The 5 Best Headphones Under $50 - Summer 2021 Reviews

The best headphones under $50 with an over-ear fit that we've tested are the Plantronics BackBeat Go 810. These wireless headphones have a comfortable fit and a decently versatile performance that can please many different listeners. Thanks to their over 24-hour continuous battery life, they're ideal for long days on the go.

Overall, they have a neutral, well-balanced sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different audio content. The BackBeat companion app even offers a few EQ presets to help you customize their sound to your liking. Their leakage falls below the average noise floor of most offices too, so you crank up the volume on your favorite tunes without bothering people around you.

Unfortunately, while they come with an active noise cancellation (ANC) feature, they still struggle to block out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines. Their ear cups are also small and shallow, so they may not be comfortable for all listeners. Some users have experienced their unit's headband cracking or breaking over time too. However, if you're on a budget, these over-ears are still a solid choice.

The Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless are the best truly wireless headphones under $50. What makes these in-ears stand out from the crowd is their exceptionally long total battery life. While they have a continuous battery life of over seven hours, their carrying case holds roughly 12.5 additional charges. As a result, their total battery life is under 100 hours, which is one of the longest we've tested.

These comfortable headphones are well-built and are rated IPX5 for water resistance, although we don't currently test for it. Their sound profile is reasonably well-balanced with a bit of extra bass, which adds thump, rumble, and boom to your mixes. Their mid-range is very neutral too, and while vocals and lead instruments are slightly nudged to the back of your mix, they're still clear and full. The buds can also block out a good amount of noise like office chatter passively.

Unfortunately, their integrated mic struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise around you. They also lack a companion app as well as sound customization features like EQ presets. That said, their long total battery life and good passive noise isolation performance are sure to please most users.

The Samsung AKG Type-C are the best wired earbuds under $50 that we've tested. These comfortable in-ears are only compatible with devices with a USB-C port, like newer smartphones or some PCs. That said, using this connection, they have low audio lag, which is nice if you like to stream movies.

Although they're simple in design, they're very portable as they're small, lightweight, and can easily fold up so that you can fit them into a pocket or a bag. They feel well-built and sturdy, too. The fairly neutral sound profile packs a touch of extra boom and punch without overwhelming vocals and lead instruments. As they have an in-line microphone, your voice sounds clear and natural.

Unfortunately, some users may find their USB-C cable a bit limiting as you can't use them with an AUX port. While they should stay in your ears during more casual use, they could fall out if you're wearing them during physical exercise. That said, if you're looking for simple headphones and don't need any of the extra features, these are a suitable choice.