Best Wireless Earbuds for 2022: Top Picks for Every Budget

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

The Earfun Air Pro 2 not only feature solid active noise cancellation but their sound is also impressive for their relatively modest price, with overall well-balanced sound, decent clarity and solid bass performance. Some of Earfun’s buds have had a bit too much treble push — sometimes referred to as “presence boost” — but these mostly manage to avoid that. They do sound better than the original Air Pro.

The earbuds have some extra features, like an ear-detection sensor (your music pauses when you take the buds out of your ears) and a case that has USB-C and wireless charging, that you don’t often find at this price. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, they’re splash-proof with an IPX5 rating and offer up to seven hours of battery life on a single charge at moderate volume levels, though you’ll probably get closer to six hours with noise canceling on.

There’s also a transparency mode that lets ambient sound in. It actually sounds pretty natural and is closer than I thought it would to the AirPods Pro’s excellent transparency mode. Alas, there’s no companion app that allows you to tweak the sound or upgrade the firmware.

Earfun talks up the Air Pro 2′s voice calling capabilities — the buds have three microphones in each earbud — and I thought call performance was good but these didn’t reduce background noise as much the new Soundpeats T3, which are also good for the money (). However, while the Soundpeats T3 are better for calls, the Earfun Air Pro 2′s noise-canceling and transparency modes are superior and Slot Gacor Deposit Pulsa Tanpa Potongan the Soundpeats don’t have the ear-detection sensor. Also, the Earfun Air Pro 2 buds sound better, with richer, more dynamic sound.

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX5 rating — withstands sustained spray).

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While they’ve been out a while and the AirPods Pro 2 should be coming sometime in 2022, the  remain a great pair of true wireless earphones. That’s largely due to their winning design and fit, good sound, effective noise canceling and , a virtual-sound mode for watching movies and TV shows (only works with iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or higher and the 2021 Apple TV 4K). They’re also excellent for making voice calls and have a top-notch transparency mode.

Yes, they’re expensive at $250 from the Apple Store, but they tend to sell for $200 or less. The updated version adds MagSafe compatibility, so these stick to magnetic wireless chargers.

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX4 rating — splash-proof).

Jabra

Coming in at 16% smaller than the Elite 75t, the Elite 7 Pros are Jabra’s top-of-the-line earbuds in its new range and include the company’s new MultiSensor Voice technology with a bone-conduction sensor, four microphones and intelligent algorithms to deliver new “ground-breaking call quality,” Jabra says. The voice calling performance doesn’t quite live up to the hype, but Jabra has updated the buds’ firmware, adding multipoint Bluetooth pairing and slightly improving sound quality, noise canceling and headset performance. It took a while but they’re now excellent all-around buds.

These have adjustable active noise cancellation, Jabra’s HearThrough transparency mode and Bluetooth 5.2. They offer up to nine hours’ play time at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on, and nearly three additional charges in the charging case — total battery life is rated at 35 hours. The charging case has wireless charging capabilities.

The earbuds’ IP57 rating means they can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water. For those who like to use only a single bud, you can also use either bud independently in a mono mode.

Water-resistant: Yes (IP57 rating — dust-resistant and fully waterproof).

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David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

Bang & Olufsen’s earlier Beoplay E8 earbuds were good but underwhelming for their high price. The new Beoplay EQ are also rather expensive, but at least they’re among the very best true wireless earbuds available right now, with top-notch sound and adaptive noise canceling, along with a natural-sounding transparency mode. They have three microphones on each bud and are decent for voice calling though not exceptionally good. 

Needless to say, the premium design elements are here — the aluminum-shelled case opens and closes with precise smoothness, and the buds themselves have their own aluminum accent on the outer surface where the touch controls live.

The buds are fairly large and do stick out of your ears like premium buds from Sony and Sennheiser. They fit me comfortably and securely and are suitable for sporting activities, with an IP54 splash-proof rating. Battery life is rated at around 6.5 hours at moderate volume levels, and you get an extra two charges from the case, which has USB-C and wireless charging.

The sound is big and dynamic with deep, well-defined bass and a wide soundstage. The mids sound natural, and the treble has nice sparkle to it. They’re a pleasure to listen to and among the best-sounding true wireless earbuds. I didn’t experience any listening fatigue over longer listening sessions. AptX is available for devices that support the AptX audio codec; these have AptX Adaptive and use Bluetooth 5.2. 

Are they better than the Sony WF-1000XM4, which cost $120 less? The answer to that will depend partially on just how well they fit your ears and just how good a seal you get from the included ear tips. I personally ended up getting the best fit using Sennheiser’s large tips, which work best for my ears. They’re a great set of earbuds if you can afford them. Just buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy in case you’re not completely satisfied.

Water-resistant: Yes (IP54 rating — splash-proof). 

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

Anker makes several earbuds that cost less than $100. But its Soundcore Liberty Pro is its “high-end” model that features premium sound, as well as support for Sony’s LDAC audio codec with compatible devices (mostly Android phones).

Available in four color options, the third-gen Liberty 3 Pro have updated dual drivers and are about 30% smaller than their predecessor. They fit my ears significantly better than the Liberty 2 Pro buds, which I didn’t love as much as some people. This new version is improved and a good value compared to other so-called premium buds. 

The Liberty 3 Pro deliver a solid noise-canceling experience (they also have three different transparency modes) and feature Anker’s HearID ANC that “analyzes your ears and level of in-ear pressure to create a tailored profile that optimizes noise reduction and reduces external sound to suit your ears.”

The earbuds also perform well — though not exceptionally — as a headset for making calls. They’re IPX4 splash-proof and deliver up to 6 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and up to 8 hours with it off. The case charges wirelessly, and I liked how the tips of the buds are illuminated by a pair of LEDs on the inside of the case when the buds are charging.

Unlike with the , I had no problem getting a tight seal with the included ear tips, and I found the sound to be on par with other premium earbuds that cost more. They have big, open sound with lots of energy in the bass and good detail. While they have a list price of $170, they’re sporadically on sale for $20 less. If you’re not quite willing to step up to the Sony WF-1000XM4 or other high-end models, the Liberty 3 Pros are worth considering.

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX4 rating — splash-proof).

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Samsung

David Carnoy/CNET

Master & Dynamic’s earlier MW07 and  delivered top-notch sound for truly wireless, but they were a little lacking in the features department and weren’t so great for making calls. The 2021 MW08 offers some significant improvements, including the addition of solid noise canceling and call quality, that make it one of the top models on this list. Alas, they’re expensive at $299.

Battery life has improved a bit (up to around 12 hours of battery life at 50% volume versus 10 hours for the MW07 Plus), and the earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, active noise cancellation with three microphones on each earbud (noise reduction during calls isn’t up to the level of the AirPods Pro, but overall call quality has improved). The noise-canceling on the MW07 Plus was pretty weak; the MW08′s is much more effective.

You can opt for two levels of noise cancellation in the new M&D Connect app for iOS and Android, as well as two levels of transparency that let you hear the outside world to varying degrees. The app currently has no way to tweak the sound profile (I’m OK with that because the sound profile is just fine for my tastes). Each earbud has a physical button to control playback, not touch controls.

These buds may not fit everyone’s ear equally well, but they certainly have a distinct look, as well as excellent sound and a great listening experience if you can get a tight seal (I was able to get a secure fit with the largest tip). They deliver more of an audiophile sound profile, with smooth, well-balanced sound and well-defined bass. This model has new 11mm drivers, which add a bit of punch to the bass and a touch better clarity. The MW08 works well with all genres of music.

Available in a variety of color options for $300, like their predecessors, the MW08 includes a swanky stainless-steel charging case (it charges via USB-C) that’s compact but carries more weight than your typical buds case. I prefer the matte finishes of the cases that come with the black and blue versions, and you also get a secondary pouch for safekeeping (yes, the charging case can get scratched up if you leave it in a bag).

These truly wireless earbuds now support both the AptX and AAC audio codecs and have an extended range of more than 20 meters, according to Master & Dynamic.

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX5 rating — withstands sustained spray).

Say what you will about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live’s bean-shaped design, but it’s certainly innovative. Like the standard AirPods, these are open earbuds — you don’t jam an ear tip into your ear — and they’re quite comfortable to wear and fit my ears more securely than the AirPods. That said, they won’t fit everybody’s ears equally well. These wireless buds are discreet and basically sit flush with your ear without a little white pipe extending out from them.

They deliver good sound and work well as a headset for making calls, with good background noise reduction so callers can hear you clearly even when you’re in noisier environments. While they feature active noise canceling, it’s very mild compared to the noise canceling in earbuds that have a noise isolation design. In other words, buy them for their design and sound, not their noise-canceling features.

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX2 rating — sweat-resistant and protects against light splashes).

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I was a fan of Earfun’s earlier Free Pro earbuds, which offer good sound and have little sport fins that help keep them in your ears securely. Now Earfun has released the Earfun Pro 2 buds with aluminum alloy caps, improved noise canceling and a couple of extra microphones that help boost voice-calling performance.

The Free Pro 2 deliver good sound for their modest price, with decent clarity and deep but well-defined bass. They produce relatively big, open sound. They don’t have such extra features as an ear-detection sensor so your music automatically pauses when you take one or both buds out of your ears or an app that allows you to update their firmware. But they’re lightweight, should fit most ears well and have decent noise canceling along with a transparency mode (it’s not as good as the AirPods Pro’s transparency mode, which is hard to beat).

I found the voice-calling performance good but not great. They did an acceptable job reducing background noise and picking up my voice in noisy environments but they aren’t necessarily top-notch in this department. Battery life is rated at up to six hours, they’re IPX5 splash-proof, and their elongated case (it charges wirelessly) is compact and lightweight. It’s better designed than the Free Pro’s case. 

Water-resistant: Yes (IPX5 rating — can withstand heavy sprays of water)

David Carnoy/CNET

David Carnoy/CNET

The Jaybird Vista 2 sports buds feature a similar design to the original Vista buds but have a couple of key upgrades: active noise canceling and a transparency mode called SurroundSense, which allows you to hear the outside world, an important safety feature for runners and bikers (as well as skiers). 

The updated earbuds essentially have the same design as the originals. However, Jaybird has added some sound-dampening fabric to the outside of the buds, which is supposed to help cut down on wind noise (it helps a little but don’t expect it to have a huge impact). There’s also an ear-detection sensor, so your music automatically pauses when you take the buds out of your ears.

The Vista 2 buds have an IP68 water-resistance rating, which means they’re both dust-proof and fully waterproof. Jaybird says they’re also sweat-, crush- and drop-proof. And the compact case is now splash-proof and dust-resistant, with an IP54 rating.

They sound quite good once you tweak the EQ settings to your liking, but their sound quality isn’t quite up to the level of some other premium earbuds. Their noise-canceling, transparency mode and voice-calling are decent though unspectacular (the Beats Fit Pro perform better in all departments). But if you’re buying these, you’re buying them for the secure fit and durability.

The original Vista buds are still available and sometimes get discounted to $99.

Water-resistant: Yes (IP68 rating — fully waterproof).

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In recent months there has been a bunch of articles about how Gen Z is making the “humble” wired headphone cool again, particularly Apple EarPods (you know, the headphones that used to be included in the box when bought an iPhone but no longer are). That’s fine — and we have nothing against wired headphones — but a cord can be a nuisance. When you’re working out or running, going totally wireless feels liberating. Also, most new phones these days don’t have a headphone jack so you need to go wireless unless you get a Lightning or USB-C headphone or use an adapter for a standard headphone with a 3.5mm plug.

You can get wireless headphones with a cord between the buds. Neckband-style earbuds are still a thing and some people like that style because you can let the cord dangle around your neck when you don’t have the buds in your ears. However, true wireless earbuds ultimately offer more freedom and are stored in a compact charging case that’s convenient to carry. And both the sound quality and reliability of their wireless connection have improved considerably over the last couple of years. 

As far as prices go, while you can certainly find plenty of premium wireless earbuds, there are also lots of decent affordable models, some of which cost less than $50.

With wireless earbuds, it’s important that you get the right fit so they not only stay in your ears but so they sound and perform at their best (a tight seal is crucial for optimal sound and noise canceling if the earbuds have active noise canceling). If the buds come with silicone ear tips, you should use the bud that’s a little bigger rather than too small for your ear. Also, in some cases, like with the AirPods Pro, you can buy third-party foam ear tips that grip the inside of your ear better and keep your buds from falling out. Note that sometimes people have one ear shaped differently than the other, so you might use a medium tip in one ear and a large tip in the other. 

AirPods have never fit all ears equally well, and a lot of people complain that they won’t stay securely in their ears. You can buy third-party wingtips — sometimes called sport fins — that lock the buds in your ears. But you have to take them off every time you use your buds because they won’t fit in the case. 

If you have trouble keeping earbuds in your ears, your best bet is to look for a model that includes wingtips. 

We have  that also applies to other earbuds. But if you don’t want to read that, the condensed version is this:

Wipe down both the buds themselves and ear tips with a slightly dampened soft, dry, lint-free cloth (like the kind you use to clean glasses or your phone’s screen) and avoid using any soap or harsh cleaning liquids. A 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or a Clorox disinfecting wipe is OK but avoid getting too much moisture in any ports or inside the buds themself. You can also use a toothpick for any little crevices or a Q-tip with a bit of alcohol on it. Avoid saturating the Q-tip with alcohol. Finally, wait a few minutes until any moisture evaporates before using the buds.