The best earbuds 2024: top buds for all budgets, all tested by TechRadar
The best earbuds can make a huge difference to how you listen to music, whether you’re streaming a podcast on a long flight, zoning out to a calming playlist, or powering through your commute with a motivating soundtrack. Perfect for slipping into your pocket or gym bag, the best earbuds also offer immersive sound, helping you escape from the noise around you.
With most people leaning toward the best wireless earbuds, we’ve focused this list on top-rated wireless models but included a few good value wired options too. Each recommendation has been rigorously tested by our expert audio tech team for sound quality, noise cancellation, microphone clarity, and battery life to ensure they meet or exceed our expectations.
We recommend the Technics EAH-AZ80 as our top pick for most people with stellar call quality, rich audio, and unique triple-device multipoint connection. For under $100/£100, the Nothing Ear (a) buds offers an excellent mix of quality and value, while the Sony WF-C510 buds stand out for impressive sound quality among affordable options. Looking for cheaper choices? Check out our best budget wireless earbuds guide or explore our list of the best wired earbuds.
The quick list
Want to cut straight to the best earbuds around? You’ll find a roundup of our top choices here. You can jump to a more in-depth write-up for each product, and see the latest deals on them.
The best earbuds overall
Delivering supremely balanced, detailed sound with triple-point connectivity and outstanding comfort, Technics has created a fantastic pair of buds that stand out even in a saturated market.
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The best mid-priced wireless earbuds
For a very affordable price, you get energetic and rich sound quality, the best active noise cancellation we’ve heard for under $100/£100, great features, and a cool design.
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The best budget earbuds
Some of the best low-cost earbuds we’ve tested, with punchy audio, a comfortable fit and great battery life in the buds, proving Sony can do budget as well as it does high-end.
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4. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
The best earbuds for noise cancellation
Bose has always done active noise cancellation very well, and these buds are as good as you can get right now. They also boast device-agnostic head-tracked immersive audio and lossless audio codec support.
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Super-smart earbuds for iPhone owners
With fantastic noise cancellation, high-quality audio, an unlosable case and tons more Apple-specific features, these buds offer an unmatched experience if you’re all-in on Apple.
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6. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
The best earbuds for Samsung owners
A top choice for those with a new-ish Samsung Galay phone. These buds sound phenomenal, have great ANC, and deliver spatial audio. Don’t expect the AI features to wow, though.
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The best for battery life
Up to 12 hours from just the buds or up to 48 hours (yes, two whole days!) in total is some serious stamina. And also there’s a smart screen on the case – hey, we don’t make the rules!
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The best earbuds for premium sound
Expect a high-end experience, with delightful, detailed and dynamic sound, strong noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit for long listening sessions.
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9. 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones
The best wired earbuds
Years after they were first released, these 1More buds still represent excellent value and boast a rich, enjoyable listen in a premium-looking build, for a fantastic price.
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The best cheap USB-C wired buds
A pair of wired buds that deliver very comfortable listening and decent sound in a sleek design – if you want to spend the minimum on wired buds, these are our pick.
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Becky Scarrott
I’ve reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from super-budget earbuds to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. My love of music ties it all together.
19 December 2024
Checked all entries against our latest reviews, and updated the ‘Also Consider’ section with recent reviews of earbuds that didn’t make onto our curated list.
The best earbuds of 2024
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Below you’ll find full write-ups for each of the best earbuds in our list. We’ve tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best earbuds overall
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You prefer a neutral, lifelike sound: There’s nothing artificial about the way the Technics EAH-AZ80 sound; they offer convincingly realistic and coherent listening in all circumstances.
✅ You want to switch between devices: Triple-point connectivity is a world-first in a product like this, and it’s brilliantly convenient for those of us who surround themselves with wireless tech.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You intend to wear your earbuds all day: Even at its best, the battery life available here is nothing special, though it’s not bad.
❌ You have a lot of external noise to block out: There are many less-capable noise-cancelling earbuds, if silence is important look to the Bose buds at #4 on this list.
The Technics EAH-AZ80 buds sound fantastic and they’re packed with features. A standout is triple-point connectivity, which we found to be stable and useful, as well as Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC compatibility. And, thanks to ‘Just My Voice’ technology, these buds are far less prone to wind-noise interference than rivals. Their only minor shortcomings are battery life at only 7 hours from the buds and 25 from the case, and the ANC (which could be a tad more impressive).
The sound they make is also accomplished – it’s both swift and accurate, as well as balanced and detailed. In our review, we wrote: “The whole frequency range is really nicely balanced and coherent from top to bottom and very even-handed from the (deep, nicely textured) bass to the (clean, politely attacking) treble.” We also found the midrange to be both informative and eloquent, with high detail levels and a smooth, seamless, agile journey from ceiling to floor and back.
In terms of design, there’s a resoundingly premium feel here and each bud feels more comfortable, stable and light (7g per earbud) than some rivals. What’s more, the accompanying charging case is an equally svelte 50g. Build quality hasn’t been compromised in order to keep the weight down either – the EAH-AZ80 feels like a product that will outlast its rivals. There are seven different earbud sizes to choose from too, which means you’re likely to get that perfect fit.
The price of the Technics EAH-AZ80 is that of a premium product, for sure – but thankfully, so is the specification. Overall this is a pair of buds that delivers excellent sound quality, a fantastic fit, and that industry-first triple device multipoint connectivity. Add it all together, and we think they’re a better-value package than the top buds from Sony or Bose.
Read our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review
The best earbuds at a mid range price
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You want strong noise cancellation: At this price, this is the best noise-blocking power we’ve heard.
✅ You’re serious about sound: These are a fun and responsive set of buds, with wireless hi-res support via LDAC as a bonus.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You really want spatial audio: It’s not here, but the similarly priced Sony WF-C700N will give it to you.
❌ You need a big battery life: The 5.5-hours life with ANC is not very impressive – the Sony earbuds mentioned above offer 7.5 hours.
The Nothing Ear (a) are a serious improvement from Nothing, rocketing its buds from being ‘fine, but nothing special’ to ‘these are the best value you can get for the price’. And they’re a fun yellow color while doing it!
For their sub-$100/£100 price, they’re so good, and feel premium. In our review, we said compared to the similarly priced (and fantastic) Sony WF-C700N, “the Nothing earbuds look more premium and feel more foxy. Their noise cancellation is a touch more robust and the sound is every bit as energetic, detailed and zealous, and (dare we say it?) a tad more expansive to boot.”
In general, we said that “for the money, Nothing has tweaked its recipe to near perfection here” – yes, you can get better sound from the Technics at #1 on the list or other more premium options, but you need to pay twice as much for a meaningful difference.
That goes for features, too – the noise cancellation is as good as we’ve tested for the price, you get smart features such as wear detection to auto-pause them when you take them out, there’s multi-point pairing for instant switching between devices, there’s a Find My mode, there’s LDAC hi-res support… the only think missing is spatial audio, and that’s not usually an essential on affordable buds. The 5.5-hour battery life is the only element that’s below average, but we can totally live with that.
Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review
The best budget earbuds
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You want clear, quality audio: These buds deliver punchy, forward sound with great clarity and texture.
✅ You’re looking for excellent value: Cheaper buds exist, but these are extremely good value and seem much pricier than they should.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You’ll miss ANC: Sacrifices have to be made for the low price point, although passive noise cancellation is decent.
❌ You want the best battery life offering: Confusingly, the battery in the buds is great but the case only offers one full charge.
If you’re looking for the best cheap earbuds, the Sony WF-C510s are our top budget pick right now. They prove that Sony still does affordable buds just as well as it can do higher-end options, and that you don’t need to spend a fortune for a solid pair of buds.
The Sony WF-C510 earbuds aren’t perfect, but they deliver everything most people would want from a pair of reliable buds, including good sound, comfort for long periods, and some essential features. You won’t find active noise cancellation here, but there is an option called ‘sound control’, which amplifies ambient noises around you to ensure you’re aware of what’s around, and there is passive noise isolation thanks to the snug fit. Sony’s accompanying app brings you basic functions, as well as an EQ. Beyond that, you don’t get wear detection or low-latency mode, but not everyone will notice they’re missing.
Battery life in the buds themselves is good at 11 hours. However, you’ll only get one more full charge of 11 hours from the accompanying case, while rivals usually do two or three charges. This means for a long listening session, they’re great. But for charging on the go, they fall behind some rivals.
We were impressed with the audio quality during our testing. Yes, you do have to manage your expectations considering these are budget buds, but our reviewer wrote: “I found the audio high-quality and also certainly distinct in that Sony, ‘have this sound, and have it good and clear’ way.” The bass isn’t particularly powerful, but everything else here is pleasing and well balanced with a slightly forward sound profile and clear treble, even at higher volumes.
The design of the Sony WF-C510 earbuds is simple, with a rounded and unobtrusive look. The buds are lightweight at only 4.6g each with a surprisingly secure fit. Our reviewer wrote: “they always felt rigid in my testing, never once falling out or even feeling loose.” It’s worth mentioning there’s an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they should handle sweaty workout sessions and light showers. The Sony WF-C510 earbuds are missing a few features, but otherwise they’re extremely accomplished for the price and beat all the competition at the budget end.
Read our full Sony WF-C510 review
The best earbuds for noise cancellation
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BUY THEM IF
✅ Noise cancellation really matters to you: If there’s one thing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds do really well, it’s noise cancellation.
✅ You want a more immersive experience: Bose’s new Immersive Audio technology creates an expansive, moving soundstage around you.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You’re on a tight budget: It’s easy to argue that the ANC and sound performance of these buds is worth it and they’ve come down in price, but they’re still not cheap.
❌ You want a small design: They’re not exactly big and they did fit well in testing, but there are much smaller buds on the market if you sometimes struggle with them.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds in this guide, and for good reason. They take everything great about the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 that came before them and add some major improvements, like excellent device-agnostic head-tracked immersive audio and even better ANC.
As you’d expect, the active noise cancellation (ANC) here is top-tier, creating a “near bubble of silence” that’s perfect for shutting out distractions during commutes or long flights. Combine their noise-nixing powers with 6 hours of battery life in the buds and 24 hours in total with the case, and they’re a solid choice for extended listening sessions.
Sound-wise, the all-new Immersive Audio technology provides spatial sound that adapts to your movement, offering a more cinematic experience across devices, thanks to Snapdragon Sound Suite and aptX Adaptive support. When it comes to audio, competitors like Sony may edge them slightly in detail, but we called them a “vigorous and engaging listen” in our review. Unless you want audiophile-grade sound, you don’t need to look for better.
There aren’t many design improvements here over the QuietComfort Earbuds 2, but you do get easier-to-fit silicone stability bands and a lightweight build of just 6.24g per earbud – though they’re not the smallest buds on the market. Now priced at around $220/£199 during regular sales events, they’re a premium choice for noise-cancelling fans at a more affordable rate. Especially because Bose addressed a few of our original issues with the buds in a July 2024 update, like adding multi-point connectivity.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
The best earbuds for Apple fans
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You want great sound: These sound superb and shut out the real world so well – and the spatial audio is best-in-class too.
✅ You’ve got all manner of Apple things: If you’ve got an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac and so on, then you’ll really get the benefit from the seamless switching.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You want big battery life: There’s nothing wrong with the battery life here, but it’s very much average in the buds – though the amount from the case is good.
❌ You don’t have an iPhone: Android users won’t get anywhere near the full experience, because a lot of setup and control options are done in iOS’ Settings app.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are excellent earbuds that have a strong claim to be the best option for Apple lovers. One of the top features here is the active noise cancellation, which competes with the Bose option above for effectiveness at blocking out almost all external noises (though we rate the Bose slightly higher). The Adaptive Transparency Mode is also a nice trick, adjusting its blocking of outside sounds on the fly. In terms of battery, you get six hours with ANC on and 30 hours with the case too – and that case is IPX4 water resistant and has a speaker and wireless tracking chip, so if you lose it your phone can literally point you towards it, or it can be found by the ‘Find My’ network.
Audio performance is great, and is vastly improved over the original AirPods Pro. There’s rich sound across genres, and a wide and expansive soundstage, bookended by deep-yet-controlled bass and clear, elevated treble. There’s lots of detail, and it’s energetic too – if we were to criticize it, we might say it’s a little too forward compared to the more natural and neutral sound of the Technics at the top of this list. Spatial audio is a very impressive trick of these buds too, especially with movies – it really feels like you’re sitting in a home theater rather than having sound pumped directly into your years.
The crucial part for why you’d choose these over other options, though, is the extra features they include for those with lots of Apple gear. On top of the Find My support, they switch between your Apple devices seamlessly, they can share audio with other AirPods or Beats headphones, they offer personalized audio tweaks, and even optimized battery charging to help make sure they last longer. But to access all of this, you must use them with iPhone. With anything else, you’re looking at basic ‘they play music and you can switch between noise cancellation and Transparency’ functionality.
They’re excellent all-rounder, and during sales events are regularly available for a little less than the premium competition – who would think Apple would be the more budget option, eh?
Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
The best earbuds for Samsung phone users
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You have a newer Samsung phone: To access all of the best features, you’ll need a new-ish Galaxy device.
✅ You want great, immersive sound: Audio is excellent here, as is ANC and spatial audio. You can really cocoon yourself in sound.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You want the best value: These buds aren’t cheap, and many of their features are only good if you have a Samsung phone as well. The Nothing Ear (a) are most of the way there for cheaper and across platform.
❌ You tend to need to replace ear tips: If you like to tinker with the fit of your buds, they may not be the safest option – they’re fiddly and delicate.
The Samsung Buds 3 Pro are our top pick if you have a Samsung phone, especially a more recent Galaxy device. The best thing about these Samsung buds is they sound stunning. Our reviewer wrote: “Frankly, these earbuds sound fantastic, with some of the best sound in any earbuds I’ve tested.” We explained in our review that you can expect both “meaty bass” and “defined treble”. Which means whatever genre of music you prefer, you should get a great audio experience here. You’ll notice the sound is incredibly immersive and that’s because the active noise cancellation is top notch, too, we called it “heavy duty and impressive” in our review. Most ambient noises, even the louder ones, are nixed thanks to the ANC tech onboard.
With ANC on, expect six hours of battery in the buds themselves and 30 hours from the case. This is decent compared to rivals – although not at all spectacular – and it’s a welcome improvement over the Samsung Buds 2 Pro. Samsung has also added a bunch of new features into these buds, including some of the brand’s AI features. But there’s a catch: you’ll need one of Samsung’s newer Galaxy devices to “unlock” many of these features. This includes the brand’s AI features, like the language interpreter, improved codec support, the voice restorer and smart dynamic ANC. We’d expect some of these features to only be available on the Galaxy, but it’s a shame ANC is limited. This means these buds only really make sense for Galaxy owners.
Design-wise, the Samsung Buds 3 Pro look very AirPods-like. That’s pretty common across all true wireless earbuds these days, but with the tip, small body and stems that point downwards, we wouldn’t blame you for mistaking them for Apple’s buds at first glance. Happily, they’re comfortable to wear for long periods and light too, so they’re unlikely to feel heavy, even after listening for hours. One design drawback is that the tips are really difficult to remove. You’re likely to get there eventually, but we’ve heard reports of people tearing the tips in an effort to switch them out.
The downside of the Samsung Buds 3 Pro is that they’re premium priced in combination with having many features limited to Samsung phones. Now, considering how good the audio is, they can still be good value – but those on other platforms would be better off with Bose’s buds, or saving and going for the Nothing Ear (a).
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review
The best for battery
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You take long road trips
The class-leading maximum battery life of 48 hours is akin to two whole days of playback. During testing, these claims proved genuine too (and the case doesn’t drain it!)
✅ You like to wear your heart on your sleeve
You can upload a photo of your beloved right there on the case – and when you open the box, it flips the other way up so everyone will still see it properly too.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You want top-tier spatial audio
There are three immersive profiles here (movies, music and gaming), but, sadly, each one is a shade off a fully immersive, Dolby Atmos-type presentation
❌ You desire comprehensive on-ear functionality
Here, you have to select two out of three options for on-ear controls – volume, playback and ANC. You can’t have all three.
Here’s a feature that no other option within this list offers: a color touchscreen screen on the case. It’s a lot of fun – you can select a lock-screen wallpaper from any of the photos on your smartphone, and the image even flips so it stays the right way up when you snap open the case – but that isn’t why the JBL Live Beam 3 are in this roundup.
No, the real star here, aside from the vastly improved audio quality over the older and slightly disappointing JBL Tour Pro 2, is the stamina. The battery life is nothing short of excellent at up to 12 hours from the earbuds alone, minus noise cancellation, or 10 hours with it engaged (and nearer nine with adaptive ANC on). On that note, we’ve recently reviewed the newer JBL Tour Pro 3, but we think the upgrades don’t warrant the price hike, which is why the Live Beam 3 is still our pick for battery.
The case also delivers three further charges – we’ve tested it and the screen doesn’t drain it – taking your total audio playback time up to a class-leading 48 hours. To put that into perspective, Apple’s priciest Pro-suffixed AirPods offer 5.5 hours with its top-tier Spatial Audio deployed, or a maximum of 30 hours including the case. Big difference in those figures, no?
The JBL Live Beam 3 also boast great value when it comes to the feature set, including a few novel bits and pieces you don’t find elsewhere – including “Personi-Fi”, which is basically hearing test of each ear to better tailor the sound to your liking.
OK, the spatial audio profiles aren’t going to knock your socks off. JBL has offered a total of three immersive soundscapes for music, movies and games, but if you’re imagining sonic articles darting past you in a three-dimensional space you’ll be disappointed. Also the ANC is good rather than excellent and the on-ear controls work well but involve a compromise. Look past these minor snafus and you’ll find the fit is great, the battery is seemingly never-ending and, honestly, the sound is refreshingly good for bass and detail. View the screen as a lovely extra for the money and you won’t go far wrong.
Read our full JBL Live Beam 3 review
The best earbuds for supreme sound
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BUY THEM IF
✅ Audio quality is important to you: Wonderful sound with great noise cancellation; if you want one of the best listening experiences from a pair of buds, you’ll find it here.
✅ You want good travel buds: You can connect the case to any wired source, including in-flight movie systems, and it beams the sound to the buds. Convenient!
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You’d like to try spatial audio: The sound here is fantastic, but there’s no spatial audio. If you’ve been keen to try it, look elsewhere.
❌ You want lots of on-ear controls: You’ll have to decide if you want on-ear volume control or access to ANC options, not both.
Looking for the closest you’ll get to sonic excellence in a pair of true wireless earbuds with the key mod cons? Meet the exceptionally accomplished Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds. Let’s begin with the sound, which is outstanding. In every conceivable way, including musicality, balance and dynamic nuance, you’re getting best-in-class audio. As you’d expect, higher quality streams from the likes of Qobuz and Apple Music sounded exceptional, but we rate these B&W buds for making the most of every music source they can get. In our review, we wrote: “everything was served up with a flourish” whether that was high-res audio files or Spotify tracks.
Noise cancellation is at the same impeccably high standard. In our review, we wrote: “That cocooned feeling of leaving the outside world behind kicked straight in but without any sense of wind-tunnel nausea or my eardrums being unceremoniously sucked into a vacuum.” This is thanks to B&W’s accomplished audio tech, as well as an incredibly snug and comfortable fit, creating the perfect seal for the ANC to work its magic.
Another nice added feature is that the charging case can double as a wireless audio re-transmitter in aptX Adaptive transmission (up to 24-bit/96kHz quality). What this means is you can plug it into a non-Bluetooth source (most usefully an in-flight entertainment system) and the audio will be transmitted to the buds. This makes them an excellent choice for long flights.
The buds are available in several color options, all with a premium matte plastic finish that we said in our review “seems to murmur ‘I’m expensive’ when you pluck them from their small, pebble-shaped case.” As well as looking nice, they’re among the most comfortable buds we’ve ever tested. This is likely down to B&W putting in considerable efforts to redesign the Pi7 buds that came before them and the result is buds that have very well distributed weight and require zero twisting or adjusting – this is extremely rare, even with the best buds we’ve trialled.
These buds are incredibly close to perfect. Battery life is a little average at 6.5 hours from the buds and a further 13.5 hours from the case, but it’s a worthy sacrifice for everything else you get here. Which is excellent, high-quality audio in a comfortable and premium build. If audio quality is your top priority, these are the buds for you.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review
The best wired earbuds
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You want a solid pair of buds: With great sound and a quality built for a low price, these are reliable and worth every penny.
✅ Looks matter: We love the rose gold accents on these earbuds and their cool, angular design.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You want to connect to a USB-C phone: These are 3.5mm jack headphones – consider the SoundMagic E80D instead.
❌ You like a premium experience: They look, feel and sound more premium than they should, but the remote and cable need improving.
We first tested the 1More Triple Driver earphones way back in 2017. However, the world of wired earbuds tends to move slowly than true wireless these days, which means they’re still our top recommendation for most people looking for a reliable, great-looking wired option with an enjoyable sound at a great value, low price. That’s why they’re also still our #1 pick in our best wired earbuds guide.
The audio quality here can be beaten – you’ll find better from many rivals, especially the Technics EAH-AZ80 at #1 in this list – but you have to pay a lot more for it. These 1More buds bring you bold and enjoyable sound, especially considering their low price and small size. In our 1MORE Triple Driver earphones review, we wrote: “Music is exquisitely detailed with a good sense of space.” Even more than seven years on, after testing many more earbuds, that rings true. It’s also worth noting that, although there’s no active noise cancellation, the earbuds do manage to create a decent seal, which leads to a pleasing amount of noise isolation.
The earbuds are made from aluminum and have some rose gold accents with an interesting, slightly angled design, which we think combine to give the buds a much more premium aesthetic than you’d guess from their price tag. They come with a selection of foam and silicone ear tips, which should help most people get a snug fit that’s comfortable enough for long periods of listening. The only thing we noted during testing is they did stick out a little from our ears. Their cable is wrapped in fabric for extra durability but the small three-button remote that’s attached to it felt a little more cheap and plastic than we’d have liked.
With a bold, balanced and detailed sound, superb build quality for the price and reliable, wired design, we think the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones represent great value – despite the fact they’re much older than rivals in this list. It’s worth mentioning here that we think if you have the money and want to stick with wired, the excellent FiiO FH19 are our latest recommendation – but you’ll need deep pockets
Read our full 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones review
The best cheap USB-C earbuds
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BUY THEM IF
✅ You crave comfort: These earbuds were easy to wear all day during our testing and stayed in our ears securely.
✅ You want understated style: Expect a sleek and minimal design with a range of different color options to choose from.
DON’T BUY THEM IF
❌ You like to have control: The controller on the buds is limited and doesn’t have volume up/down buttons, not ideal for walking.
❌ You want excellent sound: There’s decent sound for the price here, but no bassy depths or sonic details – you’d need to pay more (we like the SoundMagic E11D).
If you’re looking for a pair of wired USB-C earbuds, this set from Skullcandy may not offer the best high-end sonic experience compared to other options in this list, but they’re a stylish and reliable choice – especially considering they’re incredibly affordable at $31.99/£29.99 (about AU $50). We tested even cheaper USB-C buds, and this are basically as cheap as we’d recommend going – especially if you can find them on sale.
In our review we made it clear that these buds “don’t whip up top-drawer sound”, especially where detail and dynamism are concerned. That being said, sound quality is decent, especially considering their price. Similarly-priced budget buds that we’re reviewed sound and feel much more cheap and tinny in comparison.
As you’d expect, there’s no active noise cancellation for this price. But thanks to good included ear tips, they have a “noise-isolating fit”. This won’t reduce all ambient noise, but it does do a decent job at keeping you focused on your music regardless of your surroundings. These ear tips come in three different sizes, which meant in our review we wrote that the buds are “very pleasant to wear”, even for long periods of time.
As well as feeling good, we liked how the buds look too. In our review we said: “They sport a sleek, curved look, and come in four snazzy colorways.” They also have an IPX4 water-resistant rating, which means they’re rain- and sweatproof. The only notable frustrating design feature is there are no volume up/down buttons on their controller, which feels limiting.
These aren’t the best buds in our guide, far from it – but they’re comfortable, they sound solid and they look good. If that’s all you ask, enjoy.
Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review
Other earbuds to consider
AirPods 4: We’ve reviewed Apple’s cheaper AirPods 4 option, and found them to be… fine. Pretty good. They have fun and full audio quality, improved comfort, and great spatial audio – but they’re lacking in detail and are just a bit too expensive for their quality level. We explore it in-depth in our full AirPods 4 review.
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: These are, as we said in our AirPods 4 with ANC review, the best open-ear buds for iPhone owners. The noise cancellation is impressive for something without a full ear-seal, and they’re a fun and detailed listen. Spatial audio is great, they super-small and light, and the battery is way beyond what Apple promises (which is great, because what Apple promised was disappointing). But you can buy AirPods Pro 2 for the same price, and those are better. Otherwise, we like these!
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) review: These may well end up in this guide as we do more comparative testing, and we see where the price settles after the current (at the time of writing) volatile sales-season deals. Our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) review raves about the noise cancellation and general sound quality of these buds, with the only minor grips being about the chunky case and lack of higher-res codecs. They may be preferable option to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds simply due to sheer bang-for-buck – if you want the best ANC for a mid-range price, seriously consider these.
Edifier Stax Spirit S10: These buds sound fantastic and fit well. So why didn’t they make the guide for our guide? Well, as you’ll see in our Edifier Stax Spirit S10 review, we experienced some odd pairing problems during our testing and the battery life is disappointing, too.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: As you’ll find in our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review, these tiny buds deliver a solid choice of noise-cancelling and transparency modes, decent sound and an impressive battery life. But unfortunately the fit wasn’t up to standard and for a similar price you can find rival buds that perform better in almost every way.
JLab Go Pop ANC: For a very cheap pair of buds that also (surprisingly!) deliver ANC, these from JLab are a great option. Take a look at our JLab Go Pop ANC review to find out why we rate them so highly.
Nothing Ear: The big sibling of the Nothing Ear (a) are very good, but they cost dangerously close to the cheaper (a) version and don’t stand out as being dramatically better. Read our full Nothing Ear review for more, but we think the cheaper version nailed the price-to-performance ratio.
Nothing Ear Open: Open-ear buds are the breakout earbuds trend of 2024, but sadly Nothing hasn’t hit the mark in the same way its other earbuds do. The fit and sound just aren’t right, as our Nothing Ear Open review digs into.
OnePlus Buds Pro 3: Read our OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review to learn all of the ways OnePlus’ latest buds improve on the Pro 2s that came before them. They’re packed with features, sound superb (especially for the price) and have a great battery life. However, they can’t compete with some of the similarly-priced buds in this guide. Some core features, like ANC and voice commands, fell short and we’re not convinced the new design will have mass appeal.
Sony WF-1000XM5: You might be surprised that the Sony WF-1000XM5 aren’t on this list. They’re very nice earbuds, but they don’t sound as good and aren’t as well-featured as the Technics we rate as number one, but cost the same. They also don’t block noise as well as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, so they don’t stand out on that front. For Apple owners in particular, the AirPods Pro 2 are cheaper, have better features, have better noise cancellation, and sound excellent. As we said in our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review, they’re not bad earbuds by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re not quite good enough to push out anything on this hotly contested list.
Meet the team
Our audio tech team put hundreds of pairs to the test in a range of environments in order to determine if they’re worth recommending or not. How do we know what to look for? Because we’ve collectively got years (make that decades) of experience reviewing all sorts of headphones, from expensive, noise-cancelling buds that block out the world to budget earbuds that are cheap and cheerful.
Matt Bolton
Matt Bolton is the Managing Editor for Entertainment at TechRadar. In this role, he heads up the site’s movie and TV show coverage. He also oversees everything we write about headphones, soundbars, speakers and televisions. Matt has more than 10 years of experience in tech journalism before joining the team at TechRadar. He was the editor of T3 magazine and has written for MacLife, PC Gamer, Digital Camera World, Edge, PC Plus, MacFormat and many more.
Becky Scarrott
Becky Scarrott is the Audio Editor at TechRadar. She first joined the TechRadar audio team in 2022 as a Senior Staff Writer and has focused on all things audio and hi-fi since. Before joining the team, she worked for more than three years at What Hi-Fi? where she tested all of the latest audio tech devices, from affordable earbuds to high-end sound systems. Becky also has an MA in journalism.
Simon Lucas
Simon Lucas has been working as a tech journalist for more than 20 years. Throughout that time he’s written about many different devices and industries with a focus on the audio and video tech that makes up your home entertainment system. Before going freelance, Simon was editor of What Hi-Fi? magazine and whathifi.com. He’s also written for Wired, Metro, the Guardian, HiFi+, GQ and more.
Harry is one of TechRadar’s Reviews Staff Writers. During his time on the team, he has reviewed all sorts of devices, covering everything from fun party speakers to the best portable battery packs. He particularly enjoys testing audio tech and gaming devices. Before joining the TechRadar team, Harry worked as a journalist covering innovation and sustainability.
How to choose the best earbuds
Two important things to consider when you’re choosing new earbuds is what you want to listen to and where you want to listen to it.
For example, if you like fairly quiet music and want to listen on the bus or train, you’ll need effective noise cancellation.
If you’re looking for a pair of the best running headphones, you should look for IPX4 water-resistance so they can withstand sweat and rain. Some of the top waterproof earbuds can even be used for swimming. The best bone-conducting headphones are popular for fitness fans too, because they don’t block outside sounds.
If you’re going to be wearing your earbuds for long periods, then comfort and weight are a top priority.
We’ve included both wired and wireless earbuds on this list, but you don’t have to compromise on audio quality by going wire-free – the B&W Pi8 above are proof of that. If you do opt for wireless or true wireless earbuds, make sure the battery life is up to scratch, otherwise you may find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute.
The best earbuds for you should sound good to your ears. Which means if you’re a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs, like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity.
We also recommend you consider your budget. If you want cheap earbuds you may have to sacrifice features, like ANC or a long battery life. It’s all about weighing up what’s more important to you.
Finally, the brand you choose will depend on what you’re looking for – but we’re careful with our lists. That means all of the earbuds and in-ear headphones above come from brands we trust. Still, if you’re not sure where to start looking, respected brands like Sony, Apple, Cambridge Audio, Jabra, and Nura are good places to start.
How we test the best earbuds
Why you can trust TechRadar
☑️ More than 2,400 audio reviews
☑️ 15 years of product testing
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☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech
We’ve tested each of the top earbuds in this guide to make sure they tick some key boxes, which are reflected in our full review.
Features: One of these is the features – whether they compare well to other earbuds in the same price for elements such as connection options, smart app controls, active noise cancellation and battery life. We test all these features in different ways. We try the active noise cancellation in different real-world environments, and we check battery life by running them down and tracking the timing.
Audio: Most importantly, we also want to be sure the sound is excellent, with clarity and a decent level of bass. We listen to music from a range of sources, from social apps and YouTube, to lower-quality streams from the likes of Spotify, to high-quality files from streamers such as Apple Music and Tidal. We’ll listen to a range of genres, and we’ll use a mix of new music and tracks we’ve known for years and in which we can hear all the subtle differences.
Comfort: Next is comfort and wearability. You need to know you’ll be able to pop the best in-ear buds in your ears for hours at a time, so they have to feel secure and comfortable. Some seem naturally designed for a snug fit, others come with different silicone tip options to help you get the fit just right. In terms of design, we also look for compact buds, those that don’t stick out of your ear too much and (in the case of true wireless designs) earbuds that come with a small charging case for slipping into a backpack, handbag or even a pocket.
Value: And when we’ve tested all this, we judge them on their value, which essentially means how all of the above balances against their price, and the price of other earbuds.
Comparison: At the time of writing, we’re beginning a new testing procedure for earbuds to enable us to add more direct comparison between buds, to make it easier for you to choose which one will suit you best. We’ll re-test our current favorite earbuds using the new system, and we’ll use it for reviews in the future. You can read the full information about how we test earbuds at TechRadar at that link, but the crucial part is that we’re adding certain specific and repeatable tests that all of our reviews can use, so we know we’re getting a fair and even comparison between earbuds.
Sound quality testing: The major part of this is a particular playlist that will be used for sound-quality testing, from a specific source device and music service. Our reviewers will also test other songs and sound sources, but this playlist provide a baseline comparison, and you can copy the playlist to make your own comparisons, if you like.
Microphone quality testing: We’ll also test the microphone quality for picking up speech by recording us talking, and we’ll make those recordings available to hear on the site, so you can compare them yourselves, if you want. And we’ll detail exactly how long the battery lasts in real-world use, and provide that information for easy comparison too, in tables. At the moment, we’re still working on gathering this information, so please bear with us – an even better buying guide is coming!
Latest updates to the best earbuds
19 December 2024
Checked all entries against our latest reviews, and updated the ‘Also Consider’ section with recent reviews of earbuds that didn’t make onto our curated list.
21 November 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in as our ‘best for ANC’ pick, removing the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 that are currently out of stock in most places so not worth recommending.
7 November 2024
Refreshed the introduction. Added new images to each entry to give readers a better look at the devices. Itemized our ‘how we test’ section to add more clarity about our reviewing process. Added a ‘meet the team’ section to give you an insight into our combined tech knowledge and expertise. Added news and suggestions to several of our entries, like the JBL Tour Pro 3 in our JBL Live Beam 3 entry. Added some extra recommendations into our ‘also consider’ section, like the Edifier Stax Spirit S10.
11 October 2024
Swapped the JLab JBuds Mini for the Sony WF-C510 as our ‘best budget’ pick. Switched the Samsung Buds 2 Pro for the Samsung Buds 3 Pro based on our review as our ‘best for Samsung’ choice. Swapped the Final Audio ZE8000 Mk2 out for the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in our ‘best for sound’ category. Added several recent reviews to our ‘Also consider’ section, including AirPods 4 and OnePlus Buds Pro 3.
3 September 2024
Added the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones as our ‘Best wired’ pick based on our review, and recent testing of the competition.
30 July 2024
Added the JLab JBuds Mini as the best super-cheap option, and updated the ‘Also Consider’ section with information on the latest products that didn’t make it into this list.
1 July 2024
Added the JBL Lve Beam 3 as our top choice for battery life, thanks to their 48-hour total. Removed the older 1More Triple Driver wired set, since the Skullcandy Set USB-C occupy that wired space extremely well, if you’re looking for something inexpensive and wired.
7 June 2024
We added the Skullcandy Set USB-C wired earbuds as the best super-cheap wired buds that we’d actually recommend buying, based on testing of several big-name budget options.
9 May 2024
Swapped the Sony WF-C700N for the Nothing Ear (a) as the best mid-range option. They’re extremely close in quality, but the Nothing’s slightly better noise cancellation and hi-res support just win out.
8 April 2024
Considered adding the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 to this guide, but after discussing with the team, we’ve decided that while these 2024-issue earbuds are very good indeed, other products narrowly edge them in each key aspect (ie. sound, ANC, battery life, feature set) – so there’s no clear reason for their inclusion. Updated the intro here to reflect the WF-1000XM4 being no longer readily available, hence their departure from this list, and explained why the Technics EAH-AZ80 are now our top pick. Added new links to the buying guides to better direct readers.
19 March 2024
Removed the Sony WH-1000XM4 due to stock running out at last. Technics EAH-AZ80 moved to number 1, Sony WH-C700N moved to number 2, JLab Go Air Pop moved to number 3.
8 February 2024
Added the Beats Fit Pro as our best workout buds, reflecting what’s in our dedicated guide.
22 January 2024
Added Final ZE8000 MK2, and removed the now-discontinued Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus. Updated all copy throughout.
10 November 2023
Added more information about how we test, and added a link to our Black Friday earbuds deals coverage.
8 October 2023
Checked all entries against current reviews to ensure list is relevant.
6 September 2023
Refreshed entries to reflect current prices/value ahead of sales events later in the year.
30 August 2023
Changed the main image.
24 August 2023
Rewrote each product entry to summarize the features, sound quality, design and value of each review, including adding in ‘buy it if’ and ‘don’t buy it if’ boxouts.
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