The best genuine wireless earbuds are definitely what you’re looking for if you’re looking for the best wireless earbuds. The most well-liked and top-rated earbuds are entirely wireless, thus this list is all about the finest true wireless earbuds. Yes, you can still get Bluetooth earbuds with a chord between the buds.
Others feature an open design sans tips (which are great for persons who don’t want to have ear tips crammed in their ears and prefer to allow some sound from the outside world), while some wireless earbuds come with ear tips as standard equipment. Only “noise-isolating” earbuds with silicone or foam ear tips often enable active noise cancellation, sometimes known as noise cancelling (with a double l), a function that was formerly uncommon but is now commonplace.
Although the best true-wireless earbuds might cost a lot, you can find several that are shockingly decent for less than $100, if not even less. As new best true-wireless earbuds enter the market, we continually update this list.
Best wireless earbuds for 2022
Sony WF-1000XM4
Of all, no earphone is perfect, and not everyone will like the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds’ fit or be able to afford their hefty price. However, if you’re seeking earbuds with excellent audio quality, active noise cancellation, reliable voice calling, and long battery life, these buds tick all the right boxes.
Earfun Air Pro SV
There are a few advantages to the Earfun Air Pro SV. First of all, for a pair of earphones in this price category, they sound quite nice. They have a large, expansive sound with distinct bass and decent clarity. They offer great noise-cancellation, are lightweight and pleasant to wear, and have a transparency mode that enables ambient sound to enter if you need to hear the environment around you for safety.
The squared-off stems of the buds are visible through the case’s small window, which Earfun is emphasising. Aside from the stems, the buds themselves resemble the AirPods Pro in terms of shape and appearance. While the case supports wireless charging, the earbuds lack a sensor that stops playing when you remove them from your ears (you may use just one bud if you choose) and restarts it when you re-insert them.
They are IPX5 splash-proof, and their battery life is 6 hours when the noise-cancelling feature is used. Additionally, there are touch controls that function quite well, a low-latency gaming mode, and a companion app for iOS and Android that lets you change the sound settings and update the firmware of the earbuds.
While these do function ok for calls, as Earfun claims, I was a little let down by the noise cancellation when wearing them in the streets of New York City. They claim to have “six professional mics for a beautiful call experience.” Aside from that minor complaint, they’re a great deal, especially now that Earfun is selling them for $54 when you use the coupon code.
Beats Fit Pro
Following the release of the third-generation AirPods, Apple has released yet another new pair of earphones, this time from Beats, a division of Apple’s parent company. Although the $200 Beats Fit Pro are technically not AirPods, they have the same technological foundation as the AirPods Pro.
The Beats Fit Pro has Apple’s H1 processor and has most of the capabilities of the AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and Adaptive EQ, in contrast to Beats’ older and less-priced Studio Buds. They are, in my opinion, the AirPods for sports you have always desired. And for certain individuals, they could even outperform the AirPods Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
If you possess a Galaxy handset and have the proper setup, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer enhanced noise cancellation along with excellent sound and voice calling capabilities. They also allow high-resolution wireless audio streaming. The fact that they have a new design and are smaller in size, which allows them to suit more ears, maybe their largest improvement. The main downside to these products, aside from their fairly expensive price, is that several of their major capabilities are only compatible with Samsung Galaxy handsets.
JBL Live Pro 2
JBL has released some nice true-wireless earphones over the years, but none that particularly intrigued me. With the launch of the new Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 buds from the Samsung-owned company, that has finally changed. Both pairs of buds—the Live Pro 2 have stems, while the Live Free 2 has a pill-shaped design—offer a secure fit, powerful noise cancellation, excellent sound quality, and voice-calling performance, in addition to a full range of features like multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating, and wireless charging.
The same six microphones, oval silicon tips, oval tubes, and 11mm drivers are included in both the Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2. The stemless Live Free 2 is rated for up to seven hours, whereas the Live Pro 2 is rated for ten hours. Aside from design, this is the main distinction between the two buds. There are four different colour possibilities for the Live Pro 2.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
With stabilising fins and a smaller, more elegant appearance, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds offer great sound, enhanced noise cancellation, and voice calling capabilities (so the earbuds stay in your ears more securely). For 2022, they rank among the finest new true-wireless earbuds. They are also among the top true wireless earbuds overall, competing with the Sony WF-1000XM4 in terms of quality.
Sony LinkBuds S
The LinkBuds S are conventional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam in your ears, as opposed to the “open” LinkBuds. They have Sony’s V1 CPU and are smaller and lighter than Sony’s flagship WF-1000M4. While they don’t quite match the WF-1000XM4’s sound and noise cancellation, they come close and are less expensive. For individuals who can handle bigger headphones like the WF-1000XM4 but want 80 to 85% of those headphones’ features and performance for $80 less, there are the Sony buds.
Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe
The Apple AirPods Pro are still a superb set of true wireless headphones even if they have been around for a while and the AirPods Pro 2 could arrive sometime in 2022. This is mostly because of their excellent fit and design, sound quality, noise-cancelling effectiveness, spatial audio, and virtual-sound mode for viewing movies and TV shows (only works with iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or higher and the 2021 Apple TV 4K). They offer a superior transparency mode and are particularly great for audio calls.
Although they retail for $250 at the Apple Store, they usually go for $200 or less. The revised model now supports MagSafe, so these remain compatible with magnetic wireless chargers.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Google’s first earphones with active noise cancellation are the Pixel Buds Pro. While it’s great that they now have a function that many true-wireless earbuds have long had, what distinguishes the Pixel Buds Pro and makes them worthwhile consideration — especially for Android users — is their distinctive appearance and excellent fit.
That helps them function better in terms of sound quality and noise cancellation. Even though they weren’t nearly the best for voice calls, they worked nicely as a headset. Spatial audio and a five-band equalisation are two capabilities that aren’t there at launch but will be added later in 2022, according to Google.
Earn Air Pro 2
The Earn Air Pro 2’s sound is outstanding for its rather low price, with an overall well-balanced sound, great clarity, and strong bass performance. It also has reliable active noise cancellation. Although some Earphones buds have a little too much treble push, sometimes known as “presence boost,” they generally manage to avoid that. Compared to the original Air Pro, they certainly sound better.
At this price, you don’t frequently find earbuds with added features like an ear-detection sensor (your music pauses when you remove the buds out of your ears) and a case with USB-C and wireless charging. They include Bluetooth 5.2, an IPX5 designation for water resistance, and up to seven hours of battery life at moderate volume settings on a single charge, though you’ll likely get closer to six hours with noise cancelling enabled.
Additionally, there is a transparency setting that allows for ambient sound. It sounds rather natural and is more similar to the great transparency mode of the AirPods Pro than I had anticipated. Unfortunately, there isn’t a companion app that you can use to modify the firmware or adjust the sound.
The Air Pro 2’s three microphones per earbud, which Earfun touts as voice calling capabilities, worked well during calls, but they didn’t eliminate background noise as well as the recently released Soundpeats T3, which are also excellent for the money ($40). The Earn Air Pro 2 has greater noise-cancelling and transparency modes, while the Soundpeats T3 is better for calls even if it lacks the ear-detection sensor. Additionally, the Earfun Air Pro 2 buds produce superior audio that is richer and more dynamic.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX
The Beoplay EX headphones from Bang & Olufsen are the brand’s greatest true-wireless earbuds to date. With three microphones in each earbud, they help with background noise reduction while picking up your voice. They have a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really small ears), excellent build quality, great sound, good noise cancelling, and improved voice-calling performance over B&O’s EQ buds.
They’re undoubtedly the best earbuds available with stems, and they sound better than the AirPods Pro with better clarity, deeper, more powerful bass, and richer, more accurate sound, while being out of most people’s pricing budget.
There is an additional 14 hours of battery life in the brushed aluminium charging case, and the battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume settings with noise cancelling enabled (wireless charging is supported). The earbuds feature an IP57 water resistance rating, making them dust and waterproof.
They have a multipoint Bluetooth connection and Bluetooth 5.2, allowing you to simultaneously connect to two devices, such as a PC and a smartphone. The earbuds contain ear-detection sensors so that your music pauses when you take them out of your ears, and each bud may be used individually.
For devices like Android smartphones that enable Bluetooth streaming with the AptX HD audio codec, the earbuds support AptX Adaptive (AAC is also supported). They come in the shown gold tone in addition to a graphite shade.
AirPods 3rd Generation
If you take one look at the third-generation AirPods ($179), you’ll likely say to yourself, “Those look like the AirPods Pro sans ear tips.” You would not be mistaken. The AirPods 3 are designed like the AirPods Pro and share their shorter stems and pinch controls, however, they are more fraternal than identical twins. The major difference is in the sound quality, which has significantly increased, aside from the design update, which should suit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (albeit not extremely small ears). The AirPods 3 have longer battery life and are certified water-resistant.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro
The Elite 7 Pros are Jabra’s top-of-the-line earbuds in its new range and measure 16% smaller than the Elite 75t. They feature the company’s new MultiSensor Voice technology, which includes a bone-conduction sensor, four microphones, and intelligent algorithms to deliver new “ground-breaking call quality,” according to Jabra. Although the functionality of voice calls falls short of expectations, Jabra has upgraded the software of the earbuds, enabling multipoint Bluetooth pairing and somewhat enhancing sound quality, noise cancellation, and headset performance. They took some time to become great friends in general, but they have.
These include Bluetooth 5.2, Jabra’s HearThrough transparency mode, and customizable active noise cancellation. The overall battery life is stated at 35 hours, with up to nine hours of playtime at moderate volume settings and nearly three further charges in the charging case. Wireless charging is possible with the charging case.
The earbuds can be immersed in up to 1 metre of water thanks to their IP57 rating. You may also utilise either bud separately in a mono mode if you choose to use only one.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2, which come in four different colour options, are more similar to the more recent Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live, all of which feature enticing glossy curved shapes and the same little charging case as this latest edition. The Buds 2 is a more palatable alternative to the somewhat better-sounding Buds Pro due to their fit and design, which are 15% smaller and 20% lighter than the Buds Plus.
The Buds 2 include active noise cancellation, much as the Buds Pro. Except for the Buds Live, which has an open design and no ear tips, all the most recent Galaxy Buds models now offer some sort of active noise cancellation. The Buds Live are more similar to the Buds 2 in my opinion because they hardly protrude from your ears and are quite covert, even if the Buds 2 appear to be smaller copies of the Buds Pro. They take up less wind noise as well since they are curved and rest more flush on your ears.
Master & Dynamic MW08
The older Master & Dynamic MW07 and MW07 Plus had excellent sound for fully wireless, but they lacked a few functions and weren’t the best for making calls. The 2021 MW08 features several noteworthy upgrades, such as the inclusion of reliable noise cancellation and call quality. The battery life is likewise excellent (up to 12 hours with noise cancelling off).
These earbuds may not fit everyone’s ears evenly, but if you can establish a tight seal, they offer a distinctive design, superb quality, and a fantastic listening experience (I was able to get a secure fit with the largest tip). They produce music with a more audiophile sound profile, including well-defined bass and a sound that is balanced and smooth.
Like its predecessors, the MW08 comes with a stylish stainless-steel charging case (USB-C) that is more substantial than the average earbud case while being smaller. The cases that come with the black and blue variants have matte finishes I prefer, and you also receive a second pouch for storage (yes, the charging case can get scratched up if you leave it in a bag).
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