Our Verdict
Decent for mixed usage. The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite have decent audio reproduction and most people will be satisfied with them. They also have good noise isolation performance, which makes them suitable for commuting or at the office. Their truly wireless in-ear design is very stable and breathable for sports. Unfortunately, they have very high latency and you’ll notice a delay when watching TV or when gaming.
- Good isolation performance.
- Decent sound reproduction.
- Excellent wireless range.
- Short battery life.
- Very high latency.
- In-ear fit might not be as comfortable for everyone.
Decent for neutral listening. Their audio reproduction is good for in-ears. They have consistent, powerful and punchy bass, a well-balanced mid-range and great treble. However, their bass is ever so slightly thumpy, which some may like. Their mid-range is a bit recessed, slightly pushing back vocals and leads to the back of the mix, and their treble is a bit uneven in higher frequencies, but not everyone will hear this the same way. Unfortunately, you don’t have access to an in-app EQ to customize their sound to your liking.
Decent for commuting. Their small design is very easy to carry around and the buds create a nice seal inside your ears to block a good amount of ambient noise. Unfortunately, their 2-hour battery life is pretty short, and you won’t be able to use them during long flights or rides. On top of that, you might feel ear soreness when wearing them for a while since their fit isn’t the most comfortable.
Great for sports. Their truly wireless design is very portable and easy to carry around, they don't trap much heat inside your ears, and they fit fairly securely in your ears. While they weren’t specifically designed as sports headphones, they are a great option for this use case. They are also rated IPX5 for water resistance, which is good.
Decent for the office. The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite block a good amount of ambient chatter and they barely leak so you’ll be able to raise your volume without bothering colleagues surrounding you. Unfortunately, the in-ear fit might not be the most comfortable to wear during long periods of time, but since they also have a very short battery, you’ll have to take breaks to recharge them anyway. They also don’t support multi-device pairing, which would have been convenient at the office, and their microphone is mediocre and won’t be ideal for calls in a moderately noisy environment.
Bad for gaming. These truly wireless headphones have too many latency issues to be suitable for gaming. They also have a mediocre integrated microphone and can’t be customized like gaming headsets. Their in-ear fit won’t be great for long gaming sessions as you’ll feel ear soreness quickly, and their 2-hour battery life isn’t long enough.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 18, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Mar 13, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite are decent mixed usage truly wireless earbuds that set themselves apart with their overall good performance for their affordable price, like most Anker products we’ve reviewed so far. Unfortunately, Anker products don’t have any customization options and the Liberty Lite have poor battery life and very high latency. If you are looking for similarly designed headphones, we suggest looking at our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds. See also our recommendations for the best wireless earbuds under $100 and the best budget wireless headphones.
The Mpow M30 Truly Wireless and the Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite Truly Wireless are two decent pairs of headphones. If volume control is a must for you, go with the Mpow. They're also more comfortable and have a longer battery life, although they still only offer around 4 hours of continuous playback time. On the other side, the Anker have an impressively accurate sound profile and offer marginally better noise isolation performance.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite Truly Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Apple AirPods (1st generation) due to their closed-back design. The Anker isolate more ambient noise, which makes them a better option during commuting. Also, their audio reproduction is noticeably better, and their wireless range is excellent. On the other hand, the Apple are better-built headphones and feel sturdier. They also have one of the highest total battery life for truly wireless in-ears and are very comfortable to wear during long listening sessions. The Apple also have noticeably less latency, which is good when watching videos.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite Truly Wireless might be the better option for most people over the Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless. The Anker have a slightly more neutral sound profile and offer better value than the Jabra. However, with the Jabra, you also have access to an in-app EQ, you get a longer battery life, and you can control the volume directly on the earbuds. If you’re looking for headphones only for your workouts and don’t need long battery life, the Anker are the better, more affordable option. However, if you like EQ’ing your sound and want to switch between your office computer and phone, get the Jabra.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Lite Truly Wireless and the TREBLAB X5 Truly Wireless have very similar audio reproduction, and if you don’t mind the bulky design of the TREBLAB, they might be a better option than the Ankers due to their better battery life and volume control. However, while they feel more comfortable, their build quality feels flimsy and plasticky when compared to the denser Anker. The Anker headphones are also Bluetooth 5.0 compatible if you have a 5.0 source.
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