track is a funky, electronic pop song, and the electric guitar stood out to me as a driving force here. It was punchy and clean without anything falling flat.

Finally, to test out the treble and vocals, I listened to Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron. This is a bright acoustic track full of pretty harmonies. It’s very complex and has a lot of different layers, which seemed to confuse the earbuds as the harmonies got lost and the soundstage felt very narrow. That said, I still enjoyed the music, and I don’t need much more than this from a pair of earbuds that are specifically for working out.

EarFun Clip 2 review: App

The EarFun app is very basic, and I don’t think the EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds benefit that much from it. With other open-earbuds, like the Soundcore Aeroclips, the app enhances the user experience and makes you feel more immersed with more control, but the EarFun app is just clunky.

The app allows you to create your own sound profile, which is a feature I always enjoy using on earbuds to get the best sound possible. This is especially effective on cheaper earbuds like the CMF Buds 2 Plus ($79), but the EarFun process is a lot more finicky. This one requires you to use sliders to find a beeping sound, but it wasn’t very responsive. I much prefer the sound tests that are more reaction-based, like the ones by Soundcore or Sony.

In the app, you can also make changes to the controls of the earbuds, enable low power mode, or alter playback based on your hearing health. For enhancing your music to your taste, there are also many EQ presets to choose from in the app.

The earbuds have AI-powered translation — I’m looking at you, Apple AirPods Pro 3 ($249) — which is a cool feature. To use this feature, I had to create an EarFun account — after doing this, translation is free for a limited time. I played a video on YouTube of conversational Spanish and let the earbuds listen and translate. They gave me a translation on the screen in real time, but also played back the dialogue in my ears. There’s a delay while the translation is happening, but I could also watch it being processed on my phone screen if I wanted to read ahead.

This is a very useful feature if you’re travelling and don’t speak the native language. While I think it’s a little slow to rely on solely, it’s a brilliant feature on a pair of budget buds.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Call quality

• 4 microphones
• Some ambient noise
• Decent voice replication

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds have pretty decent call quality. They have four microphones (two on each earbud) and offer environmental noise cancellation technology. When I called my Mom while on a walk, she could hear some of the road traffic around me, but nothing too disruptive.

This is a vast improvement from the EarFun Clip original model, which suffered from some static noise. I also did some brief sound recording to listen back to, and there were no issues with wind buffeting while outside. However, inside at my desk, while I was speaking and typing on my keyboard, I could hear the tapping of my fingers on the keys. That said, my voice sounded good.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Battery life

• 40 hours with the charging case
• 11 hours in the earbuds
• 10 minutes of charging gives 2.5 hours of listening

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds have a total battery life of 40 hours. This is a lot more than you get with the clip-style Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which have a total battery life of 27 hours. But, if you’re listening with LDAC, then the listening time of the EarFun Clip 2 buds is reduced to a total of 22 hours — still impressive.

Previously, the original model of the EarFun Clip had 40 hours of battery life, so there’s no vast improvement. However, the sound quality is far superior, so the total battery life staying so high is no mean feat.

Alone, the buds have 11 hours of battery life, so they’re a great choice if you want to head out for the day but don’t want the charging case taking up space in your pocket or bag. The case can be charged via USB-C or wireless charging, and 10 minutes of charging time gives two and a half hours of playback, thanks to fast charging.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Verdict

The EarFun Clip 2 open-earbuds are impressive, budget-friendly open-earbuds that offer comfort and awareness while listening to music. They have an impressive 40 hours of battery life and are generally good for listening to most music genres. They offer good, reliable call quality, and the AI-powered real-time translation feature is a cool addition to see on budget buds — and works well with the open-ear design.

Unfortunately, there are some small issues with playback, like poor bass performance and struggles with complex songs, but I wouldn’t expect much more from open-earbuds, given the nature of their design. I find the lack of wear detection pretty annoying too, as I like my music to stop when I take the earbuds out. Overall, these are decent budget-friendly earbuds that are perfect for the gym.

I'm a firm believer that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get great audio. As someone who has tried expensive flagship earbuds from brands like Apple and Sony for day-to-day listening, I still reach for my cheaper earbuds.

Some of the best cheap wireless earbuds can be found thrown into my bag on the daily. You can even get awesome active noise cancellation without spending big bucks, with brands like CMF and Soundcore paving the way for affordable comfort.

To help you get the best sound possible on a budget, I've put together a collection of my 12 favorite cheap wireless earbuds. Whether you need something to keep you motivated at the gym or are looking for a reliable pair of buds to take on your daily commute, there are options here for everyone.

Last week marked my second anniversary as a reviews writer at Tom's Guide. For the last two years, I've had my fingers in many pies and I've juggled many plates, and I've reviewed nearly every type of product. From mechanical keyboards and mirrorless cameras to drones and hiking boots, I've covered everything. It's made me more knowledgable and, along the way, I hope I've succeeded in sharing that knowledge with you, and have helped you make better buying decisions.

I've wanted to be a journalist and a writer for as long as I can remember, and I'm very privileged that I get to share my writing with you, dear reader, almost every single day. You'd be as surprised as I was when I counted the total number of products I've reviewed so far: it's just under 300. That's crazy to me, so I thought I'd share my favorite products from each category with you today.

I'll cover my favorite from each category, not my top-rated. Even though some products on this list may not have necessarily received 4.5 or 5 stars from me, I keep coming back to them. The last two years have been nothing short of awesome, and I can't wait to see what other products I get my hands on this year and the next and the next!

My favorite camera

I've reviewed many of the best cameras and mirrorless cameras as photography is my passion and one of my favorite hobbies. Even though I've tested expensive Leicas and 100MP medium format beasts, my favorite camera is the Fujifilm X-T50. It's the first camera I ever tested at Tom's Guide and I loved it so much that I bought it with my own money — and even took it to Iceland with me.

The X-T50 packs everything I need in a compact, travel-friendly camera. Its 40.2MP sensor captures stunning photos with vivid colors and plenty of detail. I love the film simulation dial which lets me quickly swap between my favorite recipes, and the camera's straightforward control scheme makes it extremely easy to use. Featuring outstanding 7-stops of IBIS and boasting the ability to record 6.2K/30fps video, it's the best camera I've used — and it looks stunning too.

My favorite drone

I've reviewed every quadcopter that appears on our best drones buying guide, and these nifty aerial photography devices are some of my favorite products to test. After having spent many, many hours flying drones, my top pick has got to be the DJI Mavic 4 Pro which is basically a Hasselblad with wings. In its triple camera system, you'll find a 100MP Hasselblad lens that takes the most beautiful photos and 6K/60fps videos a consumer drone possibly can.

What I love most about the Mavic 4 Pro is the RC Pro 2 controller, which feels revolutionary. It's extremely bright with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, and highly responsive. And because the Mavic 4 Pro has a 'Infinity Gimbal' capable of full 360° rotation, the RC Pro 2's screen rotates and puts the drone into vertical shooting mode, negating the need to manually toggle the orientation. All in all, it's a solid package that's well worth the premium.

My favorite earbuds

Alongside cameras and drones, I thoroughly enjoy testing audio gear as I love music and analyzing every aspect of a soundstage. The Sony WF-C710N are my favorite earbuds I've tested so far, and it has a lot to do with their sleek, see-through design and powerful sound quality. They give the pricier Bose QuietComforts a run for their money, to be honest.

With up to 33.5 hours of battery life and highly effective ANC that rivals Bose, the WF-C710Ns are some of the finest buds you can get for under $120. I haven't stopped thinking about them since I tested them. Alongside their good looks, the earbuds also boast incredible bass response even though they're tiny, and deliver consistent sound across genres.

My favorite headphones

Over-ear headphones are my go-to as I find them more comfortable than in-ear buds. Though I use the Marshall Monitor IIIs every day, I didn't have the pleasure of reviewing them, so my favorite headphones that I've personally reviewed are the JLab Epic Lux Lab Editions. I adore these cans as they're extremely comfortable, thanks to their plush faux leather ear cushions and light weight.

The Epic Lux Lab Editions sound fantastic too, boasting a refined and well-balanced sound profile. The wide soundstage features great sub- and mid-bass, clean and crisp treble, and outstanding lows and mids. Also packing effective ANC and long battery life of up to 90 hours (ANC off), it's hard to beat these mid-range headphones.

My favorite speaker

For this category, I was spoiled for choice. I could have picked any of the best portable Bluetooth speakers I've tested but instead, I chose to go for a different kind of speaker — a party speaker. The Marshall Bromley 750 is my favorite speaker I've tested yet, and though it has a very specific use case, it's the all-in-one speaker I've been waiting for as a guitarist and an audiophile.

The Bromley 750 doubles (or triples) as a guitar amp and a karaoke machine, and it boasts peerless sound quality. The incredible bass response makes you want to headbang while the vibrant treble and crystal clear vocals make you appreciate your favorite artists more than you did before. It also features beautiful integrated LED lighting which dances and reacts to the track you're playing. It's a sound and light show for the price of one.

My favorite computer speakers

The Edifier QR65 are the best desktop speakers I've tested, and I loved them so much that they're still sitting on my office desk. Their gorgeous design is a sight to behold as each speaker is lit up with panels of LED lights which look like infinity mirror tunnels. But that's not even their biggest selling point — the sound quality and connectivity options are where it's at.

You've got the option for wired and wireless playback, as well as a built-in GaN charger that can pump out 65W total power to charge your external devices, essentially making the QR65 a power source. The sound is phenomenal in battle sequences as well as dialogue-heavy cutscenes. Oh, and you get hi-res playback for music, so what's not to love?

My favorite gaming controller

I LOVE gaming. Yes, the all-caps was necessary. If I have free time on my hands and I'm not spending it with my partner, you'll find me playing RPGs on my PS5 Slim. While I love the DualSense, the second controller I have is the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded. It's extremely customizable thanks to its 11 interchangeable components, and boy is it comfortable for hours and hours on end.

Featuring four customizable back buttons and highly responsive Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks, the Victrix Pro BFG is one of the most powerful controllers I've tested. The magnetic components give me a competitive edge in FPS and racing titles, and I love how easy it is to adjust their sensitivity via the user-friendly companion software.

My favorite gaming headset

Alongside the aforementioned Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded, the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is also a permanent part of my gaming setup. I haven't used a better gaming headset, as the BlackShark V3 Pro makes my favorite games sound the best they ever have, thanks to its wide soundstage and spatial audio support.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of my favorite games of all time, and trust me when I say the headset makes you feel like you're the one taking down the Paintress. The bass is powerful but never booming so you can feel every explosion, feel the emotion in every dialogue, and appreciate the epic in-game soundtracks. The BlackShark V3 Pro also features the best ANC I've tested on gaming cans, which further aids your immersion.

My favorite keyboard

You know the type of product I've reviewed the most? Yes, even more than cameras? It's keyboards. That's not surprising given that there are so many out there — mechanical, Hall Effect, membrane, you name it. The one I keep coming back to and the one I use when I work from home is the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL. It's quiet, it's sleek, and it's a joy to type on.

The Immersion A3 TKL features lovely, soft, matte polycarbonate plastic (PC) keycaps that feel great to touch and type on. I can type quickly thanks to the highly responsive Kailh White Rain linear switches, and the very low-profile design means my hands don't feel fatigued. One of my favorite features, though, is the customizable TFT screen which I can display GIFs on to add some personality to my workspace.

My favorite mouse

Having the best mouse at my disposal is integral to my work setup, regardless of whether I'm working from home or in the office. Though I've tested a bunch, my favorite is the Corsair M75 for Mac, which is currently a permanent part of my WFH setup. It's the Mac-specific variant of the base M75 and comes in a stunning Glacier Blue color — a sight for sore eyes, really.

With a maximum DPI of 26,000 and a 1,000Hz polling rate, the M75 is excellent for casual gaming, and the one to beat when it comes to productivity. Its buttons are clicky and highly responsive, and they're wide enough for maximum comfort too. The shape of the mouse feels lovely under my palm. I have no qualms with the M75 — it's one of the best mice money can buy today.

My favorite monitor

I spend up to eight hours five days a week looking at a screen — or three, if I'm in the office. As the person responsible for lab testing monitors for the reviews team in the U.K., I've reviewed my fair share, and none have come close to the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED. It's one of the most powerful monitors I've tested, for both gaming and productivity. It's a hybrid beast.

With its 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and 4K QD-OLED 27-inch panel, it's an utter delight to game and work on. Colors are bright, vivid and accurate, while there's plenty of detail revealed in the shadows and dark areas, especially when playing horror games. Games feel immersive and you can lose yourself while playing them. Equally, you can lock into work because the 27-inch panel lets you make quick work of navigating massive spreadsheets and long threads on Slack.

My favorite shoes

Keen knows how to make a good pair of hiking boots, and my favorites that I've reviewed (and still use every day) are the Keen Zionic NXT Mid Waterproof. When I reviewed them in fall 2025, I tested them by walking 50 miles through streams, on mountains and even a glacier in Iceland, and because of how well they performed, they became my daily drivers (well, when I'm not wearing my Doc Martens, at least).

The Zionic NXT Mids are supremely comfortable and don't need to be broken in. Keen's 'Contoured Fit' means the boots are more streamlined than a straight or wide fit, making the Zionic NXT Mids fit snugly around my feet. There's plenty of bounce in the foam insoles so it feels like I'm walking on clouds, and they're extremely waterproof — my feet have gone straight into ankle-deep water and no water has made it through to my socks.

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As a tech reviewer, I spend a lot of my time testing out some of the best cheap wireless earbuds. And this month, I think I've found the budget buds that take the crown.

I've spent the last couple of weeks testing the CMF Buds 2a, and I've been blown away by their performance in sound, active noise cancellation and, of course, their price tag.

The CMF Buds 2a are available on Amazon U.S. for $39 at full price, but are regularly on sale for as little as $29 — an absolute bargain. So here's everything I like about the buds, and also the features that I don't like.

What I like

Impressive audio performance

Despite the small price tag, these buds pack a punch in the audio department. With the inclusion of customizable EQ settings and tuning, the balanced soundstage makes these buds sound a lot more expensive than they actually are.

I listened to a whole host of different genres using these buds, including metal, pop, and electronic, and every one was well supported without any playback issues. I now carry these buds with me everywhere, and they've replaced my Apple AirPods 3 earbuds as my daily drivers.

Adaptive ANC

I've tested a bunch of earbuds from CMF by Nothing, and they all have great active noise cancellation capabilities. These buds have a little less customization than more expensive models by CMF, but are still incredibly effective.

ANC can be adjusted in the Nothing X app or with touch controls on the stem of the earbuds. I could easily toggle between Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode to ensure I was comfortable in my surroundings at all times.

Reliable battery life

The CMF Buds 2a have an impressive battery life of 35.5 hours. This is with ANC turned off but for everyday listening, it's a reliable mount of battery.

If you're listening with ANC tuned on the total battery life is reduced to 23 hours. This is still enough battery that I can go all day without needing to recharge the case. I end up charging these buds once a week, and I listen to music with them every day.

What I don't like

No in-ear detection

In-ear detection is a feature that gets missed out in a lot of cheap earbud models, and it's one I don't realise I need until it's gone. In-ear detection recognises when the buds are in your ear to pause and play your music accordingly, so you never miss a note.

Unfortunately, the CMF Buds 2a model doesn't have this feature, but other affordable models from CMF, like the CMF Buds 2 Plus, do.

Plasticky design

This is to be expected, but with the extremely low price comes a cheaper design. The buds are very lightweight and made from plastic.

Because of this, they feel slightly delicate, although I haven't had any issues with them. More expensive buds feel like they could withstand a drop, for example, but that's a trade-off you're making for cheaper buds.

But these are very minor flaws when considering all of the great things about these buds. They have become a staple in my bag and come with me everywhere; a totally reliable solution for when I need earbuds in a quick pinch.

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After testing them out for a week, I’m sure that the CMF Buds 2A are some of the best cheap wireless earbuds you can get. For less than $40, you get impressive audio performance and effective ANC. The dual connection makes them great for working between your laptop and phone, too. The EQ settings add a lot to these buds.

There are only a few features that let me down. I found the lack of in-ear detection to be frustrating, especially when it’s on CMF’s other cheap earbuds, and the plasticky feel could be hard for some to overlook.

But I’d still recommend them to anyone who needs a reliable pair of earbuds for everyday listening. And who doesn’t love killer audio quality on one heck of a budget? If you’re still not convinced, keep reading this full CMF Buds 2A review to find out more.

CMF Buds 2A review: Cheat sheet

• What are they? Cheap but reliable wireless earbuds
• How much do they cost? $39 / £29
• What do we like? It’s super cheap but still gives an impressive audio performance. The amazing adaptive ANC and EQ customization also give great personalization opportunity
• What don’t we like? The lack of in-ear detection and the plasticky feel of the buds

CMF Buds 2A review: Specs

CMF Buds 2A review: Price & availability

The CMF Buds 2A are available at Amazon U.S. for $39, or at Nothing’s online U.K. store for £29. These are some of the cheapest buds offered by CMF, but frankly, you wouldn’t think so judging by the sound. I actually think they sound better than the CMF Buds 2, which cost $49, as the latter handle treble better, but the Buds 2A come with fewer features.

For a similar price of $36, you could purchase the JLab Go Pods ANC, which have better ANC and punchier treble, but the CMF Buds 2A have a much better soundstage and a much longer battery life.

The CMF Buds 2 Pro, also by Nothing, cost a little more at $69 and perform much better in the bass department. In my opinion, this is worth the extra cash because I love bass, and you get hi-res codec compatibility.

CMF Buds 2A review: Design

I’ve reviewed a few of CMF by Nothing’s earbud offerings now, and one thing stands out to me — they all look identical. Sure, there is some color variation, but if I didn’t have the device name, it would be hard to tell the different buds apart by looks alone.

I tested the CMF Buds 2A in the Orange color, but they’re also available in Dark or Light Gray. The buds come in a small box that measures 2.2 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches and weighs 1.5 ounces, an ideal size for throwing in your pocket or bag to take with you everywhere.

The earbuds measure 1.3 x 1.0 x 0.8 inches and feel extremely light when wearing, since they weigh just 0.2 ounces, but they feel quite plasticky. I can’t complain too much, though, since that plasticky feeling keeps the price tag below $40. The buds feel just as comfortable as the AirPods Pro 3 ($249).

These buds have a durability rating of IP55, meaning they can withstand light rain. However, the case only has a rating of IPX2, so it’s only protected from moisture exposure, like condensation. When I go out for a walk with the earbuds, I just leave the charging case at home to avoid the risk of the case getting damaged if it rains. Since the buds have 8 hours of playtime per charge, I have plenty of juice to get me through an outing without the case.

Controls

I controlled the CMF Buds 2A using the touch controls on the stem. These are very responsive, and I had no issues with them missing commands.

The earbuds are controlled in the same way as the Apple AirPods 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4: hold down the stem for ANC, press once for play/pause, and double-tap to skip. The commands are customizable in the Nothing X app, and this was a very easy process.

Features

Unfortunately, there’s no in-ear detection on the Buds 2A. Sure, the price is a lot cheaper than other models with in-ear detection, but it’s a feature that I don’t realize I love so much until it’s taken away from me — we always want what we can’t have. If in-ear detection is a non-negotiable for you, fear not, because the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds 2 Plus both come with this feature, for not much extra money.

Connectivity

The CMF Buds 2A use Bluetooth 5.4 and have a connection range of 32 feet. When indoors, I was able to move away from my phone to the other side of the house and had no issues with connection, but the range wasn’t as secure outdoors.

With the dual connection settings in the Nothing X app, I was able to connect the earbuds to my laptop and phone simultaneously. This made it very easy to toggle between listening to music and hopping on video calls.

CMF Buds 2A review: App

The CMF Buds 2A can be customized to your heart’s content using the Nothing X app. The app is very easy to navigate and gives quick access to ANC settings and connectivity options.

But I think the app is most useful for the EQ settings. That said, I much prefer using the apps from Soundcore and Earfun. They’re a little easier to use as the Nothing X app, which tries very hard to be futuristic and becomes a little unwieldy as a result — it could be overwhelming for some users.

CMF Buds 2A review: Sound quality

Despite their small price tag, the CMF Buds 2A can do an awful lot. The buds have EQ tuning from Dirac to help balance the soundstage, making them sound a lot more expensive than they are. This is different to the Dirac Opteo tuning found in the CMF Buds Pro 2.

I customized the EQ settings for the buds in the Nothing X app — you can select presets or create your own. This made fine-tuning my listening incredibly simple.

I really enjoyed listening to my music with the CMF Buds 2A earbuds. The sound is very balanced, with only a little tinniness. Listening with the Ultra Bass setting on 4 gave me the best performance, but obviously, different people have different preferences.

Firstly, I listened to I CARE by Turnstile using the Rock preset EQ. This softened the track to make all of the instruments sound more blended, but it didn’t feel like they were battling with each other. The EQ increases the treble, so it was easier to hear the hi-hats, giving a good balance across all of the instruments.

Next, I listened to Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac. The vocals were brought to the front of the track and the bass was rich; despite a touch of tinniness in the rhythm guitar, this song sounded excellent.

Finally, I listened to Fame is a Gun by Addison Rae. This track showed off the wide soundstage of the buds. However, in the more electronic parts of the song the track became muffled, even though the vocals were still standing out.

Overall, these buds perform extremely well, and well beyond their price point. I thoroughly enjoyed listening with them, and am reaching to use them far more than my Apple AirPods because of the superior sound.

CMF Buds 2A review: Call quality

The CMF Buds 2A have excellent call quality. With six microphones, the buds carried my voice incredibly well. My voice was clear, and most environmental noise was eliminated. But outside, the buds struggle slightly with wind buffeting.

Even with that minor flaw, I think these buds are a great choice if you need something cheap for taking work calls with better clarity than your phone or computer’s built-in microphone.

CMF Buds 2A review: ANC

I tested the CMF Buds 2A on my commute in London, and I found the buds perfect for this journey since they have adaptive ANC. This can be adjusted in the app or by using the touch controls. This meant I could easily block out the hustle and bustle of the wildly busy city or let ambient sound in to listen out for announcements. But since these are a cheaper model in the CMF line, they lack the customization you get with the CMF Buds 2, for example.

With the 2A buds, I wasn’t able to toggle the ANC mode. You only have the option of ANC on, Transparency, or off. But with more expensive options, you can adjust how strong the ANC is too. While other CMF buds have it, the Buds 2A don’t, but this is expected for the price.

CMF Buds 2A review: Battery life

The CMF Buds 2A have some pretty impressive battery life, with 35.5 hours when ANC is turned off, which is more than you get with the JLab Go Pods ANC (26 hours). As I mentioned earlier, without ANC, the buds themselves have 8 hours of battery. When ANC is turned on, the battery life is reduced to a total of 23 hours, and five hours in the buds. If you want more bud-only battery life with ANC, the JLab Go Pods ANC have seven and a half hours of battery life.

If battery life is one of your biggest concerns when investing in a new set of buds, but you still don’t want to break the bank, I’d recommend the CMF Buds 2 Plus, which can get up to 61.5 hours of playtime.

CMF Buds 2A review: Verdict

The CMF Buds 2A are, in my opinion, the best choice for anyone who needs a reliable set of earbuds on a budget. For just $39, the audio performance is incredibly impressive, and the Buds 2A can handle treble better than the more expensive CMF Buds 2. The ability to switch ANC from transparency mode to noise cancellation with a single tap also makes these buds a total winner.

Admittedly, I found the lack of in-ear detection frustrating, and the plasticky feel of the buds may also be off-putting for some. Even so, these are literally $39, so you win some, you lose some (but mainly win here).

You don't need to spend over $200 to get good sound quality — just look at the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3). These earbuds cost $179 each, and during sales events, like Black Friday, you can get them for even cheaper. Both are excellent at delivering nuanced vocals and powerful bass, and both are good at blocking out external sounds with solid ANC.

I reviewed the QuietComfort back in 2025, and now in 2026, I've finishing reviewing the Ear (3). I awarded both pairs 4-star ratings in their respective reviews. This got me thinking, "Is one better than the other?" Chances are, you're probably going to go for the QuietComfort because Bose is a household name. But I don't think you should write Nothing off so quickly.

If you're on the hunt for a fantastic pair of earbuds but don't want to spend more than $180, I'm here to make that decision easier for you. I put the QuietComfort and the Ear (3) through their paces in this face off to find out which is best value for money. Spoiler alert: it's closer than you think.

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Specs compared

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Price

Both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) cost the same in the U.S. and in the U.K. You can grab the QuietComfort for $179 at Amazon U.S. / £179 at Argos U.K., and the Ear (3) for $179 / £179 at Amazon. Since the QuietComfort have been out for longer, you can often find them for $129 / £129 during sales events. The Ear (3) are yet to receive a substantial price drop.

The QuietComfort and the Ear (3) do more than enough to justify their individual price tags, as you'll soon see throughout this comparison, so we'll call this round a tie.

Winner: Tie

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Design

The most noticeable difference between the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) is the design, as they look vastly different from one another. The QuietComfort have a rounded design with rubber ‘stability bands’ that aid the earbuds' secure fit. Each bud weighs 0.29oz. An important thing to note is that the QuietComforts' look fairly bulky, even though they aren't that heavy. They protrude out of your ears, and while there isn't anything wrong with that, it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

The Ear (3), on the other hand, sport your classic drop-stem design — you know, the one you find on the likes of the Apple AirPods Pro 3. They look futuristic, keeping in line with the British brand's sci-fi design philosophy, and feature see-through plastic. They look very cool, and they're comfortable too, with each bud weighing just 0.18oz. As opposed to the QuietComfort, they look more inconspicuous as they don't bulge out.

Both pairs of earbuds are mighty comfortable, and I haven't experienced any discomfort wearing either of them. I asked my partner, who uses the QuietComforts as her daily drivers, to try the Ear (3) and she said she almost preferred them over Bose's offering.

Touch controls on both the QuietComfort and the Ear (3) are fairly straightforward but it's worth noting that while you can use voice commands on the former, they're a bit too sensitive to these, and will often trigger on their own. The Ear (3) don't suffer from this problem, winning them the crown in this round.

Winner: Nothing Ear (3)

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Features & connectivity

Both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) are chock-full of features. They both feature multipoint connectivity so you can connect them to two devices simultaneously. Each pair utilizes Bluetooth 5.4 for seamless wireless connectivity, but here's the kicker. The QuietComforts support AAC and SBC codecs but there's no aptX or lossless support. The Ear (3), on the other hand, feature LDAC, if that's something that matters deeply to you.

Other similarities between the two include effective wear detection, Google Fast Pair, Find My features, and extremely detailed and user-friendly companion apps. In terms of waterproofing and dust protection, the Ear (3) are better because they're IP54-rated as opposed to the QuietComforts being only IPX4 rated, so the latter aren't protected against dust. By a narrow margin, the Ear (3) win this round once again.

Winner: Nothing Ear (3)

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Sound quality

I'll be honest with you: I will never recommend you spending any amount of money on a pair of earbuds that doesn't make music sound like angels are singing. Thankfully, both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) warrant recommendations here as they're both outstanding. The QuietComforts have a frequency response range of 20Hz-20KHz while the Ear (3) have a range of 20Hz-40KHz — so both cover the entire spectrum of human hearing.

In terms of vocals and the upper ranges, both the QuietComforts and the Ear (3) are excellent, delivering nuanced sound packed with plenty of detail. For instance, on the QuietComforts, Mika's high notes in 'Grace Kelly' sound pleasant, controller and never so shrill that they pierce through the rest of the track. On the Ear (3), Emily Armstrong's breathy vocals and screams in 'IGYEIH' by Linkin Park sound layered and wide, with great instrumental and vocal separation.

Listening to 'No Chances' by Twenty One Pilots first on the QuietComforts and then on the Ear (3) revealed practically no differences. The mid- and sub-bass was textured and I could feel a steady, vibrating pressure in my ear canal through both earbuds. It also felt like I was engulfed by the driving bassline, which made for a thoroughly immersive listening experience.

While the Ear (3) and the QuietComforts are mostly on equal footing when it comes to sound quality, the Ear (3) have a tendency to make the treble sound a tad harsh at times. It isn't surprising as the Ear (3) utilize a 'V' equalizer curve so the treble can sound overzealous when this happens. In 070 Shake's 'Skin and Bones,' the "chkkk" sound of the hi-hats and cymbals pierced through the track. Though not unpleasant, it wasn't particularly enjoyable.

This is never the case on the QuietComforts. The QuietComforts' sound profile is well-balanced and refined throughout the frequency range. The winner is, therefore, clear. Sorry, Nothing.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): ANC

When it comes to active noise cancellation (ANC), there's a clear winner, and I don't think you need me to spell it out, but I'll do it anyway. The Bose QuietComfort win, easily. Look, Bose is the king of ANC and it's something we've all known for a while now. Whether I'm indoors or on a busy street outdoors, the QuietComforts block out 90% of sounds, so I can go about my day in peace.

This isn't to say the Nothing Ear (3)'s ANC is bad. It's very good, actually. Indoors, at least. With the Ear (3) in my ears, I can't hear the sound of my very loud mechanical keyboard, the kettle boiling or the doorbell ringing. This is also the case with the QuietComforts. Both pairs of earbuds create excellent seals to ensure no noise makes it through.

But the reason the QuietComforts win is because the Ear (3) aren't as effective outdoors. When I wear them outside, I can still hear cars whizzing past me, and the sound of the bus rattling. With the QuietComforts? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The ANC is so good on the QuietComforts that it makes you feel lonely.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Call quality

When it comes to call quality, both the Bose QuietComfort and the Nothing Ear (3) are excellent, as both ensure that your voice is heard loudly and clearly on the other end. Having tested both back-to-back on a call with my partner, she said that she could hear me properly through both.

But the Ear (3) have an ace up their sleeve. Their charging case features a ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system which you can use by holding the 'Talk' button on the case (when the earbuds are in your ears). You can then hold up the case to your mouth and speak into it, and the 'Super Mic' will cancel out 95dB of noise so that only you can be heard. In my testing, this worked exceptionally well, as my partner said she couldn't hear the public's chatter or the cars going past me.

However, is it actually an advantage? Because the QuietComfort, without their own 'Super Mic' feature, effectively cancel out ambient noise so that only you can be heard. The mic on the QuietComforts' is just as good if not better than the 'Super Mic' on the Ear (3), so we'll call this round a draw.

Winner: Tie

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Battery life

I'm not exaggerating when I say the Nothing Ear (3)'s battery life is disappointing because that's exactly what it is: subpar and underwhelming. And the Bose QuietComforts have them easily beat. With ANC enabled in my testing, the Ear (3) died after 5 hours, and they're officially rated for 5.5 with an additional 16.5 hours from the charging case.

The QuietComforts, on the other hand, comfortably lasted me nearly 9 hours, and they're officially rated for 8.5 with an additional two and a half charges from the case. The QuietComforts are far more reliable, and though Bose doesn't specify how long they can last with ANC off, we can safely assume it's a long time — the Ear (3) can last 10 hours with an additional 28 hours from the case when ANC is disabled.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Verdict

There's no denying that the Nothing Ear (3) are extremely competent earbuds. I've absolutely loved testing them and I've been using them ever since I reviewed them. But are they better than the Bose QuietComfort, the undisputed kings of mid-range ANC? By a tight margin, yes.

The QuietComforts win in the sound quality, ANC and battery life departments, while they're tied with the Ear (3) in the price and call quality rounds. While the Ear (3) win in the design, features and connectivity departments, when it comes down to it, the QuietComforts simply offer more bang for your buck.

Most people care the most about sound quality and ANC, and if you're one of those folks, then the QuietComforts are easily the way to go. Still not convinced? Check out my full Bose QuietComfort review and Nothing Ear (3) review for the detail breakdown.

Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3): Ratings scorecard

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I love earbuds. Recently, I tested the Nothing Ear (3) which are the British manufacturer's latest flagships. They're some of the best mid-range earbuds — and they cost just $179. You know what else costs $179? The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC.

Having tested both the AirPods 4 and the Ear (3), I can confidently say that I would choose the latter any day as they feel better in almost every way. But are they better than the AirPods Pro 3, which cost $50 more? The answer is yes and no.

So, should you buy the $179 Ear (3) or the AirPods 4? Or should you extend your budget a bit and spend $249 on the AirPods Pro 3 instead? Let's find out.

Where the Nothing Ear (3) shine

If you want cool-looking, sci-fi-inspired earbuds, the Nothing Ear (3) are a no-brainer. Unlike Apple's AirPods which, more or less, look the same, the Ear (3) carry the British brand's trademark futuristic design. Also, unlike the AirPods 4, the Ear (3) feature excellent noise-isolating eartips, which means that they offer a good degree of passive noise cancellation when active noise cancellation isn't enabled.

Personally, I've found the Ear (3)'s and the AirPods Pro 3's comfort level to be on par with one another. Both pairs of earbuds sit snugly in my ears, and neither pair fell out when I was walking briskly or headbanging. The AirPods 4, on the other hand, don't feature any eartips as they have an "open-fit" design. This, to me, is a major con, because the earbuds keep falling out when you move your head.

Another area the Ear (3) win big in, especially compared to the AirPods 4, is their innovative charging case which is fitted with a ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system. This cancels out 95dB of ambient noise, ensuring that you're the only one who can be heard loud and clear. The call quality, I found, is similar to the AirPods Pro 3, which feature an acoustic mesh on their mics to reduce wind buffeting.

If you're using the AirPods Pro 3 with Apple devices and FaceTime, you also get AAC-ELD speech codec for full HD voice quality. The difference is that regardless of whether you're using the Ear (3) with Android phones or iPhones, you'll get the same superb voice clarity, which makes the Ear (3) more versatile.

Where the AirPods 4 with ANC do better

One of the biggest pros of getting the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC over the Nothing Ear (3) is that the former get considerably discounted during sales events, like Black Friday. In the past, we've seen them drop to as low as $99 at Amazon. The Ear (3) are newer which means they haven't received major price drops yet, as the lowest we've seen them drop to is $148 at Amazon.

Another key winning area for the AirPods 4 is the earbuds' integration with the rest of Apple's ecosystem. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on, say, the AirPods Pro 3, you can grab the AirPods 4 during a big sale and call it a day. They work well with your MacBook, iPad, iPhone, iMac — whatever device you prefer.

The silicone eartips of the AirPods Pro 3 and the Ear (3) might not be everyone's cup of tea either, and some might prefer the AirPods 4's airy open-fit instead. I can see why, as you avoid the pressure of traditional eartips, and they can be better for environmental awareness too.

Similar to how my colleague and senior reviews writer, Erin, noted in her AirPods 4 versus Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and AirPods 4 versus Bose QuietComfort face-offs, I believe the AirPods 4 are good but they face just way too fierce competition from similarly priced earbuds. They're outclasses by the Ear (3) when it comes to sound quality (which I'll dive into next), ANC and comfort. If you're buying $179 earbuds at full price, the Ear (3) are the better choice.

Where the AirPods Pro 3 dominate

Last but certainly not least, let's talk about the AirPods Pro 3. These are, without a doubt, Apple's most advance earbuds and they do more than enough to justify their premium price tag — especially if you're already invested in Apple's ecosystem. They're on par with the Nothing Ear (3) when it comes to highly effective ANC and sheer comfort.

If it's long-lasting battery life you're after, the AirPods Pro 3 are the better choice as, with ANC on, they can last up to 8 hours (24 hours with charging case). Both the Ear (3) and the AirPods 4 with ANC are disappointing in this regard, as the Ear (3) last only 5.5 hours (22 hours with charging case) and the AirPods 4 last 4 hours (20 hours with charging case).

If it's full-bodied sound you're after, it's a close call between the AirPods Pro 3 and the the Ear (3). Both are well-endowed earbuds, and both deliver clean bass and refined mids and lows. The Ear (3), however, feature better low-end impact, and the sub- and mid-bass feel like they're engulfing you, especially in tracks like 'No Chances' by Twenty One Pilots and 'Money' by Pink Floyd.

This isn't to say that the bass on the AirPods Pro 3 is poor. The earbuds do well to make it sound like you're at a gig but the Ear (3) make it sound like you're standing next to a stadium subwoofer. But the AirPods Pro 3 are much better at delivering crisp, vibrant treble. The problem with the Ear (3)'s is that the treble cuts through the V curve equalizer, so hi-hats and percussion hits sound shrill, as I found in tracks like 'Skin and Bones' by 070 Shake. The AirPods Pro 3 don't suffer from this issue and offer a more balanced sound profile.

You can, of course, fix the Ear (3)'s overzealous treble via the user-friendly companion app, but if you don't want to bother with an additional app on your smartphone, the AirPods Pro 3 are the better choice — especially if you have an iOS device, but that goes without saying.

And the winner is...

Is there a clear winner between the Nothing Ear (3), the AirPods 4 with ANC, and the AirPods Pro 3? Alas, it's not that simple, as each pair of earbuds has its own pros and cons, so it really depends on what your preferences are and what you're looking for.

If you want a pair of mid-range earbuds that deliver phenomenal bass and sport a sleek design, the Ear (3) should be your choice.

But if you don't want to pay full price for the Ear (3) and want a pair of earbuds that fits right into your Apple ecosystem — and can be found on sale most of the year — then the AirPods 4 with ANC should be a no-brainer.

The AirPods Pro 3 are worth the extra $50 simply because they offer well-rounded sound, effective ANC and peerless Apple integration.

Personally, though, as an Android user but also a MacBook owner, I'd pick the Ear (3), but that's just me. Which would you go for?

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve been testing the Nothing Ear (3) for a week — they look super stylish but the sound is the real star
• I tested the Bose QuietComfort vs Nothing Ear (3) $179 earbuds — it’s closer than you think
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: Which flagship earbuds win?

I've recently been testing earbuds from CMF by Nothing, and if one thing can be said for all of them, it's that even though they have a budget price tag, the sound is anything but.

These are seriously some of the best cheap wireless earbuds I have ever tested out (and I've tested a lot), but what makes them so good?

I've broken down the best bits about three of CMF's best budget earbuds, so you know which ones to get based on your listening style, devices, and preferences. All of the buds look virtually identical, so it's not about looks. This is all about how they perform.

CMF Buds 2 Plus

I'll start with the most expensive of the earbuds: the CMF Buds 2 Plus. These buds come with a higher price tag because they offer hi-res audio compatibility. This means they can stream using LDAC audio codecs at a higher bit-rate, giving you the best quality audio possible.

And let me tell you, it really does sound great. To listen using LDAC, you have to use a compatible Android phone. The audio you get from this is incredibly detailed with a well-balanced, wide soundstage perfect for most genres.

Unfortunately, Apple devices don't have LDAC capabilities, so these earbuds won't be the best choice for iPhone users. If you find yourself in this category and are looking for a pair of budget buds, the next two options with Dirac audio optimization will be better for you.

ANC on these buds is also outstanding, and I would argue they rival the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

CMF Buds Pro 2

Next up is the gold standard of budget earbuds. Priced at $79, the CMF Buds Pro 2 perform just like their $200 rivals (or better). They make me wonder why I ever spent so much money on earbuds before, because amazing audio quality is super accessible.

These buds have audio tuning from Dirac, a premium audio brand, and this truly makes all the difference. The detail in the audio is so impressive that it's hard to believe the price tag.

Again, the ANC here is incredible for the price, and the app experience means everything is highly customizable to get the settings you want. These are perfect for anyone who needs a pair of earbuds to throw in their bag for everyday listening.

CMF Buds 2

These are the earbuds currently sitting in my bag, ready for my next commute on the train. I have come to rely on the CMF Buds 2 because, for me, they are the perfect earbuds that can do it all.

I listen to a wide variety of music. This includes pop, rock, heavy metal, indie, country — basically, you name it, I listened to it. So the fact that these buds can cope with it all is a testament to their quality, and that tuning from Dirac.

ANC? Perfect. Call quality? Also awesome. I'm convinced there's nothing they can't do and fall for $49?! You've got to be kidding me.

Which ones would I choose?

My personal choice is the CMF Buds 2. They're the cheapest of the lot but they suit my listening style the best. I use an iPhone so the Buds 2 Plus aren't the right fit, and I enjoy the bass on the Buds 2 more than the Buds Pro 2.

There's one thing I would wish for though, and that's for CMF by Nothing to be more creative with the earbud names.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the CMF Buds 2 Plus — they cost $79 but sound like $200+ rivals
• I ditched my AirPods for the $79 CMF Buds 2 Plus — now I'm questioning why I had AirPods to begin with
• I tested the CMF Buds 2 and I'm shocked — they're less than $50 but sound like $100 rivals

The CMF Buds 2 are nothing short of impressive. With a sub-$50 price tag, they’re competing with some of the best cheap wireless earbuds, and boy, do they hold their own. I’ve found these buds super comfortable to wear all day long, and I think they offer very impressive sound quality performance for their price, thanks to Dirac tuning. There’s up to 55 hours of battery life to play with and effective active noise cancellation to keep you focused.

They aren’t perfect. The CMF Buds 2 lack hi-res codecs and have less-than-perfect environmental noise cancellation for calls, but they’re still very impressive earbuds for the money. To find out more, you can keep reading this full CMF Buds 2 review.

CMF Buds 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What are they? Budget earbuds with impressive audio quality
• How much do they cost? $49 / £33
• What do we like? Great for audio enhancement, a long battery life, a comfortable design, and decent ANC
• What don’t we like? ENC for calls struggles and a lack of hi-res codecs

CMF Buds 2 review: Specs

CMF Buds 2 review: Price & availability

The CMF Buds 2 are available at Amazon U.S. for $49 and at Amazon U.K. for £33. Yeah, that’s right, these are some of the cheapest buds on the market, but their sound will have you fooled. The Buds 2 are one of the cheapest offerings from CMF — Nothing’s budget sub-brand — and are $30 cheaper than the CMF Buds 2 Plus. However, this means the buds 2 are a little more basic. If you want more premium features like LDAC, you’ll have to spend a little bit more on the Buds 2 Plus.

The CMF Buds 2 are slightly more expensive than the JLab Go Pods ANC, which cost just $36 and provide awesome sound quality for the money, which outperforms most other budget brands. However, the Buds 2 have an extra hour of battery life, so you win some, you lose some.

If you want buds for detailed listening, the crown goes to the EarFun Air Pro 4+ earbuds for $99, which have the best sound quality we’ve seen from budget buds, plus very impressive battery life. That said, the Buds 2 can still hold their own and cost half the money.

CMF Buds 2 review: Design

• Sleek design with multiple color choices
• Responsive touch controls
• Bluetooth 5.4

The CMF Buds 2 are identical to the CMF Buds 2 Plus and the CMF Buds Pro 2, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. This design is sleek, compact, and functional. They feel a bit more plasticky than higher-end stem buds like the Apple AirPods Pro 3 ($249) or the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro ($249), but that’s to be expected with the uber-budget price point.

I like the choice of colors you get with the Buds 2, and I think it really makes them stand out. I tested the Dark Gray colorway, but they also come in Light Green and Orange.

The buds themselves are very lightweight at 0.2 ounces, so when I’m wearing them, I hardly feel them in my ears. They measure just 1.3 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches, so they don’t jut out too much, either. The buds have a durability rating of IP55, so they can withstand splashes of water from any direction and are protected against dust.

However, the charging case is only IPX2-rated, which means protection against condensation only. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ earbuds are IP55-rated for the buds and case. The case measures 2.1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches and weighs just 1.5 ounces.

Controls

The CMF Buds 2 use touch-sensitive controls on the stems. The controls are responsive, and I didn’t have any issues with missed inputs, even during runs. Actions for these controls can be easily changed in the Nothing X app.

Also, In-ear detection makes the CMF Buds 2 a great companion for when I’m rushing around. I was able to quickly take them out to order a coffee and pick up right where I left off.

Connectivity & app

The CMF Buds 2 use Bluetooth 5.4 for connectivity and can be paired to two devices for seamless switching. This was great for switching between my phone and laptop.

The Nothing X app is a handy companion for the CMF Buds 2. It’s very simple to use and easy to navigate. You can quickly make changes to the ANC settings and the touch controls.

The EQ can also be customized too. Nothing uses a circular pattern with spikes for Bass, Mids and Treble for EQ customization, unlike typical banded frequency controls.

These earbuds don’t offer a personalized EQ test in the app like the CMF Buds 2 Plus, but the custom EQ controls should be enough to get the right sound for you on the Buds 2.

CMF Buds 2 review: Sound quality

• Dirac tuning works well
• Custom EQ can improve sound quality
• No hi-res support

Tuning for the buds comes from Dirac, which optimizes the sound despite hardware limitations. This feature did a great job at expanding the sound of most genres I was listening to. This is a feature on the CMF Buds Pro 2, but not on the Buds 2 Plus or the Buds 2A, so I’m glad to see it featured on the Buds 2 (wow, I wish CMF would add some variation to the names of their products).

The buds have Ultra Bass, which enhances bass performance, which can be modified over five levels in the Nothing X app. Combined with the Dirac Opteo EQ, this gives the buds some pretty high-end sound. There are six EQ presets, including Dirac Opteo, and a custom EQ option to get the best sound possible for your listening.

Firstly, I listened to Hang With Me by Robyn. This is an electronic track with a punchy bassline. The Ultra Bass setting enhanced the synth in the bassline. The bass felt like it was driving the song. The Dirac Opteo EQ made vocals sound clear and balanced across the top of the soundstage.

Next, I listened to Falling Behind by Laufey to test the performance in quieter tracks. When listening with Dirac, I felt like the music enveloped me. The soundscape was incredibly wide and immersive.

Finally, I played Nightmare Tripping by Don Broco. This is a fast-paced metalcore track that switches between melodic vocals and screaming. But the rock EQ was the perfect companion for this song, as the heightened treble makes the drums and screams sound more balanced.

While the buds may not support hi-res streaming like other CMF models, they actually sound more like $100 earbuds.

CMF Buds 2 review: ANC

• Good for blocking out most noise
• Struggles with blocking high frequencies
• Adjustable

The ANC on the CMF Buds 2 is effective, but not as good as the pricier CMF Buds 2 Plus, which rivals the ANC on the Apple AirPods Pro 3. The Buds 2 are still impressive and blocked out the chatter around me in the office. But higher-frequency sounds, like the clacking of my keyboard as I was typing, still broke through.

That said, on my morning walk, the buds did a great job of blocking out the traffic around me. But if I needed a bit more awareness when crossing roads, for example, I could simply turn on transparency mode, which fed some ambient sound to me, but didn’t disrupt the music quality.

CMF Buds 2 review: Call quality

• ENC struggles with traffic
• Clear voice replication

Call quality is pretty decent on the CMF Buds 2; they have 6 HD microphones. When I was on the phone while I was walking, the person on the other end of the call could hear the traffic around me, so the environmental noise cancellation isn’t that effective. That said, the sound of my voice was clear, and it didn’t suffer from any sort of static.

CMF Buds 2 review: Battery

• 55 hours ANC off
• 32 hours ANC on
• 90-minutes to charge

The CMF Buds 2 have an impressive 55 hours of playtime with the case when ANC is off, and 32 hours with ANC on. After listening for 5 hours with the buds, they had around 60% battery remaining, so you can expect to get around 12 hours per charge from the buds.

The EarFun Air Pro 4+ earbuds offer a whopping 54 hours of battery life, but the CMF Buds 2 have pipped even them to the post here. This is also 23 hours longer than the rated battery life of the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

The Buds 2 can fully charge in about 90 minutes, and the buds take about an hour to charge in the case.

CMF Buds 2 review: Verdict

The CMF Buds 2 are the definition of a bargain. For $49, they provide some of the best enhanced audio quality of any budget earbuds I’ve tested. The long battery life is impressive, and the comfortable design means you’ll be able to use them all day long if you need to. The ANC is also ideal for staying locked in.

However, when taking calls, the environmental noise cancellation struggles to block out traffic sounds. The lack of Hi-Res codecs may also leave some listeners wanting to head in the direction of the CMF Buds 2 Plus for LDAC compatibility.

But, honestly, the Dirac tuning does a great job at enhancing the audio and makes the Buds 2 sound worth far more than their sub-$50 price tag. I recommend these to anyone who needs a pair of high-quality budget buds for day-to-day listening.

The best wireless earbuds make you feel like you’re jamming to your favorite artists at a sold-out gig, and the Nothing Ear (3) are up there with the best. These are some of the best-looking earbuds I’ve ever used, as their sci-fi design that makes them stand out in a crowded market. Boasting ear-filling bass and nuanced vocals, the Ear (3) have made me love my most listened to artists even more.

One of the Ear (3)’s USPs is the innovative ‘Super Mic’ case which helps you sound loud and clear. The excellent, detailed companion app lets you customize nearly every aspect of the buds too. Even though battery life isn’t the best and the treble can sometimes sound overzealous, that doesn’t stop me from recommending them to music lovers.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Nothing Ear (3) review.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Specs

Nothing Ear (3) review: Price & availability

The Nothing Ear (3) are the British manufacturer’s flagship earbuds, and they succeed the Nothing Ear (2) ($149). They come in either Black or White, and sport the brand’s trademark futuristic design, which I’ll talk about in detail shortly. As Nothing’s most expensive earbuds at the time of writing, they retail for $179 / £179 at Amazon, and you can often find them for as cheap as $149 / £120 during sales events.

Since they cost just under $200, the Ear (3) compete with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort ($179), the Apple AirPods 4 ($179), and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 ($179). They’re also much cheaper than the Sony WF-1000XM6 ($329) so if you want a pair of mid-range, good-looking earbuds that provides balanced sound quality and effective ANC, the Ear (3) are the way to go.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Design

• Sleek, good-looking sci-fi design
• IP54 waterproof and dustproof
• Multipoint connectivity, Google Fast Pair, and more

I’ve used and tested a lot of earbuds, and little really stands out about most buds, like the Apple AirPods 4 or the Bose QuietComfort. This is why the Nothing Ear (3) feel like a sight for sore eyes. Nothing has made the eye-grabbing sci-fi aesthetic its trademark, and we’ve loved it on products like the Nothing Headphone (a) ($199) too.

The Ear (3) come in either Black or White. I tested the Black model with silver and dark grey accents, and my goodness do they look cool. I could gush about their design all day long but I won’t bore you. They look fairly similar to their predecessors, the Nothing Ear (2), with a drop-stem design and see-through plastic wrapped around each bud. Though they’re made of plastic, the Ear (3) don’t feel too plasticky or cheap. They look and feel premium and durable.

The top-notch build and design applies to the Ear (3)’s case too, which feels great to hold and it has a good weight to it as well. At 2.51oz, it doesn’t feel too light or heavy, and feels sturdier than the Bose QuietComforts’ plasticky case.

Design and build aside, the Ear (3) are mighty comfortable. Each earbud weighs just 0.18oz, so much lighter than the Bose QuietComfort (0.29oz), but similar to the AirPods 4 (0.15oz) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 (0.16oz). The Ear (3) didn’t fall out of my ears regardless of what I was doing — walking briskly or headbanging even.

Controls & app

Controlling the Ear (3) is extremely easy. Everything, including changing tracks, answering/rejecting calls, and adjusting volume, is done by pinching and/or holding the stems on each bud. The instructions are clearly laid out in the manual included in the box and on the product page. It took me just a few minutes to get a hang of them. I also like that the earbuds make a short popping sound to let you know the command has been registered and executed.

Accompany the Ear (3) is the Nothing X app which gives you lots of control over the earbuds. It sports a clean interface and enables you to enable spatial audio, adjust the equalizer (in a lot of detail), change the controls, and create a Personal Sound where the earbuds are calibrated specifically to your ear canal.

Connectivity

The Ear (3) utilize Bluetooth 5.4 with support for SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. LDAC support (Android only) is new and something that was missing on the Nothing Ear (2), and is missing from the similarly-priced Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Bose QuietComfort.

You also get multipoint connectivity to connect to two devices simultaneously, which let me swap between my phone and laptop as needed. You need to enable “Dual Connection” via the app first, though, which feels unnecessary. It’s easy enough to do, but why can’t it work out of the box, like on most other earbuds?

Extra features

Back to the good things. The Ear (3) also feature wear detection for automatic stopping/playback when removed/reinserted into your ears; and Google Fast Pair, meaning my Pixel paired within seconds of taking the buds out of their case.

Similar to the Ear (2), the Ear (3) are IP54-rated, which means that they’re protected against dust and can be used in the light rain and during workouts without risk. This is the same rating as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and AirPods 4, and better than the IPX4-rated Bose QuietComfort. All in all, the Ear (3) are a great overall package.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Sound quality

• Powerful, meaty bass
• Clean and nuanced vocals
• Treble can be a little harsh at times

If it’s fantastic sound quality you’re after, the Nothing Ear (3) are extremely easy to recommend. Straight out of the box and without any EQ adjustments, the Ear (3) sound warm and nuanced, with plenty of detail to enjoy in the lower, mid and upper ranges. They’re fitted with 12mm dynamic drivers and cover a frequency response range of 20Hz-40KHz — so the entirety of the human hearing spectrum and then some. To test the earbuds, I listened to a range of songs on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio, with LDAC enabled on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.

The punchy bass is the real star in the Ear (3)’s wide soundstage, as the mid- and sub-bass sound powerful without being booming, and there’s plenty of low-end impact to enjoy. I played ‘No Chances’ by Twenty One Pilots, a bass-driven track, and through the Ear (3), it was a sonic treat. I was engulfed in the thump and the texture of the bass. The sub-bass in particular sounded outstanding, and I could feel a steady, vibrating pressure in my ear canal which mimicked the feeling of standing near a stadium subwoofer.

To test the vocals, I listened to ‘IGYEIH’ by Linkin Park. Emily Armstrong’s screaming pushes the limits of the Ear (3)’s hardware but the earbuds handle this extremely well. Through the Ear (3), the track sounded just as raw as the band intended, as Emily’s “yeah, yeahs” sound layered and wide. I could even hear the tiny clicks of her mouth opening and the sharp intakes of breath before screaming the lyrics, and the transition between her breathy bridge to the scream-o verse sounded clean and pleasant. Vocal and instrumental separation sounded phenomenal through these buds.

My only gripe with the Ear (3) — and it’s a small gripe, at that — is that the treble can be a tad overzealous and harsh at times. I found this to be the most prominent issue while listening to ‘Skin and Bones’ by 070 Shake. While I loved the bass, I could hear the “chkkk” sound of the hi-hats and cymbals piercing through the track. Though it wasn’t unpleasant, it certainly stood out, and it’s worth diving into the app to tweak it to your liking.

Listen along to my review with the Nothing Ear (3) testing playlist:

Nothing Ear (3) review: ANC

• Effective ANC indoors, and outdoors (kinda)
• Bose is still the king, though

The Nothing Ear (3) feature effective active noise cancellation, especially indoors. I couldn’t hear the kettle boiling, the doorbell ringing, or the clacky sounds of my mechanical keyboard. My partner had to wave in my face on three separate occasions because I simply couldn’t hear her. If you want to remain aware of your surroundings, there’s a transparency mode which can be quickly toggled by holding the right earbud’s stem.

Still, Bose remains the king of ANC, and I don’t think the Ear (3) beat the QuietComfort when it comes to blocking out noise. They do a great job, yes, but the QuietComfort are just too good. Despite strong indoor performance, the Ear (3) didn’t block noise that well outdoors, and on high ANC I could still hear cars whizzing past. The QuietComfort, on the other hand? They blocked out everything, even the rattling of the bus.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Call quality

• Innovative Super Mic feature
• Good call quality indoors and outdoors

One of the Nothing Ear (3)’s headline features is the ‘Super Mic’ dual-microphone system fitted into the charging case. It’s designed to enhance voice clarity by up to 95dB in noisy environments — you basically hold it up to your mouth and speak into it, like a TikTok content creator using a DJI Mic 3. The Talk button on the case activates the ‘Super Mic’ when the earbuds are, well, in your ears.

On calls with my partner, she said I sounded fine but there was a fair bit of disturbance from people chatting and cars going past me. I then tested out the ‘Super Mic’ by holding down the Talk button and recording myself indoors — as you can hear in the clip above, it cut out any disturbances to highlight my voice. Vocals are a little muffled, but nothing too bad.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Battery life

• Up to 38 hours with the case
• Rivals (and even cheaper models) feature longer battery lives
• Case can be charged wirelessly

My one bone to pick with the Ear (3) is about battery life. With ANC on, they’re rated for 5.5 hours and the case offers an additional 16.5 hours, for 22 hours in total. With ANC off, this jumps to 10 hours plus 28 case hours, so 38 hours in total. If you’re using LDAC, the stated battery life drops to 5.5 hours with ANC off and 3.5 hours with ANC on.

In my testing, the earbuds promptly died after 3 hours when I was listening to music with ANC on and LDAC enabled. With LDAC disabled and ANC disabled, I got 9 hours of playback time, which is an hour under Nothing’s figure.

In contrast, the Bose QuietComfort can last 8.5 hours on a single charge with ANC on. Heck, even the cheaper Sony WF-C710N ($119) last 8.5 hours with ANC on! But hey, at least the Ear (3) upstage the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 (5 hours with ANC on) and the Apple AirPods 4 (4 hours with ANC on). If you throw spatial audio into the mix, though, the Ear (3)’s battery life will take an even bigger hit.

Nothing Ear (3) review: Verdict

If you’re on the lookout for a pair of earbuds that make you headbang with their ear-filling bass and appreciate vocal artistry, the Nothing Ear (3) are the way to go. They sound just as good as they look, and they’re very pretty to look at. Comfortable for all-day long use and featuring an innovative ‘Super Mic’ for better call quality, these earbuds are very easy to recommend.

Granted, the battery life is nothing groundbreaking and the treble is a bit overzealous at times, but neither of those are dealbreakers, and they’re something I’m willing to overlook for the otherwise exceptional package. For $179, the Ear (3) give the Bose QuietComfort a run for their money.

I always have a pair of AirPods in my bag. Whether it's my tried-and-true Apple AirPods 3 or the Apple AirPods Pro 3 when I want epic noise cancellation, I can always reach into the bottom of my purse and find a pair floating around.

If you're an iPhone user and you spend your life existing in the Apple ecosystem, AirPods are an absolute no-brainer, and some of the best wireless earbuds you can get. But what if you need a budget pair of buds?

As it turns out, you don't actually need to break the bank for great audio, and you can find killer sound for less than $100 — you just have to know where to look.

After testing out the CMF Buds 2 Plus earbuds, I can attest that you can get great audio at an affordable price... and in my opinion, their ANC performance rivals the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

Here's what I love about the CMF Buds.

Awesome battery life

If you need a pair of earbuds with battery life to last you an entire weekend trip, then look no further than the CMF Buds 2 Plus. With ANC off, they can get 61.5 hours of playback time.

That's pretty impressive and has meant that in my whole week of using the buds, I've only had to charge up the case once. If you're using ANC, the battery life goes down to around 33 hours, but that's still more than the AirPods Pro 3, which have 24 hours of battery life with the case.

ANC to rival the big dogs

Given the $79 price tag, I wasn't expecting much from the ANC of the CMF buds. But I was soon eating my words.

When I turned ANC on, I was in complete silence. I took the earbuds in and out a few times to make sure it wasn't all in my head — I was in a state of shock.

Even when typing on a (loud) mechanical keyboard, I couldn't hear a thing. I would even say they come close to rivaling the ANC provided by the significantly more expensive Sony WF-1000XM6.

ANC levels can be easily adjusted using the Nothing X app or using the touch-sensitive controls on the buds themselves, making it easily accessible.

Sound quality

While the buds struggle slightly when listening in lower-quality codecs, like AAC, they're brilliant when using the LDAC capabilities.

This completely widens the soundstage, leaving the music much more room to grow as the song progresses. I especially liked listening to metal with these earbuds, which isn't something you'll find me saying often, as usually heavier music can sound muddy on cheap earbuds.

This could leave some iPhone users feeling left out, but the ANC and battery life should still be enough to win you over with some EQ adjustments in the Nothing X app.

There's a lot to love about these earbuds, and they are going to be taking up a permanent residence in my bag going forward.

You can find out a bit more about the specs of the buds by reading my full CMF Buds 2 Plus review.

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I’d go so far as to proclaim the CMF Buds 2 Plus as an essential purchase for Android users. “Why?” I hear you cry. “What about us mere iPhone users?” Alas, the audio codecs have struck you down once more. But that doesn’t stop these from being some of the best cheap wireless earbuds you can buy.

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are an affordable way to get hi-res, LDAC audio and excellent ANC. With up to 61.5 hours of battery life, you won’t be caught out needing to charge. The ultra-long battery life comes in handy, especially because you’ll want to wear these buds all the time, considering how comfortable they are.

Unfortunately, without LDAC, the Buds 2 Plus sound quality drops off sharply. That means iPhone users in particular are left with some pretty static, flat audio. If you want to find out more about why they may still be a great budget option, keep reading this full CMF Buds 2 Plus review.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Cheat sheet

• What are they? Budget earbuds that tick all the right boxes
• How much do they cost? $79 / £49
• What do we like? LDAC compatibility, impressive ANC, excellent battery life, and a comfortable fit
• What don’t we like? Audio struggles without LDAC

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Specs

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Price & availability

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are $79 on Amazon U.S., and in the U.K., the buds can be purchased directly from Nothing’s online store for £49.

This small price tag pits the buds against the JLab JBuds Pods ANC, which cost $69. These buds offer effective ANC and an impressive 31 hours of battery life with ANC on, but you get two extra hours with the CMF Buds 2 Plus.

Other budget buds are the EarFun Air Pro 4+ for just $99. They’re $20 more than the CMF buds but pack a serious punch with amazing sound and a whopping 54 hours of battery life.

If you care about sound quality, and bass in particular, but want to stay in the world of budget buds, then the CMF Buds 2 Pro could be the right choice. These buds are just $69 and give a bass performance even big-name brands should be envious of.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Design & controls

• Simple but sleek design
• IP55 durability rating for buds
• Responsive touch controls

The CMF Buds 2 Plus have a very simple yet sleek design. They feel a little more plasticky than the premium buds they resemble, such as the Apple Airpods Pro 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 4 ($249), but they’re a lot cheaper.

CMF’s buds measure 1.3 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches and weigh just 0.2 ounces each, so they’re not bulky at all and are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The design is also a big step up from the CMF Buds Pro 2 ($69) earbuds, which come in a bright red colour that I think cheapens the look.

The charging case has a slightly more interesting design. It’s a square shape with a lid that flips up to expose the buds. It measures 2.1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches and weighs 1.5 ounces, so it remains lightweight. In the top left corner, there’s a spinning disc with holes to attach a loop strap if you want. But this spinning disc became a bit of a fidget toy for me.

If you like to put their audio gear through its paces, you’ll be glad to hear the earbuds have a durability rating of IP55, meaning they can withstand splashes of water from any direction and have some protection from dust. This means they’re great for using at the gym, and you can still listen to your music if you get caught out in the rain (which I did, and they still work great).

However, the charging case doesn’t benefit from much waterproofing, with an IP rating of just IPX2. This will be fine if the case faces some condensation, for example, but anything more than that will likely cause damage.

The CMF Buds 2 Plus have touch controls on the stem, just like AirPods. The stem has flat edges, mimicking the look of Samsung Galaxy Buds, making the touch controls very tactile, easy to use, and responsive. The functions of the controls can be easily changed in the Nothing X app.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Features & connectivity

• Enhanced bass
• Dual connectivity
• Missing Dirac Opteo EQ

You probably wouldn’t expect much from $79 earbuds, but the CMF Buds 2 Plus actually pack a punch. They have some in-depth customization options in the app, including EQ settings, bass alteration (which enhances bass performance), and ANC settings.

They offer multipoint connectivity, which is named Dual Connection in the app. To try this out, I connected the buds to my phone and my laptop to switch between music and work calls seamlessly. They also have in-ear detection, which is often missed on a lot of cheaper, budget earbuds, like the Soundcore P20i ($20) or the JLab Go Air Pop ($20) earbuds.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 and the CMF Buds 2 feature Dirac Opteo EQ, which enhances sound in headphones, so it’s a shame to see that missing from this newer model.

The buds use Bluetooth 5.4 for connectivity and are compatible with iOS 13 and above, and Android 6.0 and above. They can be used with AAC, SBC or LDAC audio codecs.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: App

• Easy to use
• Lots of EQ customization
• ANC settings easily accessible

The CMF Buds 2 Plus use the Nothing X app, which I found easy to navigate, and it made me feel like I have heaps of customization with the earbuds. I was able to easily access the ANC settings, as they are the first thing you see in the app.

You can customize the EQ of the buds with the app, but this was unlike the 9-band frequency controls I’m used to with every other customization app. The Equaliser for the Nothing X app is circular with spikes for Bass, Mids, and Treble. This is still easy to use, but it took me a second to wrap my head around it.

You’re also able to take a test in the app based on your hearing to make a personalized EQ. It’s great to see this feature in a cheaper set of earbuds, as it’s something I love in the Sony Connect app when I use the Sony WF-1000XM6 ($329) earbuds. I personally find the apps from Earfun and JBL much easier to navigate though, I think the futuristic style CMF is going for can be a little confusing.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Sound quality

• Sounds better on Android devices
• Struggles with iPhone AAC
• Impressive sound at a cheap price

Although the design and functionality of the CMF Buds 2 Plus are impressive for the price tag, the budget-related cracks start to show when you press play — but primarily on iPhone.

When I was testing the buds, I used my iPhone 17 and our office Samsung Galaxy S25+. iPhones don’t have LDAC, so I could only test the hi-res playback on the Galaxy.

To try out LDAC on earbuds, I streamed Awake by Djo. It starts as an acoustic track with soft, deep vocals before breaking into a heavy explosion that you’d be forgiven for thinking was Turnstile. Every aspect of the song was clear and well-balanced, with the whiny guitar riffs cutting through the rhythm guitar’s fuzziness.

I then listened to She’s American by The 1975 with LDAC enabled. This is a synth pop track, so I used the Pop EQ preset. This preset gave me the most balanced sound results and enhanced the mids on the lead guitar. The vocals and backing track all sounded great, and the bassline stood out. This song has a lot of working parts, including percussion and a saxophone, but the clarity and instrument separation were really great here. This EQ setting worked well with a variety of genres and is the one I think suits the buds best.

Unfortunately, the buds don’t seem to handle other codecs well at all. In particular, the AAC codec, used by iOS devices. When using my iPhone, I first listened to In My Room by Julia Wolf. This song has delicate vocals and an angsty electric guitar, which usually provides a rich soundscape.

I used the Enhance Vocals EQ setting with this song. While the vocals were clear, the guitar sounded static and muffled in some areas. The bass also struggled in this song, which is a shame given how well the CMF Buds 2 Pro handle the low-end otherwise.

With Electronic EQ enabled, I listened to On Melancholy Hill by the Gorillaz. The buds struggled with static again here, although the vocals helped create a dynamic, spacious soundscape.

The difference between using these buds with and without LDAC is seriously night and day. With LDAC enabled, they sound better than Apple AirPods Pro 3, but over AAC and SBC, quality really dropped off (even more than I was expecting). This will leave iPhone users particularly in the lurch, as iOS doesn’t support LDAC. Likewise, if you’re using another device without LDAC (like a Windows PC, Mac or older Android device), you’re also not going to get the best out of these buds. Android users are in for a treat, though.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: ANC

• Lots of ANC customization
• Blocks out most ambient sound
• Rivals brands like Sony

ANC modes for the CMF Buds 2 Plus can be toggled in the Nothing X app, or with the touch controls. There are three modes to choose from, which range from ANC Off to Transparency to Noise cancellation. The noise cancellation option can be toggled between Low, Mid, High and Adaptive depending on the experience you want.

I tested out the earbuds on my morning commute, which is generally pretty loud. Between the noise of trains and traffic, I need a set of earbuds that can block out distracting ambient sounds but keep me aware of announcements or hazards.

The Adaptive option was great for this; it blocked out sounds like the train engine, but I could hear announcements clearly. This gave me a similar effect to the ambient sound mode that comes with the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds, but without the Sony buds’ premium price.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Call quality

• Clear voice
• Blocks out environmental noise
• Struggles to block competing voices

The CMF Buds 2 Plus have impressive call quality. They have six microphones, much like the Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds. The microphones on the CMF buds made my voice sound clear and blocked out environmental traffic noise. The earbuds also did an impressive job of reducing wind buffeting.

But when I was on the phone at a cafe, the person on the other end of the line could hear chatter around me, so the environmental noise cancellation works better for ambient sound rather than competing voices.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Battery

• Up to 61.5 hours playtime
• LDAC uses more battery life
• Rivals Apple and Samsung

The CMF Buds 2 Plus have battery life to blow big-name buds like the Sony WF-1000XM6 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro ($249) out of the water. The CMF buds have 14 hours of battery life with ANC off, which is extended to 61.5 hours with the case — that’s literally double what you get with the AirPods and Samsung buds. This is very impressive for such a cheap set of buds. If you’re using ANC, the battery life is reduced to 7.5 hours, and with the case, it's 33 hours.

Admittedly, the battery life is further lowered when listening with LDAC (which you should be doing to get the best sound quality if you have an Android phone). With LDAC enabled and ANC off, you get 8 hours in the buds and 36 hours with the case. With LDAC and ANC both enabled, you get 5.5 hours with the buds and 25 hours with the charging case.

CMF Buds 2 Plus review: Verdict

The CMF Buds 2 Plus have created a class of their own: an affordable price tag, but impeccable sound with LDAC. For just $79, you get a lot of bang for your buck with these buds. The design is sleek, and that impressive battery life means you can have days of listening without needing to charge. The ANC, meanwhile, is on par with premium rivals like the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

However, I would avoid them if you’re an iPhone user because, without LDAC, these buds don’t sound as good as alternatives like the EarFun Air Pro 4+.

So, while without LDAC these buds leave something to be desired, for $79, they’re literally a no-brainer for Android users needing a new pair of daily drivers.

Your earbuds go everywhere: the gym, your commute, the office, even bed. But despite daily use, most people never clean them properly. Earwax, sweat, and dust accumulate in the speaker mesh over time, affecting both sound quality and hygiene.

Worse, common cleaning methods actually damage earbuds. Cotton swabs push debris deeper into speakers, water can ruin internal electronics, and harsh chemicals can degrade protective coatings. What seems like basic maintenance often causes permanent harm.

James Grifo, Owner and CEO of Audio Visual Nation — an AV production company trusted by Microsoft and Nike — explains the proper cleaning process to protect your earbuds while keeping them hygienic.

How to clean earbuds safely

Common cleaning mistakes that damage earbuds

Grifo highlights several widespread cleaning habits that cause more harm than good. Avoiding these protects your earbuds from accidental damage.

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Yes, the JLab Go Sport+ cost $29 — which makes them just $5 more than Netflix. I don't know about you, but $29 is way cheaper than my monthly gym membership, cheaper than my weekly grocery bill, and a fraction of the price of my running leggings.

Obviously, if you already have a pair of the best earbuds, like I do, you might not want to shell out even more for some of the best running earbuds. But trust me — proper running earbuds make a huge difference. It's like running with fashion sneakers as opposed to proper running shoes. The JLab Go Sport+ have one job, and they do it really well.

But I wanted to really test them. As I primarily use my AirPods Pro 2 for everything, including running, I wondered how these $29 running buds would stack up against my $249 (but now discontinued) AirPods Pro 2. Can these ultra-cheap buds really beat Apple?

Challenge 1: the fit

Running earbuds and lifestyle earbuds have one major difference: fit. The entire purpose of a running earbud is to stay put in your ear hole, no matter how vigorously you're running.

That's why running earbuds tend to have a 'hook'-style design. This hook fits around the outside of your ear cartilage to prevent falling out or wobbling inside your ear.

It goes without saying that the JLab Go Sport+ fit much, much more securely than my AirPods Pro 2. That's not to suggest that my AirPods fit precariously or that AirPods aren't also great for running — it's more that the Go Sport+ have one job, and they do it really well.

Take a look at my colleague Nikita modeling the Go Sport+ — look at how the hook fits around her ear tightly.

When I was running, I forgot I was wearing them. The Go Sport+ are that secure. Alright, getting them in my ears took a few seconds longer than your AirPods or standard earbuds, but once they were in, they were in. No movement. Like they were soldered onto my cartilage itself. This is ideal for running, as your constant up-down movement can dislodge generic earbuds.

Comparatively, AirPods fit more like those aforementioned generic earbuds. As I have the Pro 2, the silicone tip makes the buds more secure than AirPods 4 (sans silicone tip). Even so, they still move around a little when I run, enough to necessitate my repositioning them mid-sprint.

I don't think this is a surprise, but the JLab Go Sport+ win over the AirPods Pro 2 for fit and security. If you want a pair of cheap earbuds you don't mind getting sweaty — and you want them to lock onto your ears so well you forget you're wearing them — then the Go Sport+ will not let you down.

Challenge 2: sound quality

Don't think I'm about to throw away my AirPods Pro 2 anytime soon, though. There's (obviously) one main area where the Pro 2 reign supreme: sound quality.

Of course, no one buys $29 with the intention of getting some Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2-dupes or anything. You know what to expect when you pay $29 for earbuds.

I don't think you're really focusing on sound quality when you're running, though. Or, I know I'm not. All I need is a powerful low-end with enough bass to help me propel my legs forward. I try to listen to 180BPM+ music when I run, so I can easily fix my slow cadence.

The Go Sport+ have plenty of bass. When I was listening to electronic music, the synths and drum machines crashed through the earbuds with gusto. In more complex soundscapes — like when I was listening to Slipknot, Linkin Park, and Evanescence — some of the guitars muddied. But even so, these are a) running earbuds, and b) $29.

My AirPods Pro 2 sound much, much better than the Go Sport+. The mids are clearer, and the bass has more separation. However, I was also pushing the darn things back in every five minutes, which distracted me from my workout.

I'm going to keep using the Go Sport+ for runs, but continue to wear my AirPods Pro 2 for everything else. Now I've experienced a run without needing to readjust my earbuds every 0.2 seconds, I'm not sure I can go back.

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What makes the best running headphones? Is it comfort? Wearability? Sound? Durability rating? Price?

The JLab Go Sport+ tick off 4 ½ of those boxes. At just $29, these running earbuds are crazy cheap and come with a generous amount of features for that price. You get IP55 durability, a companion app, customizable touch controls, customizable EQ, and, to top it all off, as soon as you put them in your ears, they ain’t going anywhere.

Want to find out more about the Go Sport+? Of course you do. To find out, keep reading this JLab Go Sport+ review.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Running earbuds for under $30
• What does it cost? I’ll say that again: less than $30 ($29/£29)
• What do we like? Super affordable, and they stay in my ear really well
• What don’t we like? The sound quality is nothing to write home about, but they’re fitness earbuds and cost less than $30… so I think it’s okay

JLab Go Sport+ review: Specs

JLab Go Sport+ review: Price & availability

The JLab Go Sport+ are available for $29 from Amazon U.S. and $29 from Amazon U.K.. Like pretty much everything JLab makes, these fitness earbuds are super affordable. You’d be hard-pressed to find running earbuds for cheaper.

JLab makes more fitness audio gear: you’ll find the $99 Epic Open Sport, $99 Epic Sport ANC 3, $99 JBuds Sport ANC 4, and the $49 open-ear JLab Flex. If you want ANC, you’ll need to check out these pricier options.

The main difference between the $29 Go Sport+ and the premium Epic Air Sport ANC 3 is the audio quality. The Go Sport+ only has SBC and AAC, while the Epic Air Sport ANC 3 has LDAC, a hi-res codec for near-lossless listening. On top of this, the Epic Air Sport ANC 3 also benefits from dual drivers — a dynamic driver and a balanced armature driver — resulting in better sound.

Even so, if you’re just using the Go Sport+ for exercise, as I did, the mediocre sound quality is easy to overlook considering the buds are just $29.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Design & controls

• Hook design
• Stays in place perfectly, no complaints here
• Custom touch controls in the app

Considering the Go Sport+ are workout earbuds, you’d hope they do their one job of staying in your ears no matter how vigorously you’re moving your body. And you’ll be pleased to know that they do that perfectly.

I went on multiple runs wearing these earbuds, and they didn’t budge even a millimeter. At first, putting the earbuds in requires a little patience, practice, and a mirror, but once I’d inserted them a few times I got the hang of it. You have to tilt the ‘hook’ part forward, put the ear tips into your ear canal, and then twist the hook back until it sits directly in front of your cartilage.

Thankfully, once you’ve done this little twisteroo, the earbuds genuinely don’t move. They won’t go anywhere until you take them out.

The Go Sport+ are as comfortable as you need them to be. No, I wouldn’t wear them for hours and hours in the same way I’d wear my AirPods Pro 2 until they run out of charge, but they’re not supposed to be used like that. They’re comfortable while you’re wearing them for their intended purpose.

For the purpose of science, I wore them for 4 hours and they were surprisingly comfortable (although I wouldn’t wear them for this long again). I will note that the earbuds are quite annoying to wear with glasses, as the hook of the buds and the arm of the glasses don’t fit well together, but again, I feel like most people wear contacts when working out anyway.

The Go Sport+ come with three ear tip sizes — I used small — and while I wish they were a little softer (JLab advertises them as being ‘gel’ ear tips, which I don’t really see), they’re fine for wearing while working out. I only work out for an hour max, and I never found them uncomfortable for that amount of time.

When you’re working out, you need earbuds that both stay put and are also easy to control. You’ll also be pleased to learn that the Go Sport+ have easy, responsive, and customizable touch controls. Out of the box, you can increase or decrease volume with one tap, or double-tap to play/pause or activate your phone’s assistant. I never accidentally missed the earbud while trying to control my music during runs.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Features & connectivity

• No wear detection
• Google Fast Pair, easy iOS pairing
• Custom EQ

Despite being only $29, the Go Sport+ have a couple of features to keep you tickin’ over. In the JLab app (which I’ll discuss in detail below), you can adjust the EQs. You can choose from three preexisting EQs or you can create your own using JLab’s 10-band equalizer. I found ‘bass boost’ worked the best for the genres of music I listen to.

You can also activate ‘Safe Hearing’, which limits the music to a certain volume. You can set it at 85dB or 95dB, so even if your phone volume is turned all the way up, your music won’t play any louder than this.

There’s also a nice IP55 rating, so you can sweat all over the earbuds and they’ll survive. You could also go for a little rain-soaked run, and the Go Sport+ would live to tell the tale.

If you live in a built-up area, you can also turn on ‘Be Aware’. This is effectively a transparency mode, which opens up the mics on the earbuds so you can hear noises around you. This doesn’t minimize your music, but I found only high-frequency noises were relayed through the earbuds, which didn’t affect my listening much.

If you want to stay seriously aware during runs, you might be better off with a pair of open-ears. We’ve tested the EarFun Clip and Soundcore AeroClip, which would be worth checking out.

Alright, so you can adjust EQ, activate Safe Hearing, and your ‘buds won’t die in a deluge. That’s pretty much it in terms of features, but these are workout earbuds, not AirPods or Galaxy Buds. It’s very normal for these types of earbuds to be a feature desert.

Honestly, the only feature I need in fitness earbuds is a little goblin that lives inside and shouts at me when I feel like giving up and going home. Unfortunately, though, technology hasn’t quite got that far yet.

Connectivity is also straightforward yet functional: you get Bluetooth 5.3, which results in a range of about 800 feet. In real terms, I was able to go downstairs in the office and halfway across to our photography studio without the connection dropping. Androids also get Google Fast Pair, although I found the connection on iOS to be just as speedy.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Sound quality

• Sound quality isn’t amazing
• Bassy sound signature, good for runs
• But audiophiles won’t be impressed

Now, I was never expecting the Go Sport+ to rival industry leaders like AirPods Pro 3 or Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. I expected sound quality worth $29, and I got sound quality worth $29. There’s a weird staticness lying over the top of the tracks, most distracting in softer genres like pop, and eclipsed by heavy genres like rock and hard house.

Even so, these are $29 workout earbuds that prioritize staying in place, so they’re not going to win any audio awards in the first place. When you’re working out, you’re less fussed about how good your music sounds and more concerned about the earbuds not falling out of your ear holes.

To test the Go Sport+, I went on three runs: one, I listened solely to electronic/house/dance; two, I listened to rock/nu-metal/umbrella heavy guitar music; three, pop.

The Go Sport+ sounded best when listening to electronic (no surprises there, as the soundscapes tend to be less muddy than metal), but they never sounded so bad that I felt the urge to rip them from my ears and fling them into the canal.

‘Duality’ by Slipknot pounded through the tiny 6mm drivers with unabashed volume. The heavy bassline did get a little muddy in the chorus, and the percussion wasn’t hugely clear, but the kick drum and bass worked well enough together to get my feet going on the path.

Corey Taylor’s vocals were prominent at the top of the track. The vocals were loud enough to use the lyrics as, I don’t know, some kind of gym motivation, like a mask-wearing PT from a D-List horror movie (that I definitely want to watch).

‘Artificial Angels’ by Grimes carried itself with a satisfying kick drum, the modulated, segmented electronic bassline contorting itself across the soundscape like some kind of sci-fi, neon-green, armored caterpillar.

The bass at the rear of the track was a little compressed, and Grimes’ childlike vocals in the verses struggled to find their place over top. So, again, this wouldn’t impress me were I listening at my desk, but the bass was strong enough to keep me running.

For my pop test track, I listened to ‘House featuring John Cale’ by Charli xcx. This is a more ambient track, so I wanted to test how interfering the static issue was for a quieter song. As I said earlier, the static sound didn’t really affect rock and hard house/techno, as these genres tend to be a bit more bombastic anyway.

As expected, the track sounded a little fuzzy thanks to the static, but I could still enjoy the music. The eerie violin section was the loudest part of the track, but John Cale and Charli xcx’s vocals weren’t overpowered. All in all, it sounded good, but I wouldn’t say great.

The Go Sport+ are ideal for $29 fitness earbuds, but they won’t cut it if you’re using them as your primary earbuds. I would only ever use them for running.

JLab Go Sport+ review: App

• JLab app
• Simple, straightforward to use
• Easy to navigate

As the case with other JLab gear I’ve tested — Go Pods ANC, JBuds Lux ANC, JBuds Mini — the Go Sport+ use the JLab app. This is a very simple, straightforward app that I’m sure even the most technophobic could make light work of. Here are a few screenshots so you can see what I’m talking about.

As the only features are Be Aware, Safe Hearing, and EQ, that’s the extent of the JLab app. It’s a budget-friendly app for budget-friendly earbuds.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Call quality

• Dual MEMs mics
• Good call quality for everyday use
• But a little fuzzy

To test the call quality on the Go Sport+, I called my boyfriend, who, at this point, has listened to practically every earbud on the planet. He said the Go Sport+ sounded clear and he could understand everything I was saying, but there was a touch of fuzziness modifying my voice.

I would recommend these buds for everyday calls, but I wouldn’t start attending important work calls with them.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Battery

• 9 hours in the buds
• 35 hours in the case
• Charging cable connected to the case itself

The Go Sport+ have a pretty impressive battery life: you’re looking at a whopping 9 hours in the buds and 35 hours in the charging case. This is much better than your commercial, lifestyle buds like the AirPods Pro 3 (8 hours, 24 hours), and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro (7 hours, 30 hours).

Obviously, this is because the Go Sport+ are driving less power than the Apple/Sony/Samsung/Bose equivalents, but it’s still nice to have, especially if you’re looking to do a marathon or something of that nature. You don’t want your earbuds dying on mile 20!

Interestingly, the USB-C charging cable is permanently connected to the charging case, so you’ll only need a wall outlet plug to get your case filled up. I’ve seen this on the JLab Go Pods ANC. It’s frustrating that if the cable breaks, you’ll need to replace the entire product, but you also don’t risk losing your cable.

JLab Go Sport+ review: Verdict

The JLab Go Sport+ are ideal budget earbuds for running, cycling, or gym workouts. I found they stayed cemented in place during runs and were lightweight and comfortable enough that I forgot I was wearing them.

No, the sound quality won’t impress anyone who knows what “24-bit 192kHz” means, but for less than $30, heck yeah, they’ll do. If you want serious sound and are willing to spend a little more, you might want to check out the Soundcore AeroClip or JLab Epic Open Sport.

I’m probably going to continue wearing my AirPods for runs — I’m bad enough at remembering/charging one pair of earbuds, let alone two — but if you’re of the dual-earbud-life persuasion, I sincerely recommend the Go Sport+.

The AirPods Pro 3 aren’t even a year old yet, but rumors have already begun to swirl about their successors — the purported AirPods Ultra.

According to early reports from prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the next-gen true wireless earbuds from Apple would sport an IR camera that syncs with Apple Intelligence to “see around you.”

Apple has been ultra-secretive (when isn’t it?) around the upcoming earbuds, but I’ve rounded up everything there is to know about the AirPods Pro 4, a.k.a. the AirPods Ultra.

How are they different from the AirPods Pro 3?

While the AirPods Pro 3 are some of the smartest wireless earbuds we’ve seen from Apple thanks to their in-ear heart rate monitoring sensors and real-time translation feature, they don’t use any sort of artificial intelligence.

That AI integration is what will set the AirPods Ultra apart: The AirPods Ultra will work by “feed[ing] visual intelligence data to Siri," says Gurman.

That visual intelligence will enable in-air gesture controls and, very likely, better integration with the Apple Vision Pro, according to Kuo.

As for design changes to the drivers or microphones of the earbuds, we’ve yet to hear anything concrete, but it seems likely that Apple will tweak them for better performance as it has in each of the previous generations.

So how soon will the AirPods Ultra come out?

Launch timing and price are still two big question marks.

Over on X, occasional Apple leaker @Kosutami_Ito says that pricing will stay the same for the new Ultra model, while Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo think they could fetch a higher price. That price could be as high as $349 but $299 seems more likely.

Potential release date details are even murkier — so far, it's anyone's guess. Traditionally Apple has made AirPods announcements at its September hardware event. We’re still several months away from that at this point, so it is plausible that we'll see them in September.

That being said, we’ve still waiting on new AirPods Max 2 headphones, despite many rumors that pointed to a 2025 launch date.

We’ll be sure to keep our eyes — and ears — open for more Ultra rumors in the meantime, however, and will report back once we hear more information.

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• Get the best AirPods Pro 3 fit with these quick tips — improve your ANC and sound
• Apple AirPods Pro 3 review: The best AirPods yet
• I compared the Apple AirPods Pro 3’s heart rate readings vs a chest strap — and the results shocked me

It’s official, EarPods are cool again. Everyone from Harry Styles to Zendaya is ditching the Bluetooth for the retro, wired version. Never one to miss a trend, I swapped my $250 AirPods Pro 3 for the $19 EarPods for a week, and I was pretty surprised at the results.

As a caveat here, I’m no audio expert — as Tom’s Guide’s Senior Fitness Editor, I spend my days deliberating the pros and cons of the Garmin Fenix 8 over the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for my next marathon. I won’t be talking too much about bass levels and spatial audio, because, quite frankly, I don’t know what these things mean.

Ask me about the drop of my go-to running shoe, however, and I’ll bore you to tears.

No charging or connecting needed

Research from the University of Chemnitz identified that people are often stuck in a constant charging loop, checking the percentage of their devices and deciding whether they need to charge or risk their devices dying.

The study focused on electric vehicles, not headphones, but found that this creates a persistent mental background task that can interrupt other deep-thinking activities.

In cognitive psychology, remembering to charge devices is a prospective memory task — in other words, remembering to perform a planned action in the future. This means we’re probably all suffering from micro-task overload, and that charging our devices is probably, without us even realizing, making us a little bit stressed.

I wear an Apple Watch most of the time, use a tablet to watch TV or read on my commute, own a phone, and am writing this article from my laptop. That’s a lot of devices to remember to charge, before I’ve even considered my son’s white noise machine, my dog’s tracker collar, and the countless other smartwatches and smart rings I’m reviewing for work.

I definitely suffer from charging fatigue, and not having to worry about my EarPods dying on me when I leave the house was refreshing.

I can’t drop them

In the Apple store, while buying my EarPods, I dropped my AirPods twice while trying to pay. I’m frustratingly clumsy, and it’s a miracle I haven’t dropped an AirPod down the drain at this point — although I have dropped one perfectly into my dog’s water bowl. The huge plus of having wired headphones is that, like those glasses chains popular with grandparents everywhere, they are undroppable.

Did I miss noise-cancelling? Kinda

Of course, the $250 AirPods Pro 3 have a heck of a lot more technology in those tiny buds. They can read my heart rate, translate conversations, and they do a pretty perfect job of blocking out unwanted noise on my commute, in the gym, or in the office (sorry, colleagues).

The EarPods, of course, have no noise-cancelling technology, but for $19, what do you expect? While I did miss the noise-cancelling on the subway on my way to work, I didn’t miss it as much as I expected, and the call quality was still excellent.

I liked the physical buttons

There’s something particularly nostalgic about having physical buttons to turn my music up and down. While the EarPods were pretty annoying on the run (more on that later), the physical panel was super easy to use when I was on the move to control the volume of my music.

I didn’t have any connecting issues

Another first-world problem I experience most days is my AirPods connecting to the wrong device, meaning I’m always doing a wild panic to stop music playing in public. Of course, with the USB-C port, this is a thing of the past.

The wires are still annoying in the gym or on a run

This experiment really took me back to my early days of training for my first marathon, where my headphone wires would permanently become lodged into my ponytail by the end of every run. Nothing has changed in the past decade on this front, and when running and in the gym, the wires really did get in the way.

However, for $19, I can safely say that Harry Styles and Bella Hadid are onto something here. These little affordable headphones are back, and for good reason. I’ll definitely be using them as often as my AirPods for the foreseeable future, but if you’re training for a marathon, head to our best workout headphones roundup instead. Alternatively, check out these other wired headphone options.

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• I tested the AirPods 4 ANC vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 — and there's a clear winner
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Regardless of whether you've got an iPhone or an Android, you're going to want some of the best earbuds to go along with your smartphone. Luckily for you, pretty much every phone manufacturer also makes earbuds. You've got your AirPods, Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds, Sony buds, Nothing Ear, heck, even your Asus Earbuds for your Asus Zenfone.

But I only care about two of these earbuds right now: AirPods 4 ANC vs Galaxy Buds 4. Samsung just released its newest earbuds — the top-of-the-line Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and entry-level Galaxy Buds 4. I genuinely love both of these earbuds. Samsung has really nailed sound quality and has definitely caught up to Apple in the sound race.

Even so, is one earbud better than the other? Might the Galaxy Buds 4 truly have overtaken Apple as the best native ecosystem earbuds? I put both the Galaxy Buds 4 and the AirPods 4 ANC through a series of tests to find out.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Price

In the U.S., both the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Apple AirPods 4 ANC have a retail price $179. In the U.K., though, the Samsung option will save you £10, coming in at £159/£169, respectively.

Since the AirPods 4 have been on sale longer you can find more discounts. For example, right now you can get Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC for just $119 on Amazon or $60 off. The Galaxy Buds 4 will come down in price eventually.

Winner: AirPods 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Design

I passed both the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 around the office prior to sitting down to write this piece. The results actually surprised me.

I'm an AirPods user, right? I've had my AirPods Pro 2 since 2023, I use them every day, and I love them with all my heart. I love how they look. But there's something about the AirPods 4 that makes me a little uneasy. Perhaps it's how suddenly the ear tip ends. Perhaps it's the angle of the nozzle. I don't know what it is, but I don't like them.

One colleague agreed with me, but two said they preferred the appearance of the Apple buds.

The only main difference is that the Samsung buds have the Samsung 'Blade' design (although, thankfully, redesigned from the too-futuristic triangular appearance of the Galaxy Buds 3). In the Buds 4, this presents as a silver panel down the back of the stem. You use this panel to control the buds: play/pause, AI, so on and so forth.

Yes, both the AirPods 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 follow the same touch control theory: press once for pause, hold down for ANC, swipe up for volume. They're both very user-friendly.

So in the Tom's Guide office, half of us preferred the AirPods, but half preferred the Samsung buds. Therefore, this round is a draw.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Features & connectivity

Although not flagship earbuds, both the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and the Apple AirPods 4 have a pleasant amount of features to keep customers happy. Both these earbuds have live translation/Interpreter modes (as long as you have compatible phones), smart features like Siri/Bixby integration, and spatial audio/360 audio.

However, I'm going to give this round to the Samsung buds, and I'll tell you why. The Galaxy Buds 4 have Bluetooth 6.1, compared to the AirPods 4 ANC's 5.3, which future-proofs the earbuds and provides a better range.

On top of this, you get access to Samsung's 'UHQ' audio codec (when you listen with a compatible Samsung device). The AirPods 4 ANC have Apple's proprietary codec AAC, UHQ is actually superior (provided you use a compatible Samsung device).

So if all your ingredients are right (if you have a compatible Samsung phone) you get a better sound with the Galaxy Buds 4. I thought this was a bit of a gimmick until I tried it, but UHQ actually makes music sound incredible. It expands the width and creates an extra degree of instrument separation you won't be able to live without once you try it.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Sound quality

So Apple and Samsung earbuds naturally have different sound signatures. This isn't inherently a bad thing or a good thing — it just is.

If you've listened to Sony or Bose buds, it's kind of like that. Apple/Sony are more detail-focused, with heightened instrument separation and a wider soundscape. Comparatively, Samsung/Bose gear prefers bass and creates a richer, warmer low-end without sacrificing nuance up top.

Again, neither is "superior". This is just your preference. Do you listen to mostly heavy genres and love bass? Then I think you'd prefer Samsung. Similarly, if you love picking apart detail in your music, you're likely better off with Apple.

Even so, to test out both the AirPods 4 ANC and the Galaxy Buds 4, I listened to a variety of music. I'll discuss some standout genres here: rock, electronic, and pop.

Through the AirPods 4 ANC, 'Big Cheese' by Nirvana was wide and high, with Kurt Cobain's growling vocals coming through the left earbud nicely. The percussion was tight, but a little too crisp at the top of the mids. That's the AirPods 4 ANC's Achilles' heel — almost too much detail to the point of pinchiness. The Galaxy Buds 4 suffer from the opposite problem. The bass takes over the rest of the track, almost muffling the vocals and percussion. I wouldn't say either of these buds would make Mr. Cobain happy.

When I listened to 'DANCE' by Slayyyter, the Galaxy Buds 4 sounded better. The high-tempo Daft-Punk-tinged bass was the star of the show, and there was no pinching at the top of the treble. When I listened with the AirPods, the keyboard instrumental pulsated with a little tinniness, and the cymbal rhythm felt a little too close to a nail in my brain. The female vocal sounded excellent, though — clear and warm.

Finally, electronic. 'Damaged Goods' by Confidence Man has a French-House-inspired bassline and warped synths. The female vocals were clear even over the wobbly bass, but the hi-hats were a tad too crisp. Again, the AirPods 4 ANC suffer from that slight tinniness in pursuit of detail. However, the Samsung buds had none of this tinniness. The song felt a little more cramped — again, this is a toss-up between expansiveness or bass — and the vocals were a touch pushed back.

At the end of the day, though, this is completely up to your preference. Want bass? Then Galaxy Buds. Detail? Go AirPods. I prefer Samsung here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: ANC

Let me make this very clear right from the get-go: neither the Galaxy Buds 4 nor the AirPods 4 have "real" ANC. As neither bud has a silicone tip to get that all-important 'seal', the earbuds are physically incapable of real ANC. Those pesky sound waves are always going to be wriggling into your ear canal one way or another.

I'd say both earbuds would be alright for working in an already quiet office or traversing a semi-relaxed city. But for airplanes, trains, or crazy loud workplaces? I really don't think either of these buds would cut it.

In that case, I'd recommend some budget buds with a nice silicone ear tip — the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 and the EarFun Air Pro 4+. Neither of these earbuds are native to Samsungs or iPhones (Nothing does make phones, though), but the ANC is so much better than anything the AirPods 4 or Galaxy Buds 4 could dream of.

This round is, unfortunately, a draw. Not a draw because both are great. A draw because both are so mediocre it hurts.

Winner: Draw.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Call quality

At this point in the life cycle of earbuds, call quality is evening out more and more. You can safely assume that any flagship earbuds — Bose, Apple, Samsung, Sony — will have excellent call quality.

That's true of non-flagship buds from these brands, top. The AirPods 4 ANC and the Galaxy Buds 4 both made my voice audible and clear, although not quite as clear as the premium "Pro" line (for both brands).

Both earbuds did a fantastic job at minimizing outside noise, too, so I'm going to call this round a draw.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Battery

For all the impressive features and great sound, neither Samsung nor Apple has done a Sony and mastered battery life yet. The AirPods 4 ANC last for just 5 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case. Similarly, the Galaxy Buds 4 have a battery life of 6 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case.

When you compare this to the Sony WF-1000XM6 and Sony WF-C710N — 12 hours/24 hours and 12 hours/33.5 hours, respectively — it's almost laughable. But Samsung wins because you get an extra hour.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Verdict

Based on our scorecard, the Galaxy Buds 4 edge out the AirPods 4 with ANC. Samsung gives you excellent, bassy sound; longer battery life and great features like UHQ. But the AirPods 4 with ANC are also a solid choice with more detailed sound and handy Siri integration.

Your decision may well come down to which phone you own. Do you have an iPhone? Then get the AirPods. Do you have a Samsung? Then get the Galaxy Buds. Do you have a non-Samsung Android? Then I'd still recommend the Galaxy Buds, as you can't easily adjust any AirPods features on a non-Apple phone.

It's a shame that something as inane as "Which ecosystem have you invested in" controls every aspect of our lives, but it's unfortunately true. As much as I personally prefer the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, I'm kind of stuck with my AirPods for now.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 ANC: Ratings scorecard

As of last week, there's officially a new kid on the block. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, supposedly Samsung's "best-ever" earbuds. Is that true? Yeah, I kind of think it is.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro as the successor to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, making them the tech giant's new flagship earbuds. But are they the best earbuds on the market? And are they a worthy upgrade from the Buds 3 Pro?

To find out, I put the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro head-to-head. I compared everything from price to design to AI features to sound quality to answer the all-important question: Should you upgrade?

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

Although you can't actually hold the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro until March 11, you can pre-order them from Amazon: it's $249 in the U.S. and £219 in the U.K.This price is identical to AirPods Pro 3 and pretty standard for flagship earbuds.

Sony's WF-1000XM6 are $329, and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are $299, so it's nice to see Apple and Samsung neck-and-neck. Makes it a bit more exciting, you get me?

If you'd expected two-year-old earbuds to be majorly discounted, you'd be wrong. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are still $244 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K.. Perhaps when the Buds 4 Pro are officially released this price will drop, but for now, the old model are still full price. Weird.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

Samsung took a great leap with the Buds 3 Pro: gone was the Sony-adjacent pebble design, replaced with a smooth, hyper-modern 'Blade' aesthetic. While this leap paid off, I still think the design was a little too... "out there".

Let me explain. I love it when a brand finds its identity, something that really connects and combines functionality with innovation. However, the 3 Pro aren't hugely functional. They're comfortable, yes, and the silicone ear tips help create that all-important 'seal' for ANC.

All that being said, the touch controls on the 3 Pro are quite frustrating to use. There's only a tiny patch of stem that actually responds to touch; if you miss that, you have to try again. This means that adjusting volume is tricky — you have to slide your finger along the rear of the stem — and holding down to adjust ANC modes is tedious.

This is not an issue on the 4 Pro at all. While I wish the 4 Pro looked less like imitation AirPods and more like Samsung earbuds, I can't lie — the 4 Pro are so much more attractive and functional. The touch controls are a breeze, and the design is so comfortable.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features & connectivity

One of the best 'hidden' features in the Buds 4 Pro is the inclusion of Bluetooth 6.1, a major upgrade from the Buds 3 Pro's 5.4. Bluetooth 6.1 was only released last year, so Samsung has future-proofed the newest buds. If you keep these earbuds for five years, even if your 2031 cellphone is only compatible with Bluetooth 6.1 and up, you'll still be able to use your old buds. This is great — especially as the AirPods Pro 3 are lagging far, far behind with Bluetooth 5.3.

Yes, that is the same version found in the AirPods Pro 2. This is a bizarre decision from Apple.

But, hey, we're not talking about AirPods — we're talking about Galaxy Buds. And the 4 Pro get a major thumbs-up from me here.

The 4 Pro have a plethora of additional features: Interpreter (live translation), Bixby/Gemini integration, improved call quality, Head Gestures, and a remote camera shutter.

However, all of these are locked behind the Galaxy ecosystem, so if you're on a non-Samsung Android phone, you might as well stick with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

Don't get me wrong, the sound quality on the Buds 3 Pro is great. But the Buds 4 Pro truly are on the next level.

The Buds 3 Pro have fantastic clarity across the entire frequency range, with deftly layered vocals and high-frequency sound effects. I listened to Gretel's album 'Head of the Love Club' while testing the Buds 3 Pro, and the earbuds handled the heavy, grungey guitar-led tracks and the softer, atmospheric tracks well.

'DANCE' by Slayyyter felt a little too crisp at the top of the mids, as if sharpened just past perfection. Equally, 'Man in a Box' by Alice in Chains felt a little lackluster, as if the low-end couldn't quite get to the finish line. As if it were, pardon the pun, in chains.

However, the Buds 4 Pro have that spark. That je ne sais quoi. There's a confidence to the bass that's missing from the Buds 3 Pro.

In 'Heart-Shaped Box' by Nirvana, the grungey bassline and distorted guitars were layered perfectly with Kurt Cobain's raspy vocal. No instrument dominated, but no part of the song left me longing, either. This track sounded immense.

Similarly, 'The Dark Side (Alternate Reality version)' by Muse was bombastic, with a carefully layered arpeggio piano riff and a delicate string section combining to create a complex, expansive atmosphere. Every rasp in Matt Bellamy's voice scraped the inside of my brain — in the best way possible.

I'll say this until I'm blue in the face, but the Buds 4 Pro are genuinely some of the best earbuds — sound-quality-wise — I've ever had the pleasure of putting in my ear holes.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have near-perfect ANC. I'd say it equals the AirPods Pro 3 and is better than the Sony WF-1000XM6. The only earbuds that exceed the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen.

Comparatively, the Buds 3 Pro have great ANC, but it's not quite as adept at blocking out high-frequency sounds. When comparing the 3 Pro and 4 Pro side-by-side, I could hear myself typing and hear office conversations only with the 3 Pro.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

The call quality on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is excellent. During testing, my voice was crystal clear, and the buds did a phenomenal job of eradicating environmental noise. The person on the other side of the phone couldn't hear any sirens or traffic noise at all.

Similarly, the call quality on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is great for casual calls, and our reviewer reported that the people he spoke to couldn't hear a difference between the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and his usual earbuds.

Winner: Draw.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery

Both the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a 7 hour (buds), 30 hour (case) battery life. I'm a little disappointed to see no major battery improvements from model to model, especially seeing as the new Sony WF-1000XM6 boast 12 hours in the buds.

Even so, this battery life is still better than Bose's 6-hour/24-hour and Apple's 8-hour/24-hour rating.

Winner: Draw.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

If you already have a pair of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and you're not particularly fussed about improved sound or more AI integration, then I don't think upgrading to the Buds 4 Pro is completely necessary.

However, if you take sound super seriously, you'll be really impressed with the Buds 4 Pro. These premium earbuds genuinely sound as good as AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6. The only buds that sound "better" are the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. The Buds 4 Pro have put Samsung audio on the map.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro win this face-off, and I leave you with this: If you're an Android user, you will not be disappointed. I would grab a pair ASAP.

Ratings scorecard

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the most daring earbuds Samsung has made thus far. Thanks to the bassy sound signature and a slew of AI features — whether you gravitate to said AI features or not — these are some serious contenders for the best earbuds title.

But every time there's a new contender on the scene, you can't forget the old faithfuls that came before. AirPods Pro 3, Sony WF-1000XM6, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 are all main players, so it's only right that we pit these flagship buds against one another. Right? It's all about the competition.

So I thought I'd throw the Bose and Samsung offerings into the ring and see which ones come out on top. Will it be the Bose QuietComfort Ultrs Earbuds Gen 2 or the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro?

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen are $299 from Amazon U.S. and £299 from Amazon U.K.. Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K..

The writing's on the wall here: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $50 cheaper, therefore Samsung takes this round.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

Just as with the Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, your opinion here might not match mine. Whether you prefer the Bose or Samsung buds will depend on how you like your buds: pebble or stem?

The Bose buds are closer to your "pebble" style, with a short stem and a mostly inside-ear design, whereas Samsung elected for an Apple-adjacent "stem" style that comes out of your concha. Don't get me wrong, the QC Ultra 2nd Gen aren't entirely pebble, but they're shorter than the Galaxy 4 Pro.

Personally, I'm a fan of stem style buds. Pebble styles tend to hurt my ears after a long time. If you have weirdly small ears (join the club!) then you might want to go for the Samsung option due to the smaller overall design.

Even so, if you have medium-to-large ears, the Bose option is more viable. These buds are larger in the nozzle, with a stout stem used for touch controls.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a stem for touch controls, too. Both the Bose and Samsung options are easy to control, with customizable options in the relevant apps (Samsung's app isn't available on iOS).

Even though AirPods Pro 3 come with five silicone ear tips, the Bose and Samsung buds only come with three. Both Bose and Samsung's ear tips are easy to remove and apply, so fear not.

This is a really hard battle to judge, because I think the QC Ultra 2nd Gen look more striking, but hurt my ears after a while. On the other hand, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a little plainer, a little less likely to attract attention, but they're more versatile for large and small ears.

I'm going to give this round to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro as they're a comfortable option for more people.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features & connectivity

If I discuss every single feature present in the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, we'll both be here all day. You'll fall asleep at your phone. Let's just say that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro can do basically everything you'd ever want from earbuds, except measure your heart rate.

If you use your phone's AI assistants, you'll be able to chat to these agents directly through the earbuds. There's also a live translation (Interpreter) feature, siren aware ANC, and Bluetooth 6.0

However, as expected, most of these features are locked behind Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem. Only AI-enabled Galaxy phones can take advantage of these. I tested out the buds with a Samsung Galaxy S25+ and all these features worked seamlessly — but they're also nonexistent on non-Galaxy Androids and iPhones.

Comparatively, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have fewer "impressive" features, but said features are more widely available. You can use Bose's Immersive Audio, multipoint (even from Android phones to MacBooks), and EQ presets for watching movies or listening to music.

See, it's a draw right now. I don't really gravitate towards any AI or health features anyway, so I'm not going to hold the lack of these against the Bose buds. However, I am going to hold the next feature against Bose.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have an IP57 rating... and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have an IPX4 rating. This means the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro can withstand (brief) immersion and are a little dustproof. However, the QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen can only survive being splashed.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are only IPX4, too, so it's not unheard of at this price point, but I wish the Bose buds were a little more durable.

However, most of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro's features aren't available on iOS — whereas Bose is usable with both iOS and Android.

It's tricky, but this round is a tie.

Winner: Draw

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

I'm going to start by saying the Bose and Samsung buds are both tuned in a way I can only describe as wall-wobbling, floor-thumping, eardrum-rattling bass. This isn't inherently positive or negative — it just is. Some earbuds are bassy, some are more detail-focused.

AirPods Pro 3 and WF-1000XM6 are both detail-heavy, so if you find the sound on those earbuds lackluster, you might be a secret basshead. Come to the dark side. Muahaha.

Although I listened to a lot more music than I have space to discuss here, I'll analyze three specific tracks: 'Crystalline Green' by Goldfrapp, 'Going Under' by Evanescence, and 'BLUE' by Billie Eilish. All three of these tracks have complex soundscapes, whether that's glitchy electro, crunchy nu-metal, or wispy harmonies.

As both the earbuds are bass-heavy, they have a similar signature sound. When listening with the Bose buds, the synth pulses on 'Crystalline Green' were prominent throughout the song, and the shifty bass effect trembled in the background of the track. The vocals were presented in the middle of the track, not overpowered by the laser sound effects or the glitchy bass.

Similarly, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro balanced the heavy bass with the distorted vocals well, and the tremulous bass wobbled in my ears delightfully. Both earbuds handle electronic exceptionally well.

When I played 'Going Under', the Samsung buds handled the volume of the crunchy guitars and glitchy percussion well. The piano riffs were a touch pushed back, as was the subtle electronic bassline. This was a similar issue on the Bose buds; the crunchy guitar pummeled the rest of the track, almost overpowering the subtle electronic bass. Even so, Amy Lee's fearless vocals led the song without shying away from the challenge.

Last, there's 'BLUE' by Billie Eilish. The Bose earbuds layered every instrument delicately: the floaty instrumental gave way to a guitar-driven verse, and Eilish's layered vocals danced across the soundscape like butterflies. The bass was a touch too loud, but this is adjustable with EQ customization in the Bose app. The electronic breakdown at the end of the track was excellent, with expansive sound and supreme instrument separation.

When listening with the Samsung buds, I noticed the same overzealous bass, but it was loud enough to overpower Eilish's soft vocals a little. This still isn't a major con, though, as the rest of the song sounded excellent; the guitar licks were audible in the right earbud, and the harmonies in the verses.

This is a close round, but it's going to be the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. If you have an iPhone or a non-Samsung-Galaxy Android, you won't get access to Samsung's 'UHQ' listening mode. As the Bose buds sound better on a wider range of devices, it's got to go to Bose.

Winner: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

For a long time, Bose has been the undisputed champion of ANC. Bose's premium line is literally called Quiet Comfort. Wait — Bose literally invented ANC. Yeah, it's serious stuff. For years, Bose has made the "best" ANC gear.

But other brands are catching up. Samsung's Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are utterly excellent. The ANC performance is divine: when I was testing these buds, I couldn't hear any office noise, nor traffic outside, nor any of my colleagues trying to get my attention. I recently tested them on a train, and it was so silent that I could've been in a private booth.

Even so, the ANC on the Bose QC Ultra 2nd Gen is still world-leading. As soon as I put in the Bose buds, I was in my own world. Usually, high-frequency sounds like clacking keyboards can leak through even powerful ANC.

Not with the QC Ultra 2nd Gen. I couldn't hear myself typing, couldn't hear any traffic noise. It was me and my music against the world. As much as Samsung and Apple are edging closer to Bose-level ANC, Bose are still unbeatable.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

If you've got a Samsung S23 or newer, with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro you get access to improved call quality. Even on my iPhone, though, these earbuds had near-perfect call quality. My voice was clear and audible, even when I was playing a traffic noise track at max volume. The person on the other end of the call couldn't hear any of this track, but did admit that my voice sounded a little muffled.

Even so, if you often find yourself in loud environments, you'll be able to trust that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will be able to isolate your voice.

Equally, the Bose QuietComfort perform exceptionally well. In our review, we wrote, "Despite the noise of the road I was walking beside. The AI noise isolation is top of the tree, and made chatting over the buds a joy."

Both Bose and Samsung have made some excellent-sounding buds with excellent call quality to boot, therefore this round is a toss-up.

Winner: Draw

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery life

Samsung Galaxy 4 Pro have a rated battery of 7 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case. Conversely, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen have a rated battery life of 6 hours in the buds and 24 in the case — the same as 2023's AirPods Pro 2. You'd think that Bose could do better than that, wouldn't you?

Still, neither buds are as impressive as the Sony WF-1000XM6 — 12 hours in the buds and 24 hours in the case. You'd be able to listen from dawn to dusk (and then from dusk back to dawn).

It's a no brainer, really — I'm giving the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro this round.

Winner: Galaxy Buds Pro 4

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen vs Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

This is a tricky decision, because it's so close. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are truly excellent and have put Samsung on the audio map. However, Bose won the more "important" rounds — ANC and sound quality.

It depends on what you look for in earbuds: do you want the best sound and ANC? Go for the Bose earbuds. Or do you want more impressive "flagship" features? Or do you want better battery life? Then you might want to go for the Samsung buds.

Or, if you have an iPhone, it's a no-brainer: choose Bose. The Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen are more versatile and work seamlessly across more ecosystems.

Ratings scorecard

I’ll not beat around the bush here: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 are some of the best earbuds I’ve ever used. Samsung’s been on a bit of a run recently: the Buds 4 Pro finally positioned the brand as a genuine AirPods-level competitor.

The Buds 4 are no different. Heck, I actually think the Buds 4 are miles better than the AirPods 4 ANC. The sound quality is richer, bassier, and cleaner, while the AirPods 4 suffer from tinniness in the upper mids. Although the ANC isn’t as good as you might expect for silicone-tipped earbuds — the Buds 4 are kind of ‘open ear’ in that sense — the sound quality could more than make up for it.

At $179, the Buds 4 are Samsung’s entry-level design. With great sound and a range of smart features, could these be the buds that finally break Apple’s winning streak? To find out, keep reading this Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Samsung’s entry-level earbuds
• What does it cost? $179 / £159 / AU$299
• What do we like? The sound is utterly divine
• What don’t we like? Very little, actually: the ANC leaves something to be desired

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Price & availability

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 are Samsung’s entry-level earbuds: $179 from Amazon U.S., £159 from Amazon U.K. and AU$299 from Amazon AU.

The Pro version — Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — are $249 / £219 / AU$399. This makes the non-Pro $60 / £50 / AU$100 cheaper. As you might expect, the 4 aren’t stuffed with as many features as the Pro, but still make for some excellent Galaxy-ecosystem buds.

At this price point, you’re looking at the Apple AirPods 4 ANC ($179) and the Sony WFC701N ($129), the latter of which we said sound much better than their price might suggest. Bose’s sub-$200 offering is the QuietComfort Earbuds ($179), which we lauded for their excellent ANC and bassy sound.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Design & controls

• Super comfortable, especially for small ears
• Easy-to-use, customizable (Android) controls
• No silicone ear tip, so no ‘seal’

The Galaxy Buds 4 look and feel utterly premium. If you’re looking at them and thinking they look familiar, you’d be right to do so. I think they’re basically a “you can copy my homework but change it a bit so the teacher doesn’t notice” of the AirPods 4.

This isn’t a good or a bad thing — it just is. Both the AirPods 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 have the smooth stem design, sans-silicone tip. The only major difference is the charging case. While the AirPods 4 ANC sit upright in their case, the Samsung buds lie flush.

Thankfully, though, the Galaxy Buds 4’s charging case still has a physical button. The lack of a physical button is one of my major qualms with the new AirPods design. Why remove the button? Why, Apple? Why must you make me tap the charging case in various spots like I’m some kind of safe breaker trying to crack a lock combination?

Design aside, the Galaxy Buds 4 have all the same touch controls as the Buds 4 Pro. And, not-so-surprisingly, the AirPods 4. You hold the stem to toggle ANC, pinch once for play/pause, swipe up for volume control, so on and so forth. These are very straightforward controls. Even better, if you have an Android phone, you can customize them to your heart’s desire.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Features & connectivity

• Bluetooth 6.1 — hallelujah!
• Great range of premium features like voice assistant and EQ adjustment
• Seamless multipoint just for the Galaxy ecosystem

Although the Galaxy Buds 4 don’t have as many features as their premium sibling, these entry-level buds are still stuffed full of eye-catching functions. You get access to a 9-band equalizer — or can choose from six presets, including a speech preset and an instrumental music preset.

Of course, you can set up the earbuds to read notifications, just like AirPods on iPhone, and you can even set up ‘neck stretch’ reminders. That’s the life of a sedentary office worker in this day and age, huh? (She says, while rolling her neck and wincing approximately ten times an hour.)

You can also use Bixby — “Hi Bixby” — but this has no appeal to me, so I never found myself using this. I never use any AI “assistants” in my phones, but if you’re a big proponent of making calendar events and replying to texts hands-free, this is a useful function.

The AirPods 4 ANC share much of this functionality (except with Siri rather than Bixby, obviously). Another feature shared by both AirPods 4 ANC and Galaxy Buds 4 is 360° sound — “Personalized Spatial Audio” on AirPods and “360 Audio” on Galaxy Buds. I never use this — I find upmixed spatial audio can warp music — but it’s good to see the two brands keeping their rivalry heated.

You’ll be pleased to know that the Buds 4, like the Buds 4 Pro, have Bluetooth 6.1, which is a significant upgrade from the previous iteration’s Bluetooth 5.4. Strangely, Apple released the AirPods Pro 3 with Bluetooth 5.4, so Samsung’s easily one-upped its American rival here.

In real terms, Bluetooth 6.1 just means you have a larger range. I was able to go downstairs and halfway through the office before the earbuds started glitching out. Even so, the inclusion of Bluetooth 6.1 future-proofs the earbuds: if you kept these buds for five years, they should still keep up with your phone in 2031.

Finally, I’ll discuss multipoint. This is a bit of a tricky issue, as neither Apple nor Samsung allows seamless automatic switching between non-ecosystem devices. If you use AirPods with an Android and PC, you can’t switch automatically. This is also the case if you use Galaxy Buds with an iPhone and a MacBook.

AirPods obviously work seamlessly with Apple products, and Galaxy Buds with Samsung products. If you have a PC, you need to be logged into your Samsung account for seamless multipoint.

This is frustrating, but at the end of the day, fairly common. AirPods can’t switch between a Windows PC and iPhone seamlessly. If Apple doesn’t include seamless multipoint for non-ecosystem devices on its earbuds, why should Samsung?

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Sound quality

• Rich, complex bass
• Dynamic mids and treble, excellent vocal performance
• Some instruments not as prominent, but this is an acceptable tradeoff

To test the audio quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, I listened to a variety of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. I used a Samsung Galaxy S25+. I listened to much, much more music than I have space to discuss here, but I’ll analyze three tracks from various genres.

First, I played ‘Illegal (Nia Archives Remix)’ by PinkPantheress. This is a jungle track with a ferocious, modulating bassline and DnB percussion. The bass was surprisingly loud and wide, with an addictive depth to the entire low-end.

Don’t think the mids and highs were overshadowed, though, because you’d be wrong. PinkPantheress’s vocals were present at the apex of the track, and the squelchy synth effects were layered effortlessly between heavy bassline and rapid percussion. I was genuinely blown away by this sound quality.

Afterward, I switched genres to nu-metal. ‘Going Under’ by Evanescence starts out with crunchy metal guitars and a powerful, layered female vocal. I could hear the harmonies perfectly, from the distorted megaphone layer to the fluttery piano riff.

Although the bass was a little rounded — the edges didn’t have as much clarity as in the electronic track — this is still a fantastic performance for $179 earbuds. The Buds 4 sound better than AirPods 4 ANC, which are mighty expansive but a touch tinny in the upper mids.

Finally, I went for something a little more low-key with ‘Clint Eastwood’ by Gorillaz. The languid male vocal sounded clear, with atmospheric harmonies. The rap section enjoyed impressive vocal clarity, even over the ascending synth instrumental.

In the chorus, the harmonica riffs were nicely present in the left earbud, although I would’ve liked a little more expansiveness in the right earbud during this stereo section. At the end of the track, there’s a scratch-DJ section that would’ve benefitted from being pulled forward a little, but overall, I enjoyed listening to the Galaxy Buds 4 monumentally.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: ANC

• No silicone ear tip, so no ‘true’ ANC
• If you want serious ANC earbuds, look elsewhere
• Decent at blocking out chatter, but high-frequency sounds flood in

Considering the Galaxy Buds 4 don’t have a silicone ear tip, it’s impossible to get full ANC. As the buds are physically incapable of creating that all-important ‘seal’, external noise is always going to seep into your ears.

I don’t think these earbuds are particularly adept at minimizing external noise, and I wouldn’t recommend them if you need serious Bose-level noise-blocking. This isn’t a Buds 4 problem — the AirPods 4 ANC are just as bad — but if you’re after ANC earbuds, you should probably look elsewhere.

I’d recommend the $69 CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2, the $99 EarFun Air Pro 4+, or, if you want to spend more for a better overall ‘bud, the $249 Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: App

• Tons of features with Galaxy phones
• Non-Samsung Androids get ‘Wearables’
• iPhones are not catered for — go home, iOS

As with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, the Buds 4 are customizable directly in the settings of your Samsung Galaxy phone. If you’re using a non-Samsung Android, you need to download the ‘Wearables’ app from the Google Play Store.

You can adjust EQ, ANC settings, and turn on Samsung’s proprietary ‘UHQ’ audio setting. I kind of rolled my eyes at this — I thought “Hmm, how much difference can this really make?” — but as soon as I turned this on, I ate my words. Thanks to Qobuz’s hi-res audio playback, my music felt more expansive, with acoustics that seemed to reverberate around the walls of my brain. I thoroughly recommend switching this on if you have a streaming service capable of a 96kHz sample rate.

As you can see, you can adjust a huge range of settings in your Samsung Galaxy phone. If you have a non-Samsung Android, though, you’ll be using ‘Wearables’.

You can do pretty much all the same stuff here: adjust controls, voice controls, EQ — the only thing you can’t do is activate UHQ and 16kHz call bandwidth. These are Galaxy-only features.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Call quality

• Galaxy phones get 16kHz bandwidth
• Audible voice, but worse than AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
• Great ambient noise reduction

To test the call quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, I called my boyfriend. He’s been the test subject on pretty much every pair of earbuds I’ve ever reviewed, so he knows the difference between impressive and mediocre call quality. He said he could understand everything I was saying, but my voice was a touch muffled. He said the call quality on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and AirPods Pro 3 was superior.

I also played a loud white noise track in the background to test environmental noise reduction. The Galaxy Buds 4 completely blocked out this noise, so I’d recommend these buds for use in loud environments.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Battery

• 6 hours in the buds
• 30 hours in the case
• Better than AirPods 4 ANC: 5 hours/30 hours

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 last for 6 hours in the buds (without ANC) and 30 hours in the case. With ANC enabled, this goes down to 5 hours in the buds. Similarly, the AirPods 4 ANC last for 5 hours without ANC and 4 hours with ANC, but have the same 30 hours in the charging case.

The Sony WF-C710N beat both the Apple and the Samsung offerings: with ANC off, these $129 buds last 12 hours in the buds, with 33.5 hours in the charging case. I think Apple and Samsung should both try to learn a thing or two from Sony: 5-6 hours is laughable compared to 12.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 review: Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 are truly excellent entry-level earbuds. They’re better than the AirPods 4 in every way but one. Even though we rated the AirPods 4 ANC 4.5-stars, the competition at the time of writing was less fierce. Now that the Galaxy Buds 4 have released, the AirPods look a little pathetic in comparison.

The sound quality on the Galaxy Buds 4 is richer, warmer, and less tinny. The AirPods 4 sound lackluster in comparison — the treble is both pushed back and pinchy, the bass isn’t as well-formed, and the ANC is just as mediocre as the Buds 4’s.

I would only recommend the AirPods under one circumstance: you have loads of Apple products. Unfortunately, the lack of multipoint for non-Galaxy devices is the Buds 4’s Achilles heel. If you are willing to put up with switching between devices manually, then the Buds 4 will seriously impress you. And Android/Samsung users? The Galaxy Buds 4 were made for you. They’re fantastic little buds.

I grew up in a time when wired earbuds were the only way of listening to music as Bluetooth technology took a few years to get to where it is. A big chunk of my childhood and teenage years was spent untangling the cables which had knotted themselves together in my pocket. Back then, it was frustrating, but today? I yearn for it. I want wired earbuds and my Discman and burned CDs, is that too much to ask for?

There's something almost charming about wired earbuds nowadays, and it's no surprise that they've made a comeback in the big 2026. They've become trendy again, and I often see people using them on my commute or other public transportation. As a reviews writer, I get to test my fair share of wireless earbuds and headphones but they can never deliver lossless audio (it's nearly impossible for wireless tech to do so). I've spent the last couple of weeks using the wired Sennheiser CX 80U earbuds, and boy are they good.

There's plenty to love about the CX 80U. They sport an inconspicuous all-black design. They feature a USB-C plug-and-play interface so are compatible with many, many devices. And the sound quality, above all, is simply outstanding, with a crisp and vibrant treble and refined mid-bass and upper ranges. If you're a baby audiophile or someone who likes the simplicity of wired buds, then the CX 80U are perfect for you.

You'll truly appreciate your favorite artists

If you love music or appreciate nuanced sound, or you're taking your first steps into world of audiophile sound, you need a pair of wired earbuds, like the Sennheiser CX 80U. You see, wireless earbuds struggle to and cannot deliver true lossless audio primarily because the Bluetooth technology they rely on lacks sufficient bandwidth to transmit the massive amount of data required without compressing it first.

The CX 80U sound phenomenal, especially for the sub-$40 price. The treble is vibrant and crisp in tracks like ‘You First (Re: Remi Wolf)’ by Paramore, and through the earbuds, the hi-hats and snare snaps in the percussion never sound shrill or harsh, while retaining the track's character. Songs like ‘White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter’ by Lana Del Rey, which feature many shifting moments between low and high vocals, sound loud and clear, and the words don't bleed into each other.

Mid-bass performance is strong as the bass sounds loud and punchy but never booming or overwhelming in tracks like '41 Mosquitoes Flying in Formation’ by Tame Impala. Overall, the CX 80U are nothing short of outstanding when it comes to their general audio performance — though the sub-bass is a little lackluster, but these are $40 earbuds at the end of the day. Check out my full Sennheiser CX 80U review for the detailed breakdown.

Comfortable for hours and hours

Regardless of how much a product costs, whether that's less than $50 or more than $5,000, I don't think it's worth spending money on it if it isn't comfortable — and that's especially true for earbuds. The Sennheiser CX 80U? They're so comfortable that you'd think they cost at least a good $200. These earbuds are very lightweight, first of all, with each bud weighing just 0.5oz. That means that your ears don't get weighed down, so you can wear them for hours.

But just because they're lightweight doesn't mean they fall out of your ears. In the box, you get three sets of eartips, and one of these sets features a longer design, so these buds burrow into your ears and stay put. These are the eartips I used for most of my testing period, and they provided a good level of passive noise cancellation. I couldn't hear the clickity-clackity sounds of my Keychron Q6 HE 8K magnetic keyboard or the sound of my coworkers speaking.

Another advantage of using these longer eartips is that the sound is also concentrated in the ear canal, so you can appreciate the CX 80U’s wide soundstage. It's all you need to appreciate your favorite artists (and a hi-res music streaming service), as I mentioned earlier.

These are the buds you're looking for

A lot of people's earliest memories of wired earbuds are Apple's EarPods. They're still popular, and can be picked up from Amazon for $19 / £19. Most of the time when I see people using wired earbuds on the bus or train, they're using EarPods. And why wouldn't you use them? They're cheap, after all. But I'm here to tell you that they are not the best way of spending your hard-earned money.

Instead, spend a little extra on the Sennheiser CX 80U, and grab them for $39 / £34. They feature a built-in DAC, they're mighty comfortable, and there noise-sealing eartips do a good job of blocking out external sounds in lieu of the earbuds featuring any active noise cancellation (ANC).

When I was reviewing the earbuds, the only fault I could find was that the sub-bass was slightly lacking. If, after a week of testing, that's the only real fault I can find in a pair of earbuds — or any product, really — then surely they must be great. The "CX" in Sennheiser CX 80U stands for "Categorically (e)Xcellent."

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget Apple EarPods — the Sennheiser CX 80U are the only wired earbuds I'll be buying in 2026
• Best wired headphones in 2026
• Best wireless earbuds 2026 — tested and rated

The short answer: Yes. Yes you can use Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro on an iPhone. I used them with my iPhone 16 Pro with success. They sound great, are super comfortable, and work with Apple Music, Spotify, and Qobuz seamlessly. Some of the best earbuds I've ever tested, definitely.

However, you're here for the long answer, right? And the long answer is... long. So long, in fact, that I'm going to get into it for the next 1,000 words.

So while, yes, Samsung earbuds do work with an iPhone, you miss out on a lot of features and connectivity options. If you're neck-deep in the Apple ecosystem, you might want to stick with your AirPods — and vice versa if you're a Galaxy ride-or-die.

Sound quality reigns supreme

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and AirPods Pro 3 are now neck-and-neck in the sound quality race. There's genuinely very little in it.

For a while, Apple, Sony, and Bose were the NASA of sound quality, with Samsung trailing a few steps behind. But not anymore. Samsung's rocket fuel is now just as ferocious as any other audio manufacturer's.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are markedly bassier than AirPods. This isn't a bug, but a feature. Different listeners have different tuning preferences, so it's important to cover all bases (pun intended). Personally, I can appreciate both bass-heavy tuning à la Bose and Samsung, and detail-tuned buds like Apple and Sony.

I'll accept that my AirPods Pro 3 have a wider, more expansive soundscape than the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, but the bass on the latter is much stronger. There isn't one "correct" option — both tuning styles have their merits.

To test the Galaxy Buds Pro 4, I listened to a range of music on three different streaming services: Qobuz, Apple Music, and Spotify. Qobuz has the highest-quality streams — many tracks available in 24-bit 192kHz — whereas Apple Music and Spotify offer a max of 24-bit 48 kHz and 24-bit 44.1 kHz, respectively.

Regardless of the streaming service, my music sounded genuinely fantastic. Unfortunately, I had to do a lot of listening on Spotify's "low" quality due to being low on mobile data and being on a train with patchy signal.

'Connection' by Elastica is a Britpop track built over distorted, stretched guitars and a lackadaisical female vocal. This track pounded through the earbuds, bass-first and unabashed.

Electronic sounded great, too. 'Arintinin' by Rico Nasty and Boyz Noize is a bared-teeth, claws-unsheathed monster of a track, a cluttered soundscape of whistles, pounding synths, layered vocals, and a non-stop beat. Even with this challenging track, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro didn't sacrifice treble in favor of bass.

So, no, AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro don't sound identical, but they do sound as good as one another. They're simply good for different purposes, different styles of listeners. Do you love bass and Bose earbuds? You'll be so impressed by the Buds 4 Pro. Detail and Sony-style mids more your flavor? Then I think you'd prefer AirPods.

In terms of sound quality alone, I didn't miss my AirPods Pro 3 once during my week-long swap.

On-par comfort

Now, I'm a bit of a weirdo in that I have tiny little ears. I didn't realize I had this affliction until I started testing earbuds full-time, but let me tell you, it's a nightmare. I have to use the smallest ear tip size on every set of buds I review. Every. Time.

If you have normal adult-sized ears, this won't be an issue for you. When I perceive an earbud to be uncomfortable or overly large, I always get one of my colleagues to try it out just to make sure it's not a me problem. Most of the time, it is a me problem. I just have weird, shrunken ears.

As a result, when I find earbuds that fit me, I have to cling to them like a baby koala sticks to its mother. It's why I'm such an AirPods girl, even though I'm in the very lucky position of having access to nearly every pair of earbuds ever made.

Thankfully, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are also small enough to fit in my ears. I can wear these buds for hours and hours and hours without them aching. The Sony WF-1000XM6, I could only wear for an hour before my ears started aching. Denon PerL Pro, same story.

So it brings me great joy to announce that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are just as comfortable as AirPods Pro 3 (and Pro 2, the best earbuds for tiny ears IMO).

But there's a feature-shaped hole

Alright, even though the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound just as good as AirPods (equally as good, but tuned differently) and are just as comfy, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

As you might expect, basically all of the Galaxy Buds' features are locked behind the Galaxy ecosystem.

I've made a table of all the features you can access on an iPhone 16 Pro with both AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds Pro 4.

As you can see, the features available on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and iPhone are... few and far between, at best. You don't get access to any of Samsung's industry-leading AI assistant tech, any translation functions, heck, even any sound adjustment. You're stuck with default settings, down to sound, touch controls, and ANC.

But I rarely (read: never) use any of the AirPods Pro 3's "AI" features. Heart rate sensor? No, I've got a smart watch for that. Siri? No, she doesn't do what I ask anyway. EQ adjustment? No, I like how AirPods sound out of the box.

So this is all negligible for me. I don't miss this. What I do miss is the lack of multipoint. Going into my phone and MacBook settings to change Bluetooth device is tedious. Really, really tedious.

As someone who has an iPhone, personal MacBook, work MacBook, and iPad, I need earbuds that can keep up with me regardless of which device I'm using, and that's exactly what I've got with my AirPods.

So while the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro do work on iPhone, you're missing some key features. AI features are whatever — I don't care for them anyway — but the lack of multipoint is the real kicker.

In short, as much as I love the sound, design, and ANC on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, I think I'm going to crawl back to my AirPods now.

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget Bose — these are my favorite headphones for travel and I can't wait for the sequel
• I'm Gen Z and I love that CDs are making a comeback — I got my first CD player since 2006 and it beats streaming in 3 ways
• I love doing karaoke in the shower — and these top-rated waterproof Bluetooth speakers are up to the challenge

Yes, it’s official: Samsung has a new flagship earbud ready to beat out the big-name competition. For a while, the commercial earbud game has been all about Apple, Sony, and Bose, but I think Samsung has really made something special with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Are these new earbuds enough to be some of the best earbuds around, though? If you value bassy sound, then yeah, definitely. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are chock-full of meaty bass and appealing features… but most of these are locked behind the Galaxy ecosystem.

I decided to compare Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to the iconic Sony WF-1000XM6 to see which earbuds come out on top. Bring it!

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

The Sony WF-1000XM6 are pretty pricey these days: $329 from Amazon U.S. and £249 from Amazon U.K..

Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K..

Obviously, this means the Samsung option is considerably cheaper, saving you $70 and £30 respectively. If you’re not fully sold on either the Samsung or Sony buds, though, you might want to check out the AirPods Pro 3 ($249/£219), the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 ($299/£299), or my favorite underrated earbuds, the Status Pro X ($299/£225).

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

If you prefer a stem design, then the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro will suit you better — conversely, if you prefer a pebble design, then I’d recommend the WF-1000XM6.

This is a personal preference, but I would struggle to use pebble-style earbuds as my primary earbuds. I have weirdly small ears, and the bulbous design of the 1000XM6 proved a little painful during my testing. Even with the smallest tip size, I was only able to wear the buds for about an hour before my ears started aching. This is a play-it-by-ear situation, though, so don’t take my word as gospel if you’ve had luck with pebble earbuds in the past.

None of my colleagues seem to have this issue (darn, their normal-sized earholes!), but it’s worth noting that if you have weirdly small ears, I’d recommend stem-style earbuds. For example, I’d recommend the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or AirPods Pro 3 — as they are a little more comfortable.

Both the WF-1000XM6 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro look fantastic, though, and have straightforward controls. You can easily adjust the controls via Samsung’s Android-only Wearables app or the built-in bud settings on Galaxy Phones. On iPhone, you can’t adjust anything.

Regardless of use with an iPhone or Android, you can customize all settings with Sony’s Sound Connect app.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features & connectivity

I tested both sets of earbuds with three phones: my personal iPhone 16 Pro, my testing Samsung S25+, and our office testing Asus Zenfone.

Connecting both the 1000XM6 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to all these phones is super easy. Simply hold down the pairing button and the earbuds know what to do. However, obviously the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are designed to sync seamlessly to Galaxy phones, just as AirPods are designed to work seamlessly with iPhones.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro only have multipoint if you’re using Galaxy devices — for example, an S25 phone and a Galaxy tablet — whereas the WF-1000XM6 have multipoint built in as standard.

Even so, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have super-new-and-stylish Bluetooth 6.1 — which boasts a range of 984 feet — whereas the 1000XM6 are trailing behind with Bluetooth 5.3 I’m a little disappointed that Sony didn’t use a newer version of Bluetooth — 6.0 and 6.1 came out last year — but AirPods Pro 3 use Bluetooth 5.3, as well, and the differences aren’t hugely tangible.

Although the WF-1000XM6 win for connectivity types, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro boast a slew of fancy-schmancy features. You get everything from seamless AI integration — think Bixby and Gemini, depending on your phone — to Interpreter (live translation), and increased call quality.

If you’re an iPhone user, you get many more features with the WF-1000XM6 than the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. However, if you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, you get loads more AI features with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro than the WF-1000XM6.

Frustratingly, a lot of benefit comes down to which ecosystem you want to sink $$$ into: already got an iPhone? Then get the WF-1000XM6 or AirPods. Got a Samsung Galaxy, or want one? Then go for the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Features that everyone can benefit from, regardless of ecosystem, are also present. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are IP57-rated, whereas the Sony WF-1000XM6 are just IPX4. AirPods Pro 3 are also IP57, and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Gen 2 are IP55-rated.

While IPX4 sounds pretty mid, the WF-1000XM6 are still splashproof, so would survive bouts of rain.

Winner: WF-1000XM6, because said features are available on more devices.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

Now onto arguably the most important thing: sound quality. To test sound, I listened to music on both my iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25+ on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles.

I listened to genres from grunge to pop to electronic to glam rock to acoustic, and both the WF-1000XM6 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro performed extremely well. I really don’t think there’s much in it — both models are flagship earbuds, and boy oh boy, you can tell.

In general, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are better at handling bass, although sacrificing detail in heavy genres like metal. The WF-1000XM6 sound closer to the AirPods Pro 3 — treble and upper mids brought forward, bass pushed back a touch, but with a more expansive soundscape.

Personally, I actually prefer the sound of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro ove the WF-1000XM6. The AirPods Pro 3 are able to strike the balance between expansive soundscapes, detail, and bass, but for me, the WF-1000XM6 are a little too light on the bass. Conversely, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the opposite — a little too bassy, which sacrifices detail.

Again, this one depends on your personal preference. I think I would actually go for the Buds 4 Pro, though.

Winner: Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

The ANC on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is practically flawless. When I was testing these earbuds, I was completely in my own world. Colleagues couldn’t get my attention, no matter how hard they tried. Traffic noise outside my apartment was obliterated.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are seriously some of the best ANC earbuds I’ve ever tested, and I’ve tested a lot.

Conversely, I wasn’t overly enamored with the ANC on the WF-1000XM6. The earbuds cut out most environmental noise, but they weren’t as good as blocking high-frequency sounds like keyboard clacking.

I’d give this round to the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

If you’re using the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro with a Samsung S24 and newer, you get up to 16kHz of call quality. However, even when you use these earbuds on an iPhone, you get excellent call quality.

I tested these earbuds by calling my boyfriend, who said I sounded perfectly clear and audible. There was no metallic weirdness happening to my voice. The Buds 4 Pro are also excellent at minimizing ambient noise — I played a traffic noise track at 75dB and my boyfriend said he couldn’t hear a thing. He reported that my voice sounded a little muffled, but the environmental noise was completely silent.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 also have excellent call quality. Our reviewer Ashley said the mics isolated her voice even over the top of construction noise, and her voice was clear and audible throughout her testing call.

We’ll say this round is a draw.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery

This one’s a pretty easy decision: the Sony WF-1000XM6 last for a whopping 12 hours (without ANC) between charges, and the charging case holds 24 hours of battery life.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have just 7 hours (without ANC) in the buds themselves. Even though the Samsung charging case offers 30 hours of battery life, having 12 hours in the buds alone is a major competition killer.

Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6, as they’d be able to keep you locked and loaded for an entire 12-hour shift — although you’d be charging the case more often.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

Personally, I would go for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro based on comfort and sound quality alone. However, if you want more bang for your buck and you have a non-Samsung Galaxy phone, you might be better off with the Sony WF-1000XM6.

So if you’re of the non-Samsung-Android or iPhone persuasion and you want all those nice, meaty features hidden away in companion apps, I’d say you should go for the Sonys. This is really annoying, as I genuinely prefer the sound quality on the Samsungs, but, unfortunately, many of the flagship Samsung features are locked behind S24-and-newer phones.

Even so, I think the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are much better value, so I know which ones I’d personally buy — although the Sony WF-1000XM6 are markedly more versatile.

Ratings scorecard

Wired earbuds are well and truly back, and Sennheiser has updated its popular buds with a USB-C connector for modern devices. The Sennheiser CX 80U are an excellent choice for anyone who wants a detailed, nuanced listening experience without breaking the bank. These earbuds pack a built-in DAC for lossless and 24-bit/96KHz high resolution playback, and deliver balanced, powerful sound quality. And their plug-and-play design makes them a breeze to use.

While the bass is generally punchy, sub-bass frequencies lack a bit of oomph, slightly letting down the otherwise stellar sound quality. But really, that’s the only thing wrong with these earbuds as for the most part, they offer a lot of bang for your buck.

Are these the best wired headphones for you? Read my full Sennheiser CX 80U review to find out.

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Specs

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A pair of wired earbuds that costs less than dinner for two
• Who is it for? Anyone embracing wired earbuds this year, and looking for detailed listening
• How much does it cost? $39 / £34
• What do we like? The comfortable design, noise-sealing eartips, balanced and powerful sound quality, and USB-C plug-and-play design
• What don’t we like? The slightly lacking sub-bass

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Price & availability

If you’re on the hunt for a pair of wired earbuds that sound good but don’t break the bank, the Sennheiser CX 80U should be your next port of call. They’re a modern refresh of Sennheiser’s popular CX 80S earbuds, and they now feature a USB-C connector, increasing their versatility. They retail for $39 / £34 at Amazon, making them some of the cheapest wired buds today.

The CX 80U cost nearly the same as the Skullcandy Set ($33) and the SoundMagic E80D ($45), but are pricier than the likes of the Apple EarPods USB-C ($19) and the JBL Tune 305C ($21). I’d recommend spending more money on the CX 80U as they feature better, more refined sound quality, and in my opinion, are more comfortable than the EarPods and the Tune 305C.

They also deliver lossless, low-latency audio playback with support for 24-bit/96KHz, making them great for baby audiophiles or those taking their first steps into the world of hi-res streaming.

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Design & comfort

• Very comfortable for long periods
• Three eartip sizes
• Inconspicuous and lowkey design

If you don’t want to draw attention to yourself while out in public but want detailed audio, the Sennheiser CX 80U are made for you. Their design reminds me of the wired buds I had when I was growing up, when I would sneak the earbuds into school and listen to music during our lunch break — even though it wasn’t allowed. I never really drew any attention to myself, and the CX 80U feel just like that.

That’s thanks to their all-black design, which makes them look inconspicuous. But because of how lowkey they look, the CX 80U won’t be winning any design awards. If you want flashy earbuds, I’d recommend the SoundMagic E80D instead. It’s also important to note that the CX 80U’s wires don’t feature a flat anti-tangle design, so they tend to get bunched up in your pocket, which can be annoying (and time-consuming to untangle them).

The CX 80U win full points in the comfort department from me. They come with three eartip sizes, and one of the pairs features a longer design, which means it burrows into your ears and stays put there. These are the eartips I used for most of my testing period, as they ensured the earbuds didn’t fall out of my ears, regardless of whether I was stationary at my desk or walking outside (even though they’re very light, with each bud weighing just 0.5oz!).

Thanks to these eartips, the sound is also concentrated in the ear canal so you can appreciate the CX 80U’s wide soundstage. In lieu of active noise cancellation (ANC), these eartips also provide a good degree of passive noise isolation, so you can enjoy your favorite tunes without being too disturbed by external sounds.

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Connectivity

• USB-C plug-and-play
• Built-in DAC

There isn’t a lot to say about the Sennheiser CX 80U’s connectivity. These earbuds sport a USB-C connector, so all you need to do is plug them into your (compatible) device and start listening to music — it really doesn’t get simpler than a plug-and-play interface.

They work with a plethora of devices. I tried them with my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL (with the case on), my work-sanctioned MacBook Air M2, my personal MacBook Pro M1, and my iPad 10th Gen. Every single time, the CX 80U worked seamlessly.

One of the CX 80U’s biggest selling points is the built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC), housed within the USB-C connector. If you listen to tunes on the best music streaming services, such as Tidal, Qobuz or Spotify Premium (with Lossless enabled), you’ll be able to take full advantage of hi-res audio at 24-bit/96KHz. It’s almost like they’re made for Spotify’s new hi-res mode, which features the same audio quality.

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Controls & app

• In-line physical controls
• Easy to use
• No companion app

It couldn’t be simpler to use and control the Sennheiser CX 80U. An in-line controller located on the wire emerging from the right earbud lets you play and pause playback, and answer or hang up on calls. The cheaper JBL Tune 305C go a bit further by letting you swap between three EQ settings via the in-line controls, but it’s quite rare for wired earbuds to have customizable EQ, as we’ve seen on the SoundMagic E80D and the Apple EarPods.

I found the buttons easy to press too, unlike on the SoundMagic E80D. They were quick to register my taps and presses, and I found that they gave decent tactile feedback when pressed too.

Like most other wired earbuds, there’s no companion app to customize the CX 80U’s sound profile or other settings. Again, this is a feature we usually see on wireless earbuds and not wired buds, so it isn’t a major drawback. And for the most part, I didn’t feel like I needed to tailor the sound profile anyway, which I’ll get into next.

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Sound quality

• Excellent vocals and treble
• Mid-bass is incredible
• But sub-bass is a little lacking

As I mentioned earlier, the Sennheiser CX 80U are a fantastic choice for new audiophiles, for two reasons: one, they’re very cheap, and two, they sound beautiful. They’re equipped with dynamic closed drivers (9.7mm transducers) and cover a frequency response range of 17Hz-20KHz, giving you plenty of room to appreciate nearly every aspect of a song.

To test the earbuds, I plugged them into my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL’s USB-C port and listened to my favorite testing tracks on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio.

I started off by listening to ‘White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter’ by Lana Del Rey, which I’d had on repeat for a week before testing. There aren’t many heavy instruments involved in this track and instead, Lana’s vocals are given center stage, and the CX 80U excelled at ensuring you hear every word clearly. The dryness of the acoustic strings at the beginning of the track was reproduced perfectly, and I could hear the thump of the hollow guitar. The earbuds also ensured that Lana’s words didn’t bleed into one another, with her lower register refrains in the chorus working in harmony with her high notes.

Then, I turned to ‘You First (Re: Remi Wolf)’ by Paramore, which features intricate treble work and foregoes the bassiness of the OG version. Through the CX 80U, the hi-hats and snare snaps in the percussion never sounded shrill or harsh, but loud enough to give the track plenty of character. Speaking of, Remi’s vocals sounded bright with her yips, growls and sudden shifts in register being reproduced accurately, and again, not bleeding into each other. I also appreciated the micro details in the track that I’d missed before, such as Remi ad-libbing every now and then.

‘Drag Path’ by Twenty One Pilots was up next, and I listened to the Digital Remains version which I have saved as a local file. The build-up, which sees Tyler Joseph singing, “Please, please hurry,” and features a steady increase in the drum intensity, and the CX 80U ensured that I felt the urgency. The transition from bridge to chorus can feel loud and abrupt, but the CX80 U instead blended everything beautifully.

To test the CX 80U’s bass capabilities, I listened to ‘41 Mosquitoes Flying in Formation’ by Tame Impala. Overall, the bass was punchy and powerful, and the individual string plucks sounded tight and snappy. I was surprised by the mid-bass too, which was surprisingly strong and gave the track that driving feeling needed for me to move my head along to it. But I immediately noticed that the sub-bass was lacking. The bridge of this particular track usually feels massive, but through the CX 80U, it sounded hollow and thin, with no vibrating rumble either.

Aside from the lower frequencies not being as finetuned as the rest of the sound profile, the CX 80U are excellent earbuds, and don’t give you much else to complain about.

Listen along to my review with the Sennheiser CX 80U testing playlist:

Sennheiser CX 80U review: Verdict

As I said at the outset, the Sennheiser CX 80U are nothing short of incredible. For less than $40, you’re getting a pair of USB-C wired earbuds with a built-in DAC. Sound quality is (mostly) superb, with punchy bass and vibrant treble. Vocals and micro details are plenty clear, while hi-hats are never shrill or harsh.

The CX 80U are extremely easy to set up and use too, thanks to a plug-and-play interface and straightforward in-line controls for controlling volume and playback. The earbuds are mighty comfortable too, thanks to the noise-sealing eartips, making them perfect for long listening sessions.

There isn’t a lot wrong with the CX 80U, and the only real flaw I found was the sub-bass and very low frequencies being a little underwhelming. If you can make peace with that, then you’ll love the CX 80U as much as I do.

For a long time, it’s felt like Apple, Sony, and Bose have been the ringleaders of the earbuds world. With the brand new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, though, it appears Samsung is trying to change the narrative.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro certainly look a lot like AirPods Pro 3, from the silicone ear tip right down to the touch-control stems. Could Samsung finally be coming for Apple’s crown? Might the AirPods Pro 3 finally be dethroned as the best earbuds for most people?

I was as curious as you, so I put the AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro to the test to find out which earbuds earn their stripes.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Specs

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Price

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K.. Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are $249 from Amazon U.S. and £219 from Amazon U.K..

Winner: Draw

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Design

For Samsung, the AirPods Pro 3 are clearly the inspiration: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro look less like the all-metal design of the 3 Pro, and much more like the sleek plastic style of Apple’s earbuds.

Both are stem earbuds — rather than the pebble design seen on Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 and Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2.

The AirPods Pro 3 come with five ear tips — XS, S, M, L, and XL — compared to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s three ear tips — S, M, L. As someone with super tiny ears, having an XS ear tip is ideal.

In terms of controls, I don’t think either brand has particularly mastered the touch command. Apple’s volume control takes a while to get used to, and I think I used AirPods for around three months before mastering the commands. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro use similar stem-based controls: you can play/pause with one pinch, adjust the volume with a swipe, and ANC with a long press, which means you can expect a similar learning curve to them.

The good news? Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have head gestures, so you can nod to accept a call or shake your head to decline a call.

As expected, both the AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have adept controls and a pretty design, enough to call this round a draw, but I’m going to give it to the AirPods purely because they come with five ear tip sizes.

Winner: AirPods Pro 3

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Features

The AirPods Pro 3 use the standard Bluetooth 5.3, which has a range of up to 800 feet in ideal conditions. Samsung has treated us with the new-as-new-can-be Bluetooth 6.1, offering a 984-foot range.

It’s surprising that Apple elected for Bluetooth 5.3, when smaller, budget audio brands like EarFun have already started utilizing Bluetooth 6.0. Although the tangible differences between 5.3 and 6.0 are negligible, it raises the question of futureproofing the earbuds. If you want to keep these earbuds for, say, five years, but the phone you get in 2031 is only compatible with Bluetooth 5.4 and above, this might prove an issue.

However, as of 2026, you’re fine with Bluetooth 5.3, so as of right now, this isn’t a major con. 5.3 is still the standard.

As you might expect from flagship earbuds, both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are stuffed with features. Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have live translation. At time of writing, Apple supports: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Samsung’s live translation supports: Arabic, Chinese (mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan), Dutch, English (Australia, India, U.S., U.K.), Filipino, French (Canada, France), Gujarati, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Spanish (Mexico, Spain, U.S.), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

Also, as you might expect from flagship earbuds, live translation is locked behind certain system requirements. Apple’s live translation only works with Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones (so 15 and newer), and Samsung’s live translation only works with AI-enabled Galaxy phones (so S24 and newer).

So, if you want to take advantage of these industry-leading features, you’d need your respective ecosystem to align with your device. Ergo, iPhone users = AirPods, Galaxy users = Galaxy Buds. This is within the realm of expectation, though. I don’t think anyone’s surprised by this.

To test out the live translation in both the AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, I spoke a little Korean to my boyfriend, who was wearing the AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Now, I’m nowhere near fluent, so I only said very simple phrases, but it worked pretty well in both cases.

I wish I’d had this feature when I lived in South Korea, but if I ever go back on vacation, I know I’ll be able to understand everything rather than just 10%.

Rounding off the features are Apple’s heart rate sensor and hearing aid features. I really like Apple’s hearing test feature; it feels robust and thorough. Samsung doesn’t have a heart rate monitor or any FDA-approved hearing aid features, so if you require these, it’s gotta be AirPods Pro 3.

Even so, these are nice-to-haves rather than necessary features — I don’t reach for either on my Pro 3 because they’re simply not useful to me.

One feature the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have that you won’t find on the AirPods Pro 3 is EQ customization. You can’t actually adjust EQ on Apple earbuds — something about the tuning already being “perfect” — so Samsung snags the victory here, even though AirPods have those health features. I just think EQ is more important on earbuds than health features.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Sound quality

Now, here’s the real meat of the comparison — I know you’ve been waiting for this. Let’s get stuck in, shall we?

Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound great. Of course they would — they’re both flagship earbuds intended to be the only earbuds you own. They should be great for everything: commuting, home listening, office work, workouts, and everything in between.

The AirPods Pro 3 have one custom driver, whereas the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a separate woofer and tweeter. The AirPods are better at detail and a touch more expansive, but the Buds 4 Pro are much bassier. Which tickles your fancy more will be up to you.

For this testing, I listened on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. Every track I listened to was either CD-quality or 24-bit 192kHz hi-res.

First, I listened to ‘Billie Toppy’ by Men I Trust. This is an indie track built over a bass riff, breathy female vocals, and rolling, lush guitars and synths. This track is a challenge for earbuds because there’s so much going on here, but the AirPods Pro 3 handled it with confidence.

The instrument separation was utterly marvelous, with an expansive, wide soundscape that pummeled my ears with atmospheric, fuzzy guitars and that infectious bassline. But don’t think the soft vocal was overpowered, because you’d be wrong. The vocals were layered perfectly at the top of the track like a soft morning cloud settling over a forest.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro also handled this track fantastically. The fuzzy guitar scratched my brain in the most satisfying way, all while allowing the breathy vocal to take center stage. The bass was richer and warmer than through the AirPods Pro 3, although Apple’s buds offer a slightly wider soundscape.

Afterwards, I played another challenging track: ‘Take the Power Back’ by Rage Against the Machine. This track, as you might expect if you’re familiar with the band, is a loud, caustic, unapologetic song with punchy slap bass and complex, chugging guitars.

The detail in the AirPods Pro 3 is astronomical. I swear to you, I have never heard this song sound like this before. I could genuinely feel the air from Zach de la Rocha’s mouth. I felt like de la Rocha was rapping directly into my ear. I got goosebumps.

Comparatively, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro handled this song excellently, too, but in a different way. The bass was punchy, rich, and pounded through my eardrums. Every cymbal smashed right when it was supposed to, and every guitar note pumped across the soundscape. No, the vocals didn’t sound as close, but the bass was the star of the show here.

Finally, I switched genres, but kept the challenge high. I played ‘Hoppípolla’ by Sigur Rós, which is an atmospheric, immersive track with a near-overwhelming body of reversed-piano samples, an arpeggio piano riff, a sun-drenched strings section, and a multi-layered, choral-tinged vocal.

Thanks to the AirPods Pro 3’s enviable instrument separation and warm sound signature, the crescendo of the song was delightful; the high-end performed admirably despite the complex strings and percussive instruments, all while the steady bass kept the track moving.

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro played this song excellently, too. The vocals were presented at the forefront of the track, surrounded by the arpeggiated piano and rich percussion. No, there wasn’t as much instrument separation and expansiveness, but the Galaxy Buds excel more at bass than detail. It just depends on what kind of listener you are: do you want detail or bass?

I can’t really pick a winner here: both Apple and Samsung have made earbuds with industry-leading sound quality. If you want detail, I’d go for the AirPods, and if you want bass, then pick the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Winner: Tie

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: ANC

To test the ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, I played traffic noise on my MacBook Air M2 at full volume, which measured between 72 and 75 dB. I then played music on my phone, connected to the buds, at volume 5. I listened to the same song — ‘Artificial Angels’ by Grimes — during both tests.

When using the AirPods Pro 3, I could only hear a tiny amount of traffic noise. When the soundtrack intensified — when cars sped past, for example — this became audible over the song, but it didn’t interfere with my music.

Apple has something called ‘Adaptive Audio’, which you can adjust from low to high. This effectively cancels out environmental noise. I put this on full volume for this test, but didn’t really notice a difference.

Samsung has a similar feature: Enhanced adaptive ANC, which strengthens the ANC depending on your surroundings. Interestingly, Samsung has tuned this so that when your Galaxy Buds 4 Pro pick up “important” sounds like sirens or alarms, the buds switch off your ANC so you can hear your surroundings.

When using the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, I was shocked by how powerful the ANC was. I tested the Samsung buds in the exact same way: the same traffic noise track at the same volume, the same song playing through the ‘buds at the same volume, in the same environment.

I couldn’t hear any traffic noise at all. Surprisingly, I could hear myself typing, which suggests the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are better at filtering out low-frequency sounds (like engines) than high-frequency sounds (like keycaps tapping).

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Call quality

Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have excellent call quality. You wouldn’t be disappointed with either earbud. Both have admirable environmental noise cancelation and both can isolate your voice really well.

There are really very few differences between these two earbuds: I doubt anyone on the other end of your phone would notice if you were using the Apple or Samsung buds.

Winner: draw

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Battery

I don’t think I’m the first person to say this, but I think the battery life on the AirPods Pro 3 is pretty disappointing. For flagship buds, you’d expect a marked improvement over the predecessor, but that’s not the case here.

The AirPods Pro 3 tap out at 24 hours, which is the same as the AirPods Pro 2. However, the Pro 3 buds last for 8 hours, which is a 2-hour improvement over the Pro 2’s 6-hour buds battery. Even so, I’d expect the battery life in the case to be at least 28 hours by this point.

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have 7 hours in the buds and 30 hours in the case, so would be better for those who want a longer overal battery life. However, if you want to use the buds on 7+ hour shifts, you might find yourself charging the buds halfway through.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Verdict

I’m really impressed with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. The sound quality is excellent, the ANC is unbeatable, and they work perfectly with the Galaxy ecosystem. I’m also really impressed with the AirPods Pro 3. Again, the sound quality is phenomenal an the ANC is great, and they seamlessly connect with the rest of Apple’s tech.

However, the answer to “Should I buy the AirPods Pro 3 or the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro” is, unfortunately: What phone do you have? Do you have an iPhone? Then get the AirPods. Galaxy or Android more your style? Then you’d probably be better off with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Both earbuds are well-made and premium in every sense of the word — it’s more of a question of which ecosystem you want to invest in.

Ratings scorecard

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Buds 4 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at Samsung Unpacked, available to pre-order starting February 25. Their predecessors, the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, were released in July 2024, so Samsung fans have been waiting a while for the new model.

Due out alongside the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, Samsung has priced the Buds 4 at $179/£159 and the Buds 4 Pro at $249/£219. This is the same starting price as the previous generation. That's impressive considering its main rival, the Sony WF-1000XM6, saw a $30 price increase from the XM5's $299 to $329.

Unfortunately, the competition is fiercer now than it was for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro when they launched two years ago: The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the same price as the award-winning AirPods Pro 3. They're cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 ($299), though, only time will tell if Samsung's latest earbuds deliver equally as proficient ANC.

So while Samsung's price remains the same, what new features are on the way for Samsung's flagship earbuds? We've had a chance to talk to Samsung about them to get all the details. Just note, however, that many of these features are exclusive to the Buds 4 Pro — only the new design and improved sound will be available on the lower-priced Galaxy Buds 4.

1. An updated design

Gone is the geometric, post-modern design of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a completely redesigned appearance more akin to AirPods Pro 3 than older Galaxy Buds models: The stem is flat, with a silver embossed section designating the touch controls area, and the buds now sit flush in the case.

The case itself has been redesigned, too. The earbuds themselves no longer sit upright in the case — like AirPods — but flat, making the case narrower but deeper. Take a look at the side-by-side of the AirPods Pro 3 case and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro case.

As you can see, the AirPods charging case is much wider and has no buttons. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is deeper, with one button beside the charging port.

2. Improved sound

I'll save my comprehensive analysis of their sound quality for the full review, but in short, the Buds 4 Pro sound seriously good. There's a richness to the bass that you might expect from Bose's QuietComfort Ultra earbuds and a depth to the sound that will make the AirPods Pro envious.

Although the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro already benefitted from a dual-driver system — a 10mm dynamic driver responsible for bass and mids and a planar tweeter for treble — the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro take it a step further. The sound is more dynamic and bassy, especially when listening with 24-bit 96kHz activated.

The Buds 4 Pro also offer seven EQ presets and a 9-band EQ customizer, which is an extra EQ preset over the Buds 3 Pro.

3. Head Gestures

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro introduce Head Gestures, something that has been present in AirPods Pro 3 since their launch in September 2025.

Head Gestures can answer (or decline!) calls — simply nod to accept, or shake your head to decline.

Samsung is playing catch-up with Apple here, rather than innovating or creating a new feature itself, but the feature is still a boon for Galaxy owners.

4. Live Interpreter

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, you don't have to go into the "Interpreter" app to take advantage of the live translation feature. Admittedly, this feature didn't work particularly well on the previous iteration, but Samsung has streamlined the process.

Now, you only need to pinch the earbud stem to bring up Interpreter instantly.

As with AirPods Pro 3, you need to pre-download language packs. At time of writing, Samsung offers the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan), Dutch, English (Australia, India, U.S., U.K.), Filipino, French (Canada, France), Gujarati, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Spanish (Mexico, Spain, U.S.), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

Comparatively, Apple supports: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

5. New color, "Apricot"

Although not quite as dramatic as we first hoped, Samsung's new color "Apricot" is a welcome change from the monochrome earbud landscape.

At time of release, Apricot is only available in the Buds 4 Pro and from Samsung's website direct. It's unclear whether Samsung will roll out the new colorway on third-party sellers like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart.

Curious to learn more? Check out my full Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm Gen Z and I'm ready to leave Spotify for this modern CD player
• I tested the Sony WF-1000XM6 vs AirPods Pro 3 on my daily commute — and there's a clear winner
• I tested Samsung's flagship soundbar — it's good but falls down in these two key areas

Samsung fans, your wait is over: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are officially here. Priced at $249/£219, the Buds 4 Pro are the newest iteration of Samsung's AirPods Pro competitor. But are they some of the best earbuds money can buy?

Well, it all depends on which phone you have — or how many features you’re willing to sacrifice. As one might expect, many of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s features are locked behind the Galaxy ecosystem. AI features, Interpreter, and heightened call quality are all only available on S24 and newer. While this is a little frustrating, it’s nothing new or unexpected. Apple does the exact same thing with AirPods — on Android, you can’t even use wear detection without a third-party app — so I can’t hold it against Samsung.

If sound quality is the most important thing to you, then you’re in for a treat: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sound utterly phenomenal. These buds sound as good — better, in some bassier genres like metal — as AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6. Want to find out more? Keep reading this Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Samsung’s newest flagship earbuds, baby!
• What does it cost? $249 / £219 / AU$399
• What do we like? The sound quality is great, ANC is great, and the features are great
• What don’t we like? Some of these features aren’t massively groundbreaking, as we already had them on the previous gen

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Price & availability

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro cost $249, £219 in the UK and AU$399 in Australia. They will be released on March 11. You can get the white and black models on Amazon, but the apricot colorway is a Samsung exclusive.

Seeing as Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 retail for $249, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 are $299, and Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 go for $329, $249 is a very middle-of-the-road price. I’m not shocked or impressed. $249 is exactly what I expected from these buds.

You can also get the Samsung Buds 4, which are more like your Apple AirPods 4/4 ANC than your AirPods Pro. This model will only set you back $179/£159, so is better if you’re on a budget.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Design & controls

• Smoother, sleeker, AirPod-inspired bud design
• Touch controls on the embossed stem
• Head Gestures, finally

As you might’ve seen from the images above, Samsung’s pretty much redesigned the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro from the ground up. Gone is the geometric, pointy aesthetic of the previous iteration. The Buds 4 Pro are smoother, slicker, and more low-key than their predecessor.

I don’t think it takes a genius to notice this, but I think the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are majorly AirPods Pro 3-inspired. It’s in the smooth stem, the embossed touch control section, the silicone ear tips. I love an AirPod, so this isn’t a con in my eyes, but I do feel like Samsung’s still struggling to find its identity when it comes to its earbud design.

In the future, I think I’d like to see a combination of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro — the end of the stem could come to a geometric point, or the edge of the nozzle could be a little sharper. I’m glad Samsung got rid of the lights on the Buds 3 Pro, though.

Or, this AirPods-inspired look might go down really well with consumers, and then I’ll be eating my hat, right?

Where Samsung separates the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro from AirPods is the charging case. This case sees the buds sitting flat rather than upright (like AirPods) and has a clear clamshell lid so you can see inside the case.

I will note that the transparent lid gets very fingerprint-y, so just be aware of that if you’re bringing your buds to a photoshoot or something. I learned that the hard way, and got very intimate with a microfibre cloth right before these photos were taken.

And finally, unlike the AirPods Pro 3, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a button on the charging case! Hallelujah! I’ve had so many issues with the AirPods Pro 3’s case — not pairing, not factory resetting, basically just being an insolent child stomping its foot and shouting “No! Shan’t!” for no particular reason whatsoever — so I really hope Samsung keeps the physical, tactile button for many generations to come.

Remember when I talked about the redesigned “Blade” stem? Yeah, I hope you were paying attention, because it’s relevant again. If you were familiar with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the Buds 4 Pro effectively follow the same design. Tap, pinch, slide — it’s all making a comeback, baby, and I’m all for it. You can customize all these functions in the settings app on your phone.

These touch controls are much, much easier to use than the multi-tap tediousness of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. I’m glad Samsung has ditched the pebble design, because in my opinion, stems are much easier to control.

Finally, I’ll discuss “Head Gestures”, which is a 4 Pro-unique feature. Apple already introduced Head Gestures with the AirPods Pro 3 (and added them to the AirPods Pro 2 through a firmware update, which begs the question: will Samsung add this retroactively to the Buds 3 Pro?), so Samsung hasn’t broken any barriers here.

Even so, the Head Gestures are nice to have and, again, could be great if you’re so busy that you can’t tap “accept” or pinch your earbud to answer a call.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Features & connectivity

• So many features, I don’t know where to start
• Multipoint restricted to Samsung devices
• Interpreter has had a refresh, and I like it

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer Bluetooth 6.1, which provides up to 940 feet of range. I was able to walk out my front door and up the stairs in my apartment building before the buds disconnected, which is, in reality, is around the same range as AirPods Pro 3.

Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that most of the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s features are locked behind the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, but I haven’t marked this as a “con”.

Why, I hear you ask? Because, frankly, it’s expected. Apple locks most of its features — Spatial Audio, Head Gestures, heck, even wear detection — behind iOS devices. Therefore, it’s not outrageous for Samsung to do the same. I don’t think this is entirely a “You must spend your money on only our products to get our new features!” situation, either.

I think it’s genuinely really tricky for each tech giant to piggyback on one another’s software, and, as a result, if you’re an Android user, you’d be better off with WF-1000XM6 or Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and if you’re an iPhone user, you’d be better off with AirPods. Nothing groundbreaking being said there.

An honorable mention has to go to the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s multipoint — or lack thereof. You can only seamlessly switch between Samsung devices. As I use a MacBook for work, this meant I had to manually switch between my MacBook and testing S25+ when I had to join calls or listen to music on my phone.

Even so, if you are a Samsung ecosystem user — and I mean Galaxy AI-enabled phones, so S24 up — you get a plethora of flagship features with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro had a semi-live-translation feature, but it’s even more streamlined in the Buds 4 Pro. Instead of having to go into a separate app, all you have to do is configure your touch controls, then activate your desired touch controls. The buds will automatically bring up Interpreter.

For example, I programmed my touch controls so that a long press on the right bud would activate Interpreter. Once I did this, the app automatically started instantly, every single time.

At time of writing, Samsung offers the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan), Dutch, English (Australia, India, U.S., U.K.), Filipino, French (Canada, France), Gujarati, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Spanish (Mexico, Spain, U.S.), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

As I only speak English and a little Korean — thanks to two years living in Korea — I tested Interpreter with Korean. I got my boyfriend to insert the earbuds, then I asked him a series of questions in Korean. Interpreter translated everything into the earbuds, but there was a 2-3-second delay every time. If you need an instant translation for an important meeting or speech, I don’t think this’ll cut it, but for everyday or occasional use, it might be enough.

Although it’s a little laggy, this is true of Live Translation on AirPods, so neither Apple nor Samsung has conquered this area yet.

There are a slew of non-Interpreter AI features, too. The Buds 4 Pro have seamless AI integration — think Bixby and Google’s assistants — as long as you have a Galaxy AI-enabled phone. Again, this is true of Apple’s AI features, too, so Samsung can’t be slapped on the wrist for this if Apple is not.

Personally, I never gravitate towards using any AI features. I just don’t think my life is that busy or cluttered to actually require it. What would I say, “Hey Bixby, set up a calendar event for next Thursday’s bedrotting session”? It’s just not something I ever use. If you want it, then great, but for me, I could turn off Siri or Bixby or Gemini and never miss it.

While AI in earbuds can be useful for the super-busy amongst us, I am just not one of them. For some, though, it could be useful.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Sound quality

• Rich bass that doesn’t overpower high-frequency sounds in electronic genres
• Not as detailed as AirPods Pro 3 or WF-1000XM6 in heavy rock genres — but bass is louder
• Best-yet Instrument separation

To test the audio quality of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, I listened to a variety of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. I used these earbuds for hours over the course of a weekend (+ two working days), but I’ll just discuss standouts from key genres here.

First, I played ‘Crystalline Green’ by Goldfrapp. This is a track built from layers and layers of synths, harmonized vocals, various percussive instruments, and industrial sound effects. The wiggling synth bassline wormed its way into my right ear, while the choral vocal effects shone in my left ear.

The instrument separation was unbelievable: the rich, yet glitchy bass worked in perfect harmony with the laser and electronic strings flying over the top of the track. Despite this glitchy soundscape, the breathy female vocal was never overpowered. I was really impressed by this sound performance — definitely as good as AirPods Pro 3.

After, I switched genre to Beck’s ‘Dear Life’, which pairs a piano-led instrumental with an effusive, optimistic chorus supported by electric guitars and a steady kick drum. This track sounded fantastic, too, with carefully laid bass keeping the song afloat.

Beck’s vocals sounded particularly great, with clarity in the verses’ lows and the chorus’ highs. Again, the instrument separation was just as good as AirPods Pro 3.