The best earbuds of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed (2024)

Pros

• Comfortable, secure fit
• Rich sound
• Impressive noise-canceling

Cons

• Steep price (but they're worth it)

Sony WF 1000XM5 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: Up to 12 hours |Frequency range: 2.4 GHz - 2.48 GHz |Noise cancellation:Yes | Waterproof rating:IPX4 (resistant to water splashes)

These earbuds, according to ZDNET reviewer Jada Jones, cancel out noise like a pair of over-ear headphones. That's a big deal for a small but mighty pair of buds. This improved noise-canceling capability is partly due to the upgraded ear tips Sony included in its most recent iteration. They use polyurethane foam tips, which create a tighter seal in the ear compared to traditional silicon.

It doesn't hurt that these earbuds are also extremely comfortable; Jones reported that even after a day of deep work or a strenuous workout session with the earbuds in, she didn't feel the need ever to take them out and give her ears a break. Plus, with a battery life of up to 12 hours, you can last the whole workday with these in.

Review: Sony's WF 1000XM5 may be the best premium earbud on the market

With an IPX4 rating (a techy way of saying water-resistant), you can break out these earbuds at the height of the summer running season as you prep for that fall marathon and not worry about water-logging them with sweat or rain. While the earbuds' noise cancellation is not as silencing as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, they're still pretty impressive in the ANC arena.

Reviewers on Reddit say that while the WF-1000XM5 earbuds are a great upgrade from the XM3, upgrading from the XM4 to the XM5 is a harder sell.

Pros

• Incredible immersive audio
• Great noise cancellation
• Amazing sound

Cons

• Just fine battery life
• No multi-point Bluetooth connection
• Some users report connectivity issues

Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds specs:Connectivity:Bluetooth 5.3 |Battery life:6 hours |Frequency range:NA |Noise cancellation:Yes |Waterproof rating: Water resistant

If you want a reliable pair of earbuds that will knock your socks off when it comes to noise cancellation, go for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. When I tested these earbuds out, I thought the noise cancellation was the best on any set of earbuds I had tried yet. "With the strong ANC, I was able to dig into my work by listening to my morning classical playlist and blocking out the noisy office chatter around me," I wrote in my spotlight.

More: Forget AirPods Pro: These Bose noise-canceling earbuds sound better and feel premium

On runs, these earbuds stick in my ears, which I can credit to the oval shape of the ear tip as well as the extra grip from the stability band, and music sounds great in them during high-intensity workouts. Another notable feature is Bose's Immersive Audio mode, which brings music to the forefront of your ears and allows music to move with you. It's a great feature, but it does significantly reduce battery life. Speaking of which, the battery life on these isn't the most competitive at only six hours, but I disregard that for how great my music sounds with them in.

While reviewers on Reddit said that the noise cancellation was the best they had tried, some users mentioned connectivity issues. Initially when I tested these out, I had trouble at times connecting to the earbuds, and sometimes my music would dip in and out. But after many months of using these, I don't have any connectivity issues.

Pros

• Long battery life
• Bluetooth Multipoint
• Great sound
• Amazing ANC

Cons

• An odd squeaking noise comes every so often when you handle the earbuds
• No in-ear detection
• Touch controls aren't great

JLab JBuds ANC 3tech specs: Connectivity:Bluetooth Multipoint|Battery life:9 hours in the earbuds and 33+ hours in the case|Noise cancellation:Yes|Waterproof?IP55

We get it: Who wants to spend over $100 on a pair of earbuds? If you're looking for a pair of earbuds that boast many luxury features but lack the luxury price tag, look no further than the JLab JBuds ANC 3. They cost less than $60, they have an extensive battery life that makes frequent charging unnecessary, and they have noise cancellation (ANC) that workswell. Though it's not always easy to find budget earbuds with real ANC, these are a pair that deliver.

The JLab Jbuds ANC 3 offer three listening modes: ANC, ANC Off, and Be Aware. The ANC mode dims down and distances external sound as I listen to audio, and is competitive with some of the more premium earbuds I've tried, for a fraction of the price.

Given how lightweight the buds are, they also fit snugly and comfortably in my ears, and, most importantly, stay in them while I exercise. With a long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth for easy audio switching between devices, and great sound, these are an excellent choice for $60 earbuds. Reviewers on Amazon complimented the ANC and the low price for the high value of these earbuds. One reviewer mentioned how these earbuds are great for small ears, too.

More:You're overpaying for earbuds and this $60 pair proves it

Pros

• Adaptive transparency mode
• Personalizable spatial audio settings
• Four different ear tip sizes
• Pairs easily to Apple devices

Cons

• Not the greatest for non-iPhone users
• Expensive

AirPods Pro (2nd generation) tech specs:Connectivity:Bluetooth|Battery life:6 hours |Frequency range:NA |Noise cancellation:Yes|Waterproof rating: IPX4

Apple didn't change too much about the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) from last year to this year, with the exception of the new USB-C port. Apple replaced its signature Lightning port with a USB-C port for its newest lineup of iPhones, its AirPods Pro, and Apple Watches.

Thanks to Apple's new and improved H2 chip, these AirPods have better performance, more immersion via high-band connectivity, and a low-distortion audio driver with a custom amplifier. The technologies combine to ensure clearer audio across various sound frequencies, making them the best-sounding AirPods to date. And most Redditors agree that these are the best AirPods you can buy out of the lineup.

As far as noise cancellation goes, these AirPods have two times more noise cancellation than the previous version. An upgraded adaptive transparency mode also automatically lowers the volume of harmful noises above the 85dB threshold. Plus, you can personalize your spatial audio settings to create your ideal sound experience (using iOS 16).

I'd recommend the AirPods Pro to people who are already in the Apple ecosystem, because having that easy connectivity to your laptop, phone, or iPad is the biggest advantage to these earbuds. They aren't the best overall, but the Apple AirPods Pro are the best for Apple users.

Review:AirPods Pro 2 offer two big upgrades but connectivity remains a problem

Pros

• Great battery life
• Impressive noise-canceling
• Convenient touchscreen case

Cons

• Heavy case
• Earbuds tend to insecurely fit during intense, sweaty exercise sessions
• Not the clearest call quality

JBL Tour Pro 2 tech specs: Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life: 8 hours with ANC on and
10 hours with ANC off| Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Noise cancellation:Yes | Waterproof rating:IPX5

The JBL Tour Pro 2's innovative touchscreen case is so user-friendly and ahead of its time that even Apple is (reportedly) taking notes. Pause or play, reduce or increase the volume, switch from noise-canceling to ambient aware to talk-through mode, accept or reject calls, or even locate that missing left earbud, all through the touchscreen case.

The first time I wore these earbuds during my morning commute to work, I was surprised while waiting at the subway platform when I looked up from my phone to find the subway had shown up -- I barely heard its arrival. Needless to say: the noise cancelling on the Tour Pro 2s is legit, and the buds deliver clean and crisp sound.

Review: Forget AirPods: These wireless earbuds offer clever features that Apple doesn't

While exercising with the Tour Pro 2s, I could lightly touch the right earbud to pause or play music and switch between noise canceling (ideal for deep concentration, but not-so-ideal for jogging outside) to ambient aware (great for environmental awareness) with ease. The buds stay in your ears while you're on the go but get a little slippery as you begin to sweat with them (which you can do without any worry of water damage since the earbuds have a water-resistant IPX5 rating). The call and microphone quality isn't as good as other high end earbuds, like Apple's, but the Tour Pro 2s are a little less expensive than other noise-canceling earbud options on this list, and they offer a slate of features that some of the more popular tech brands, like Apple, simply don't have yet.

One Reddit reviewer said that the noise cancellation is great -- "maybe better than I remember my [first generation] AirPods Pros ever being." Though many reviewers, myself included, say that the transparency mode could be improved.

Pros

• Excellent sound quality with hi-res audio support
• Transparent design is uniquely charming
• Has USB-C fast charging and wireless charging

Cons

• Microphone quality is just passable
• Only comes in one color
• Battery life is just fine

Nothing Ear 2 tech specs: Connectivity:Bluetooth 5.3 | Battery life:6 hours | Frequency response: NA |Noise cancellation:Yes|Waterproof rating:IPX4

London-based technology company Nothing, made headlines last year with its transparent-themed earbuds. This year, it's back with a successor that looks just as good but sounds marginally better, making the Nothing Ear 2 ZDNET's pick for best-designed earbuds.

The Ear 2 earbuds cost $149, are built with a new custom diaphragm for more accurate low frequencies and sustained high frequencies, can be controlled via squeeze gestures, and block upwards of 40 decibels of sound via ANC. Perhaps the most important addition to the new model is LHDC 5.0 codec compatibility, a hi-res audio format that not every pair of high-end earbuds support.

Review: Nothing Ear 2

One Redditor compared the Nothing Ear 2 to the AirPods Pro 2, and said that the Nothing Ear 2s punch above their $150 list price, and easily compete with higher priced earbuds with their sound, connectivity, and sleek design.

Pros

• Affordable
• Lightweight design
• Never need to worry about battery

Cons

• No advanced features like voice assistant or ANC
• Sound quality is decent, but not as crisp as other options

Sennheiser CX 300S In-ear Headphones tech specs: Battery life: N/A | Noise cancellation: No—but has sound isolation | Voice assistant: No | Waterproof rating: N/A

Bluetooth earbuds might come with seamless connectivity, noise-canceling capabilities, and voice assistants, but nothing is more reliable than a pair of wired earbuds. Maybe you're a Luddite who doesn't want to keep track of the latest technology but nevertheless wants to hear the strum of your favorite song clearly, or maybe you're tired of recharging your earbuds case and want an unfussy audio option. For all that and more, these earbuds from Sennheiser are great.

A 3.9-inch cable includes a built-in microphone and remote so you can play or pause music and take a call without using your phone. While these earbuds don't have active noise cancellation, they have sound isolation thanks to their in-ear design. These also come with four ear adapter sizes (XS, S, M, and L) and a handy travel pouch. And, since they are wired, you never have to worry about charging them.