Whether or not it’s justified or not, Apple’s AirPods have turn out to be the default for many iPhone house owners out there for brand spanking new wi-fi earbuds. Should you use an Android cellphone, nevertheless, the most effective choices aren’t as apparent. Should you’re attempting to find a brand new pair your self, permit us to assist: We’ve examined numerous pairs over time, so we’ve damaged down our high suggestions for Android customers beneath. Whether or not you need highly effective noise cancellation, a pair that’ll survive the gymnasium or simply one thing that performs good with a Galaxy or Pixel cellphone, listed below are our favourite AirPods alternate options for Android.
Learn our full Sony WF-1000XM5 overview
The Sony WF-1000XM5 hit on nearly the whole lot we wish from a premium set of wi-fi earbuds. Their small, rounded design ought to really feel snug and safe in most ears. They’re almost unmatched at muting outdoors noise, due to a strong ANC function and reminiscence foam eartips that do a exceptional job of isolating sound passively. They sound nice out of the field, particularly in the event you like a hotter profile with elevated bass, however you may simply customise the EQ curve by way of Sony’s app, and so they do effectively to attract out treble-range element both means. They’re additionally loaded with additional options, together with multipoint connectivity, Google Quick Pair, LDAC and spatial audio assist, the flexibility to swap between ANC and ambient sound modes robotically and extra. The wi-fi charging case is conveniently tiny, whereas the eight- to 12-hour battery life provides little to complain about.
Nonetheless, the XM5s nonetheless aren’t a whole slam dunk. The built-in mics aren’t the clearest for cellphone calls. The IPX4 water-resistance ranking may very well be larger. Some individuals may discover the reminiscence foam eartips just a little too full-feeling. Additionally they value $300, which is way from inexpensive. However no different wi-fi earbuds we’ve examined have managed to tick so many packing containers.
- Robust, customizable audio high quality
- Needs to be snug to most
- A great deal of useful bonus options
- Costly
- Reminiscence foam eartips aren’t for everybody
- No battery life enchancment over predecessor
Learn our information to the greatest price range wi-fi earbuds
Should you don’t have a whole bunch to spend, our favourite wi-fi earbuds within the price range bracket are the Anker Soundcore House A40. Regularly priced within the $50 to $60 vary, this pair has the type of options we’d anticipate from earbuds that value twice as a lot: genuinely highly effective ANC, multipoint connectivity, wi-fi charging, a stable eight to 10 hours of battery life, LDAC assist, first rate (if not nice) IPX4 water resistance and a usable ambient sound mode. They don’t have probably the most resolving or detail-rich sound of the field, unsurprisingly, however their heat profile presents nice, thumpy bass with out completely blowing out the low-end. If you wish to add extra treble presence, you may customise the EQ by way of a clear and easy-to-read companion app. The precise earpieces are small, spherical and cozy as effectively.
The principle trade-off is name high quality, because the built-in mic can lose your voice in noisy environments and doesn’t deal with sibilant sounds very effectively. There’s no put on detection both, so your music received’t auto-pause if you take away an earbud. Additionally they don’t assist Google’s Quick Pair tech, although the earbuds ought to bear in mind your machine and robotically reconnect after you pair them for the primary time. However for the worth, it’s exhausting to complain.
- Glorious ANC for the worth
- Heat, nice sound
- Comfy and compact
- Good battery life
- No automated put on detection
- Mediocre name high quality
- Would not sound as detailed as higher-end choices (as anticipated)
Figuring out which set of headphones has the “best” audio high quality is all the time a idiot’s errand — on the finish of the day, it’ll come down to private style. But when we needed to decide one pair we’ve notably loved for music, we’d go along with the . They’ve a barely heat however detailed and alluring sound profile out of the field, the type that performs effectively with hottest music immediately. There’s just a little additional emphasis on the low-end, however the bass is well-controlled on the entire, whereas a largely impartial midrange makes the instrumentation on most tracks come by way of clearly. The treble is a bit underemphasized, so vocals or cymbals could not all the time sound as brilliant as some would love, however it’s clean. Normally, the laid-back-ness of the default tuning makes it straightforward to tweak in Sennheiser’s app. This pair additionally helps hi-res codecs like aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive, which may also help it reproduce some finer particulars with the suitable music recordsdata.
Past that, Sennheiser’s earbuds are well-built and IP54-rated, plus they will join to 2 gadgets concurrently. Battery life can be aggressive at roughly seven or eight hours per cost. That mentioned, the adaptive ANC, whereas good, isn’t on the extent of the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Extremely Earbuds. Name high quality isn’t as clear as Sony’s pair both, and the design could really feel cumbersome you probably have smaller ears. There’s additionally no Google Quick Pair assist. With an MSRP of $300, they aren’t low-cost, however in the event you like a little bit of bass and care about audio high quality above all else, the Momentum is an efficient premium various to our high decide.
- Detailed, easy-to-enjoy sound high quality
- Helps hi-res audio codecs
- Stable battery life
- ANC is not on par with Sony WF-1000XM5
- Dear
- No spatial audio
Learn our full Beats Match Professional overview
Most of our picks above will work simply wonderful within the gymnasium, however in the event you’re shopping for a pair for exercises at the start, attempt the Beats Match Professional. Sure, we’re recommending a set of Apple-made earbuds in an Android shopping for information. However whereas they work greatest with iPhones, most of their AirPods-style options are additionally out there on Android by way of the Beats app. You possibly can pair them with one faucet by way of a pop-up card, view a map with their final recognized location, swap between ANC and ambient sound modes from the house display screen, remap controls and verify their battery degree from the notification tray. There’s no hi-res codec assist, however normally the drop-off from iOS to Android isn’t almost as nice right here as it’s with AirPods.
The principle motive we advocate the Match Professional is their light-weight design, which is supplied with flexible silicone fins that maintain the earbuds safe in place whilst you’re transferring round. Their IPX4 water-resistance ranking isn’t the most effective, however it needs to be sufficient for all however the sweatiest gymgoers. (Simply don’t use them within the pool.) We additionally like that the Match Professional makes use of bodily buttons to regulate quantity or skip tracks, since contact controls can really feel finicky if you’re attempting to maintain up with a exercise. Their punchy sound is well-suited to the gymnasium as effectively, with a noticeable however not overwhelming push within the bass and treble. It’s not one for purists, however it’s energetic.
Should you aren’t particularly in search of exercise earbuds, you may nonetheless do higher. The Match Professional lack wi-fi charging and multipoint connectivity, and there’s no approach to customise the EQ in the event you don’t just like the default sound. Their built-in mics aren’t something particular for cellphone calls, and the five- to six-hour battery life is on the sting of satisfactory. The charging case is considerably massive as effectively. Plus, whereas the ANC mode is helpful sufficient for tamping down the noise of a gymnasium, it’s a transparent step down from the most effective choices available on the market.
- Safe design for exercises
- Punchy sound is well-suited to the gymnasium
- Bodily management buttons
- No wi-fi charging or multipoint connectivity
- Battery life is simply OK
- ANC is not wonderful however nothing particular
Learn our full Google Pixel Buds Professional 2 overview
The Pixel Buds Professional 2 are explicitly designed to work in concord with different Pixel gadgets, so that they’re value contemplating in the event you’re a devoted fan of Google’s telephones. They arrive with a number of helpful bonus options, from distant ringing and a “conversation detection” mode to a customizable EQ and automated switching between gadgets paired to your Google account. (You additionally get hands-free entry to Google’s Gemini AI bot, although we wouldn’t name that important.) You possibly can nonetheless entry many of the Pixel Buds’ perks on different Android gadgets by downloading a separate app, however the entire performance is baked into Pixel telephones natively. This implies you may handle the earbuds, verify battery standing and the like proper out of your machine’s settings menus. It’s much like how Apple integrates AirPods with iOS.
The earbuds themselves are completely competent past that, with a tiny but snug design, first rate ANC for the worth, eight-ish hours of battery life, enough name high quality and an pleasant sound with punchy bass and prolonged treble. That mentioned, you’ll nonetheless get richer audio high quality and extra sturdy noise cancellation from our Sony and Sennheiser picks above, so those that aren’t all-in on Google {hardware} can be at liberty to look elsewhere.
- Tight integration with Pixel telephones
- Tiny, comfortable design
- Agreeable sound
- Smaller contact panels require precision
- ANC is not on par with Sony WF-1000XM5
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional overview
Alongside these strains, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Professional are to Galaxy telephones what the Pixel Buds Professional 2 are to Pixel telephones. Utilizing them with a Samsung handset unlocks a couple of ecosystem-specific perks, together with the hi-res Samsung Seamless codec, a real-time translation instrument and a “Game Mode” that reduces latency. That’s on high of options like spatial audio, a graphic EQ, a misplaced machine finder, adaptive ANC, simplified voice instructions and automated switching between Samsung gadgets.
This type of walled backyard method is irritating; bear in mind when you possibly can plug your headphones into any machine and it’d work the identical means each time? However, as with the Pixel Buds and AirPods, the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional are undeniably handy in the event you’ve already purchased into their chosen platform.
The remainder of the bundle will get extra proper than improper, although there are some points value calling out. The stem-style design just about rips off the AirPods Professional — that is notably evident with the white end — however provides bizarre, pointless LED strips down the stems. It’s snug, however Samsung isn’t beating the copycat allegations right here. The ANC isn’t on par with the Sony XM5s both, and the six-hour battery life is shorter than many different premium pairs. There’s additionally no hi-res codec assist with non-Samsung telephones. On the plus aspect, the ambient sound mode works effectively. And most significantly, this stuff sound glorious out of the field, with full, meaty bass complemented by amply detailed highs and upper-mids.
It’s value noting that Samsung froze shipments of the Galaxy Buds 3 Professional proper round launch attributable to high quality management considerations (primarily relating to the inventory eartips), however these look to have been resolved, and we haven’t seen something out of the abnormal with our overview unit.
- Tight integration with Samsung telephones
- Nice audio high quality
- Cozy match
- Pure ambient sound
- Want a Samsung cellphone to get probably the most out of them
- Battery life is shorter than some rivals
- Copycat design with gimmicky LED lights
What to search for in wi-fi earbuds for Android gadgets
For probably the most half, the options you need from a set of “Android earbuds” are the identical as what you need from any headphones. Pleasing sound high quality, a cushty match and enough battery life are nonetheless the foundations. Satisfactory water resistance is nice for exercises, and no person needs a crummy mic for making calls. When you method the $100 vary, options like lively noise cancellation (ANC), wi-fi charging, an ambient sound mode (which helps you to higher hear outdoors noise with out turning off your music) and multipoint connectivity (the flexibility to pair with a number of gadgets concurrently) needs to be anticipated.
For Android gadgets particularly, there are a couple of extras to contemplate. A devoted app that makes it straightforward to modify sound modes, customise the audio profile, find your earbuds in the event that they ever get misplaced or alter different settings is strongly most popular. Options like Google Quick Pair or NFC-based pairing, which may also help you keep away from having to dig by way of your Bluetooth menu to attach your earbuds for the primary time, are additionally good perks. Some Android gadgets also can make the most of higher-quality Bluetooth codecs comparable to aptX Adaptive or Sony’s LDAC — these aren’t almost as essential to audio high quality because the precise structure of your earbuds, however they may also help wring out just a little extra element if the buds are succesful sufficient and also you’re streaming lossless recordsdata. AptX Adaptive also can assist scale back latency, which is nice for streaming video or gaming.
Range is Android’s best energy, however it additionally implies that some wi-fi earbuds play nicer with sure gadgets, sometimes these made by the identical firm. Latest Samsung earbuds, as an illustration, include a couple of perks which might be solely out there in the event you use a Galaxy cellphone. We’ve a few suggestions associated to this concept above.
Latest updates
December 2024: We’ve frivolously edited this information for readability and ensured that our present picks are nonetheless correct.