The best wireless earbuds of 2023

Sony consistently makes some of the best wireless earbuds you can buy, with models that pack in tons of features, top-notch sound, and excellent noise-cancelling performance. Its latest flagship pair, the WF-1000XM5 (AKA the “Mark 5”), distill the best of what we love about the brand’s buds into a sleek and more powerful design.

Where the previous-generation WF-1000XM4 earbuds were large and bulbous, the M5s are refreshingly small and light, with a compact charging case to match. Their size is all the more impressive given that they offer great battery life and among the very best (if not the best) noise-cancelling performance available in an earbud. They do a great job crushing low-end drone sounds and suppress difficult high frequencies remarkably well. Only a few earbuds, like Bose’s latest QuietComfort, can rival them in this department.

As with other Sony flagships, the M5s are packed with features via the Sony Headphones app for iOS or Android. There you’ll find settings to adjust everything from the Ambient sound mode to features like Multipoint pairing, speak-to-chat, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio spatial sound, and a multi-band EQ to create a personal sound profile.

Like their predecessors, the WF-1000XM5s deliver sound performance that is clear, rich, and detailed across instruments and vocals. You can improve the quality even more by engaging Sony’s DSEE Extreme audio upscaling engine, while supported Android devices can access high-resolution Bluetooth via Sony’s LDAC audio tech. Bone conduction sensors also help to deliver good call quality, even in noisy environments.

The M5s are also comfortable to wear for hours, offering a selection of foam ear tips that keep them stable in your ear and baseline water resistance for a variety of use cases. Sony has also finally added volume controls. This is done by repeated taps on the left or right buds for lowering or raising volume respectively, which isn’t our favorite method but gets the job done.

Our only real complaint about the M5s is that their small, glossy housings make them slippery — you’ve got to really nudge them from the sides to get them out of the case. Their price tag could be tough to swallow as well, but we think they’re worth the premium for anyone who wants a top-notch pair of wireless earbuds.

JLab’s Go Air Pop offer performance and features that seem to defy their price point. Even when they’re not on sale, these buds cost less than what you’ll pay to pick up dinner for two at your local pizza joint.

At just $25 per pair, we don’t expect much from the Go Air Pop, but within those qualified expectations, these earbuds really shine. While they’re not big on features, they offer the essentials, including responsive touch controls, great battery life with up to eight hours per charge, and even a few EQ modes to adjust the sound.

Sound quality is simple but passable, without any notable sharpness or overbearing bass to ruin the overall audio profile. You’re not going to be blown away by the detail here, but you’ll be able to hear your podcasts just fine and make out all the main elements of your favorite tunes. 

These aren’t the most comfortable buds out there, but they’re fine for short-to-medium listening sessions, and they come in a variety of colors to add a “pop” of style. Frankly, there’s not much more that we’d ask of these earbuds given their price. But keep in mind you won’t get features like auto-pause or even an app, let alone extras like noise cancelling or a transparency mode.

If you’re looking for more, you may want to jump up a step to something like the Soundpeats T3, which cost around double, but add extras like a modicum of noise cancelling to the package. Otherwise, the JLab Go Air Pop are the perfect starter buds, whether you’re just testing the waters or looking for an affordable stocking stuffer. At such a low price, what have you got to lose?

Soundcore’s Liberty 4 NC earbuds are one of those products that has you continuously asking: How did they do that? These buds offer good sound, a truckload of extras, and noise cancelling on par with plenty of flagship earbuds. They’re also stylish in an AirPods kind of way, with a premium look and feel. The kicker? They do all that for $100 or less.

Soundcore has been perfecting its formula for undercutting the competition for years now, and the Liberty 4 NC earbuds are the culmination. Name a flagship feature, and these buds likely have some version of it, from personalized multipoint pairing and an available volume limiter to an earbuds finder and noise-cancelling mode that can be programmed for your specific environment.

Not surprisingly at this price, there are a few compromises here. Some features — like 3D spatial audio — can feel tacked on. The touch controls are sometimes less responsive than we’d like, and while the audio quality is clear and detailed, it can sound brittle without some EQ. We also got more like seven hours of battery playback per charge with ANC engaged rather than the 10 hours Soundcore claims, though that’s still respectable.

One place these buds easily live up to the hype is their noise-cancelling performance which meets or beats anything in their class, and even plenty of earbuds well above it. You can still get better noise cancelation by spending up, but you’ll pay double or even triple the cost to get there. 

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a flagship experience without the flagship price — especially when it comes to features and noise cancelling — the Liberty 4 NC are the best wireless earbuds we’ve found.

Technics has always made great-sounding earbuds, but with the EAH-AZ80, Panasonic’s storied audio brand puts it all together. Offering a comfy and stylish design, plenty of useful features, and solid noise cancelling to go along with wonderfully clear sound, the AZ80s are serious contenders.

These buds look and feel luxurious, with flashy touches like a brushed metal finish atop the case and sparkling endcaps on the buds themselves that mimic the turntables and amplifiers that have made Technics a household name. While they aren’t the tiniest buds in their class, they’re small enough to easily fit in your pocket, and their ergonomic housings provide a comfortable fit for hours of wear.

The AZ80s also offer plenty of top-flight features, including a “Find My” function in case you lose your buds, adjustable noise cancelling and ambient sound modes, customizable controls, and conveniences like a wireless charging case. Perhaps most notable is their multipoint pairing for up to three devices at once — one more than anything else we’ve tested — with an agnostic approach that lets you work and play across PC, Android, and Apple devices with ease.

Of course, the big seller here is the AZ80s’ sound quality, which is among the very best you’ll find, with impressive detail, excellent balance across frequencies, and a full and spacious soundstage. Sony’s LDAC hi-resolution transmission over Bluetooth ups the ante with supported devices, while Technics’ Audio Connect app lets you adjust the sound to taste with a variety of presets and a multi-band EQ. 

The AZ80s’ noise cancelling is very good, but it can’t quite match the best options from Sony or Bose. The limitations here are especially notable in higher frequencies, which is a slight drawback given the price. They also skip any 3D audio features. That said, if you’re looking for a versatile pair of earbuds that sound as good as they look, the AZ80s are a fantastic choice.

If it were up to us, everyone would be granted equal access to the AirPods Pro (Gen 2), regardless of which hardware or operating system you prefer. They’re so good, everyone should get a chance to try them. We know that’s wishful thinking, though, because a big part of what makes these earbuds tick is their near-perfect integration with all things Apple.

If you’re an Apple fan, these are easily the best wireless earbuds for your needs. Though the second-gen AirPods Pro may look a lot like the original version, inside virtually everything has been upgraded for a downright futuristic experience. 

The sound has been redesigned for better detail and punchier bass. The noise cancelling has been overhauled to compete with some of the best out there. Their transparency mode is once again the most natural sounding we’ve heard, along with a new audio-limiting feature to protect your ears from unexpected loud noises. Apple even took things further with an update called Adaptive Audio, which naturally blends transparency mode and noise cancelling to adjust to your environment and personal volume preferences. 

You’ll also get all those little extras that make using the AirPods Pro with Apple devices so intuitive, like Hands-free Siri, Auto Switching to move between devices connected to your iCloud account, and Find My support to track the buds down if you’ve left them behind. There’s a 3D spatial audio feature with head tracking as well, which is most useful with Dolby Atmos videos and a few audio tracks found on services like Apple Music.

As before, Apple has chosen not to add features like EQ or noise cancelling control, and alas, there’s still no app for Android users making these earbuds decidedly aimed at Apple folks, start to finish. If you fit that mold, the AirPods Pro work in concert with Apple and iOS devices for an intuitive experience unlike anything else on the market.

Note: Apple now sells the AirPods Pro with either a Lightning or USB-C charging case. Given Apple’s transition to USB-C for its other devices, we recommend the USB-C model.

Read our AirPods Pro (Gen 2) review. 

If there’s an AirPods Pro for Samsung users, it’s the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. So named because they’re an update of the cheaper Galaxy Buds 2, these buds take all the things we like about Samsung’s mid-tier earbuds to the next level, with great sound, good noise cancelling, and plenty of features.

Similarly to how AirPods Pro are designed primarily for Apple devices, some of the most intriguing features of the Buds 2 Pro are Samsung-only, including 24-bit sound, 360 spatial audio with head tracking, and Auto-Switching between Samsung devices like tablets and phones. Others, however, are available to any Android (but not Apple) user, thanks to the Samsung Wearable app. From there, you can select EQ presets, use the earbuds finder, and customize the controls for features like volume control and Spotify connection.

The key to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro really comes down to the design. They’re extremely comfortable in your ears, and their IPX7 water resistance makes them dunkable. The matte design looks good, and the earbuds come in a variety of fun colors. We do wish Samsung would have pushed the battery forward here, as they only offer five hours per charge.

Under the hood, each earbud is affixed with dual drivers to create full, powerful, and detailed performance. Sound is rapid and exuberant, without pushing toward snappy or sharpness. Noise cancelling is also impressive, if not quite on the level of other top options, and calling is excellent in a variety of conditions.

The Galaxy Buds Pro 2 won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a flashy pair of earbuds with great sound that’s especially handy for Samsung users, these are a great option.

We take product testing seriously, and we aim to use consistent, reproducible testing methods wherever possible. To determine the best wireless earbuds, we evaluated several models and assessed their sound quality by listening to a wide range of music genres from common streaming services. This process includes a dedicated playlist to keep our testing consistent, and video samples to evaluate features like spatial audio and head tracking with stereo and Dolby Atmos content.

We also test things like ease of setup and use with various devices, especially for features like Multipoint pairing. To test ambient audio features like noise cancelling, we use a sound-treated room and professional stereo monitors in an attempt to reproduce noises like airplane drones, voice chatter, and various other frequencies. For battery tests, we time the earbuds while playing music at medium volume either in our ears or out with auto-pause sensors disengaged when possible, monitoring the earbuds at regular intervals.

We also test the best wireless earbuds the way regular people use them; we go for walks with the dog, listen to music alonngside high-traffic areas with noise cancelling on and off, and chat with friends and neighbors to test features like transparency mode. As much as possible, we live with these earbuds in an effort to analyze how they work and feel on a day-to-day basis.

Are wireless earbuds better than wired headphones?

That depends on how you’re going to use them. While wired headphones are more likely to offer better, more consistent sound quality at lower price points, they’re less useful for tasks like working out, doing yard work, or walking the dog than a compact pair of wireless earbuds. Wireless earbuds have also gotten better at reproducing good sound in recent years thanks to improved Bluetooth protocols and a variety of other technology enhancements.

The best wireless earbuds also offer features you’re less likely to find in wired options, including noise cancelling and transparency mode to suppress or let in the sound around you respectively. In general, we prefer high-quality wired headphones, especially those with an over-ear design, when doing serious listening with high-resolution audio tracks, and wireless options for most other activities.

What is noise cancelling?

Noise cancellation is a sound-suppression technology that helps defray environmental noises with the use of advanced hardware and software. Noise-cancelling earbuds utilize onboard microphones to capture the sound around you. They then flip the polarity of these frequencies to “cancel” certain sounds.

Some frequencies are easier to suppress than others, with higher frequencies presenting particular difficulty. As such, noise cancelling can’t suppress all the sound around you. However, this technology has advanced with each new generation, offering increasingly better isolation from unwanted environmental annoyances. 

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that lets compatible devices, like earbuds, exchange data, including audio, across limited distances. The majority of Bluetooth devices top out at 33 feet, though devices with Bluetooth Class 1 can extend much further. This technology has improved over time for better sound, more data, and a more reliable connection. Newer Bluetooth versions often provide advanced features and/or better quality and reliability.