Block the outside world and tune into your own with the best in-ear headphones
The best earbuds for running
Jabra Elite 65t
Functionality, battery life, and great water
resistance at a good price make the Jabra Elite Active 65t the best true
wireless option for running.
Best earbuds for sleeping
Bose Sleepbuds
Bose’s Sleepbuds stay snug and comfy while you sleep, while masking distracting noises.
Best Earbuds For Bass
Beats by Dre Powerbeats Pro
The Powerbeats Pro’s big bass response lives up to their name and their branding.
We’ve reviewed hundreds of pairs of headphones — and more earbuds than we can count — and we’re happy to report that the
1 More Triple Drivers are the best earbuds you
can buy, thanks to the incredible sound they offer at a budget-friendly
price. But we have six more picks beyond that for you to consider, with
and without wires, all of which come with our highest recommendation.
Our picks
tick all the boxes: Great performance, stability, and even options for
swimmers and poor sleepers. Some cost a mint (though not nearly as much
as the world’s most expensive headphones),
while others will barely dent your budget. Whichever you pick, there’s
no doubt that any of these earphones will make you a happy camper next
time you hit the road.
If you’re looking for wireless options only, be sure to check out our best wireless and best true wireless headphones lists.
The best earbuds at a glance
The best earbuds: 1More Triple Drivers
Why you should buy them: They’re a sweet mix of style, performance, and shocking affordability.
 |
1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones
The 1More Triple Drivers are affordable,
easy on the eyes, and offer a depth
of sound which is second to none.
|
Who they’re for: The discerning listener who craves quality, but hasn’t yet landed that corner office.
Why we picked the 1More Triple Drivers:
We could have gone many ways for this
pick, but 1More’s unassuming Triple Drivers just wouldn’t stop popping
up into the picture. The 1More aren’t at the top of the class in
performance, but what they do have going for them is unrivaled quality
and value at their (very reachable) price point. The company has created
plenty of iterations since, including a Quad Driver and even an over-ear version, creatively called the Triple Driver over-ears. But when it comes to value for the money, we always come back to the original.
China-based upstart 1More blew our
minds when we discovered how little the company wanted for the Triple
Driver headphones, the first pair we’d ever heard from the brand. For
this kind of build quality and performance, we’d expect to pay at least
double. And while these aren’t wireless earbuds, if you don’t mind some
strings attached, they more than make up for their wired constraints
with sweet sound for the dough.
So what specifically do the Triple
Drivers offer your ears? A gorgeous aesthetic, solid construction, and
you guessed it, three drivers within each earbud for excellent sound.
That includes one dynamic driver for warm and full bass and a balanced
armature driver for both the midrange and treble to create clear and
articulate sound. It’s an intriguing design than one might think is a
gimmick, but we can assure you that when it comes to the results, it’s
anything but.
The Triple Driver’s sound signature
provides sparkling clarity, smooth and powerful bass, and balanced sound
that outdoes everything we’ve heard at a similar price point. These
headphones provide exceptional sound for anything you listen to, from
electronica to acoustic folk. Need we say more? Oh, and if you’re
rocking a new iPhone and you hate the adapter, there’s a Lightning version, too.
The best earbuds for running: Jabra Elite Active 65t
Why you should buy them: You’re on the hunt for great workout buds that are comfortable and life-proof.
 |
Jabra Elite 65t
Functionality, battery life,
and great water
resistance at a good price make
the Jabra Elite Active 65t the best
true
wireless option for running.
|
Who they’re for: People who want total wireless autonomy for demanding workouts.
Why we picked the Jabra Elite Active 65t:
Jabra’s Elite Active 65t may look
like miniature versions of the Bluetooth headsets that helped put the
brand on the map more than a decade ago, but don’t be fooled by the
aesthetic. With solid battery life, great sound quality, and an IP56 waterproof rating, these little guys best Apple’s industry-leading AirPods as some of our favorite fully wireless headphones.
The Elite Active 65t feature an
ergonomic design, with three different sets of eartips to guarantee a
good seal. The excellent passive noise isolation means you get the most
out of every note, and you can also lower the volume for less ear
strain. Overall sound quality is good, coming through clear and
balanced, with punchy bass response and a very dynamic treble register.
The Elite Active 65t offer five hours
of battery life per charge, which doesn’t match some of the latest true
wireless buds, like Beats’ Powerbeats Pro,
but it’s more than enough for a serious workout or your daily jam — and
at a much better price. The included charging case adds two refills
before you need to find a Micro USB cable.
The 65t also match many of the best
features we’ve seen from other fully wireless models. Jabra’s Sound+ app
lets you adjust settings like equalization, as well as use either your
phone’s built-in smart assistant (Siri on iOS, Google Assistant on
Android) or Amazon Alexa to respond to queries. Sensors built into the
headphones can be set to play and pause music when you remove the buds,
and the Elite 65t can even pipe in different levels of ambient sound,
which isgreat for hearing cars on the road when you’re out on your job,
or announcements on the train or at the airport while you travel.
The IP56 rating means they are safe
around high-pressure water jets and protected from limited dust ingress —
and that you won’t have to worry about them while you sweat or run in
the rain, adding to the overall convenience of the headphones. All in
all, it’s a great package at a great price.
Best earbuds for sleeping: Bose Sleepbuds
Why you should buy them: They’re the best sleep-focused earbuds out there.
 |
Bose Sleepbuds
Bose’s Sleepbuds stay snug
and comfy while you sleep,
while masking distracting noises.
|
Who they’re for: Those who struggle to sleep due to loud living conditions or a snoring bedmate.
Why we picked the Bose Sleepbuds:
You might assume that a category like
“best earbuds for sleeping” would include a pair of noise-canceling
earbuds, but that’s only half-true. The aptly named Sleepbuds from Bose
don’t use noise canceling, per se, but noise masking. Instead
of blocking sound, the Sleepbuds produce sound that matches the normal
decibel level of common distracting sounds that normally keep us awake.
The included Bose Sleep app provides 10 different white noise tracks to
pick from, with obvious options like ocean waves and warm static hums.
Each is designed to keep you from noticing those annoying outside noises
— including a snoring partner.
Since they’re meant to be worn while
you’re sleeping, the Sleepbuds look and feel different than your average
pair of wireless earbuds, and feature specialized tips that fit in your
ear slightly differently than what you may be used to. The silicone
tips are designed to lock securely in your ear so they don’t fall out
while you’re sleeping, and each pair of Sleepbuds ships with three
separate sets of tips so you can find the best fit. They’re also
incredibly light, with each earbud only weighing about 1.4 grams and
measuring about 1 centimeter wide.
Don’t expect the Sleepbuds to pull
double duty as the earbuds you listen to music with, however. These are
designed solely for helping you sleep, and little else. In fact, there
are some limitations to their ability as sleeping aids, such as the app
only holding a maximum of around 12 ambient sounds, and their size and
fit potentially being ever-so-slightly too big for sleeping on your
side. Still, they are the best option for those who need help catching
some z’s, and do a pretty darn good job of it.
Best earbuds for bass: Beats Powerbeats Pro
Why you should buy them: You want all the power and groove of big bass with high-quality sound everywhere else.
 |
Beats by Dre Powerbeats Pro
The Powerbeats Pro’s big bass response
lives up to their name and their branding.
|
Who they’re for: Those who want big bass and clear sound in a great pair of workout buds.
Why we picked the Beats Powerbeats Pro:
Beats’ Powerbeats Pro headphones
certainly bring the bass, which is why we’ve picked them for this
category. Admittedly, all that low-end may lead to a little too much
thump for some ears, and will be especially notable in tunes that don’t
really need such booming sound. That said, if you’re familiar at all
with Beats’ other bass blasters, like the Powerbeats3,
you’ll be pleased to hear that the harmonic distortion from all that
rumble is much less of an issue when listening on the Powerbeats Pro.
Complementing the big bass response
is the Powerbeats Pro’s eyebrow-raising 9-hour battery life, making them
one of the longest-lasting fully wireless pairs of earbuds we’ve
tested. Those 9 hours can be extended to almost 24 thanks to the
wireless charging case — though it’s a bit bulkier than we’d like.
Still, even if you leave the case at home, 9 hours is more than enough
for an average working day of listening.
The Powerbeats Pro are an impressive
pair of fully wireless buds, but there is one serious drawback we need
to point out. The Powerbeats Pro suffered connectivity issues throughout
our tests, especially in high-traffic areas or with a phone p;aced in a
back pocket. We regularly experienced dropouts while wearing these
while running, and the issue repeated across multiple test units and
even when using different phones. Your mileage may vary, and hopefully
the connection kinks will be worked out on later iterations, but we’d be
remiss not to mention the issue.
Best earbuds for swimming: Sony WS410 Walkman WS Series
Who they’re for: Swimmers and athletes who prefer to leave their phones at home.
 |
Sony Walkman 4GB Headphones
Sony’s NW-WS410 Walkman is an all-in-one,
waterproof device that’s perfect
for aquatic sports or rainy weather.
|
Why we picked the Sony WS410 Walkman W-Series:
Not only is Sony’s Walkman still
alive and well, but it’s now adapted to aquatic environments and is one
of the best choices for swimming and water-based sports available.
Simply put, the W-Series Walkman Sports MP3 player is the most
waterproof earbuds option we’re aware of, and that fact alone wins them
this category. Not only can they be completely submerged and still
continue to play music, but they can operate in salt or fresh water at
depths of up to 2 meters — so go ahead and jump in the deep end.
They’ll even stay on after that
cannonball, kept in place by both around-the-ear hooks and a tiny band
that snugly stretches around the back of your head. The headphones also
feature unique earbuds that are designed to keep water from entering the
driver casing — which would otherwise ruin the headphones for good.
Sony’s Waterproof Walkman is an
all-in-one device that doesn’t need to be connected to a phone or other
playback source; instead, it has 4GB of storage to hold your music, and
you can load up songs and playlists on your PC via the included USB
cable just like in ages past. Sure, 4GB might not sound like much space,
but that adds up to about 1,000 to 2,000 tracks, depending on their
file size. All playback is controlled with tiny buttons on the sides of
each earbud. Speaking of charge, the W-Series Walkman will last up to 12
hours per charge, and Sony claims you’ll be able to charge them in no
time via their quick-charge feature.
The best wireless headphones for iPhone: AirPods
Why you should buy them: As long as they’re synced to an iPhone, the AirPods have features few other devices can match
Who they’re for: Apple die-hards who want a fully wireless option
Why we picked the Apple AirPods:
 |
Apple AirPods 2
The AirPods are the perfect fully wireless complement to your iOS device.
|
The truth is, there are
better-sounding earbuds out there that can work with iPhones, but even
so, we still think the AirPods are the best iOS-specific choice thanks
to how Apple they are.
For better or for worse, the AirPod’s
have all the hallmarks of an Apple product: They’re sleek, compact, and
extremely easy to use. The design
includes simple controls, and no-fuss compatibility with other Apple
products.That last point is probably the most important reason why the
AirPods are our pick for the best wireless headphones to use with
iPhones. Unlike other Bluetooth devices, AirPods are designed to
automatically sync with your device.
Perhaps most important to Apple users
(apart from the iconic style), these earbuds couldn’t be easier to pair
and set up: Just open the case, hold the new AirPods next to your
iPhone, and you’re ready to listen. Once the AirPods are paired, they’ll
also show up automatically on any of your iCloud-connected Apple
devices.
Pairing to non-Apple devices is also
an incredibly simple affair — Apple made its name on intuitive design,
after all. That said, you may want to think twice if you’re not an Apple
head, as there’s actually a lot the AirPods can only do when connected
to an Apple device. For instance, the intuitive double-tap touch
controls can be customized with a number of options — including calling
up Siri, playing/pausing audio, or skipping between tracks — but only
from an iPhone.
For all these reasons, the AirPods
are a solid choice for Apple’s products, especially the iPhone. But
we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that, in fact, every other pair of
fully wireless earbuds work great with iPhones too. And most of them at
this price point actually sound a fair bit better than the AirPods.
It’s a big world out there, so before you just jump into the most
obvious Apple pairing, we suggest shopping around a bit.
The best wireless headphones for Android: Samsung Galaxy Buds
Why you should buy them: The Galaxy Buds are among the most compelling true wireless earbuds out there.
 |
Samsung Galaxy Buds
The Galaxy Buds offer impressive sound,
solid battery life, and a comfortable fit.
|
Who they’re for: Those who want the freedom of truly wireless earbuds on any phone at a great price.
Why we picked the Galaxy Buds:
The Galaxy Buds are more than just
Samsung’s Android-focused response to Apple’s AirPods — they’re also
some of the best fully wireless earbuds around at their price point.
The Galaxy Buds are Samsung’s bid for
simplicity, and at that, they excel. Soft silicone eartips offer a
great seal, keeping them snug in your ears and helping improve the bass
response. The sound signature presnts warm bass and a detailed upper
register that’s never sharp or sibilant. Their 6-hour battery life isn’t
the best in the business, but it bests the AirPods, and that can be
stretched out with additional charges stored in their wireless charging
case.
Beyond battery life and performance,
the Galaxy Buds come with a number of cool features that help secure
their hold as the top choice for Android users. Their customizable touch
controls can be set to change volume or skip tracks from within the
Samsung Wear app. The app also allows you to pick between five different
equalization settings, letting you tailor the sound of the headphones
for your ears and musical tastes.
Perhaps our favorite feature of the
app, however, is “Find my earbuds” which does exactly what it says, and
will save you plenty of time in case one of these tiny earbuds slip away
from your grasp. Their snug fit and lightweight design means you should
never lose them if they’re in your ears — you’ll have to find another
way.
As a way to listen to your favorite
music in all styles on the go, the Galaxy Buds absolutely serve their
purpose, and the lightweight design really accentuates the luxury of
having no strings attached. While choices like Klipsch’s new T5 and others are moving up quickly, the Galaxy Buds are a great choice at a great price.
