The Apple EarPods are simple but decent earbuds for casual listening. They're well-built, comfortable but not the most versatile headphones as their open fit lets in a lot of noise. They're also a bit too unstable to run with (unlike the Apple AirPods (1st generation) Truly Wireless). But, on the upside, they're very easy-to-use, fit in almost any pockets and have a decent if slightly bass-lacking sound.
Our Verdict
Decent for neutral and casual listening. They're comfortable and moderately well balanced in the mid-to-high frequency ranges, reproducing instruments and vocals with an above-average fidelity. That and the open fit give the impression of a wider soundstage that's good if you're listening in a quiet environment. However, they lack quite a bit of bass for those looking for slightly more punch in their audio.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
Subpar for commuting. They are open headphones that barely block any noise, so they won't be suitable for the loud environments involved in commuting. Their only redeeming quality is that they're very portable and passive (no active features or battery life) so you can have them in your pocket at all times.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
Average for sports. Although they're very portable headphones with an easy-to-use control scheme, they're a bit too unstable to be used for sports. They will quickly fall out of your ears during more intense exercises.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
Mediocre for office use. They're comfortable to wear for long listening sessions and don't leak much, so they won't distract any of your colleagues. Unfortunately, they're also open headphones, which won't prevent noise from seeping into your audio. You can only receive audio when connected to a PC too, which is a little disappointing if you also need to take virtual calls at work.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
Average for gaming. They have a wired connection, so they have negligible latency which is suitable for gaming. They also have a decent microphone and a comfortable design you can wear for hours. Unfortunately, they lack a good app to customize their sound profile and like most gaming headsets, their mic is not compatible with consoles.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
- Great portable design.
- Simple and easy-to-use controls.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- Easily falls out of your ears.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 19, 2021: We've retested 'Analog' PC compatibility.
- Updated Oct 14, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 11, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
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Popular Headphone Comparisons
The Apple Earpods are very comfortable earbuds with a decent build quality. They lack a bit of bass but should sound good enough for casual listening, and they're very portable. Unfortunately, they have no convenient active features, like wireless or noise canceling and their open one-size-fits-all design isn't as versatile as some of the other in-ear/earbuds. See our recommendations for the best earbuds, the best earbuds for bass and the best wireless earbuds for iPhone.
The Apple AirPods (1st generation) are better headphones than the Apple EarPods if you want a wireless design. The EarPods are wired, so they do not have the range and convenience of the wireless AirPods. On the upside, this also means they have no latency when watching movies. You also do not have a battery life to worry about since the EarPods are completely passive, unlike the AirPods. The AirPods, on the other hand, are a bit more stable for most listeners thanks to the absence of an audio cable. The AirPods are also a bit more practical for everyday casual use since they are truly wireless headphones with good battery life and a stable wireless connection.
The Samsung Level U Pro Wireless are wireless headphones that are a bit more convenient for day-to-day casual use than the Apple EarPods. However, the Apple are a decent option if you prefer wired headsets to wireless ones. The Apple have practically no latency when watching movies or gaming due to their wired design. They are a bit more comfortable, especially for those used to the Apple earbud fit. On the other hand, the Samsung are a lot more versatile. Since they're wireless, they have a greater range and support low latency codecs, so they're not as bad as some other Bluetooth headsets for watching videos. The Samsung also have a better-balanced sound, and you can change the EQ with the Level app.
The Sony MDR-XB50AP Extra Bass are more versatile headphones than the Apple EarPods. They have a closed-back design that isolates more ambient noise and makes them more suitable for commuting. As their name suggests, the Sony have a very bass-heavy sound profile, while the Apple's open-design lack sub-bass, but don't lack detail in the treble range like the Sony do. Also, the Apple are more comfortable, if you can find a good fit. They have a decent in-line remote with volume control, which the Sony don’t have, disappointingly. The Apple have a decent microphone for calls, while the Sony are a more stable option for sports.
The Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless are better headphones than the Apple EarPods. The Bose are truly wireless, making them very convenient and portable, and they have a great audio reproduction that is accurate and well-balanced. The Bose are also better built and don’t have a plastic feel like the Apple. On the other hand, you don’t have to manage battery life with the wired Apple, and their design is very comfortable if you can find the right fit. They have a better microphone for calls, and their wired connection doesn’t have any latency, which is great for watching videos. If you’re looking for casual, everyday in-ears, the Apple are a decent option and might offer better value, but for sports or critical listening, the Bose will be better.
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