The best earbuds from all the top brands

Read our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro.

Who it's for:

If you're an iOS user who wants to avoid dealing with an auxiliary app, Apple AirPods Pro is your best bet. They have impressive noise cancellation and seamlessly connect to iOS systems. To pair them to your iPhone, just open the charging case. Need to go hands-free? The AirPods will announce your texts to you.

Why we like it:

As an iPhone user, I'm partial to Apple AirPods Pro's connectivity. They connect easily, and no app is needed. Instead, you can just go into your phone's settings; the AirPods have their own settings menu there.

But beyond their iOS compatibility, they're also fantastic earbuds. I was taken aback when outdoors and found that their ANC drowned out the busy street I was walking along. The audio quality is generally good, but it wasn't nearly as impressive as the Bose or Sony earbuds. These buds played my songs as I would expect, but with no extra flair.

The biggest downside to the Apple AirPods Pro is that they don't come with multiple ear tips. The AirPods Pro fell out often, and I wished for a smaller ear tip for a better fit.

If you like the idea of the AirPods Pro 2 but can't swing the price, the new AirPods 4 also come with active noise cancellation. Plus, they just received a positive review from Mashable's tech editor.

Beats is one of the biggest names in quality audio tech. And they're technically an Apple product — Apple bought the brand back in 2014. That means the Beats PowerBeats Pro give you the full package: The brilliant sound of Beats’ bass wizardry, plus Apple’s all-powerful H1 chip. 

Beats PowerBeats Pro wireless earphones are a good alternative if you aren't a fan of the AirPods Pro fit. And “fit” is the operative word. The Powerbeats Pro have a slimline silicone nozzle (with different size options) and over-ear hooks that ensure these never come loose.

They come with intuitive controls, which include playback and volume buttons. In fact, you can control the volume via either earbud — a small but subtly brilliant addition that other brands would do well to follow. Other nice touches include hands-free Siri, micro-laser barometric venting holes to relieve in-ear pressure, and an oversized charging case (though it may be too big for some people). The case will give you two full charges before it needs plugging back in.

There are downsides. These are splash proof rather than fully waterproof. Plus, there's no ANC or adjustable EQ levels. But these gripes can be overlooked given how impressive the Powerbeats Pro are elsewhere.

Not every set of headphones costs the earth. In fact, the EarFun Air Pro aren’t just affordable — you’ll also be impressed with what they can do. 

At a budget price, you have to manage expectations about what the noise cancellation will achieve. But unless you’re very fussy about controlling the nuances of noise cancellation and ambient noise levels, this ANC is very respectable. There’s even a transparency mode, which allows some external noise in — great if you need to quickly stop and chat. 

The sound comes courtesy of 10mm dynamic drivers and a tuning collaboration with speaker brand Edifier. As you’d expect from the EarFun name, these deliver a fun, punchy sound profile — especially good for contemporary tunes and upbeat pop. The more serious-minded audiophiles, however, will need to look elsewhere.

Other nice touches include a single earbud mode, a six-microphone system for improved call quality, and infrared detection tech that pauses the music whenever you remove the buds. With a 9-hour battery life (a little less with the ANC switched on), these are in it for the long haul, though the buds might get uncomfortable after long sessions.

Who it's for:

Love high-quality audio but not so fond of the feeling of headphones over your ears? These Sony earbuds are the earbud model of the flagship WH-1000XM5 headphones we recommended above.

Why we picked this:

These earbuds deliver a rich, well-balanced sound profile, without the weight of over-ear headphones. The ear tips material are not the usual silicone found on AirPods and other earbuds, but a more foam-like material you'd find on an ear plug, allowing for all-day wear that creates a firm seal without sacrificing comfort. People who aren't fans of the stemmed design made popular by AirPods will appreciate that Sony didn't attempt to make a carbon copy. Plus, these Sony earbuds still offer functional touch controls.

The Sony companion app allows for a ton of customization, including for those aforementioned touch controls, paired devices, and of course, an equalizer. Those who feel a bit intimated by a completely custom equalizer will appreciate the "Find Your Equalizer" feature, which gives you two rounds of options to select from while listening to music to narrow down what settings actually sound the best. Once you've made your selection, a final before and after sound test confirms you're happy with the mix, making it easier than ever to get the most out of your music.

We also enjoyed the Adaptive Sound Control, which switches the earbuds automatically from noise cancelling to ambient sound transparency modes based on whether you're sitting or walking around (settings that can be adjusted). Multipoint pairing also lets you switch between two devices with next to zero lag. If you hate using transparency mode because of how it amplifies outside sounds, you can adjust that, too.

Admittedly, these earbuds are pricey, but we think the premium features and quality sound justify the cost for someone who wants a lot out of their earbuds. Typically, these headphones drop about $70 in price, so we expect to see a similar markdown during Prime Big Deal Days.

Cambridge Audio might not be the first brand you think of when shopping for new earbuds, but it’s well-regarded for delivering tiptop sound quality. And in the case of the Cambridge Audio Melomania, at a very reasonable price too.

The audio comes via custom-designed 7mm Graphene-enhanced drivers. The sound is both bold and nuanced — and totally immersive. There’s no active noise cancellation, though. Instead, they’re built to passively block noise, which they do by sealing in the ear. A transparency mode allows you to keep in touch with the outside world.

It's not only about the sound. There’s another good reason to buy the Cambridge Audio Melomania. Namely, their excellent battery life. Nine solid hours plus up to 50 hours with the charging case. That’s the best you’ll find with any earbuds.

In terms of the music, there’s a selection of EQ pre-sets on the Melomania app — perfect for finding a sound that perfectly suits you. The fit of the buds themselves is also customisable. They’re designed based on samples of 300 pairs of ears, with a selection of tips included to ensure the perfect fit for you.

The British-made Bower & Wilkins are continuously breaking ground and upping the quality of high-end, crystal-clear headphones. Even if you’re used to the very best names in audio tech, you’ll find the specs of the Bower & Wilkins PI7 S2 to be very competitive. 

The sound is excellent. They have Dual Hybrid Drive units with individual amplifiers. They’re also packed with six microphones for perfect sound and call quality — plus, adaptive noise cancelling, which uses these tiny microphones to react in real time to stop external noise from ever reaching your ears. Be warned, however: If top-of-the-range noise cancellation is a deal breaker, there is better performing noise cancellation out there.

The Bower & Wilkins PI7 S2 get the nod here because they're especially good watching Netflix and other streaming apps on your phone. They support aptX Adaptive, one of the best, most up-to-date codecs around. The aptX Adaptive codec has an always-adjusting bitrate, which means the best possible sound at an impressively low latency. It stays in sync and ensures glitch-free streaming. 

The charging case also acts as a unique retransmission system, which can be plugged directly into an audio source and will retransmit the sound to your earbuds. For instance, if you’re on a flight, the case plugs straight into the in-flight system so you can watch movies with these buds.

If you want Apple-style tech and function but you’re in the decidedly non-Apple camp — or just want to spend significantly less — the Google Pixel Buds A-Series could be the ones for you. These are aimed largely at Android and Google phone users (though they work perfectly well with the iPhone) and cost less than the AirPods Pro. 

You’ll instantly see the benefits of being an Android user. They connect to Android devices using Fast Pair. You don’t even need to press anything — they hook up automatically. There’s also optional Google Assistant. Other Google features include Google Translate.

There’s a lack of active noise cancelling though an Adaptive Sound feature makes up for it. This adjusts the volume based on the outside noise. And the sound is very good, which combines with clear call quality. 

Various playback and call functions are operated by tapping the buds' outer surface. But these don’t extend to volume controls. Instead, you’ll have to adjust volume via Google Assistant or your device. The battery life is a negative point, at a below par five hours, but you’ll get an extra four charges from the charging case — and three hours of charge from just 15 minutes. 

Not everything needs to cost a bomb. And sometimes, if you shop around, you get more for your money than you bargained for. Take the Soundmagic E11C, for instance. These budget earphones have racked up five-star reviews for their price-performance ratio and crisp, lively sound with plenty of bass. And some people just prefer wired sound.

OK, at this price you have to manage your expectations. Yes, they sound good — very good, in fact, for the money — but there are zero features other than noise isolation, which combinines ergonomic angled sound tubes with an in-ear fit that seals the ear canal. That’s more about the build than actual tech.

They also have a handy three-button remote control. It’s basic but actually much simpler than having to control everything via a phone app, which does happen with some expensive earbuds. And you’ll find they’re pretty robust. Aluminium housing keeps them well protected — they’re more durable that you’d expect at this price.

The real downside, of course, is that some up-to-date phones and devices have long since abandoned the headphone jack. That means you’ll have to get one of those little adapters to use them with the latest iPhones. If that’s not a problem for you, the Soundmagic E11C are an absolute steal.