Our tech expert reveals the wireless earbuds worth your hard-earned cash
We all love a good tune, while we walk, while we relax, or while we do our chores. Be it the latest music, radio or podcasts it's our break from the 'real world' in many ways.
The latest trend in headphones is all about the wireless in-ear, and since the Apple AirPods there has been a huge number of products released to suit all budgets and all phones.
What to look for when buying in-ear wireless headphones
The biggest issue with buying in-ear headphones, though, is the fit, and sound really can't be tested. You can't go to a store to test them out because they need to go in the ear and that would be disgusting to share.
So, you do need to go off your own brand knowledge, understanding of what works for your ears and your own budget.
With in-ear headphones, from $30 up to $200 you can safely say you 'get what you pay for' meaning they simply get better in quality of materials and sound as you go up in price.
Above that, there are many more considerations like noise cancelling, case battery life, and app-based features.
Regardless of your budget, it's remarkable how many options there are right now.
Let's take a closer look...
Best wireless headphones
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Jabra Elite 5
Price: $173.38 (originally $219)
Battery life: 7 hours
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Small size
Cons:
- Button controls on ear, not touch
The most impressive thing about the Jabra Elite 5 is their lightweight size. They almost feel like they're not there. They are a bud style, with no stalk, which certainly appeals to many from a design perspective.
While the black looks good, my pick is the gold beige because they blend in even more when wearing them.
Excellent sound quality, good noise cancelling though not class leading.
Track and Voice controls are not a touch they are a button, which some may love, but I think a tap-to-use control is a bit more functional.
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen
Price: $338 (originally $399)
Battery life: 6 hours
Pros:
- Apple ecosystem's best choice
- Transparency mode
- Spatial audio
Cons:
- Best in Apple ecosystem
- No EQ settings
A lot of people see AirPods as the benchmark, which to be clear, isn't true. But as the best seller and the one you see so many people wearing it's hard to argue that they are the benchmark for desire at the very least.
Apple's noise cancelling is great, probably best in class, though Sony and Bose do amazing work in this space too.
Where Apple's latest generation AirPods Pro really excel is when you turn off noise cancelling. Their transparency mode puts the outside world in your ears as if you're not wearing AirPods. It's remarkable. More remarkable still, if you are in a noisy area you'll know it, but it will lessen the volume of that noise to help protect your ears – it's done so well.
Oh, and if you haven't tried spatial audio, it's amazing – sound comes from one direction so if you turn your head it stays in place. Hard to explain, but fantastic to listen to. Though, I wouldn't buy these just for that.
For those deep in the Apple world, these are an easy choice, but if you are really not fussed, you can save a lot of money with another choice.
READ MORE: The best noise cancelling headphones
Bowers & Wilkins PI5
Price: $341.38 (originally $369.95)
Battery life: 4 hours
Pros:
- High quality
- Great sound
Cons:
- Battery life
- No EQ control
When these launched they were far more expensive, which is why I think these are worthy of consideration. They have fantastic noise cancelling, and a really impressive sound quality – Bowers and Wilkins is a high-end premium sound brand.
They suffer from just four hours battery life, which is plenty for many but not on par with the market and is a disappointment for them. And they are big, chunky buds, so if it's sleek you're looking for, these won't do it.
JBL Wave 200TWS
Price: $69 (was $99)
Battery life: 5 hours
Pros:
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Price
Cons:
- Cheaper plastic feel
The JBL Wave 200TWS are a great option for the kids, or for an entry-level in-ear experience. Battery life is five hours out of the case, but they pair easily with all smartphones so there are no issues for anyone.
With a silicon-tip design, they are a snug fit and the small stalk means they don't protrude too much.
While the sound quality isn't near that of those double the price, JBL sound is world-renowned and is miles ahead of other products at the same price.
They are available in white, black, blue and silver to suit anyone's taste.
READ MORE: The very best portable speakers
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Price: $277
Battery life: 7 hours
Pros:
- Multi-point audio
- Noise cancelling and transparency mode
- Fast charging
Cons:
- No EQ settings
- Loose fit for some
This is Google's best yet. They've tried in-ear bud headphones before, and they've been good, but these are great. They work amazingly well on Android phones, but do also pair well with iPhones.
With multi-point audio, you can connect them to multiple devices so you can switch between your PC, laptop, tablet and phone – not a lot of headphones have that.
If you turn off noise-cancelling you'll get 11 hours battery life, seven with it on, and the case will give another 20 with noise cancelling on.
They aren't going to be the right fit for everyone – it's a unique style, and a bit loose for some.
Google has backed themselves in here with a high price, and really the biggest gripe is lack of EQ sound controls.
JBL Live Pro+ TWS
Price: $199
Battery life: 7 hours
Pros:
- Excellent noise cancelling
- Great sound quality
- 30-day money back guarantee
Cons:
- Single device pairing only
With up to 28-hours of battery life when you recharge in the case, the seven hours in the ear is a great battery life for such a small device.
These are some of the best in-ear wireless headphones on the market and when it comes to 'bang for your buck' they're hard to match.
It took me a while to find the right fit, but the five different sizes of ear-tips to choose from mean you should be fine.
Most notably, the noise cancelling on these is fantastic, unmatched in the sub-$300 price point category.
Of course, with JBL's signature sound, plus great adjustments and customisation in the JBL app make these hard to beat.
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