The 6 Best Earphones With A Mic - Black Friday 2020 Reviews

The best earbuds with a microphone that we've tested are the Jabra Elite 65e. These very comfortable, easy-to-use earbuds are connected by a flexible headband that sits around your neck. Thanks to their ANC feature, they have a great noise isolation performance, so you shouldn't be distracted by background noise while listening to your favorite music.

These earbuds have an adequately neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and you can use the 5-band graphic EQ on their dedicated companion app to adjust the sound to your liking. Also, their in-line microphone has a satisfactory overall performance. Your voice should sound clear to the person on the other end of the line, even if you're calling from a noisy, crowded environment.

Unfortunately, these Bluetooth-only headphones aren't ideal for gaming, as they have quite a bit of latency. That said, overall, these durable, versatile earbuds should have a suitable performance for a variety of uses.

The best wired earbuds with a mic that we've tested are the Beats urBeats3 Earphones. These wired in-ears have an in-line microphone with great recording quality, which makes your voice sound clear, present, natural, and full-bodied. They also feature a somewhat sturdy rubberized design that can be easily stored in a bag or a pocket. If you have a newer Apple device with no traditional AUX port, they come in a variant with a Lightning port connector, which is handy.

They provide a well-balanced sound profile with a touch of extra bass, which should add a bit of extra thump and kick to your favorite EDM and hip-hop tracks without overwhelming lead instruments or vocals in other genres. They do a good job of staying in your ears during workout sessions too, even more so when you fit a set of stability fins to the buds themselves. Their noise isolation performance is very good, so you should have little trouble focusing on phone conversations or your music, even when you're on a bus or walking down a busy street.

While their control scheme offers full call management and playback control on iOS devices, you won't be able to use volume controls on Android devices, and activating your phone's voice assistant yields inconsistent, frustrating results. They also enter your ear canal quite deeply, which may not suit all listeners. That said, they're a solid choice if you have an Apple device and want a pair of wired in-ears with decent microphone performance.

The best earphones with a mic for gaming that we've tested are the Turtle Beach Battle Buds. These fairly unique wired in-ears feature a boom microphone that can easily be removed when you want to use them for day-to-day use. Thanks to their wired connection that doesn't rely on Bluetooth, the recording quality of the microphone is very decent, and your voice sounds full, natural, and easy to understand. It also effectively separates your voice from background noise, as the boom mic sits close to your mouth.

When using them to listen to music, they have a very bass-heavy and muddy sound profile that's much better suited to non-vocal-centric genres, like EDM or dubstep. Unfortunately, fans of an instrument or vocal-driven music will likely find they sound fairly muddy and cluttered. On the upside, their stability fins help them feel decently stable in the ear during most jogs or runs.

As is to be expected from their low price point, these headphones don't look and feel the most durable, and they're made primarily of cheap-feeling plastic and rubber. They also aren't the most comfortable, as the silicone tips feel quite hard and cheap. Overall, if you're looking for a pair of earbuds for gaming on your phone, or plugged into your console's controller, their unique design and good microphone performance make them a decent option.

The best budget earphones with a mic that we've tested are the Anker Soundbuds Curve Upgraded 2019. These wireless in-ears have a comfortable, stable fit courtesy of their ear-hook design, which prevent the buds from falling out of your ears when you're on the go. They're mostly made of dense plastic and can easily be stored in your pocket or a bag.

Their in-line microphone does a decent job of making your voice sound bright and airy if a little thin. They block out a fair bit of incoming ambient sound, so you should be able to focus on what's being said in a call in a moderately crowded environment. Their battery provides more than 18 hours of continuous runtime, so you should be able to take calls throughout the work day without worrying about running out of charge.

Unfortunately, their mic only does a mediocre job of filtering out background noise, so people on the other end of the line may have trouble understanding you if you call from a loud setting, like a subway station. They also don't have a companion app to allow you to customize your listening experience. Small issues aside, if you're looking for a budget-friendly pair of wireless earphones for making phone calls, they're an alright choice.