We've currently tested over 25 pairs of headphones from Anker. This brand is notable for its chargers, power banks, and cables, and they also produce audio products like headphones and speakers under the 'Soundcore' label. While they only offer truly wireless and over-ear headphones, their products are available at several price points. They're usually packed with extra perks like active noise cancelling (ANC) and sound customization features in their companion app.
Updates
- 10/18/2024 Anker Soundcore C30i Truly Wireless reviewed
- 06/14/2024 Anker Soundcore P40i True Wireless reviewed
- 12/19/2023 Anker Soundcore P25i/P20i True Wireless reviewed
- 11/22/2023 Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless updated
- 10/17/2023 Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless updated
Best Anker Headphones
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Best Anker Earbuds
Neutral Sound6.8Commute/Travel8.1Sports/Fitness8.0Office7.5Wireless Gaming5.5Wired Gaming5.3Phone Calls6.3Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe best Soundcore earbuds we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. They're a great example of what Anker does best: undercutting the competition by providing premium features for less cash. Their outstanding adaptive ANC system automatically adjusts to the noise level around you and can easily reduce sounds like the rumble of bus engines and ambient chatter very well. With their ANC on, they last over eight hours continuously, and their carrying case supplies an extra four charges.
These comfortable and well-built buds have a warm sound profile out of the box, but you can fine-tune their sound to suit your tastes using their companion app's graphic EQ and extensive preset selection. You can also use the app to switch to LDAC codec to stream Hi-Res content. They have multi-device pairing, which is handy if you want to connect to your smartphone and PC simultaneously. That said, their mic has poor recording quality. The mic captures speech that sounds far away and sibilant, which can be a dealbreaker if you take a lot of calls. However, if you're just looking to listen to music, these wallet-friendly earbuds are worth a look.
The Soundcore Space A40 are the best Soundcore earbuds by Anker we've tested, and they periodically go on sale. If you also want access to surround sound, go with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless. They have many of the same features as the A40, but because they're newer, they rarely go on sale, even though they both have the same MSRP.
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Best Budget Anker Earbuds
Neutral Sound7.0Commute/Travel7.2Sports/Fitness8.1Office6.8Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming5.6Phone Calls6.7Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best Soundcore earbuds by Anker in the budget category we've tested are the Anker Soundcore P25i/P20i True Wireless. While it's expected that budget constraints come with cutbacks, they still pack in features like a companion app with EQ. You get some nuanced control, like reallocating the touch controls to your preference. The earbuds have an IPX5 certification for water resistance and nine hours of battery life with continuous playback. Even the microphone does a decent job of capturing speech, which is sometimes a weak point for earbuds at any price tier. The buds have a Game Mode to reduce latency as well. However, don't expect any Hi-Res Audio support for better audio quality or multi-device pairing, which you'll find available on the top pick, Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless.
For fans of bass-heavy music, these deliver a pretty consistent low-end boost for added rumble and thump, but the bass can overwhelm the rest of the well-balanced sound. By default, the tuning works for EDM and hip-hop, so you might want to select another EQ in the app for other genres.
One drawback is that they don't come with ANC, but the passive isolation still works fine for tackling mid-range and high-pitched sounds like clinking cups and muffling ambient sounds like chatter if you're at a cafe. However, low-pitched thrumming from a nearby construction site will remain unaffected; to filter much more bassy noise, choose our top pick to help you out instead. On the other hand, if ANC isn't important, the Soundcore P25i/P20i are straightforward earbuds with a bit of flexibility that won't hurt your wallet.
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Best Anker Headphones
Neutral Sound6.8Commute/Travel7.8Sports/Fitness7.0Office7.6Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming6.9Phone Calls7.3Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesIf you prefer over-ears to avoid the invasive, plunger-like feel of in-ear fits, you'll want to check out the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless. They're the next generation of the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Wireless and have an improved noise isolation performance thanks to their adaptive ANC. They can block out sounds like the rumbles from car engines and coworker chit-chat so you can focus on your audio. That said, they have a high noise floor when you set their ANC to 'Adaptive' or 'Max' mode, which can be annoying since it doesn't truly go away with time.
On the upside, their continuous battery life of just under 28 hours is enough to get you through long days on the go, and you can use them passively in a pinch. They're well-built and have a comfortable fit suitable for long listening sessions. Their default sound profile also delivers extra thump, rumble, and boom while vocals and instruments are crisp.
You can customize their sound using the companion app's graphic EQ and presets. Like their more compact and in-ear fitting true wireless counterpart, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, they even support LDAC codec, making them a solid choice for Hi-Res audio content. They offer multi-device and NFC pairing, so connecting them to your smartphone or laptop is easy.
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Best Budget Anker Headphones
Neutral Sound6.8Commute/Travel7.4Sports/Fitness7.1Office7.2Wireless Gaming5.3Wired Gaming7.0Phone Calls6.9Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless aren't as well-built or feature-packed as the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless, but they still offer a good overall experience for their price. Unlike a lot of over-ears in the budget range, they have ANC. It does a good job of cutting out ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of a computer fan but can't isolate you as well from the bassy rumble of a bus or plane engine.
Their battery lasts just over 32 hours with ANC on, so they'll last you through nearly the whole workweek without needing a top-up. When it's time to recharge, they use the older micro USB standard for the charging cable, or you can use them wired via their analog cable. Thankfully, they have good comfort and padding for all-day listening. While they're comfortable, their long-term durability isn't the most impressive, especially around the headband, so keep that in mind.
They have a very excited sound profile, with lots of extra bass and treble to complement pop and rock music. However, the overemphasized bass makes mixes sound muddy, while vocals and instruments sound harsh and sibilants piercing due to the extra treble. Unfortunately, they can't pair with a companion app, so you can't fine-tune them. If you'd like more bass, though, their 'BassUp' feature boosts this range even more to complement heavier genres like dubstep and D&B. You can activate it using the controls on the ear cups.
If you want a few more features, consider the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. Within Anker's lineup, these are mid-range headphones, but they occasionally go on sale for close to the price of the Q20. If you're willing to be patient or happy to spend a little more, they're a definite step up on the Q20, with app support, multi-device pairing, better ANC performance, and USB-C charging. Still, if you need affordable noise cancelling headphones and don't want to wait for a sale, the Q20 are a bargain.
Compared To Other Brands
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Robust companion app.
Most Anker headphones are compatible with the Anker Soundcore app, which offers a graphic EQ and presets for customizing the headphones' sound. You can also remap controls and adjust the ANC level to suit your needs. -
Powerful noise cancelling.
Recent headphones from this manufacturer have an adjustable noise cancelling system that offers excellent overall performance. Their noise isolation performance nearly rivals high-end brands like Bose and Sony. -
LDAC support.
Although not all of their headphones support this codec, a couple of their latest headphones, like the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, support LDAC, designed for Hi-Res audio. Support for this codec is also uncommon in truly wireless headphones.
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Disappointing overall microphone performance.
Most Anker headphones have an integrated mic, which sits far away from your mouth. As a result, their mics tend to have poor recording quality and mediocre noise-handling performance. -
High Bluetooth wireless latency.
Anker headphones generally have high latency on PC. You may notice your audio and visuals fall out of sync, which can be frustrating if you like to stream video on your laptop. Some models have a Game Mode to reduce latency. -
Many products with some similarities and overlap.
Some of the headphones in the truly wireless lineup have very similar overall performances with slight differences, making it hard to decide which pair is right for you.
Anker vs JBL
Anker and JBL offer a wide variety of headphones to target different price ranges, styles, and features. Many of their products have companion app support and multi-device pairing. JBL's lineup is larger than Anker's, and they have something for everyone, including gaming and club/DJ-inspired headphones. Conversely, Anker focuses on casual-use headphones, and many of their products have powerful ANC systems. Some even support LDAC codec, which is good if you like to listen to Hi-Res audio. Check out our article on the best JBL earbuds and headphones for more info.
Anker vs Skullcandy
Anker and Skullcandy both occupy the budget to mid-range price range. Skullcandy tends to make flashier, more colorful products, and even though some of them are simple in design, others have unique features like haptic bass. Conversely, Anker is a powerhouse with ANC, and their noise cancelling headphones easily outperform similar products from Skullcandy. Check out our picks for the best Skullcandy headphones and earbuds to see what this brand offers.
Anker's Soundcore division produces truly wireless earbuds and over-ear headphones designed for casual use. They stand out from the pack as many of their products are available at several different price points, although they tend to focus on more affordable options. Their products are packed with features like ANC, companion app support, and game modes for lower latency. Some of their in-ears also support LDAC codec for Hi-Res audio, which is uncommon. Unfortunately, their lineup is quite large, and it can be hard to distinguish between similarly designed products.
Lineup
Anker has a somewhat simple lineup scheme, though you can find a variety of product types from budget-friendly to mid-range in each section. Some discontinued products are still available, and they sometimes appear similar to new products, which can get confusing. For clarity, here are the current lines:
- AeroFit = Open-fitting true wireless with over-ear hooks, meant for greater environmental awareness.
- Life = Noise cancelling headphones. Includes over-ears (distinguished by 'Q') and in-ears (distinguished by 'P').
- Liberty = In-ears designed with audio quality in mind. Higher-end models support LDAC for Hi-Res Audio.
- Space = Their newest lineup of adaptive noise cancelling headphones based on the Life lineup. This lineup includes an over-ear and an in-ear.
- Sport = In-ear true wireless earbuds with additional features aimed at stability and durability.
Recent Updates
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Aug 07, 2024: We've edited the text for clarity and style but haven't made any changes to our picks.
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May 10, 2024: This review has been checked for accuracy with very minor text changes.
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Feb 12, 2024: We've updated this article to move the Anker Sound Space A40 Truly Wireless to the top pick and to mention the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless as an alternative. The Anker Soundcore P20i/P25i Truly Wireless have been added as the best budget earbuds. The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless are mentioned as an alternative to the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless. The lineup has been updated, and minor text changes have been made throughout.
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Nov 14, 2023: We've checked that our picks are still up-to-date, accurate, and available. However, there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
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Aug 18, 2023: No new Anker headphones tested since the last update.
Conclusion
Anker produces various budget-friendly to mid-end headphones, often under their 'Soundcore' brand. Although their lineup is quite expansive, and some models deliver similar performances, their products usually have extra features like adjustable ANC systems and companion app functionality, which allows you to customize them to your liking.