Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Once included in this list, Jabra announced the gradual reduction of Jabra's elite product line, stopping the 2024 Elite 8 Active Gen 2. Still, we love their incredible durability (they survived a few drops without scratches) and enhanced the space sound powered by Dolby Audio. If you can master them, they will give them excellent sports earplugs. If you are still interested in discontinued buds, I will have the full Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review.
Sennheiser CX: If you can't afford Sennheiser's flagship momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds, then the CX is a great option. They have great sound, as well as good noise cancellation and voice performance. The only problem is that they stick out your ears slightly and may not fit some smaller ears. This model is usually sold on Amazon for under $100, but it doesn't have active noise cancellation, but the upgraded CX Plus does do (The The CX Plus It's also a good value, especially when it's for sale). Learn more about budget models in my Sennheiser CX True wireless earbud review.
Defeat the Studio Bud: Beats Studio Buds look a lot like the rumored stemless Airpods that some people have been waiting for. Targeting iOS and Android users, they lack some key features from the Apple side (no H1 or W1 chips), but they are small, lightweight real wireless earbuds that they wear comfortably and provide a very good sound. Their noise cancellation is not as good as the AirPods Pro, but they do have transparency mode and are good at making calls. Learn more in fullBeats Studio Buds Review This includes a deep understanding of the features.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offers improved noise cancellation and very good sound and voice tone performance, as well as support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you are the owner of Galaxy device with the right settings. Their biggest upgrade is probably their new design and smaller size, which makes them more suitable for more ears. Apart from the higher-priced tag, their only downside is that some of their key features are only used with Samsung Galaxy devices. Read my full Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review for more information on enabling Android earbuds.
JBL Tour Pro 2: JBL's Tour Pro 2 earbuds have received a lot of attention for bringing new things to true wireless earbuds: an embedded full-color touchscreen display that allows you to access the key features of the earbuds and control playback as well as adjust volume levels. This is a little bit, but it also works. While the buds may sound slightly better, overall, the JBL Tour Pro 2 is a very good earbud that offers a good fit, a robust feature package, strong battery life, plus solid noise cancellation and voice tone price performance. I looked at the earbuds carefully in the full JBL Tour Pro 2 review for 2023.
Sony Linkbuds: Unlike the “Open” link book, the link bag S is a traditional noise-isolated real wireless earbud with tricks of clogging in the ears. They are more compact and lighter than Sony's former flagship WF-1000XM4, and also feature Sony's V1 processor (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5). Although their sound and noise cancellation don't fully measure the XM4 or XM5, they're still pretty good. They are Sony Buds of Sony Buds, which is much less for those who can’t afford Sony’s flagship earbuds, but hopefully 80% of these buds have a much smaller score. Read more about them in our hands-on review of Sony Linkbuds.
Sony WF-1000XM4: The Sony WF-1000XM4 was released in 2021 and won the CNET Editors' Choice Award. They are still great earbuds, but Sony now releases the next generation WF-1000XM5. If you find them at a good discount, they may be a good choice. If you are interested in the model, I have done a closer look at the full Sony WF-1000XM4 review.
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 truly wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds are arguably superior, so only look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they are discounted significantly. Learn more about the impressive buds in my full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.
Beyerdynamic Free Byrd: Beyerdynamic may be late to the game, but finally introduced its first true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, up to 11 hours of battery life (noise cancellation) and impressive sound quality. Read our Beyerdynamic Free Byrd review.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Ex: The $399 Beoplay Ex Buds from Bang & Olufsen are the company's best real wireless earbuds. They have a comfortable, safe fit (perhaps for those with smaller ears), top-notch build quality, excellent sound, good noise cancellation and improved B&O's voice performance, instead of B&O's EQ Buds, there are three microphones in each earbud, which can help you reduce background noise while picking up your voice. They are beyond the price range for most people, but are arguably the best earbuds with stems and deliver the sound of the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper bass and richer, more accurate sound. Learn more about advanced models in my full Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Ex Review.
Sony Linkbuds: In a sense, LinkBuds is Sony's answer to Apple's standard AirPods. While they don't sound as good as the noise-isolated earbuds from Sony's flagship WF-1000XM4 or Linkbuds, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a safer fit than the AirPods, and it sounds nice and sounds good. Like the third generation AirPods, their open design allows you to hear the outside world – that's all about the ring. Check out our Sony Linkbuds ReviewMore information about Sony Buds.
