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.

Updated October 2024 with Apple’s new AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC.

Best headphones and earbuds for iPhone






1. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds





















Pros

Excellent sound quality

Impressive noise-cancellation

Useful app


Cons

Expensive

Wireless case costs extra

Spatial audio could be improved









Price When Reviewed:

$299.99




Best Prices Today:


$249.99 at Target $299 at Amazon$299 at B&H






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









Price When Reviewed:

$299.95




Best Prices Today:


$199.95 at Amazon$219.95 at B&H$219.99 at Best Buy






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









Price When Reviewed:

$249




Best Prices Today:


$157.95 at B&H$249 at Apple$297.50 at Amazon





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. 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:

$169.99




Best Prices Today:


$129.95 at Walmart$129.99 at Target $169.95 at Adorama






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






5. 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









Price When Reviewed:

$199.95




Best Prices Today:


$129.95 at Amazon$129.95 at B&H$129.99 at Best Buy






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.







6. B&W Pi7 S2





















Pros

Excellent sound quality

 Supports AAC and aptX Adaptive

 Charging case supports wired audio


Cons

Expensive

Modest battery life

Noise cancelation could be better









Price When Reviewed:

£399




Best Prices Today:


$199 at Amazon$399 at B&WNot Available at Best Buy






Bowers & Wilkins’ Pi5 was previously on our list of best earbuds, and the new Pi7 S2 is even better, boasting improved sound quality and noise-cancellation and an innovative smart charging case that does more than just top-up the battery.

Available in black, white or dark blue, the Pi7 S2 earbuds are a little more compact than their predecessors, providing a more comfortable fit, along with three sets of ear-tips in different sizes. They’re sturdy too, with an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance, so they’ll be a good option for exercise as well as traveling.

The earbuds support both Apple’s AAC and the aptX Adaptive codec for Bluetooth audio, so they’ll work with a variety of computers and mobile devices. However, B&W has come up with an ingenious smart charging case that makes the Pi7 S2 even more versatile. The charging case has a USB-C port for charging – and also supports Qi wireless charging too – but the USB-C port can also accept a wired audio input as well. There are USB-C and 3.5mm audio cables included, so you can connect the charging case to a wired music system, such as the music system in a gym, or the in-flight entertainment system on a plane, and the case can then act as a Bluetooth transmitter that streams the audio to the earbuds. This is a great idea, as it combines the convenience of Bluetooth wireless audio with the ability to connect to wired audio systems when you need to.

The noise-cancellation features also work well when you’re in noisy environments such as a gym or on a plane – although they’re not quite as effective as the latest AirPods Pro. However, the Pi7 S2 wins hands-down when it comes to sound quality, with a wonderfully clear and balanced sound that works well for a variety of different musical styles. The bouncing bass on Bad Guy by Billie Eilish combines a relaxed, infectious rhythm with a firm, taut bass beat, but it copes equally well with the delicate violins and soprano vocal on Max Richter’s The Waves. The only real disappointment – especially at this price – is that the battery life is a modest five hours on a single charge. Fortunately, the charging case lets you recharge the earbuds three more times, so it should still be able to cope with some long plane flights when it needs to.







7. 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









Price When Reviewed:

$69.99




Best Prices Today:


$49.99 at Amazon$49.99 at Lenovo USA$69.99 at Creative






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.