The 6 Best Earphones With A Mic - Fall 2020
Reviews

The best earbuds with a microphone that we've tested to date 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 being 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 so far are the Beats urBeats3 Earphones. These wired in-ears feel decently well-made, and thanks to their wired design, they don't require a battery, so they're always ready to use. Since Bluetooth compresses audio, the microphone quality of these headphones is much better than the wireless options that have been mentioned so far. Your voice will sound very natural and clear and will be fairly full-bodied.

They feature an in-line remote that gives you full support for call/music management on iOS devices. Unfortunately, on Android, you lose volume control, and the voice assistant control seems to be inconsistent across Android devices. The microphone is also housed in the in-line remote, so unless you move it closer to your mouth, it'll be hard to hear you in moderately noisy environments.

These headphones have a fairly well-balanced sound profile that has a bit of extra kick and thump that won't be overpowering. If you have a newer Apple device that doesn't have a headphone jack, you can also get them in a Lightning variant, which is helpful. Overall, if you don't want to deal with a wireless connection or batteries and would rather something wired, these are a decent option with a great microphone.

The best earphones with a mic for gaming that we've tested so far 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 to date are the Samsung U Flex. Like the Jabra Elite 65e Wireless, these wireless in-ears have an around-the-neck headband design that makes them very stable in your ear. They also have a battery life of over 11 hours, which is good.

Overall, their sound profile is decently neutral, though it may sound a bit bright to some listeners. The integrated microphone will make your voice sound decently clear and accurate to the person on the other end of the line. They won't have the best performance in very noisy environments, like subway or train stations, but this may not matter for some users.

Unfortunately, unless you have a Samsung device, you won't be able to access the fully-featured companion app with customization features like a graphic EQ with presets. This may be disappointing if you plan to connect your earphones to an Android or iOS device. That being said, these earphones offer a good price-to-performance ratio that should please many listeners.