The perfect wi-fi earbuds for 2025

The marketplace for true wi-fi earbuds has exploded, and whereas which means extra decisions, it additionally means extra confusion in the case of selecting the perfect wi-fi earbuds to your wants. From premium choices just like the AirPods Professional 2, which mix glossy design with spectacular energetic noise cancellation, to fashions that prioritize distinctive sound high quality, there’s a pair of Bluetooth earbuds for everybody. These compact gadgets additionally now supply options that rival conventional, over-ear headphones, which might make them the go-to selection for music lovers, commuters, gym-goers and plenty of in between.

I’ve examined and reviewed dozens of units of earbuds a 12 months for Engadget, continually pitting new fashions towards the earlier greatest throughout all price ranges to maintain this record of the perfect true wi-fi earbuds updated. This information explains why my present alternatives for the perfect wi-fi earbuds made the minimize, and presents some procuring recommendation when it comes to all the pieces you should know earlier than selecting the perfect true wi-fi earbuds to your wants.

If earbuds aren’t your jam, nonetheless, you’ll be able to try our best headphones buying guide, protecting our favourite wi-fi, over-ear headphones, noise-canceling headphones and extra.

Greatest wi-fi earbuds of 2025

What to search for in wi-fi earbuds

In the case of searching for earphones, the very first thing to think about is design or put on fashion. Do you favor a semi-open match like AirPods or would you like one thing that utterly closes off your ears? For those who’re searching for earbuds with energetic noise cancellation, you may need the latter, however a case could be made for the previous if you wish to put on all of them day or frequent locations the place you should be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The general form of earbuds can decide whether or not you get a snug match, so can the dimensions and weight, so that you’ll wish to think about all that earlier than deciding. And bear in mind: audio corporations aren’t excellent, so regardless of a number of analysis, the earbud form they selected could not fit your needs nicely. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for one thing that’s extra snug.

As wi-fi earbuds have turn into the norm, they’re now extra dependable for basic items like constant Bluetooth connectivity. Corporations are nonetheless in a race to pack as a lot as they will into more and more smaller designs. This sometimes means an extended record of options on the extra premium units of earbuds with primary performance on the most cost effective fashions. Rigorously think about what you’ll be able to’t reside with out when choosing your subsequent earbuds, and ensure key gadgets like computerized pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll additionally wish to examine the amount and contact controls as you’ll usually must sacrifice entry to one thing else to make that adjustment through on-board faucets or swipes. Some earbuds even supply app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to enhance efficiency over time.

For these within the Apple ecosystem, options like auto-pairing with gadgets, particularly with AirPods Professional 2, could be an added benefit, whereas Android customers could wish to search for fashions that supply related cross-device performance.

In the case of battery life, the common set of earbuds lasts about 5 hours on a single cost. You could find units that last more, however that is probably sufficient to get you thru a piece day when you’re docking the buds throughout lunch or the occasional assembly. You’ll wish to examine on what number of further costs can be found through the case and if it helps wi-fi charging.

Corporations may also make lofty claims about name high quality on wi-fi earbuds. Regardless of a number of guarantees, the truth is most earbuds nonetheless go away you sounding such as you’re on speakerphone. There are some units that ship, however don’t get your hopes up until opinions affirm the claims.

Sound could be subjective, so we advocate attempting before you purchase if in any respect doable. That is very true when you’re an audiophile. We perceive this isn’t simple when most of us do a whole lot of procuring on-line, however attempting on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a couple of minutes can prevent from an costly case of purchaser’s regret. If a retailer doesn’t permit a fast demo, most retailers have return insurance policies that may allow you to take earbuds again you don’t like. In fact, you must be prepared to quickly half with funds to be able to do that.

We additionally advocate listening to issues like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Actuality Audio and different immersive codecs. Not all earbuds assist them, so that you’ll wish to make sure that a perspective pair does if that form of factor excites you, particularly when you plan to make use of them for playback of high-quality audio.

How we check wi-fi Bluetooth earbuds

The first method we check earbuds is to put on them as a lot as doable. We choose to do that over a one- to two-week interval, however typically embargoes don’t permit it. Throughout this time, we hearken to a mixture of music and podcasts, whereas additionally utilizing the earbuds to take each voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is often lower than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the amount set at a snug stage (normally round 75 %).

To evaluate audio high quality, we hearken to a spread of genres, noting any variations within the sound profile throughout the types. We additionally check at each high and low volumes to examine for consistency within the tuning. To evaluate name high quality, we’ll document audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones in addition to have third events name us.

In the case of options, we do an intensive overview of companion apps, testing every function as we work via the software program. Any holdovers from earlier fashions are double checked for enhancements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an up to date model of a earlier mannequin, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competitors for every new set of earbuds that we overview.

Different wi-fi Bluetooth earbuds we examined

Beats Powerbeats Professional 2

The latest model of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, snug design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a coronary heart price sensor inside. However coronary heart price assist is presently restricted on iOS, and there is a chance these capabilities make it onto the following AirPods Professional fashions.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3

The Galaxy Buds 3 mix ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking talents of the earbuds principally ineffective. Nonetheless, there’s nice low-end tone with ample bass when a monitor calls for it. There are additionally a number of helpful options, most of which require a Samsung cellphone. However at this value, there are higher choices from Google, Beats and Sony

Sennheiser Momentum Sport

I actually like the general form of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re extra snug than the Momentum True Wi-fi 4 and slot in my ears higher. What’s extra, the physique temperature and coronary heart price sensors work nicely, sending these stats to a wide range of apps. Nevertheless, that sport-tracking function works greatest with Polar’s app and gadgets, so there’s that consideration. Additionally, the audio high quality and ANC efficiency isn’t pretty much as good because the MTW4, and these earbuds are expensive.

Beats Solo Buds

There’s quite a bit to love concerning the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the first perk is that they’re very snug to put on for lengthy intervals of time because of some considerate design concerns. You solely get the fundamentals right here when it comes to options and, as anticipated, the general sound high quality isn’t pretty much as good because the pricier fashions within the Beats lineup. You’ll get 18 hours of battery life although, for the reason that firm nixed the battery within the case and beefed up the listening time within the buds themselves.

Bose Extremely Open Earbuds

Bose created one thing very distinctive for this set of earbuds that means that you can keep in-tune with the world whereas listening to audio content material. The clip-on design could be very snug, however sound high quality suffers as a result of open-type match, particularly in the case of bass and spatial audio.

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7

These stick buds have a compact design that’s snug to put on and the nice and cozy sound profile is nice at occasions. Nevertheless, general audio efficiency is inconsistent and there’s no computerized pausing.

Grasp & Dynamic MW09

Retooled audio, higher ambient sound mode and dependable multipoint Bluetooth are the perfect issues the MW09 has to supply. They’re costly although, and you could find higher ANC efficiency elsewhere.

Wi-fi earbud FAQs

What is taken into account good battery life for true wi-fi earbuds?

Most wi-fi earbuds will final 5 hours on a single cost, at least. You could find some pairs which have even higher battery life, lasting between six and eight hours earlier than they want extra juice. The entire greatest wi-fi earbuds include a charging case, which can present further hours of battery life — however you may must return every bud to the case to be able to cost them up.

Is sound high quality higher on headphones or earbuds?

Evaluating sound high quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like evaluating apples and oranges. There are a whole lot of variables to think about and the variations in parts make a direct comparability tough. Personally, I choose the audio high quality from over-ear headphones, however I can inform you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 can be excellent.

Which wi-fi earbuds have the longest battery life?

With new fashions popping out on a regular basis, monitoring the hours of battery life for every this may be tough to maintain tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The corporate states they final 15 hours, however the app was nonetheless displaying 40 % at that mark throughout our exams. The one draw back is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and each expertise and options have improved since. When it comes to present fashions, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 presents 12 hours of use on a cost with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has a number of choices with 10-hour batteries.

What wi-fi earbuds are waterproof?

There are many choices today in the case of elevated water resistance. To find out the extent of safety, you’ll wish to search for an IP (ingress safety) score. The primary quantity signifies intrusion safety from issues like mud. The second quantity is the extent of moisture safety and also you’ll wish to ensure that determine is 7 or greater. At this water-resistance score, earbuds can stand up to full immersion for as much as half-hour in depths as much as one meter (3.28 toes). If both of the IP numbers is an X, which means it doesn’t have any particular safety. For instance, a pair of wi-fi earbuds which are IPX7 wouldn’t be constructed to keep away from mud intrusion, however they’d be okay when you dropped them in shallow water.

Which earbuds keep in ears the perfect?

A safe match can fluctuate wildly from individual to individual. All of our ears are completely different, so audio corporations are designing their merchandise to suit the most individuals they will with a single form. For this reason AirPods will simply fall out for some however keep put for others. Design touches like wing ideas or fins sometimes come on health fashions and people parts can assist hold issues in place. You’ll probably simply must attempt earbuds on, and in the event that they don’t match nicely return them.

What wi-fi earbuds work with PS5?

PlayStation 5 doesn’t assist Bluetooth audio with out an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets include a transmitter that connects to the console. There are common choices that assist you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Upon getting one, plug it right into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it.