The 7 Best Earbuds And In-Ear Headphones - Summer 2020
Reviews

The best earbuds with a wireless connection that we've tested to date are the Samsung Galaxy Buds+. These truly wireless in-ears have a lightweight but premium look and feel and are comfortable enough to wear all day thanks to their less obtrusive in-ear design. They last over 13 hours off a single charge, which is significantly longer than other similar options, and the longest we've ever tested on a pair of truly wireless headphones.

They have an incredibly well-balanced and accurate sound profile out-of-the-box and if you prefer your headphones sound a certain way, their companion app also gives you a choice of five presets, making them versatile enough for all genres and content from EDM to audiobooks. Their app also allows you to remap some of their touch-sensitive controls, including giving you the option for volume controls, which is handy.

Unfortunately, their case only gives you one additional charge, which is less than most other options, but it can easily be charged by tossing onto any Qi-enabled wireless charging pad, which is convenient. Some people may also find the touch-sensitive controls a bit finicky or difficult to press if you live in colder climates and often wear gloves. If you prefer physical buttons, you may want to check out the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless, though they're a bit more expensive and aren't quite as comfortable. Overall, the Samsung are impressively versatile and feature-packed for their price and are the best truly wireless earbuds we've tested.

The best wireless noise cancelling earbuds we've tested so far are the Apple AirPods Pro. These truly wireless earbuds do an outstanding job of blocking out background noise, with an ANC system that effectively reduces everything from the rumble of bus engines and construction equipment to the high-pitched hum of an AC unit. They feel plenty well-built and should be comfortable enough to wear for extended periods thanks to their lightweight design and minimally-intrusive fit that only slightly enters the ear canal.

These earbuds deliver a very neutral sound profile, with remarkable accuracy across bass, mid, and treble ranges. They should provide a consistent, well-balanced audio reproduction, regardless of whether you listen to hip-hop or folk music. While their continuous battery life isn’t hugely impressive, at just over 5 hours with ANC activated, that isn’t a huge issue considering their case provides an additional five charges and can provide enough power for 3-4 hours of playback in under 30 minutes.

While they’re compatible with both iOS and Android devices, only the former gets the full suite of options, seeing as how their functions are controlled by a settings screen on Apple devices and not a dedicated app. In any case, they lack features like a graphic EQ or even audio presets, so they may not be the best choice if you like to personalize your listening experience. That said, they're very well-built earbuds that deliver excellent noise cancelling performance and a well-balanced sound profile.

The best wired earphones that we've tested so far are the 1More Triple Driver. These in-ears are decently well-built and extremely lightweight, making it a cinch to throw them into your pocket or a small bag. Thanks to the included assortment of nine different ear tips in silicone rubber and memory foam, it should be pretty easy to find a comfortable and stable fit.

Their sound profile is well-balanced overall, although it does feature a slightly overemphasized bass that might please fans of EDM and hip-hop at the expense of a bit of boominess in some tracks. Their in-line remote has a pretty easy-to-understand control scheme with raised physical buttons as well as a microphone that’s better than many Bluetooth contemporaries. They also don’t leak much audio, so you can feel free to blast your music at pretty high volumes without annoying coworkers or fellow commuters.

On the downside, they aren’t great at blocking background noise from interfering with your listening experience. They also lack a detachable audio cable, so if it gets damaged, the whole unit has to be replaced. Still, they're a good choice if you’re looking for a portable, decently high-quality listening experience without having to worry about Bluetooth connection or charging times.

The best earbuds under $100 that we've tested so far are the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2. These truly wireless in-ears offer excellent value, with a customizable touch-based control scheme and a sturdy-feeling design that’s rated IPX5 for sweat and water resistance, although we don’t test for this.

Their sound profile is pretty bass-heavy, which should please fans of EDM and hip-hop. If that’s not to your liking, you can personalize your listening experience via a graphic EQ or 20 different presets in the Anker Soundcore app. They’re a great choice for travel since they do a pretty good job of passively blocking out background chatter and an even better job of reducing audio leakage: feel free to blast your music as loud as you want without having to worry about annoying fellow commuters.

On the downside, while their control scheme is better than the first-generation model, it’s still quite tricky to use if you’re wearing gloves or a winter hat, which might be annoying if you live in a colder climate. With that said, they provide excellent performance for the price and are among the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested so far.

The best cheap earbuds that we've tested so far are the Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019. The wireless earbuds offer a comfortable fit at an affordable price. Their 18.5-hour battery life is the longest we've ever tested on a pair of wireless earbuds and will easily get you through a couple of work days.

Although they have a slightly excited sound profile with extra bass that's well-suited for EDM and hip-hop, they're well-balanced enough for most genres. Their earbuds don't enter the ear canal too deeply and their ear-hook design makes them stable enough for physical exercise. If you need more stability, they even come with more ear tip and stability fin options. They're also rated IPX7 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this.

On the downside, while the earbuds themselves feel fairly dense, the audio cable that connects the earbuds is thin and feels fragile. They also don't have a dedicated companion app, though this is to be expected at this price. That being said, overall these headphones have a great price-to-performance ratio and are among the best headphones we've tested.