Videos
What Brand Is Best For Wireless Earbuds?
Open Earbuds Versus Wireless Earbuds: What’s The Difference?
How does SoundGuys choose the best wireless earbuds?
We try to get as much hands-on time with products as possible before declaring them one of the best. This means that the products on this list have been put through our full review process. We also spend hours browsing through forums and discussions within the audio community. Even if we’ve already reviewed a product, we do this to get as much of a birds-eye view of the landscape as possible.
I am looking for an overall best earbuds. I am willing to spend $400. I want to these earbuds for music, gym use and sometimes for gaming. So, which earbud do you think is the best right now? any advice? thanks in advance!
I did a quick google also and according to top sources these are the best wireless earbuds:
-
Sony WF-1000XM5
-
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
-
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
-
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
Not sure which one too choose. so, need help deciding.
I am currently using Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds. I used to be, but I am no longer, a fan, because: 1) my ears hurt after a couple of hours, and 2) the battery now wears out very quickly - after about 1 hour of usage. On the plus side, at least my ears don't hurt anymore because they die quickly 😂
I am in the market for new ones. I checked out Sony's XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. I've read that Sony's still suffer from the same battery and comfort issues (WTF), and Bose's have connectivity issues (more WTF). These are deal breakers for me, especially when considering the price.
What would be considered the best earbuds pick in 2025? I don't care about the price if it's justified. My use case is open office work and cycling (so wind noise suppression matters). Oh also, I am rocking an Android phone, so AirPods won't work for me. I welcome your suggestions.
P.S. Sony and Bose seem to be considered top picks in general. Since I am not so keen on those for the reasons explained, I also checked out Soundcore A40 as a budget alternative and am curious to learn how you feel about those. Thanks y'all!
A while back, I came across a post ranking earbuds by price range, which was super helpful for a lot of people. Since that one’s hard to find now, I decided to remake it using newer models and what I’ve personally tested or researched. This list considers : sound quality, comfort, battery life, features and especially value for money.
Budget ($20–$50)
SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro– $42 Surprisingly good sound for under $50. Adaptive ANC works nicely, has app EQ, and LDAC support for Android. Battery lasts 7–8 hours.
JBL Wave Beam – $39 Punchy bass, typical JBL tuning. No ANC, but passive isolation is great. Compact case and comfortable fit.
1MORE PistonBuds Pro $49 Balanced V‑shaped sound with clean highs and decent ANC. App support and customizable touch controls push them pretty high up in this list.
Hoco EQ16 – $38 Excellent value with nice sound and strong ANC and ENC. They’re the ones I’m using specifically because of the ENC part, it’s hard to find headphones that have decent mic quality. Audio wise I’d say they’re close to Ankers but the price makes it feel like a bargain.
Mid‑range ($50–$100)
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC $79 Smart ANC, great fit, clear mids, and full‑bodied bass. Multipoint and LDAC make it future‑proof.
SoundPEATS Air4 Pro AN – $69 Lightweight fit with airy soundstage and responsive touch controls. Battery clocks in at 9 hours with ANC off. (I struggled with the name too)
High‑end ($100–$200)
Sony WF‑C700N $119 Lightweight version of the XM5, still with great ANC and comfort. Fantastic choice for travel or work.
Technics EAH‑AZ60M2. $179 Premium soundstage with natural mids and crisp treble. Multipoint works seamlessly, battery edges out Sony’s buds.
Jabra Elite 10 ANC. $179 One of the best in comfort and mic quality. Spatial sound support for both Android and iPhone users.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 $189 You guys know about those already
Boss level ($200+)
Once you’re above the $200 mark, it’s really about preference since they’re all pretty good, and keep in mind most of these I haven’t tried (sorry I’m broke)
Sony WF‑1000XM5 -$229
The benchmark for noise cancelling and sound quality(I see this one everywhere i think yall agree) Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for 279 Best‑in‑class comfort and ANC transparency. Sound is nice and clear, especially good for people who don’t take their headphones off their head.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 with ANC for 250$ Audiophile‑grade clarity, robust build, and customizable EQ. A dream for anyone who values balanced sound over extra bass.
That’s my 2025 lineup!
Let me know which ones you’re rocking, or if I missed some underrated picks — I’ll updateo the post based on what everyone recommends
Looking for the best earbuds. I currently have the Sony WF-XM5, and I have to say I’m pretty disappointed. The ANC is average, and without perfect passive seal, background noise leaks in quite easily. Sound quality isn’t bad.
The worst part is that during many work calls—even in a quiet room—the other side says I sound muffled, like I’m in a tunnel or an aquarium.
I’m looking for earbuds that deliver top-tier sound quality with excellent noise canceling and call performance.
Budget isn’t an issue, but I honestly don’t know what to choose anymore.
I was considering the Technics AZ100 or the JBL Tour Pro 3.
Will I actually notice an improvement over the Sonys? Is there something else that’s more recommended? I’m totally confused at this point.
I originally posted this in r/Earbuds and they suggested I post here too.
This is part of my project to tinker with Reddit data and LLMs. Wanted to create something useful for the community while levelling up my coding chops.
The idea is to highlight which wireless earbuds got the most love. To be clear, most love =/= objectively best. But hopefully it’s a useful data point nonetheless, especially for those overwhelmed by the options.
Obviously this is a very general list. It gets way more interesting when you slice and dice the data.
If you want to dig into the data you can do so at the source / full interactive list
You can explore the data, read the comments, filter by price, subreddits, ANC, or filter for comments about sound quality, calls, using for gym, running, gaming etc. Disclaimer - the page has some affiliate links. You don’t have to use them, though they they help fund the analyses.
Methodology in the comments.