The 6 Best Earbuds With A Mic - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best headphones with a microphone we've tested are the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless. These in-ears aren't completely wireless since they have a cable that goes around your neck, so their style may not be for everyone. However, their in-line mic sits closer to your mouth than most integrated microphones found on truly wireless earbuds. It makes your voice sound clear and understandable over the phone and does an okay job separating it from background noise. Their sound is well-suited for phone calls since voices reproduce clearly and accurately.

They last about eight hours of continuous use and have a decently comfortable fit, although the neckband can snag longer hair. They also have a good selection of differently-sized ear tips, including foam and silicone options. Their very good active noise cancelling (ANC) feature can block out the low rumble of bus engines during your commute and ambient chatter at work. You can connect them to your phone and computer simultaneously, so you can easily take calls on either device.

The best earbuds with microphone capability in the upper mid-range category we've tested are the Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless. As well as being cheaper than our top pick, these earbuds have a smaller, more compact, truly wireless design. It also means they have an integrated mic, so it sits further away from your mouth than the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless' in-line mic. It does a good job of capturing your voice, meaning you'll be heard clearly over the phone. There's a sensor in each earbud to detect wind, which is meant to improve the mic's noise handling when you're outside.

They support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your computer while you take a call on your phone. Their neutral sound profile ensures voices sound clear and accurate, but if you prefer a different sound, it can also be customized with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. These earbuds also have ANC, but unfortunately, it's not very effective, so these aren't the buds for you if you want to cut out the sound of rumbling engines during your commute. That said, they passively block out a decent amount of mid-range noise like background chit-chat.

The best mid-range earbuds with a mic that we've tested are the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless. There are newer versions of these earbuds, the EarFun Air Pro 2 True Wireless and the EarFun Air Pro 3 True Wireless. The updated buds are solid options; however, you can still buy the original EarFun directly from the manufacturer, and these headphones have a few advantages, including a more neutral sound profile and a longer continuous battery life. These buds have an integrated mic with a decent overall performance, so your voice sounds clear even with some noise in the background.

They last about nine hours of continuous use, which is good for truly wireless buds, so you can use them all day at work without needing a recharge. They have an ANC feature that blocks out an impressive amount of noise, so you can hear calls you make from a busy street or noisy office. Their sound profile is neutral, so voices sound clear and detailed. There's a bit of extra bass that adds some rumble, punch, and body to your audio. Unfortunately, they don't have a companion app or sound customization features. That said, the Air Pro 3 work with an app that has an EQ for sound customization. However, they have a much shorter continuous battery life and a mic with worse recording quality.

The best earbuds with mic capability we've tested in the budget category are the TOZO T6 Truly Wireless. These budget-friendly earbuds have an in-line mic that makes your voice sound fairly clear and natural. Its noise handling isn't as good as the EarFun's, but your voice won't be drowned out by moderate background noise somewhere like an office. They're also sturdy and have an IPX8 rating for water resistance, so you don't need to worry about accidental drops or a bit of rain. They have a decently comfortable fit and come with a good variety of differently-sized ear tips.

Unlike the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless, they don't have an ANC feature, but they can block out a reasonable amount of mid-range noise like background chatter. They have a bass-heavy sound profile that emphasizes thump and rumble in genres like EDM and hip-hop, but voices are reproduced clearly and accurately. However, they lack an app and sound customization features. They last for about five hours of continuous use, which isn't very good, but they come with a case that holds four additional charges, so you can always top up the battery partway through your day.

If you're looking for high-powered noise cancelling buds with a solid mic performance, you'll want to check out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3. Their mic performance isn't as good as the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless', so your voice doesn't sound as full-bodied or natural and is more likely to be drowned out by background noise, but it'll still be understandable. Additionally, they have a much better ANC performance than the Sony model. They do a great job of isolating you from a wide range of noise, including bass-range noise like rumbling engines.

Their bass-heavy sound profile can be adjusted with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. They also have a long continuous battery life of about eight hours, which is nice for long journeys or workdays. The portable charging case holds about three extra charges. If you want earbuds with a mic but care more about noise isolation than mic performance, you might prefer the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless. These earbuds have an outstanding ANC performance but a mediocre mic performance. Still, recorded speech is understandable as long as you're calling from a fairly quiet place.

If you prefer a wired design, you'll want to check out the SteelSeries TUSQ, which are the best wired earphones with mic capability we've tested. Although they're designed with gaming in mind, they come with a boom mic for clearer recording quality, as well as an in-line mic if you want to use them more casually. Using the detachable boom mic, your voice sounds clear and natural, so you won't have any problems being understood. That said, even though you can position the mic closer to your mouth than the Sony WI-1000XM2 Wireless in-line mic, it still has trouble separating speech from ambient noise. As a result, your voice can get lost in the noise if you're taking a call from a busy street or office.

These earbuds have a decently comfortable fit and are lightweight. Their excited sound is well-suited for genres like rock and pop as it adds extra thump, rumble, and boom while vocals and instruments are bright. However, voices also sound muddy, and the headphones lack sound customization features to help you adjust them to your liking. They also struggle to block background sound, so it can be hard to hear your conversations clearly.