Every month seems to bring a new set of earbuds with longer battery life and a more compact design. Thus, we cannot list everything we like. But if you’re still hunting, here are some more recommendations.
Soundcore Space A40 for $60: While they’re no longer on our main list, the Space A40s are still some of my favorite buds for the money, offering good specs, clear sound, and excellent noise cancellation for their price range. They also look polished, only their lack of auto-pause sensors betrays their low price.
Sony LinkBuds fit for $200: Sony’s Linkbuds Fit offer rich and punchy sound, natural transparency mode, and a light and comfortable fit, helping them live up to their intent as a “wear anywhere” solution. They offer some solid features, but lack battery life with only 5.5 hours per charge and their noise cancellation is okay. Their reliance on flimsy silicone sleeves and strangely unresponsive touch controls further detracts from their value, but they’re still Sony Buds and may be able to dominate sales.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $100-200: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are getting old, but they’re still one of the best buds to pair with. Samsung phone. They don’t have the multi-device connectivity of our top pick for Android users, and their five-hour battery seems a little short these days, but they offer excellent sound quality, IPX7 waterproofing, and a unique design that Only AirPods Pro. This enables them to consider selling.
Pixel Buds A Series for $99: These used to be our top picks for most people, but they’re now overshadowed by more affordable options that also include things like noise cancellation. If you can find a pair on sale, they’re still worth snagging, especially if you have an Android phone.
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro for $150: These comfortable, lightweight earbuds feature multipoint pairing, making them great for people who like to work with a laptop and cell phone at the same time (7/10, Wired recommends). We didn’t like their control layout and thought the noise cancellation was fine. Also, they are another pair of AirPods clones, design wise.
Soundpeats Air4 for $80: Soundpeats Air4 (7/10, Wired recommends) may be an obvious AirPods Pro knockoff, but they’re a great knockoff for the money. You won’t get top-flight performance, let alone Apple exclusives like Find My Support or iCloud sharing, but you’ll get great sound and features, including great noise cancellation, at a steep discount. While they’re not a top choice, they’re a great budget buy, especially on sale.
Montblanc MTB 03 for $395: These earbuds are priced out of reach for most buyers, but if you have the cash, you’ll be rewarded with a luxury experience worthy of the brand. Montblanc has called upon some of the audio industry’s heavy hitters to design and sound these buds. The result is a small, comfortable, and fairly flashy-looking pair of wireless earbuds that sound really impressive.
Apple/Beats PowerBeats Pro for $180: Apple’s beefy Powerbeats Pro (8/10, Wired recommends) provide a super-secure fit, sound far better than Apple’s standard AirPods or Beats pairs, and squeeze an impressive nine hours of life out of a single charge. They’re getting long in the tooth and omitting now-standard extras like transparency mode and ANC, but they might still be worth considering after a seriously stable fit.
Raycon Everyday Earbuds for $80: These YouTuber-beloved earbuds are actually a great cheap pair (7/10, Wired review). They’re small and lightweight, and they come with an IPX6 rating, which makes them great for workouts.
Master and Dynamic MW08 Sport for $254: The Sport is a great option that comes with active noise cancellation and a sleek design, but the high price puts them out of reach for most people.
