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Best wireless earphones: The ultimate buyer’s guide

Last Published on Jan 10, 2023 13:00 IST

Summary:

Are you looking for the best pair of wireless earphones money can buy? Here are our top 10 picks.


Wireless earphones have come a long way. They come with multiple features that might attract a number of users. Wireless earphones spare the users from the hassle of untangling earphones before every use. Some wireless earphones can also charge while being in the case.

Wireless earphones make the listening experience better giving more control to the user with the help of voice assistance and touch controls. Most smartphones do not come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and this is where the wireless earphones make the experience better. This article talks about the best wireless earphones that you can buy based on your requirements and budget. The pros and cons will give you even more clarity while making a purchase decision.

Product List

1. JBL C115

The JBL C115 are truly wireless earphones. They come ina secure and stylish case, and look very elegant. The earphones come with 21 hours of playback on a single full charge with quick charge. Users can go for these earphones because they come with dual connect feature and voice assistant support for mobile phones.

Specifications –

Brand – JBL

Colour - Blac.

Form Factor - In Ear

Battery life – 21 hours

Special feature – True bass, insta connect, autonomous connectivity

ProsCons
Long battery lifeNo active noise cancellation feature
Good audio clarity 

2. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Samsung is one of the mot trusted brands across the globe. The Galaxy buds 2 come with 3 microphones and a built-in voice pickup unit. The audio quality is enhanced with the active noise cancellation. It has a gyro sensor along with proximity sensor and touch sensor. The case is charging compatible and comes with multiple ear tips.

Specifications

Brand – Samsung

Colour – Triple Black

Form Factor - In Ear

Special feature – 3 microphones

ProsCons
Bluetooth v5.2Expensive
Active noise cancellation 

3. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is a compact package of superb audio quality, a sturdy build, and a long battery life. It sports AKG tuning which enables noticeable rich bass and treble. It has an adaptive triple mic system and a voice pick-up unit which offers superior call quality. It is water and sweat-resistant so can be used while exercising. It also has 2 way speakers, Voice Detect and Intelligent Active Noise cancelling features.

Specifications –

Brand – Samsung

Colour – Black. Also available in violet and silver.

Form Factor - In Ear

Battery life – Around 28 hours (with case)

Special feature – Voice Detect instantly shifts from ANC to Ambient sound on hearing your voice.

 ProsCons
IPX7 rating for Water Resistance.Fit is not very snug and comfortable
Voice Detect switch 

4. Oneplus Nord Bluetooth Truly Wireless in-Ear Earbuds

The Oneplus Nord earbuds have a rather contemporary design that is lightweight and hence, extremely comfortable to wear. The build quality is shockingly good. They even have support Oneplus phones natively much like the Airpods with Apple, making the pairing and usage experience pretty similar.

  • Ultra-fast charging with 5 hours of power in 10 minutes
  • Support for sound master equalizers
  • Large, 12.4mm dynamic drivers
  • 4-mic design, AI noise reduction for calls
  • Weight: 70g
  • Battery: 30 Hours with the charging case
ProsCons
Great battery lifeConnectivity issues
Rapid charging speedsLacks active noise cancellation
IP 55 ratingUser experience requires fine-tuning for non-Oneplus devices
Support for Dolby Atmos 

5. Sony WI-XB400

Sony WI-XB400 earbuds sports a lovely design. It can pair with NFC-enabled phones. It is a budget wireless earphone. It is comfortable and light-weight. The noise cancellation technology works to eliminate background sound and increase call clarity. The rapid charge feature lets it run for up to an hour with 10 minutes of charging time. With the Sony Headphones Connect app, you to customize your touch controls easily and manage your earphones. The earphones have a built-in magnet which allows you to easily carry it without tangling.

Specifications –

Brand – Sony

Colour - Black. Also available in blue.

Form Factor - In Ear

Battery life – Around 24 hours (with case)

Special feature – Activate Google Assistant with one touch for voice access to information, music etc.

ProsCons
Lightweight and comfortableNot sweat/water proof
Long battery life and quick charging Bass is average

6. boAt Airdopes 141

The Airdopes 141 offer an excellent build quality given their price point. They offer a clear and distortion-free audio experience which also helps when making calls. The touch controls work great and help deliver a superior user experience.

  • Beast mode for real-time audio and low-latency experience
  • EnX environmental noise cancellation
  • ASAP charging that can provide 75 minutes of power with a quick, 5-minute charging session
  • IPX4 Rated
  • Weight: 60g
  • Battery: 42 Hours with the charging case
ProsCons
Value for moneyBuild quality
Great battery backupLacks support for volume control
8mm drivers incorporated into a lightweight, ergonomic designIPX4 is an old standard at this point.
ASAP chargingBass quality

7. Oneplus Bullets Z2 Bluetooth Wireless in-Ear Earphones

What makes the Bullets Z2 truly standout is their ability to deliver 20 hours of playback with a short, 10-minute charge. They also utilise features like AI-based call noise cancellation. The ergonomic design makes them suitable for listening for extended periods of time.

  • Large, 12.4mm bass drivers for an immersive audio experience
  • Quick charge delivers 30 hours of listening time with a short, 10-minute charge
  • Anti-distortion audio technology
  • IP55 rating
  • Weight: 27g
  • Battery: 30 Hours
ProsCons
Ergonomic design, comfortable in the earsLacks a companion app
Punchy bassLacks support for LDAC and aptX audio codecs
IP55 ratingLacks support for dual-device pairing
Quick charge 

8. boAt Rockerz 255 Pro+ Upto 40 Hours Playback

The Rockerz 255 Pro+ aims to please with its 40-hour battery life. The IPX7-rated phone also has large, 10mm drivers to deliver a truly engaging experience.

  • Massive 40-hour battery backup
  • ASAP charge allows you to gain 10 hours of battery life in 10 minutes of charging
  • Powerful 10mm drivers for an engaging experience
  • IPX7 Rated
  • Weight: 30g
  • Battery: 42 Hours with the charging case

ProsCons
Good build qualityDated design
Excellent battery life, ASAP chargingTreble breaks up at high volume
IPX7 ratedConnectivity issues
Punchy bass 

9. Jbl New Tune 130Nc TWS Active Noise Cancellation Bluetooth Truly Wireless in-Ear Earbuds

The Tune 130Nc earbuds pack in support for active noise cancellation. You can even personalise them to your taste with the help of the companion app. They also support Google assistant and Alexa while packing a great battery backup.

  • Active noise cancellation
  • 40-hour battery backup
  • Personalise your music according to your taste with a proprietary My JBL Headphones app
  • 4-microphone setup for perfect call quality
  • Built-in support for Google Assistant and Alexa
  • IPX4 Rated
  • Weight: 52g
  • Battery: 40 Hours with the charging case
ProsCons
Great battery backupLacks support for wireless charging
Proprietary app that allows you to customise EQ and touch controlsLacks support for in-ear detection
Good Build quality and comfortable to wearANC misses the point at times.
Decent active noise cancellation 

10. Bose Sport Earbuds

The Bose Sport Earbuds feature the trademark StayHear Max tips available in in 3 sizes that provide a snug, comfortable and secure fit. It is IPX4 certified for dust and water resistance so you can use it while exercising. The buttons are touch sensitive and you can manage calls, tweak music playback using voice assistant. The battery will last for 5 hours with one charge.

Specifications –

Brand – Bose

Colour - Black. Also available in blue and white

Form Factor - In Ear

Battery life – Around 10 hours (with case)

Special feature – unique umbrella shaped tip with an extending flexible wing to keep the earbuds securely in place despite rigorous movement.

ProsCons
Comfortable fitNo noise cancellation feature
IPX4 rating 

Price of wireless earbuds at a glance:

 ProductPrice 
JBL C115Rs. 8,999
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2Rs. 7,999 
Samsung Galaxy Buds ProRs. 8490/
 Oneplus Nord Bluetooth Truly Wireless in-Ear Earbuds 2,799
Sony WI-XB400Rs. 2,799
boAt Airdopes 141 1,399 
 Oneplus Bullets Z2 1,999
 boAt Rockerz 255 Pro+ 1,599
 Jbl New Tune 130Nc 4,699
Bose Sport EarbudsRs. 15099

Best Budget

The Oneplus Nord truly wireless in-ear earbuds were launched as a cheaper alternative to their Z line. The Nord TWS delivers on the promise by curating a great audio experience for the user.

Best Overall

The Apple Airpods Pro has explosive playback capabilities, even if we put the beautiful, ergonomic design aside. They sound a lot better than the regular Airpods. If you're an iPhone user, the connectivity experience is simply unmatched. Combined with a MagSafe wireless charging case that is so much more convenient, the Airpods Pro has merely the best value proposition out of any TWS on the market.

How to find the perfect pair of wireless earphones for you?

Here are some of the things you must consider before buying a pair of truly wireless earphones for yourself:

Audio Codecs:

They are not just random strings of alphabets.

The audio codecs used by a pair of wireless earphones can be a game-changer in terms of audio quality. The cheaper earphones on the market do not support codecs like aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC that offer lower latency and higher bitrates.

Battery Life and Charging Case

Companies love to float huge numbers for battery backups just for marketing. They do not specify the conditions required to achieve such results. It is important to look beyond the marketing numbers and focus on real-world performance. Features like fast charging are incredibly underrated.

Pricing

The price points can be confusing. Entry-level earphone makers claim they simply cannot fulfil given that they cost less than a sound Bluetooth chip. Always take claims with a grain of salt and trust unbiased reviews more than marketing numbers.

FAQs

We know you may have questions about choosing a good pair of wireless earphones, so we've listed below the most frequently asked questions that float around a buyer’s head right here for you:

1. Which is the best pair of wireless earphones?

The Apple Airpods Pro are undoubtedly the best pair of wireless earphones money can buy. They work well for most users, and the active noise cancellation does a great job of cancelling out any background noise. If you are okay with splurging a little, do try them out.

2. Do Airpods work with Android phones?

Airpods can easily connect to any Android phone using Bluetooth. But given Apple’s walled-garden ideology, it is extremely hard to configure and customise Airpods when using an Android phone. In fact, you will need to connect them to an iPhone just to update their firmware

3. Do I need active noise cancellation?

Using earphones with a noise cancellation solution makes much sense if you want an immersive experience. ANC works by sending out electrical signals to cancel out the noise effectively.

4. Can I use voice commands on my wireless earphones?

Most pairs of wireless earphones support Siri or Google Assistant and Alexa, making it incredibly easy to control your earphones with voice.

5. Are wireless earphones better than wired earphones?

It is not exactly a secret that audio quality takes a hit using a wireless solution, but for most people, the convenience is worth the trade-off. Most people cannot tell the difference anyway. But it is a choice for you to make.

At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so ... we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. Read more

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