Best wireless earbuds in 2026: AirPods, Sony, and more

Skullcandy 360 ANC method: In a surprise move, Skullcandy joined forces with Bose in 2025 to create a budget version of the $299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. With “Sound by Bose,” the Method 360 ANC headphones not only sound better than most earbuds in this price category (they sound very similar to the $170 Bose QuietComfort headphones), but they also fit comfortably and securely thanks to Bose’s Fit Kit system, which features stability straps to lock the headphones into your ears. They’re on our best wireless earbuds list and remain good value, but Skullcandy has released these 540 ANC method In 2026 (has a 20% thinner case). Read our Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 ProLeaks revealed that Samsung will launch new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earphones, so we removed the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro from the best list even though they remain very good earphones. It may well be discounted once Samsung launches a new model. Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review.

Sony WF-1000XM5: Sony released the new WF-1000XM6 The earbuds, which are noticeably improved over the previous XM5, are still attractive and should be discounted well now that the XM6 has arrived. Read my review of the Sony WF-1000XM5. Earfun is now shipping the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus, which has a dual-driver design and better sound for about $20 more. The Earfun Air Pro 4 are still very good value, but I like the Plus model better.

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300: While Beyerdynamic’s original Free Byrd impressed with the sound quality, the new 2024 Amiron 300 earbuds address the previous design flaws with a compact, lightweight form factor that fits well in my ears. The sound quality is great – rich, detailed and fairly open with very nice tonal balance out of the box. There is amazing instrument separation that allows you to hear every element clearly on complex tracks. The bass response is particularly noteworthy – it’s clear and punchy without overwhelming the mix – while the midrange provides nice clarity and precision, which benefits sound reproduction. Voice calling performance is solid thanks to three microphones on each earbud, with callers reporting that they can hear me well even in noisy environments, with only minimal background noise.

JBL Live Beam 3: The Live Beam 3 earbuds (about $170) look similar to the previous version Live Buds Pro 2which I like a lot, especially when it goes on sale for under $100. Essentially a competitor to JBL’s AirPods Pro 2, its defining feature is a 1.45-inch LCD touchscreen display built into its charging case that acts as a remote for the buds and gives you access to their features. Equipped with 10mm drivers, it not only delivers clear, well-defined sound with powerful bass, but also features extremely strong noise cancellation and voice calling performance. Their battery is good, too — offering up to 10 hours of battery life with ANC on and 12 hours with it off at moderate volume levels (a 10-minute charge gives you four hours of battery life). Available in four color options, it is IP55 splash and dust resistant.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earphones: Bose now ships with improved charging QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)which means you’ll be able to find discounts on the original QC Ultra Earbuds, which boast excellent sound and previously best-in-class noise cancellation performance.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: Google redesigned it Pixel Buds Pro 2 To fit more ears better. Not only are the Pixel Buds Pro 2 smaller than their predecessor, Google has equipped them with the new Tensor A1 chip, which provides more processing power and enables the new hands-free and eyes-free Gemini virtual assistant. As long as you get a snug fit and a tight seal (yes, this is crucial for sound quality and noise-cancelling performance), these headphones deliver excellent sound, solid noise-suppression capabilities, and a solid feature set, especially for Android phone and Google Pixel users.

Sony LinkBuds are suitable for: Truth be told, in some ways, I like the new Sony LinkBuds fit ($200) Better than that Flagship WF-1000XM5 Noise canceling earphones. Although they don’t sound quite as good or have the noise cancellation quite on par with those headphones, they are lightweight (4.9 grams) and fit comfortably and securely in my ears. Part of that is due to Sony’s new Air Fitting supports, but it has also redesigned its ear tips and includes a wider range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. Although they are slightly lower than the WF-1000XM5s in terms of performance, the sound quality, noise cancellation and call quality performance are all very good. They also have built-in voice controls.

Status between 3ANC: Voice status announced Pro Xthe next generation of noise-cancelling earphones (they Available for pre-order for $250 I’ll be making this list of the best-sounding wireless earbuds once they ship in September, based on my testing of an early sample), but the less expensive 3ANC ($150) will still be on sale. The Status Earbuds aren’t the most stylish or attractive earbuds you can buy, but if you don’t mind their utilitarian look and giant stems, you’re getting an excellent-sounding set of earphones. The Between 3ANC, the company’s first noise-cancelling earbuds, also do a good job of muting ambient sound, though they don’t measure up to the Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds for noise-canceling prowess. They performed very well in my voice calling test, cutting out a lot of the background noise around me on the streets of New York while clearly picking up my voice, or so callers told me.

Creativity Labs Aurvana Ace 2: There’s been some buzz recently about solid-state semiconductor microelectromechanical system, also known as MEMS, amplifiers, and you can find xMEMS drivers In Creative Labs’ Aurvana Ace ($130) and Ace 2 Earbuds ($150). The newer Ace 2 has Qualcomm’s AptX Lossless support for a limited number of devices that support this audio codec, but otherwise the two models look almost identical, except for their color schemes. While the Ace 2 lacks features like ear-detection sensors often found in headphones in this price range, they sound very impressive (if you get a tight seal), with detailed, accurate sound and well-defined bass that has some warmth (it helps to play around with the companion app’s equalizer settings to fine-tune the sound to your liking). I found their adaptive noise cancellation to be good, although not necessarily great. The same applies to voice calling performance.

Bowers Wilkins PI7 S2: Although they have been replaced by the new and improved PI8s, the PI7 S2s, which feature a dual-driver design, remain among the best-sounding true wireless earbuds. The step-down PI5 S2s, which feature a single-driver design, don’t sound quite as good but they are affordable. Learn more about high-quality headphones in my full profile Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2 earphones review.

Sony Link Buds S: Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips that crowd into your ears. It’s more compact and lighter than Sony’s previous flagship WF-1000XM4 and also features the Sony V1 processor. (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5.) Although sound and noise cancellation aren’t quite up to the level of the XM4s or XM5s, they’re still very good. These are Sony’s headphones for people who want 80% of the features and performance of Sony’s flagship earbuds for much less. Read my entire book Sony Linkbuds S review Let’s see how it stacks up.

Jabra Elite 10: Yes, the Jabra Elite 10s have some potential drawbacks: Its noise cancellation is lighter compared to competitors, and it’s priced at $249, and it’ll likely have to drop a bit to better compete with the AirPods Pro 2 — at least for Apple users. However, they are really good earbuds that are not only comfortable to wear for long periods of time, but they also sound excellent. Learn more about Elite in my full profile Jabra Elite 10 review.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen’s $399 Beoplay EX are the company’s best true wireless earbuds. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), high-quality build quality, great sound, good noise cancellation and improved voice calling performance via B&O’s headphone EQ, with three microphones in each earbud that help reduce background noise while picking up your voice. Although they’re out of most people’s price range, they’re arguably the best earbuds with stems and offer slightly better sound than the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper, stronger bass, and richer, more accurate sound. I looked at my earbuds Band & Olufsen Beoplay EX hands-on When they debut in 2022.

Audio Technica ATH-TWX9: Audio-Technica has released several wireless earbuds over the past few years, but none of them were good. That changes with the ATH-TWX9, which has a premium design as well as premium sound and a very strong feature set, including powerful active noise cancellation, multi-point Bluetooth pairing, and a case equipped with wireless charging and UV LED sterilization. In the box you will also find a large number of ear tip options and I manage to have a tight seal and comfortable fit. These headphones are IPX4 splash-resistant and are rated for 6 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.

1 More EvoKnown for offering great bang for the buck, 1More has released a more premium range of headphones equipped with a 10mm dynamic driver paired with a balanced armature. They have support for Sony’s LDAC codec for high-resolution wireless streaming via Bluetooth with music services like Qobuz or Tidal that offer high-resolution music files. The Evos sound better than the company’s other earbuds, offering better clarity and bass definition as well as a relatively wide soundstage. It also features powerful noise cancellation, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, Transparency Mode and an IPX4 splash-resistant rating. Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours with the ANC feature turned on and 8 hours without it turned off. A 15-minute quick charge gives you 4 hours of juice.

Beyerdynamic Free Bird: Beyerdynamic may be late to the game, but they’ve finally introduced their first true wireless earbuds, which feature active noise cancellation, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise cancellation turned off) and great sound quality. Learn more about First Buds in my full profile Beyerdynamic Free Bird Review.

Sony WF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, the Sony WF-1000XM4 won a CNET Editors’ Choice award. These are still excellent headphones, but Sony has now released the next generation WF-1000XM5. It may be a good option if you find it at a discount. Find out why they got such high marks in full Sony WF-1000XM4 review.

Ultimate Sound ZE8000: Japan-based Final Audio, which makes some high-end headphones for audiophiles, including the $4,299 D8000 Proreleased the ZE8000 true wireless earbuds ($199), which feature a unique design and excellent sound. The larger tips fit my ears comfortably and securely, although they stick out a bit.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true wireless earbuds of 2022. They’re still among the best true wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are arguably superior, so only look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they’re noticeably better. Discounted. However, it does offer some great features that I noticed in my device Full review of Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 headphones.

JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has released some true wireless earbuds, but there haven’t been anything that really excited me. This has finally changed with the arrival of the new Samsung-owned brand Live Pro 2 and Live free 2 Sprouts. Both sets of buds – the Live Pro 2 have a stem while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design – offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise cancellation, very good sound quality and voice calling performance, plus a solid set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 rating for splash resistance and wireless charging.