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The best wireless earbuds of 2024

The best wireless earbuds of 2024

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A good pair of wireless earbuds can handle work meetings, gym visits, and subway rides. That said, there are many options available, with many features such as active noise cancellation or wireless charging. Below we list the best wireless earbuds of 2024, plus our methodology behind choosing them.

How we chose the best wireless earbuds

Each pair of buds listed below has been tried by a staff member or tested by me. We recommend them because we love them and have been using them for at least three months. To test these earbuds, I wore them to work, to the gym, and in loud environments like a grocery store or on the subway. I also took into account how comfortable they felt, how secure the fit was, and how vocal-heavy and bass-heavy songs sounded on them.

Features of wireless earbuds we were looking forward to:

Battery life: Each option listed below has a minimum battery life of five hours per charge.

IP rating: The IP value of a product determines its water and dust resistance. See here for a full list of what each IP rating means. For example, an IP68 rating tells us that the product is both dust and waterproof.

Fit: Each eartip we mention comes with multiple eartips for a better fit. We’ve also added a range of earbuds, including bone conduction earbuds that don’t need to be plugged into your ears, as well as more traditional earbuds like the AirPods Pro.

The best wireless earbuds of 2024:

Best Overall: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

I’ve owned the AirPods Pro 2nd generation for over two years now and I can’t get enough of them. They have excellent noise cancellation – some of the best I’ve easily experienced – which almost completely mutes loud subway sounds and city chatter. You can also turn on transparency to listen to what’s going on around you, or try the new Adaptive Sound mode, which automatically adjusts the noise cancellation to suit your environment. For example, you’ll get a more muted, connected feeling in noisy construction areas, but if you’re in a quiet room in the office, you might hear more background noise coming in. Battery life is about six hours on a single. charging and the wireless case can hold an additional 24 pieces. As for the sound, I personally enjoy listening to music on the AirPods Pro. They have Apple’s new H2 chip, which the brand says provides better noise cancellation and more immersive sound. I especially like listening to bass-heavy songs because they don’t show any distortion even at high volumes.

Best sound: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

If you want something more premium, go for the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. These earbuds also have active noise cancellation, but their best feature is their clear, balanced sound. When I replayed some of my favorite songs, I could even hear instruments and sound signatures that I hadn’t heard before. They have fast charging functions, support multi-device pairing and have a battery life of up to 20 hours for all-day listening. Depending on your preference, you can choose from four earbuds and four colors.

Best sweat-resistant: Jabra Elite 8 Active

These are the best waterproof earbuds on the market, so if you’re looking for a pair for the gym or for your next jog in the rain, opt for the Elite Active 8. They’re extremely lightweight and have great grip and staying power. even in my ears. during HIIT workouts or cycling. You get eight hours of battery life on a single charge (32 hours in total with the case) and there’s also active noise cancellation, which automatically filters out background noise depending on the environment you’re in. It’s not the strongest ANC Jabra offers though. If you’re okay with sacrificing a sweat-resistant design, opt for the Jabra Elite 10 which is also extremely comfortable and has the best noise cancellation in Jabra’s offering.

Best bone conduction: SHOKZ New OpenRun Pro 2

These bone condition style earbuds are a new favorite of mine due to their sweat-resistant design and secure fit – thanks to the lightweight frame that wraps around your head. Since they don’t technically fit in your ears, there’s no noise cancellation available. That said, if you want to stay in tune with your surroundings, these are the best earbuds for you. They conduct sound via vibrations sent to your cheekbones, which then transmit sound to your inner ear, according to the brand. The result is an immersive sound experience, without having to worry about earplugs or finding the right fit. Battery life is up to 12 hours (four hours longer than the previous generation), but according to the brand you can get an additional 2.5 hours with a 5-minute charge.

Most stylish: Pixel Buds Pro 2

You don’t have to be a Google Pixel user to benefit from the Pixel Buds Pro: it works with iOS devices too. They feature multipoint connectivity, allowing you to switch seamlessly between listening to music on your smartphone to your laptop. There’s also active noise cancellation, which is pretty decent and can muffle most of the city sounds around you. There’s also a special gaming mode that ensures faster audio playback during intense esports moments. Like other earbuds on this list, you also have a transparency mode to help you stay aware of your surroundings, and a sweat-resistant design so you can wear them while exercising. The battery life lasts up to 30 hours with the included charging case. Choose from four colors, including brighter shades like hot pink and sage green.

Why trust us?

I’ve been testing and writing about wireless earbuds for over five years now, including producing in-depth reviews on various earbuds and headphones. For this article, I personally tested these earbuds and also took customer reviews into account.

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