We’re not talking about those muffled, Stormtrooper-colored Apple EarPods (or whatever came with your new smartphone). You deserve better. Something with quality performance, stability, and maybe a bit of individual style. As such, we collected our favorite recent additions to the wide world of in-ear headphones. There’s no doubt that any of these earphones will make you a happy camper next time you hit the road.
1More Triple Drivers
The best earbuds
Why you should buy them: They’re a sweet mix of style, performance, and shocking affordability.
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. 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. 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.
Apple AirPods Pro
The best earbuds for iPhone
Why you should buy them: As long as they’re synced to an iPhone, the AirPods Pro 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 Pro:
The truth is, there are better-sounding earbuds out there that can work with iPhones, but even so, we still think the AirPods Pro are the best iOS-specific choice thanks to how Apple they are.
For better or for worse, AirPods Pro have all the hallmarks of an Apple product: They’re sleek, feature-rich, 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 Pro are our pick for the best
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 Pro are paired, they’ll also show up automatically on any of your iCloud-connected Apple devices, including a companion iPad or MacBook. From there, a quick trip to Bluetooth will switch them over to whichever device you’re using.
The main difference between the AirPods Pro and the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, which used to hold this spot, is the addition of noise-canceling. They also offer a more discreet, fitted design that makes use of silicone tips to: A) keep the Pods firmly fixed to your ears during intense exercise, B) make them more pleasant to wear for extended periods, and C) create the seal that’s required for noise-canceling to function as intended.
They’re also sweat-resistant and offer better sound quality.
For all these reasons, the AirPods Pro are a solid choice for Apple’s products, especially the iPhone. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that every other pair of fully wireless earbuds work great with iPhones too.
Beats Powerbeats Pro
Best earbuds for bass
Why you should buy them: You want all the power and groove of big bass with high-quality sound everywhere else.
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 placed 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.
Samsung Galaxy Buds+
The best earbuds for Android:
Why you should buy them: Samsung’s second generation true wireless earbuds feature best-in-class playback time, as well as the same comfortable fit that made the Galaxy Buds a hit in the first place.
Who they’re for: Those searching for solid-sounding earbuds that will play all day without having to return to their charging case.
Why we picked the Galaxy Buds:
The original Samsung Galaxy Buds were our pick for best
The newest earbuds from Samsung pack 11 hours of playback between charges, which is the best battery life we’ve seen from true wireless earbuds so far. The caveat is that Samsung’s included wireless charging case only carries enough juice for one extra charge. Still, being able to go a full day before having to charge the Galaxy Buds+ is a serious game changer.
Aside from the big-time battery, the Galaxy Buds+ have improved audio quality thanks to dual dynamic drivers, plus a speaker and microphone system driven by Samsung subsidiary AKG. The new Galaxy Buds+ are a great value.
Research and buying tips
Can earbuds damage your ears?
Yes, because of their isolation and because the drivers are closer to your eardrums, it is not recommended to listen at higher volumes for extended periods of time.
Are earbuds waterproof?
Many are water resistant, few are able to be fully submerged. We recommend checking for an IP rating if you want to make sure you are treating them properly.
Can earbuds sound as good as over-ear headphones?
Yes, at the high-end, in-ear monitors can sound as good as virtually any headphones on the market. That said, you’ll have to pay a hefty premium to get top-tier sound.
How should earbuds fit?
Comfortably and securely. You may want to find a pair with earfins or earclips if you are planning on working out.
Should I use earbuds when driving?
No. It is dangerous and illegal in many regions.
Glossary
- Driver: The unit that produces sound in a headphone, made up of magnets, voice coils, and other materials. Typically, the larger the driver, the more power a headphone has, and generally bigger drivers in in-ear headphones indicate a better range of frequencies can be reproduced.
- Dynamic driver: A single driver capable of covering the entire frequency range. The diaphragm is connected directly to a voice coil in the headphone, with the voice coil moving between magnets to produce sound.
- Balance armature driver: In a balanced armature driver, the headphone’s diaphragm is connected to the armature, with micro-vibrations producing the sound. Most balanced armature drivers are best within a specific frequency range, which is why many headphones contain multiple balanced drivers, with certain frequencies divided between drivers for full-spectrum sound.
- Soundstage: The perceived size and depth of the sound coming through the headphones.
- Passive noise isolation: Noise that is blocked out by the headphone based on its physical shape and size in your ear.
- Frequency response: The spectrum of frequencies which a headphone is able to reliably reproduce.
How we test
We test headphones and earbuds the way normal people live.
We run every pair of earbuds through a rigorous process over the course of several days. That includes playing them in all sorts of scenarios — be it on a bus, in the listening room, or at the office — and playing back from a wide array of sources. We know most people use their headphones with a smartphone, often with lower quality MP3 resolution tracks, so we test that, too.
However, we also move up to high-resolution audio files, as well as a wide variety of sources, including plugging in directly to a PC or Mac, using USB DACs (digital-to-analog converters), and employing high-quality dedicated portable players and amplifiers. Finally, we compare the earbuds to some of our go-to models, both in their class and price point, as well as a level or two above to find out if they can punch above their weight.
