Best earbuds for iPhone

Macworld

Wireless headphones or earbuds (whatever you call them) are essentially the standard now, with Bluetooth earbuds being convenient and the sound quality difference to wired not being that noticeable to typical people (we realize audiophiles ‘know’).

The market is huge, but here are the best wireless earbuds we’ve tested for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Macs. If you do want a wired connection some of these do offer it in addition to Bluetooth, but we also have a round-up of the best wired headphones and a comparison of over-ear headphones read our comparison of AirPods Max vs other over-ear headphones. We also have a comparison of all the AirPods.

At the end of this round up of the best earbuds we run through some of the important factors to consider when choosing headphones. Such as whether they support ANC, which is Apple’s codec, or the aptX codec that is now used with many Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, but isn’t supported by Apple (although there are some earbuds, such as the B&W Pi8 below that include a transmitter for aptX support.

Updated November 2024 with B&W’s Pi6 and Pi8.

Black Friday deals

Looking for a Black Friday deal on new headphones? Check out our Best AirPods deals of Black Friday. We’ve seen the following deals:

U.S.

Amazon, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, $229 ($71 off, RRP $299)

Amazon, Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4, $199.95 ($100 off, RRP $299)

Amazon, AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C case): $154 ($95 off, MSRP $249)

Amazon, Beats Studio Buds+, £129 (£40 off, RRP £169)

Amazon, AirPods 4: $119 ($10 off, MSRP $129)

Amazon, AirPods 4 with ANC: $169 ($10 off, MSRP $179)

U.K.

Amazon, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, £198 (£100 off, RRP £299)

Amazon, Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4, £159 (£100 off, RRP £259)

Amazon, Apple AirPods Pro 2, £179 (£50 off, RRP £229)

Amazon, AirPods (4th gen, 2024, with ANC): £169 (£10 off, RRP £179)

Amazon, AirPods (4th gen, 2024, without ANC): £119 (£10 off, RRP £129)

Currys, Beats Studio Buds+, £119 (£60 off, RRP £179)

Best headphones and earbuds for iPhone






1. Écouteurs sans fil Bose QuietComfort Ultra














Pros

Excellent sound quality

Impressive noise-cancellation

Useful app


Cons

Expensive

Wireless case costs extra

Spatial audio could be improved









Price When Reviewed:

349,99 €




Best Prices Today:


€189.99 at Cdiscount FR€214.95 at Bose€214.99 at Darty FR






They’re not the cheapest earbuds around, but Bose’s QuietComfort range has long been a market leader thanks to its combination of high-quality sound and impressively effective noise cancellation. The recently released QC Ultra continues that trend, but introduces an improved design as well as a new immersive mode for spatial audio.

The design of the Ultra is a little sleeker and more streamlined than previous models, with a smart metallic finish that is available in black or Smoke White. Bose has also modified the way that its rubber stability bands fit into each earpiece, helping them to sit inside your ear more securely. You get three sets of stability bands, and three sets of rubber eartips in different sizes, so the combination of the different bands and eartips should allow most people to get a good fit. The Bose app also includes a Seal Test option that can check the way that the earbuds are fitted and provide tips on getting a good fit.

Sound quality is as good as ever, with the Ultra catching the sharp, shimmering sound of the cymbal crash that kicks off Blondie’s Rapture. The bass guitar riff bounces along like a playful puppy, and there’s a bright jangling sound to the lead rhythm guitar, but the Ultra has a keen ear and also picks out the quiet chugging guitar riff that hides further back in the mix. The immersive audio isn’t entirely convincing, but it does add a little extra reverb and spacey ambiance to more atmospheric tracks such as Cut by Low.

And, of course, Bose’s noise cancelation is still ahead of the pack. It stamps down on the deep rumble of aircraft engine noise so effectively that I have to check the settings on my office iMac to make sure the audio file is still playing. The higher frequencies in our airport noise test are more challenging for most headphones, but the Ultra works well here too, leaving only a slight murmur of sound lingering way off in the background. Battery life is around six hours when using noise-cancellation, but spatial audio reduces that to just four hours. The charging case does provide three additional charges, though, and our only real complaint is that the standard USB-C case doesn’t provide wireless charging as well, so you’ll have to pay $49/£49.95 extra for the optional wireless case.







2. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4














Pros

Excellent sound quality

Supports Bluetooth 5.4

Very good noise cancellation

IP54 rating for outdoor use


Cons

Higher price

Slightly chunky design

Apple users don’t need aptX


















I’ve always been a fan of Sennheiser’s headphones, so I was a bit worried when the company was taken over a couple of years ago by Sonova – a medical company that makes hearing aids. I needn’t have worried, though, as Sennheiser has been on a roll lately, launching new products on an almost monthly basis. Its latest update is the Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds, which, as the name suggests, is the fourth-gen version of this popular range of Bluetooth earbuds (and not to be confused with the larger Momentum 4 over-ear headphones).

The TW4 is quite a big update too – as it should be, given that the price has increased from $249.99/£219.99. It’s one of the first sets of headphones we’ve seen that supports the latest Bluetooth 5.4, which includes new features such as Auracast, which is a kind of public announcement system based on Bluetooth. Auracast isn’t widely used yet – most Apple devices are still on Bluetooth 5.3 – but it can be used in public places such as airports or gyms to transmit music or audio announcements to lots of people all at once, so it will be an important accessibility feature in the future. Additional Bluetooth features include support for the latest high-quality aptX Lossless, and the new LC3 codec. Sadly, Apple still doesn’t support aptX, but – like previous models – the TW4 also includes the AAC codec for Apple devices too.

Other improvements include a sturdy IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. And, along with four sets of ear-tips in different sizes, the TW4 also includes three sets of rubber fins, which fit into the outer ear and help to hold the earpieces in place, so the TW4 will be a good option for outdoor use and exercise. Battery life gets a small boost too, now lasting for seven hours when using noise-cancellation, and you can use the wireless charging case to fully recharge three more times as well.

And, as always, the Momentum earbuds sound really great. They handle the sonic mash-up of Sturgill Simpson’s Sing Along with ease, finding room to pick out the taut, ticking percussion, fuzz-laden guitars and fizzing electronic keyboards so that you can hear each set of instruments clearly. You can hear the country drawl in Simpson’s voice as he snarls – “carve my name in the barstool baby – I’m gonna be here a while” – and the swooping bass drop that follows is guaranteed to get you dancing. Even the noise-cancellation seems to have improved on this model, and comes close to matching noise-cancellation leaders such as the AirPods Pro and Bose QC Ultra.







3. Apple AirPods Pro 2nd-generation (2023)














Pros

Fantastic audio quality

Excellent noise canceling

Best-in-class transparency mode

New charging case features

Better battery life


Cons

You can still buy better-sounding wireless earbuds

No LE Audio, lossless, or hi-res audio

Controls on the stems is still a bad idea

















In September 2024 Apple announced that the AirPods Pro 2 will soon get the new hearing aid support.

There are a few minor external changes for the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro, but most of the changes are on the inside.

The 2022 model comes with four sets of eartips adding extra small (XS) to the mix – the original AirPods Pro only came with three tips. We found the extra small tips more comfortable, your experience may differ.

The charging case now comes with a small metal lanyard loop – although Apple doesn’t actually sell a lanyard. There are speaker holes a the base of the case that can make a sound if you lose the AirPods while they are in their case.

The original AirPods Pro lacked an easy way to control volume, so the fact that the second-gen model adds the ability to detect up and down swipes on the little flat area of the stem is useful. A swipe up or down changes the volume.

As for what’s inside, the H2 chip in the 2022 AirPods Pro enables Adaptive Transparency, which is an enhancement of the Transparency mode on the original model. As a result of this mode you can choose to hear things that you might need be able to hear in your vicinity, but you won’t be deafened by them. In our tests the AirPods Pro 2 blocked more outside sound than the originals.

We were impressed by how much better the new second-generation AirPods Pro sound compared to the first generation. Clarity and sharpness is improved and bass response is vastly improved. The bridge of the Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” at 2:30 was just way too much for the old AirPods Pro to handle, but the new model had no trouble keeping up.

The battery life is longer than it was for the original AirPods Pro and you can now use your Apple Watch charger in addition to charging via Lightning and other wireless charging methods.

As with the iPhone 14-series and the 2022 Apple Watches, Bluetooth 5.3 is supported, however, it doesn’t appear that it’s being used for anything in particular right now. Perhaps a software update will bring new features in the future.

Like the originals the AirPods Pro 2 offer Spatial Audio with head tracking, Conversation Boost to amplify speech in the direction you’re facing, one-tap pairing, audio sharing with another pair of AirPods (or Beats), quick switching to other Apple devices your Apple ID is logged into, and hands-free Siri.

Read our full

AirPods Pro 2 USB-C review






4. Bowers & Wilkins Pi8














Pros

Great sound quality

Innovative smart case

Supports AAC, aptX Adaptive/Lossless


Cons

Expensive

Battery life is only average

















The Pi8 earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins support AAC, so you can simply connect your Apple devices to the earbuds using the standard Bluetooth settings on your Mac, iPad or iPhone. However, the Pi8 also supports aptX Adaptive and the latest aptX Lossless, so Bowers & Wilkins has come up with an innovative solution that allows Apple users to enjoy aptX audio quality as well. The Pi8 come with a smart case that can both charge the earbuds and be used as an aptX transmitter. 

Compared to their predecessor (the Pi7) the Pi8 has a more curved shape to the earpieces, to fit more comfortably and to angle the sound directly into the ear canal for the best sound quality. The earpieces are a little on the large size, but B&W includes ear-tips in four sizes to help you get a good fit. The size means they can fit high-quality 12mm drivers and a larger battery. The Pi7 only lasted five hours on a charge, even with noise-cancellation turned off, but the Pi8 lasts for 6.5 hours with noise-cancellation turned on (compared to six hours for the AirPods Pro). The smart charging case tops that up to 20 hours.

Bowers & Wilkins includes a standard USB-C cable and a second with a 3.5mm connector. The 3.5mm cable allows you to connect the smart case to a wired audio device, such as an in-flight entertainment system on a plane. You can also use the USB-C cable to connect the smart case to a USB-C port and transmit wireless audio using aptX. The sound quality is great with both AAC and aptX, though. 

We think that the noise-cancellation on the AirPods Pro works a little better at blocking high-frequency sound. However, the Pi8 does a great job of eliminating low-frequency sounds, such as the rumble of engine noise in an airplane cabin. And, if you don’t really worry about technical details such as AAC and aptX, then B&W has a less expensive model called the Pi6, see below.

The $399/£349 price tag of the Pi8 is more expensive than the AirPods Pro, but B&W’s high-quality sound and the versatile smart case ensure that the Pi8 can earn its keep.

Read our full

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review






5. Beats Studio Buds+














Pros

Fun transparent design (other colors are available)

Improved ANC and sound quality

Good battery life

Priced well


Cons

Don’t sound as good as AirPods Pro

Missing a few Apple ecosystem features

No wireless charging









Price When Reviewed:

199,95 €




Best Prices Today:


€199.95 at Apple €199.95 at Beats






We felt that the original Beats Studio Buds outclassed AirPods Pro in several ways but lacked some Apple-specific features. 2023’s new Beats Studio Buds + improve on the originals.

The Beats Studio Buds + beats Apple in terms of color choices with its retro frosted transparent plastic for both the buds and case. They are available in black and ivory too.

The charging case is a bit larger than that of AirPods or AirPods Pro. There’s a USB-C charge port, but no wireless charging.

The buds are average in size and fit and come with four sizes of eartips, so it’s easy to get a good seal, although in our testing we did lose the seal a couple of times while working out at the gym.

There are actual physical buttons on the side of each earbud, which we found to be easier to use than Apple’s “squeeze the stem” AirPods control system.

Beats says that these earbuds offer 1.6x better noise canceling and 2x better transparency than their predecessors. They still don’t match the AirPods Pro, but they are priced closer to the standard AirPods, which don’t even offer those features. The transparency feature isn’t adaptive.

These second-gen earbuds offer improved ventilation and bigger batteries than the predecessors (battery life is rated at six hours with ANC, or nine without). Sound quality is also better than that of the previous generation thanks to new microphones and transducers. They sound better than 3rd-gen AirPods, but the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro deliver an overall superior audio experience all around.

Some Beats products use Apple’s own headphone chips, but the Beats Studio Buds + do not. Because they lack Apple’s H1 or H2 chip, they miss out on many of the features of Apple’s ecosystem. Hands-free “Hey Siri” is there, as is instant pairing with your iPhone and support for the Find My app. But you don’t get instant switching between Apple devices, support for spatial audio with video, personalized spatial audio, Conversation Boost, or the in-ear detection that pauses playback if you take an earbud out. Instead, these buds support some Android features including Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch, and Find My Device. Surprising from a company owned by Apple.

I enjoyed the design and usability of these Beats earbuds, and I’d take them over the AirPods any day, but I still find the latest AirPods Pro easier to recommend.

Read our full

Beats Studio Buds+ review






6. Bowers & Wilkins Pi6














Pros

Strong sound quality

Good battery life

Comfortable design


Cons

No wireless charging option

Noise-cancellation could be stronger
















Best Prices Today:


£219 at B&W





We were really impressed by the Pi8 earbuds (above) that Bowers & Wilkins launched earlier in 2024, but the Pi8 is the company’s flagship model, with a higher price than Apple’s AirPods Pro and an innovative smart-case that doubles up as an aptX transmitter. If you want the high-quality sound associated with B&W at a more competitive price then you could opt for the new Pi6 instead, which at $249/£219, the company says are its “most affordable earbuds ever”.

The Pi6 look very similar to the Pi8, with both models housing large 12mm drivers. They do look a little chunky, but – like the Pi8 – the earbuds are more streamlined than previous models, and we found that they fit well and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. There are four sizes of ear-tips included and a rubber ring moulded onto the body of the earpieces that fits into your outer ear and helps to hold them firmly in place.

The earbuds are rated IP54 for water and dust-resistance, so you can wear them outdoors or in the gym. 

Like the Pi8, the Pi6 uses Bluetooth 5.4, with support for Apple’s AAC codec for wireless audio (it also supports aptX Adaptive, although that is only for Android users). 

You can turn noise-cancellation on and off with a quick tap on the left earbud. The app lets you change the controls so that the buttons on the earbuds adjust the volume instead, and there are bass and treble controls for adjusting the sound. You can pair the earbuds with two devices and switch between them.

There are some compromises needed to keep the price down. The Pi6 does without the smart-case that is included with the Pi8, so there’s a conventional case that uses USB-C for charging. Battery life is good, lasting for eight hours when using noise-cancellation – compared to six hours for the AirPods Pro. The case lets you recharge for 24 additional hours of listening time.

Neither the Pi6 or Pi8 supports spatial audio, but the B&W team says that’s because they don’t feel that the technology adds to the sound quality rather than any attempt at cost-cutting. The noise-cancellation on the Pi6 isn’t as effective as that of the Pi8: the earbuds do a good job of blocking out low frequency sound, but let in voices and higher frequency sounds. 

If noise-cancellation is your top priority then there are other earbuds and headphones that have the edge. However, the Pi6 earbuds do provide strong sound quality and respectable battery life at a price that can compete with rivals such as the AirPods Pro.

Read our full

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review






7. Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless














Pros

Great value for money

Supports AAC and aptX

Light, comfortable design

IP54 water and dust resistance


Cons

Average battery life

Noise-cancellation could be better


















Designed as a more affordable alternative to its Momentum earbuds, Sennheiser’s Accentum True Wireless is excellent value for money, providing good sound quality and noise-cancellation at a much lower price than Apple’s AirPods Pro.

The Accentum also introduces a new design that is lighter and more streamlined than the rather chunky Momentum. The earbuds feel very light and comfortable to wear, and Sennheiser includes four different sizes of ear-tips to help you get a good fit. They’re sturdy too, with an IP54 rating for water and dust-resistance, so they can cope with life outdoors in this rather wet and windy summer that we seem to be having. The earbuds support AAC for Apple devices and aptX for Android, and the Sennheiser app includes some useful features, such as a five-band equalizer for fine-tuning the sound, and an adjustable ‘transparency’ control that lets in just as much sound as you need.

Despite the lower price, the Accentum earbuds use the same 7mm drivers as the Momentum, which provide a healthy frequency response of 5Hz – 21kHz, and produce very good sound quality. The Accentum shows a delicate touch on the slow strings that open Madonna’s Frozen, allowing them to rise slowly and elegantly through the air. There’s a warm, silky tone to Madonna’s voice, but the Accentum can turn around suddenly and land the sharp drum beats with dramatic impact. Switching to something less ethereal, the deep electronic bass on Prime Evil by The Orb glides along with a firm, sinuous rhythm that gets the shoulders moving, while the jangling percussion adds an eerie, nervous energy to the track. The noise-cancellation features work well too – they don’t stamp out background noise quite as effectively as some of the Accentum’s more expensive rivals, but they’ll be fine for daily use when you’re out and about. Battery life is similar to the AirPods Pro, lasting for six hours when using noise-cancellation, while the wireless charging case gives you 2.5 additional charges. So while it might not be the best choice for long-distance travellers, the Accentum is a really good, affordable option for general day-to-day use when you’re wandering around town.







8. Apple AirPods 4 with ANC














Pros

Great overall audio quality

Effective active noise cancelation

Case with wireless charging support and Find My speaker


Cons

Fit is highly dependent on your personal ear shape

Price compared to AirPods Pro

















The AirPods 4 with ANC offer many of the features found in the AirPods Pro 2, have a better fit than their predecessor, the AirPods 3, and have the same $179/£179 price tag.

With each generation, Apple promises a better fit and Apple says these are “the most comfortable AirPods ever.” We did find them closer to being a proper fit than the AirPods 3, but every ear is different and your experience may vary. We find the AirPods Pro with silicon ear tips fit a lot better and securely, but they cost a lot more and some prefer the more open design of the AirPods.

Apple offers the AirPods 4 in two variations: the $179/£179 model with active noise cancelation, and a cheaper $129/£129 model without that feature (below). The active noise cancellation feature includes two sound isolation modes: Adaptive Audio and Transparency. You also get Conversation Awareness, which was previously only available on the AirPods Pro. You’ll have to decide whether the extra features are worth the extra $50/£50. We think they are. 

The effectiveness of the AirPods 4’s active noise cancelation is heavily affected by the open design, though. The AirPods 4 don’t absolutely cancel the noise around you. If you want “full” noise cancellation and you’re comfortable with silicon ear tips inside your ear canal, the AirPods Pro (above) are a better choice.

We love the Conversation Awareness feature, where the volume automatically lowers when the AirPods 4 detects you are talking. It works better with one-on-one conversations rather than groups of people. 

Sound quality is delightful for general-purpose, open earphones. The AirPods 4 handle loaded tracks like 311’s “Need Somebody” with ease; the bass in Real Boston Richey’s “Help Me” is clean, heavy, and lacks distortion. The guitars in acoustic tracks like Fog Swamp’s “Split the Sky” are crisp and clear.

We were impressed with the clarity and volume of voice recordings in podcasts and during phone calls. They weren’t quite as good as with the AirPods Pro, but it was close. 

The AirPods 4 USB-C case that comes with the $179/£179 model has a speaker to play alerts through Find My. It also supports USB-C or wireless charging and works with the Apple Watch charger as well as Qi chargers. (It doesn’t support MagSafe like the AirPods Pro case, but a MagSafe charger will work if placed correctly.) The cheaper model’s case only offers wired USB-C charging.

If you use active noise cancelation, it shortens the AirPods 4’s battery life. When fully charged, Apple states a 4-hour listening time with the earbuds and 20 hours of charge with the case. Turn off ANC, and fully charged earbuds can last 5 hours, and the case adds 30 total hours. We got a bit better than that. The earbuds lasted 4 hours and 16 minutes. In the fully-charged case, their battery life was at 27 percent after five minutes–Apple says a five-minute charge provides an hour of life.

The AirPods 4 with ANC offer numerous pro-level features, sound great, fit better than previous AirPods and offer extremely useful active noise cancelation. In short, the AirPods 4 are a great, all-around set of earphones. As long as they can stay in your ears.

Read our full

Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) review






9. Creative Zen Air Pro














Pros

Great price

Supports AAC

Respectable noise-cancellation

Wireless charging case


Cons

Lightweight plastic design

Noise-cancellation can’t match the best


















Active noise-cancellation (ANC) is a standard feature with many modern earbuds and headphones, but it’s still an expensive feature that adds quite a lot to the overall price. For instance, Apple’s AirPods start at $129/£129, but you have pay $179/£179 to get ANC in the AirPods 4 with ANC, or $249/£229 to get ANC from the AirPods Pro, so we were impressed when Creative launched its new Zen Air Pro earbuds, which offer ANC for a very competitive $69.99/£59.99. And, unlike many more expensive models, the Air Pro even manages to include a wireless charging case as well.

As you might guess from the name, the Air Pro bears more than a passing resemblance to Apple’s AirPods Pro, with rubber eartips and a small stalk that hangs down from your ears. Admittedly, the plastic earpieces and charging case don’t feel quite as sturdy as their Apple rivals, but the earpieces are rated IPX5 for water resistance, so they can cope with life outdoors when they need to. Battery life is also quite respectable, lasting for nine hours on a single charge, although using ANC does reduce that to six hours. The charging case brings the total battery life to 33 hours, or 22 hours with ANC.

We were pleased to find that the Air Pro supports Apple’s AAC codec for Bluetooth audio (although the low cost means that there’s no aptX for Android users). It does a good job of handling the grinding, fuzz-drenched guitars on Supermassive Black Hole by Muse, but also shows a light touch on the fast percussion that skips through the chorus. It’s not fazed when I jump ahead a couple of tracks on the Black Holes album for the gentle Soldier’s Poem, catching the smooth, warm tone and all the details in Muse’s Queen-esque harmonies as they intone – “there’s no justice in the world…”

The noise-cancellation feature also proves surprisingly effective for such a low-cost set of earbuds. It’s not quite as effective as some of its more expensive rivals, but the Air Pro still does a good job of reducing the low rumble of an aircraft engine during our listening tests. It does let in some of the more varied sounds in our test of airport background noise, but that’s also the case with many other headphones and earbuds, and the Air Pro’s noise-cancellation features represent excellent value at this price.







10. Logitech Zone True Wireless














Pros

Connects via Bluetooth or USB wireless adaptor

Weather-resistant design, and two carrying cases

Certified for use with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet

Active noise cancellation with ambient mode


Cons

Expensive

Large earbuds may not suit everyone


















Logitech’s Zone True Wireless earbuds are even more expensive than Apple’s AirPods Pro, but they’re absolutely loaded with useful features, and there’s a particular emphasis on remote working as well as simply listening to music.

Available in black or pink, the Zone earbuds make a great impression straight out of the box, as they arrive in a sturdy charging case that includes a little lanyard to help keep them safe. The earbuds are also rated IP68 for resistance to water and dust, so they’ll be ideal for running in the park or working out at the gym, and the outer section of the earbuds is covered with a mesh fabric to reduce wind noise during voice calls. Logitech even includes an additional padded carrying case, with room to hold the charging case and cables, so you can keep the entire kit safe when you’re traveling.

I often have trouble getting earbuds to stay in place, and I was initially a little worried about the rather chunky design of the Zone earbuds, but they did fit more firmly than I expected and Logitech provides three sets of ear-tips in different sizes to help get a comfortable fit. The size of the earbuds also means that each earbud is able to house a 12mm driver, as well as three microphones to help with active noise-cancellation (ANC).

Even the Logi Tune app impresses with its extensive range of features – starting with the fact that it’s available for Mac and Windows as well as iOS and Android, so you can use it to set up the earbuds when you’re preparing for a video call at work. The noise-cancellation features include an ambient mode that lets you hear some of the background noise around you if required. You can pair the earbuds with two devices at the same time and then quickly switch between devices as required, and there’s a five-band equalizer for fine-tuning the sound quality. The Zone is also certified for use with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet for video calls.

But, of course, none of those features would matter if the Zone didn’t deliver on sound quality. You’ve actually got two options here, as the Zone can be used as a conventional set of Bluetooth earbuds with your mobile devices, but also includes a USB wireless transmitter that can be used with Macs and PCs to provide greater range and reliability than Bluetooth. The sound quality is very good in both modes, and the Zone does well to dig right down to the gravelly rumble of Leonard Cohen’s voice on You Want It Darker. There’s a taut, rhythmic sound to the song’s slinky bass guitar too, but it still keeps an eye on lighter details, such as the crisp tap on the snares.

Battery life is good too, providing 10 hours when listening to music with noise-cancellation turned off, or six hours when using noise-cancellation. The battery life is a bit lower for talk-time on video and voice calls, but still lasts for six hours without noise cancellation or five hours with noise cancellation, which should be more than enough for most work-related calls. The charging case also lets you fully charge the earbuds two more times, and there’s a QuickCharge feature that gives you one hour of battery life after just five minutes of charging time. There’s a USB-C connector on the case for charging, but it also supports Qi wireless charging too. Alternatively, if you’re a die-hard lover of wired headphones, then Logitech is planning to release a wired version of the Zone soon as well.







11. Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC)














Pros

Improved design and fit

Great price


Cons

No ANC

No wireless charging