Top Earbud Headphones 2023

The simple, stylish OnePlus Buds earphones offer very good wire-free sound quality for significantly less money than Apple's AirPods.

The Altec Lansing True Evo are okay for mixed usage. Their sound profile will be better suited for fans of heavy-bass music and won’t be great for vocal-centric music. They don’t isolate low frequencies well like plane and bus engine rumbles, which won’t be ideal for commuting. However, they have a very portable design. They also have stability fins and are very breathable, which is good for sports. Unfortunately, their short battery life isn’t great for the office as they also take a lot of time to charge fully. Also, their latency will be noticeable while watching video content and gaming.

The W40 are decent mixed usage headphones. They have a sturdy, durable design and a stable, comfortable in-ear fit. They also isolate quite well in loud environments and barely leak even at high volumes. This makes them above-average headphones for sports and office use and thanks to their high passive isolation they do well as commuting headphones too. Unfortunately, they have a subpar sound that may disappoint serious listeners.

Above-average for office use. The Samsung Level U Pro don't block much noise, but thanks to their incredibly low leakage, you can mask the office chatter, by playing your audio at high volumes and not disturb others.

The true wireless Microsoft Surface Earbuds are cool to look at, but they offer inconsistent audio performance for the price.

Passable for neutral listening. The KZ ZSN have a deep, powerful, and consistent bass, and a well-balanced mid-range, but their treble performance is very uneven, lacking detail and overly sharp on some S and T sounds. Also, their bass is slightly boomy and muddy while their mid-range is a bit recessed and will, therefore, sound slightly hollow on vocals and lead instruments. Overall, these headphones will be better suited for bass-heavy genres.

The MEE audio M6 Pro are decently versatile in-ears. They deliver a moderately well-balanced audio response but may sound a bit too sharp for some critical listeners. They're easy to carry around on your person with a stable and durable design that's decent for sports. Unfortunately, they may not be the ideal headphones for more critical listeners.

The Shure 315 are disappointing for neutral sound. They have an even mid-range but have underemphasized bass and treble ranges. As a result, mixes lack thump and rumble while vocals and lead instruments are veiled. Sibilants like cymbals are also very dull. They have a poor soundstage due to their closed-back in-ear design, meaning they won't be the ideal headphones for neutral listeners.

While the JLab Epic Air ANC offers an affordable route into noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, underwhelming performance and an unreliable app mean you’re better off looking elsewhere.

The second-generation Google Pixel Buds are a significant improvement on the first with a fairly unique combination of an open-air-like fit with the full sound that requires a silicone ear tip.