Posts tagged: what to look for in wireless earbuds

Wireless earbuds got in trend a couple of years ago, and since then its demand is only increasing. The truly wireless earbuds make everything pretty efficient. It increases your productivity as you can attend and make calls and listen to music or audio while doing your work. They are wireless therefore you don’t have to worry about tangled wires.

Wireless headphones have become an essential gadget to have these days. But with the increase in demand, the variety of products is also increasing in the market. It is getting difficult for people to choose the right product, therefore we have brought you the list of things you should consider before buying the best wireless earbuds for your daily use.

The true-wireless earbuds are a go-to these days for everyone. And why shouldn’t the world go crazy after them? After all, these small devices hold everything a normal headphone has, and even more. These can be used in almost any situation anywhere, whether you are going on a run, for exercise, while working, reading, or even traveling on public transport.

They feature voice-canceling mode, which is impressive if you want to ignore the voices around you and enjoy your music or podcast in peace. There are a lot of products out there and a lot of new companies are launching new products because of the market’s demand. Although, not all companies will provide you with the best experience, thus to get the best experience possible you should know what to look for in wireless earbuds.

The things that you should consider before buying the best wireless earbuds for you include       

CODECS:

The first thing you should look for while buying a wireless earbud is the codec that it supports. The ones that you should avoid include the SBC, aptX, and LDAC. The SBC is the most basic one and does not give you that good of a performance. High-resolution music is not supported in it, and the audio quality is nowhere near impressive.

Therefore, investing your money in something that will not provide you with the best experience is worthless. Moving on to what you should get, so if you are an Apple user, search for earbuds that support AAC. Apple products only work with SBC or AAC codec so going for AAC is the reliable option. Besides, if you are an android user, you can use any earbud out there just avoid the above-mentioned three codecs, and you are good to go.

BATTERY LIFE:

The battery life of the earbuds matters a lot, as you don’t want them to switch off between a solid exercise session or halfway home on the bus. Mostly you will find the earbuds having a battery life of around 4 to 5 hours, which is quite adequate. However, the more battery life you have, the better it is.

So, searching for an earbud that can provide you with a reliable listening time is important. Moreover, the charging case of the earbud gives you extra battery life by recharging it. Companies sometimes while advertisements can tell you the combined battery life of the top-ups available, so beware of that. Besides, having a playtime of 4-5 hours is still satisfactory and is a pretty reliable option to consider.     

ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING:

The noise-canceling feature is quite self-explanatory, it is used to mute out the voices around you. This feature enables you to enjoy your podcast or music in peace without any noise disturbing you. It is a very helpful feature if you travel a lot in public transport like trains or buses, which get noisy sometimes.

However, despite having advantages it does come with a drawback, that it utilizes the battery life fast. So if you are using the noise-canceling feature keep in mind that the playtime will drop quickly. Additionally, when an earbud supports the active noise canceling feature, it comes with a ‘Hear-thru’ mode.

The hear-thru mode enables you to choose how much noise canceling you want so that you can avoid ignoring people unintentionally who is talking to you just because you can’t listen to them.

VOLUME:                                                                       

Volume plays a key role while listening to music. Every person has a different taste in music, and it depends on what volume they like to hear on. The loudness that you will receive on full volume in different earbuds can vary drastically.

Some earbuds can provide you pretty loud and clear audio at around 50-60%, however, others will give solid audio at full volume. Thus, before buying the best wireless earbuds must keep your eyes on the volume level and the loudness you are receiving.

CHARGING CASE:

All the earbuds come with a charging case. The purpose of these cases is to keep these earbuds safe and to recharge them. The charging case comes with a built-in battery that needs to be changed from time to time. It gives approximately 3 to 4 top-up charging sessions by which you can recharge your earbuds just by placing them in the case.

Most of the charging cases will provide you with a combined battery life of around 20 hours with charging breaks in between. The charging cases come in handy especially if you travel a lot and don’t stay in one place for long. As you can charge your earbuds on the go and you will still get a solid battery life of 15 to 20 hours altogether before you will need to charge the case itself.

Although must consider buying an earbud that comes with a durable charging case as some of them are very fragile and get damaged quite easily. Having a durable charging case is very important as without it the earbuds get misplaced and can’t be charged.

AUDIO QUALITY:

The earbuds are an audio device, therefore having a top-notch audio quality is a must to have. Everyone wants to hear a crisp and clear sound even at the maximum volume without any distortion. A balanced bass level along with delivering clear audio is very important for a true wireless earbud.

As no one wants to attend a call and not understand half of the words the other person is saying. Hence, check the audio quality at full volume before buying any earbuds to avoid getting a bland audio performance.

WEIGHT AND COMFORT:

Considering the weight and comfort level in the earbud is also necessary as they have to sit in your ears, therefore they have to be comfortable. If you use earbuds while exercising or jogging, you will need one that fits effortlessly in your ear so that you won’t have to worry about them falling off.

Another important reason for having an appropriate, cushy fit is that if the earbuds do not fit properly, you will not get the most satisfactory noise-canceling experience, therefore the tips of earbuds should sit ergonomically in your ear.

The weight also matters, as the lighter they are, the more comfortable they will be. Having relatively heavy earbuds sitting in your ear for a solid period can get irritating and uncomfortable. Thus, before buying any earbuds, do make sure that they do not weigh much and come with a variety of tip sizes so that you can choose the most reliable one out of them. 

WATER RESISTIVITY:

It depends if you want water/sweat-resistant earbuds or not. As if you use earbuds while jogging or while exercising you got to make sure that the earbuds you have are water-resistant. Moreover, if you do outdoor work a lot and use your earbuds there, you should consider buying water-resistant earbuds to avoid them getting damaged in case it rains.

Earbuds don’t have to be water/sweat resistant but it is a plus factor to have so if you want, choose an earbud that supports water resistivity. The above mentioned are all the features that you should consider before buying suitable earbuds. Look for options and choose the best wireless earbuds that can give you the desired experience.

Some of the best wireless earbuds are discussed below to give you an idea of what you can get at a reasonable price. Additionally, if you want to get yourself a reliable pair of wireless earbuds for your exercise and jogging sessions, Top-rated earbuds for running will provide you with some satisfying options.

Best Wireless Earbuds

POWERBEATS PRO

SPECIFICATION

• WEIGHT: 20 g
• IP RATING: IPX4
• BATTERY LIFE: 9 hours (24 hours with charging case)

You can count Powerbeats pro as part of the series of wireless earphones with the best battery life. They feature a playtime of approximately 9 hours on continuous use. However, the battery life could vary accordingly to what volume you are using the earbuds.

Besides, you will also get the extra battery juice for around 24 hours, thanks to the charging case that comes along. Additionally, it gives you a battery time of 1.5 hours on charging for 5 minutes for urgent use.  Powerbeats pro has a weight of 20 grams, which is adequate, and the grip it has over the ear is reliable.

It comes in a bunch of different attractive colors, which makes the earbuds stand out. The colors include cloud pink, spring yellow, glacier blue, lava red, ivory, black, and navy.  The earphones are water and sweat-resistant, having an IP rating of IPX4.

Due to the water resistivity it features, you can use these outdoors or indoors even on rainy days, as well as they, are a great option for going to exercise or on a run. It comes with a couple of ear tips, which can ensure you a secure and satisfying fit so you don’t have to worry about loose fits and them falling off.

It provides solid quality audio with impressive volume and balanced bass. All the control is on the earbuds themselves. You can pause and play the audio, attend calls, and manage the volume directly through the earbuds.

Moreover, it supports the voice assistant, thus all you have to do is call the voice assistant out and order what you need to be done and your smart device will make it happen.  Its reliable fit, reliable audio quality, and top-notch battery life make it a stunning option if you want a pair of earbuds for use for a prolonged period.

BOSE QUIET COMFORT EARBUDS

SPECIFICATION

• WEIGHT: 8.5 g
• IP RATING: IPX4
• BATTERY LIFE: 6 hours (12 hours with charging case)

Bose QuietComfort is lightweight and decent-looking earbuds, having a weight of 8.5g. They provide you with a firm fit and come with three different-sized ear tips. You can choose the best fit for yourself out of the three. It comes with a playtime of 6 hours, which is fair battery life.

As well, it comes with an extra battery life of around 12 hours using the charging case, it comes with. But, in the case of an emergency, the charge of 15 minutes will provide you with a battery life of almost 2 hours. The earbuds are water/ sweat resistant and have an IP rating of IPX4. The IPX4 rating means that the earbuds can survive splashes of water and can withstand sweat.

Yet, it is not completely water-resistant. This means that the earbuds can’t survive underwater. They come in two different colors; black and white and have a solid build. The earbuds feature noise-canceling mode, which cancels out most of the noise from your surroundings. Its microphone also supports noise cancelation.

While being on call the other person will only hear you as most of the surrounding sound will be eliminated. This gives you an impressive calling experience without any disturbance, and the voice supplied is clear and solid. Bose QuietComfort also comes with settings through which you can control the noise cancelation.

You can either cut the surrounding sound completely or manage how much noise cancelation you want. Its full transparency option makes you feel as if you are not wearing the earbuds at all. This is the most satisfactory mode while ordering something at a restaurant or while having small chats with the person next to you.

Furthermore, the earbuds don’t come with any buttons but they are touch-sensitive and you can control all the settings only with one touch. Double tapping on the left earbud will enable you to go through all the noise cancelation modes. Meanwhile, double-tapping on the right earbud will allow you to play/pause music, attend calls, and activate the voice assistant.

The earbuds are pretty comfortable and provide you with an amazing satisfactory performance. The audio quality is clear and stunning and the connectivity it provides is also reliable. Moreover, you can have better control of the earbuds by using its dedicated app. Its appropriate fit and amazing noise cancelation features make it one of the best wireless earbuds you can get on the market.

SONY WF-1000XM3

SPECIFICATION

• WEIGHT: 8.5 g
• IP RATING: IPX4
• BATTERY LIFE: 9 hours (24 hours with charging case)

Sony WF-1000XM3 is one of the leading noise-canceling earbuds out on the market. They have a weight of around 8.5 g and are pretty comfortable to wear. The earbuds provide you with a steady fit and do not fall off. It uses a rubberized surface to keep the earbuds in place and increase the comfort as well as the friction to end any risk of them slipping away.

It features two different kinds of ear tips. The ear tips include the 3 different sized normal ear tips, as well as, 4 different sized long hybrid silicon rubber ear tips. Both of them provide you with a very comfortable and reliable fit. The battery life of these earbuds is also impressive. It comes with a playtime of 9 hours in a single use.

Moreover, with the help of the charging case, you will be able to get a total battery life of approximately 24 hours, which is stunning. The quick charging feature enables the battery to get the juice for around 90 minutes by getting charged for 10 minutes only. This quick charge feature comes in handy in case you want to use the earbuds in an emergency.

It has a decent look to it and comes in two different colors; black and gold. From the looks of it, it is quite attractive. Its noise cancelation mode is adaptive and adjusts itself correspondingly in whatever situation you are in. You can either cut off the entire surrounding sound, or you can minimize the noise cancelation effect to hear everything around you.

These features are pretty useful and make your entire experience a lot better. They also come with proximity sensors, and the music stops in both earbuds in case you remove one earbud from your ear. The music starts again when you put back the earbud in your ear. Furthermore, without any buttons, touch sensors enable you to manage earbuds settings.

The earbuds are touch-sensitive and all the settings from volumes to attending calls are done by tapping on the earbuds. WF-1000XM3 also supports voice assistants and you could activate any of your voice assistants. All the control are being done by tapping on the earbuds and you can customize these settings by using the dedicated mobile app it has.

They are water/sweat resistant which gives them a plus point and have an IP rating of IPX4. Hence, it can survive random water splashes and sweat so a good option for workout sessions. The audio quality is appreciable, and the top-notch noise cancelation features make it an impressive choice to consider.

OFUSHO BLUETOOTH 5.0

SPECIFICATION

• WEIGHT: 9.07 g
• IP RATING: IPX7
• BATTERY LIFE: 8 hours (152 hours with charging case)

Looking for a completely water-resistant ear? OFUSHO Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds are a must-consider option for that. It is completely water-resistant and can survive even in heavy rain, with the IP rating of IPX7 which means you can enjoy your music outside even on a rainy day. It has a weight of 9.07 grams and has an adequate look at it.

They provide you with a comfortable fit and sit securely in your ear. Moreover, it comes with 3 different sized silicone ear tips to ensure that you will get the best suitable fit. Furthermore, the earbuds have a battery life of 8 hours, which is quite appreciable, and with the charging case, you will get a battery life of 152 hours.

The earbuds feature 3D stereo audio quality. The audio performance the earbuds provide is top-notch and supplies clear and sharp audio. It comes in black color with a little bit of red detailing on it. It gives balanced sound and deep bass to make the overall audio quality surpass.

Moreover, it eliminates the surrounding sound pretty effortlessly and enables you to enjoy your music and podcast without any interruption. Like most earbuds, OFUSZHO Bluetooth earbuds also support touch-sensitive controls. You can control the volume, attend calls, and play/pause music with just one tap of your finger.

Furthermore, these earbuds also come with a mono mode. The mono mode allows you to use the single earbud but for that, the other earbud should be kept in the charging case. It is simple to set up and connects the earbuds, and the connectivity is quite steady. The audio quality is wonderful and the battery life, as well as, the IPX7 water resistivity makes it a perfect option for outdoor use.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA 1

SPECIFICATION

• WEIGHT: 9.2g
• IP rating: IPX5

• BATTERY LIFE: 9 hours (36 hours with charging case)

Melomania 1 has a solid battery life of 9 hours straight and with the charging case, you will get a total juice of around 36 hours. The charging case does not provide that long battery life compared to other earbuds. The earbuds have a weight of 9.2g and are comfortable enough that you can wear them for long periods during your day.

The earbuds come with a couple of different-sized rubber and memory foam ear tips that fit appropriately in your ear. You can choose the right size for yourself and get an amazing and comfortable fit. The earbuds are both water/ sweat resistant so, you can wear them outdoors or during your workout sessions.

You will not experience any connectivity issues with these earbuds as they hold solid connectivity. These are pretty small earbuds and each feature a button on its front. These buttons are for controlling the settings of the earbuds. They are for managing the volume, activating voice assistants, attending calls, and playing/pausing/skipping music.

Lastly, they do not support a noise cancelation feature, but the audio quality it provides is quite remarkable. The audio performance it provides is satisfactory and the top-notch battery life makes it an impressive option when choosing the best wireless earbuds for your daily use.

CONCLUSION

Above mentioned features are all you should look out for while buying the perfect wireless earbuds for your daily use. All the features above hold their own importance,  yet, you can surely compromise in some places. You can leave out the water-resistant feature if you want, but having it will only give you an advantage.

The most suitable earbuds amongst all the mentioned ones are the OFUSHO Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds. They have the perfect battery life along with the IP rating of IPX7. They are completely water-resistant, and the battery is enough for your daily use.

Especially, if you do a lot of outdoor work, they will be the most reliable ones. Despite whatever weather you are working in, you will not have to worry about damaging them. Powerboats Pro and Sony WF-1000MX3 are also impressive options to consider, especially for solid workout sessions.