Best wireless earbuds 2022: Receive wire-free Bluetooth audio from these top earphones
(Pocket-lint) - The convenience, sound quality and comfort that modern wireless earbuds offer make them essential devices.
Whether you're an audiophile looking for great-sounding earbuds to complement your wireless headphones, or you're just looking for something stylish with a good mic for calls and casual listening, there's now a wide range of options.
However, with this growing popularity, it has become increasingly difficult to choose between the top-of-the-line Bluetooth earbuds. Pretty much all big-name audio brands now have some type of wireless bud to consider, with each pair offering a unique blend of design, features and sound profile.
Of course, not all are created equal. We know because we've tested, reviewed and rated a truckload of them - and use this buyer's guide to provide a round-up of what we think are the best pairs right now.
In the tips below, we'll give you an idea of which ones to consider. And for those new to wireless earbuds, our advice section will help you learn how to choose the best earbuds for your needs.
For those who prefer the solid connection that a wire offers, you can also check out our guide to the best wired earbuds.
Which wireless earbuds are the best right now? Currently our top recommendation is the Sony WF-1000XM4. However, we also recommend checking out the Apple AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, Beats Powerbeats Pro and Klipsch T5 II ANC.
Our top pick: Wireless earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM4
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for
- Amazing sound
- Super ANC
- Great case
Against
- Expensive
- Slightly split appearance
Sony's first pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones received mixed reviews, but the latest generation is great. Where these stand out from their rivals is in ANC.
Add over-ear quality ANC to a device with great sound, long battery life and a comfortable fit and you have a winning combination. The earbuds' looks and design might be divided, but that's true of pretty much all true wireless headphones.
We also recommend wireless earphones
Wireless earbuds are a very personal piece of technology, which is why our top overall recommendation isn't the right choice for every type of listener. Here are four other exemplary true wireless earbuds that you might consider.
Apple AirPods Pro
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for
- Great ANC
- Excellent iOS integration
- Excellent sound
Against
Apple's highest-quality earbuds are some of the best out there, especially if you're using iOS. They've got top-of-the-line active noise cancellation for that all-important isolation, and the sound quality is really impressive.
Combine that with a really comfortable design and you have earbuds that are a joy to wear. Instantly pairing with Apple devices and easily switching between them is better than other earbuds if you're invested in the ecosystem, and the overall experience is one of sheer convenience alongside premium touches.
Bose QuietComfort earphones
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for
- Great ANC
- Excellent sound
Against
- Mediocre controls
- Pretty chunky buds
Bose makes its debut on this list with an absolutely superb pair of earbuds that blew our minds on review. They offer excellent noise cancellation as well as excellent wearing comfort, as the name suggests.
Music just sounds brilliant through the earbuds, and while the controls aren't quite as intuitive or helpful as some others, they're still up to date with the best sets available.
Beats Powerbeats Pro
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for
- Great for training
- Really secure hold
- good sound
Against
When you combine comfortable design with great sound, long battery life and Apple H1 convenience, you get an all-round fantastic pair of headphones. And that's exactly what the Powerbeats Pro is.
The softer curves and angles of the molded plastic case make an earbud a super lightweight earbud that is extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It also has the battery life to match, with up to 9 hours of playback outside of the case.
That's not all, as Apple-owned Beats gets access to Apple technology, and that means you get the same H1 chip that's in the second and third-gen AirPods. That means easy pairing with iOS devices and instant pairing with any device using the same iCloud account.
Then there's the sound, which is really impressive given the price of Powerbeats. Lots of bass, but lots of detail in the highs and mids. The only downside is the lack of decent noise cancellation.
Klipsch T5 II ANC
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for
- Amazing appearance
- Flawless sound
- Solid ANC
Against
- A price increase over the standard version
We really, really liked the standard Klipsch T5-II earbuds, but the latest version adds ANC for a blockbuster package, albeit that pushes the price up a bit too.
You get excellent sound that's balanced and delicate, but can also be brilliant and loud depending on the genre. It has real range and a great wireless charging case that opens and closes satisfactorily.
Build quality is excellent and connectivity is rock-solid for a truly impressive effect overall.
Other products we considered
We've spent hours of testing and research trying to figure out what we think are the best wireless earbuds available today. We consider a number of factors when it comes to recommending earbuds - and apply the same criteria when considering a new device for recording. Not everything is judged by our tests either - we also try to factor in consumer ratings, brand quality and value.
Across all of our roundups, there are also many products we test that don't make the final cut. However, since they might be the right fit for some people, we've listed them below.
How to choose the right wireless earbuds
Scroll back about five years and wireless earbuds were a fresh new look for the market, but now there's almost a myriad of options to choose from. Here are some key questions that might help you narrow down your options.
What kind of design do you like?
While Apple's AirPods initially dominated the look and feel of almost all earbuds, there's now a real sense of diversity in the market, with earbuds coming in all shapes and sizes. You'd be well advised to find out what kind of look you prefer - whether buds with stems, those without, in-ear options or those without buds.
This will help you drastically narrow down your options and highlight a few that fit your preferred style.
Do you want to train with them?
While most high-end earbuds are now expected to hit the market with a bare minimum of sweat resistance, some still don't make it. You should definitely consider whether you intend to play sports with your earbuds or run the risk of having to use them in the rain.
After all, nothing could be more annoying than having your earbuds die because they can't withstand the elements. Of course, if you only use them at home or on public transport, you should still be fine.
How important is active noise cancellation?
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is brilliant technology that filters out background noise around you using microphones on board the earbuds to determine what to cancel. When it works well, it's a game changer that can make it easier to focus on your audio on trains or planes, for example.
That said, it's also a feature that generally tends to drive up the price of the device (though that's less of an issue over time). While we think it's a brilliant addition, ignoring it could save you a ton of money.
What's your budget?
Speaking of cash, it's another big variable in your search for the right earbuds. There are now earbuds at pretty much every price point imaginable, although we still think around £100/$100 is a safe place to start having more confidence in what you're buying.
If you're happy to spend £300/$300 you can get yourself a really excellent piece of tech, but if your budget is different the most important thing is to make sure you know what it is!
More about this story
Every product in this list has been tested in real situations, just as you would use them in your daily life.
We've been using wireless earbuds since they were just prototypes and have compared them since they first really hit the market. That means comparing their sound performance down to the smallest detail.
Also important to us is the connectivity and integration with smartphone software, as well as the design touches that make some earbuds just stand out from the crowd. Waterproofing and ANC are increasingly becoming expectations for high-end buds, while battery life and price are also key variables.
As with any summary, it's not possible to provide a list that works for every type of user, but we draw on the experiences and opinions of the broader Pocket-lint team - and thoroughly assess the areas above - to guide our work do best in this regard.
What we always avoid when compiling these tips are unnecessary spec comparisons and marketing lines; We just want to provide an easy-to-understand summary that will give you an idea of how to use each pair of wireless earbuds. Our judgments are brief, but this is for brevity only.
Writing from Conor Allison.
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