The best wireless earbuds for 2025

Wireless earbuds have become the go-to choice for listening on the move. Whether you’re at the gym, commuting or relaxing at home, the best wireless earbuds give you comfort, freedom and solid sound quality without tangled cables. They’re lightweight, slip easily into your pocket and connect quickly to your phone, tablet or laptop.

The tricky part is choosing the right pair. Some models focus on powerful noise cancellation while others put battery life or affordability first. Then you’ve got features like water resistance for workouts or touch controls for quick track changes. With so many choices, finding the best wireless earbuds depends on what matters most to you, and that’s exactly what this guide will help you figure out.

Best wireless earbuds of 2025

Sony

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review

With the WF-1000XM5 flagship earbuds, Sony improves its already formidable mix of great sound, effective ANC and handy features. These earbuds are undoubtedly the company’s best and most comfortable design of its 1000X models so far, which was one of the few remaining riddles Sony needed to solve. Sony still manages to pack in more features than anyone else too, including trademark ones like adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat. Add in upgraded drivers, new chips, eight hours of battery life and significant improvements to sound quality and these are Sony’s best earbuds yet. But all of the advancements come at a cost: these are also Sony’s most expensive set of wireless earbuds in the 1000X lineup.

Pros

Excellent sound quality
Improved design
More comfortable fit
Loads of handy features

Cons

More expensive
No battery life improvement
Head tracking is Android only
Some features still need fine-tuning

$228 at Amazon

Billy Steele for Engadget

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review

Apple’s latest AirPods Pro offer the company’s most robust set of features ever. Live Translation and hear-rate sensing get top billing, but improvements to ANC and sound quality are significant as well. Plus, Apple’s existing hearing health and other advanced earbuds features are available here as well. And the company managed to do all of this without raising the price.

Pros

Impressive ANC updates
Improved sound quality
Live Translation finally arrives
Extended battery life on a single charge

Cons

New fit takes some getting used to
Total battery life is actually less than before
Live Translation languages are limited at launch

$249 at Amazon

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

Read our full Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 may be Google’s priciest earbuds, but they’re also its best. A complete redesign resulted in significantly smaller earbuds that fit more comfortably and securely. The company has also packed in a Tensor chip for the first time to handle audio and ANC signal processing. As you might expect, these earbuds offer a hands-free channel to Gemini AI, although they’re not required to use the voice assistant.

Google also revised the acoustics and drivers on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, delivering ample low-end tone when it’s needed. There are plenty of handy features too, like Conversation Detection, Hearing Wellness and Find My Device. Spatial Audio is available at launch this time, but you can only use it with compatible video streaming apps.

Pros

Tiny, comfy design
Punchy bass, full mids, crisp highs
Slightly longer battery life than predecessor

Cons

Price went up again
Spatial audio is limited to video apps
Smaller touch panel requires precision

$229 at Amazon

Samsung

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro borrow heavily from Apple’s AirPods Pro in both looks and features, and build upon the foundation of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. However, Samsung did well to make things like Adaptive ANC and voice commands work well. Some features like Voice Detect could still use some fine tuning, but there’s a lot to like here beyond the basic functionality.

The truly surprising thing about the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the sound quality. There is some thick, boomy bass when you need it with plenty of crisp detail to complement it. This model really shines when you pair it with a Samsung device to unlock 24-bit HiFi streaming. There’s also a natural-sounding transparency mode that keeps you from feeling shouty during calls.

Pros

Great sound quality
Loads of handy features
Comfy fit
Natural ambient sound

Cons

Battery life is shorter than some rivals
The best features require a recent Samsung device
Copycat design
Blade lights are a gimmick

$250 at Amazon

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 offer the kind of features you’d expect from wireless earbuds that cost twice as much: ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, IPX4 water resistance, a transparency mode, eight to ten hours of battery life and LDAC support. When we tested them, we found their warm sound to be pleasing right out of the box, but Anker’s companion app makes it easy to customize the EQ curve if needed. And while their ANC isn’t quite as effective at reducing background noise as our top picks, it’s still effective for a noisy office or long flight. For $80 or so, this is a superb value. – Jeff Dunn, Senior Commerce Writer

Pros

Affordable
Good battery life
Multipoint connectivity
Transparency Mode

Cons

ANC isn’t as strong as competitors

$43 at Amazon

Billy Steele for Engadget

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review

Bose’s Immersive Audio feature may be the headline grabber on its QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, but these also come with the company’s stellar noise-canceling abilities. This model is especially adept at battling airplane noise during a flight, a task I typically rely on over-ear headphones for. The second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds are effective with human voices too, blocking that distraction better than much of the competition. But with any kind of constant roar, and many irregular sounds, these earbuds will serve you well. Plus, Bose’s CustomTune tool analyzes the shape of your ears and personalizes both sound and ANC.

While the QC Ultra Earbuds offer the best pure noise-blocking performance on this list, the extra audio features mean they have less battery life than the rest of our picks. It lasts six hours with ANC on and Immersive Audio off, but turn on the latter and that number dips to four hours. And although Bose’s take on spatial audio yields mixed results at times, the stock tuning is an improvement over the company’s last flagship model. Thanks to small tuning tweaks, the overall sound profile is more balanced on the second-gen version as well.

Pros

Stronger ANC filters out more distractions
Enhanced call quality

Cons

Battery life isn’t improved
Bulky design is unchanged

$299 at Bose

Bose

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) review

Before now, you had to pay around $300 if you wanted Bose-quality ANC on a set of earbuds. With the new QuietComfort Earbuds, the company packs in a lot of its best features for less money. You’ll get effective ANC, good sound quality, and features like voice controls.

The earbuds are smaller than typical Bose fare, which means they’re more comfortable and fit better. You’ll also enjoy well over eight hours of battery life with ANC on and an IPX4 rating that will be good enough for workouts. And if the product page is to be trusted, you can also look forward to Bose’s unique spatial audio (Immersive Audio) coming soon.

Pros

Great sound quality
Effective ANC
Lots of handy features
Dependable battery life

Cons

No Immersive Audio (yet)
Audio and ANC sacrifices compared to the QC Ultra Earbuds
No CustomTune feature
Poor call quality

$129 at Amazon

Billy Steele for Engadget

Read our full Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 review

If you want the best sound quality, you’ll have to pay for it. The FoKus Rex5 are an eyewatering $449, and easily the most expensive wireless earbuds I’ve tested. However, Noble Audio’s five-driver setup is more robust than the competition where one or two drivers is typically the norm.

There’s a level of pristine detail and sonic separation I haven’t heard on other earbuds. For example, characteristics of the guitars, including the individual nuances of multiple players on a track, contribute to a wider soundstage and more immersion than you’ll encounter elsewhere. These are far from a complete package in terms of features, but the audio prowess is unmatched.

Pros

Detailed, immersive sound
Custom audio profiles are saved on the buds
Comfortable fit

Cons

Very expensive
Just one color and it’s not for everyone
Subpar ANC performance

$449 at Amazon

Billy Steele for Engadget

Read our full Technics AZ100 review

For a long while Bowers & Wilkins was my pick for best overall sound quality. But, as Dylan sang, “the times they are a-changin’.”

Technics borrowed magnetic fluid driver tech from its in-ear monitors (IEMs) to improve the sound quality on the AZ100. The result is deeper, more immersive bass that’s complemented by detailed highs and ample mid-range tone.

There are also a lot of features on the AZ100, including multipoint Bluetooth for up to three devices. Sony’s LDAC codec is also supported, as are Dolby Atmos and Dolby’s dynamic head tracking.

Pros

Excellent sound quality
Tons of options in the app
Small size means comfy fit
Three-device multipoint Bluetooth

Cons

ANC lags behind the best
None of today’s “smart” features
Spatial audio doesn’t improve default tuning

$223 at Amazon

Beats

Read our full Beats Powerbeats Fit review

With a few key tweaks, Beats make a more polished version of the Fit Pro earbuds in the Powerbeats Fit. The company didn’t reinvent the wheel here, but this is one of the rare instances where that was for the best. The new buds have 20 percent more flexible wingtips and the charging case is 17 percent more compact than that of the Beats Fit Pro. Both of those adjustments make for a more comfortable, more portable pair of buds. Once you pick from the four eartips included in the box, you can pretty much pop the Powerbeats Fit in your ears and get going — no constant readjustments needed. And, blessedly, the charging case more easily slips into a back pocket now (it was a bit of a chonkster before).

Sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC) are just as good as they were on the Beats Fit Pro. You’ll get that signature, bass-heavy sound you expect from a pair of Beats earbuds, and ANC that’s strong enough to block out most ambient noise. Transparency mode remains a highlight here, and will be especially useful if you use these buds all day long and need to jump in and out of conversations while wearing them. While an IPX4-rated design isn’t the most durable, it’s plenty to withstand sweaty workouts and even an accidental splash in water. Battery life is just average, but the charging case provides up to a total of 30 hours of use before you’ll need to recharge. That’s plenty if these buds are solely your workout companions, and more than enough to get you through a couple of days of constant use.

Pros

Improved design with more flexible wingtips
Smaller charging case

Cons

IPX4 durability could be better
Six-hour battery with ANC could be improved

$200 at Amazon

Sony

One of the biggest surprises last year wasn’t Sony’s unique open-wear LinkBuds, it was the more mainstream follow-up. With the LinkBuds S, the company debuted a more traditionally designed pair of earbuds akin to its premium WF-1000XM4, only this model is much smaller and lighter which leads to a much more comfy fit. These tiny wireless earbuds muster some punch when it comes to sound quality too and support for high-res listening (LDAC and DSEE Extreme) are both onboard. Capable ANC lends a hand with environmental noise and transparency mode can keep you tuned in when needed. What’s more, handy Speak-to-Chat is here and Adaptive Sound Control can automatically change settings based on activity or location. That’s a lot of premium features at a mid-range price.

Pros

Comfortable design
Good sound quality
Speak-to-Chat
Adaptive Sound Control

$158 at Amazon

What to look for in the best wireless earbuds

When it comes to shopping for earphones, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If you’re shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you’ll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so you’ll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies aren’t perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something that’s more comfortable.

As wireless earbuds have become the norm, they’re now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you can’t live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll also want to investigate the volume and touch controls as you’ll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes. Some earbuds even offer app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to improve performance over time.

For those in the Apple ecosystem, features like auto-pairing with devices, especially with AirPods Pro 3, can be an added advantage, while Android users may want to look for models that offer similar cross-device functionality.

When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if you’re docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. You’ll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging.

Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like you’re on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but don’t get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims.

Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. This is especially true if you’re an audiophile. We understand this isn’t easy when most of us do a lot of shopping online, but trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer’s remorse. If a store doesn’t allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you don’t like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this.

We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so you’ll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you, especially if you plan to use them for playback of high-quality audio.

How we test wireless earbuds

The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes don’t allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent).

To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, we’ll record audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones as well as have third parties call us.

When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an updated version of a previous model, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review.

Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested

Sony WF-C710N

The WF-C710N is a set of compact and comfy earbuds that offer several of Sony’s best features. While the ANC performance is above average for this price ($120), sound quality isn’t as good as the company’s slightly more expensive options. Battery life fell below stated figures and call performance isn’t good enough to use these buds for work.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

The newest version of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, comfortable design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a heart rate sensor inside. But heart rate support is currently limited on iOS.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, there’s great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony

Sennheiser Momentum Sport

I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. What’s more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polar’s app and devices, so there’s that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isn’t as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey.

Beats Solo Buds

There’s a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isn’t as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio.

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7

These stick buds have a compact design that’s comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and there’s no automatic pausing.

Master & Dynamic MW09

Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. They’re expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere.

Wireless earbud FAQs

What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds?

Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life — but you’ll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up.

Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds?

Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding.

Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life?

With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries.

What wireless earbuds are waterproof?

There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, you’ll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and you’ll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesn’t have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldn’t be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water.

Which earbuds stay in ears the best?

A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. You’ll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they don’t fit well return them.

What wireless earbuds work with PS5?

PlayStation 5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it.

Recent updates

September 2025: Updated to add AirPods Pro 3 to our top picks.

May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and buying advice remain accurate.

March 2025: Updated the top pick for the best sounding wireless earbuds – runner up.

January 2025: Updated the top pick for best sounding wireless earbuds.

July 2024: Updated our list to include the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

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The best wireless earbuds for 2025

Table of contents

Best wireless earbuds of 2025

What to look for in the best wireless earbuds

How we test wireless earbuds

Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested

Sony WF-C710N

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3

Sennheiser Momentum Sport

Beats Solo Buds

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7

Master & Dynamic MW09

Wireless earbud FAQs

What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds?

Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds?

Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life?

What wireless earbuds are waterproof?

Which earbuds stay in ears the best?

What wireless earbuds work with PS5?

Recent updates

Related Posts

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