earbuds Review

Fitnexa’s SomniPods 3 are ultra-thin, 3.3 g sleep earbuds that combine up to 42 dB hybrid ANC, white noise, and AI-driven sleep tracking and coaching with Hi-Res audio, LDAC/aptX, extensive fit options, and up to 12 hours (ANC off) or 6.5 hours (ANC on) of playback, supported by a charging case for up to 48 total hours, USB‑C and wireless charging, a $189.99 MSRP, bundled Fitnexa Premium membership (3 months), and an 18‑month warranty (two years in the EU), though real-world ANC-on endurance may not always last through a full loud night and side sleepers may encounter pillow friction noise.Serious Insight is not a Fitnexa affiliate.3.3

The Oppo Enco Buds 3 Pro+ can be a sensible everyday TWS purchase under Rs 3,000, for they provide a balanced offering, rather than standout features. You get a familiar and comfortable design, reliable battery life and connectivity, and a bass-forward and enjoyable sound. ANC is the main addition and works well indoors, making them more complete than the Enco Buds 3 Pro. If noise cancellation matters, they make sense. If not, the cheaper Pro still offers better value.

Summary Priced at just $50 USD (₱2,930), the OpenRock E enters the competitive open-ear market with a focus on ergonomics and connectivity. While it boasts modern features like an IPX4 rating, a dedicated Game Mode for lower latency, and app support, its sonic performance is distinctly mid-forward.

The market is flooded with budget true wireless earbuds but not all of them offer a solid balance between features, sound quality, and value. At $100, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ are not cheap but considering what they offer, that price tag can be justified. The out of the box sound is good and with some tuning, it can be perfected. The noise canceling works great, the battery life is solid, and the dual-device connection capabilities are the cherry on top. There are some compromises like rare audio issues when connected to two devices and some random pausing of music. Most of these will be either subjective (as explained below) or addressable with software updates. There have been three updates during our three weeks of testing so it seems like EarFun is actively looking into bug fixes. If EarFun can fix these random, possibly isolated issues, the Air Pro 4+ are an easy recommendation, and great value regardless.

Like the best clip-style open earbuds, the Soundpeats Clip1 are comfortable to wear and grip the ear well. But these buds also have some features you wouldn't expect and a lovely low price, which offsets the few rough edges. Check Amazon

I've been buying Samsung and other basic earbuds for years, presuming that the tech governing earbuds was just at some kind of wall. After using the Hi-Res Arctis Nova Elite headset recently, I discovered a universe of earbuds that offer similar audio quality. I went in with the Status Pro X and fell completely in love. I've discovered a new dimension of high-quality discrete audio without having to rock full headphones while commuting and travelling, with all the features I typically associate with the big-name brands. Yes, they're not cheap, but the experience isn't cheap either. £269 at Amazon £269 at Amazon

In a world full of long, forgettable earbud names, be a Powerbeats Fit. Apple has updated and rebranded the Beats Fit Pro, one of my favorite fitness-focused earbuds, and brought it under the Powerbeats lineup. Easy to recommend, they stay comfortably locked in like no other, with solid sound, and are much more pocketable than before. Check Amazon

The Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus, like its predecessors, are fantastic workout earbuds with all-day battery life and a unique open-ear design perfect for both serious and casual athletes. The new Dolby Audio mode makes all music and spoken content more vibrant, while Qi wireless charging is a minor perk. Check Amazon

SoundPEATS Clip1 is a lightweight, open-ear clip-on earbud that prioritizes comfort and awareness while still delivering a surprisingly dense feature set: Hi-Res Wireless with LDAC, Dolby Audio, DynamicEQ Pro, AutoSense channel detection, multipoint, low-latency gaming mode, IPX5 water resistance, and up to 40 hours of battery life. The trade-offs are typical of the form factor—limited deep bass, no ANC and minimal accessories—but the combination of design, smart features, and aggressive pricing makes Clip1 a compelling everyday audio companion for those who value situational awareness over isolation.4

The PowerA Wired Earbuds for Nintendo Switch 2 don’t do anything spectacular, but then again, they never had to. They’re budget-friendly, decent-sounding in-ears with a neat slider to mute yourself in GameChat, a secure fit, and a convenient carry case. Their main flaw relates to mic quality, which could be better. You won’t get perfect audio at peak volumes either, but for the price, they remain a pretty good value option. £11.97 at Currys(Black) £19.99 at My Nintendo Store UK £22.08 at Amazon

These cheap and cheerful earbuds have an enviable set of features, including some rarely seen outside of the premium earbuds sector. That said, they can be fiddly in some respects and don't have the absolute best audio for the price. £71.98 at Amazon

EarFun Air Pro 4+The EarFun Air Pro 4+ are an excellent value under $100. These wireless earbuds have every modern feature you could ask for, despite costing half the price of competitors.

While the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 have the same audio hardware and design of their predecessors, myriad tweaks and fixes across the board make these a fantastic set of earbuds. The introduction of a simple and effective sound profile test revolutionizes the sound too. It's a shame that the noise cancellation issues still abound, because otherwise they're practically perfect. Check Amazon

The EarFun Clip open-ear earbuds feel very purpose-driven. These aren't buds that you pop in and get lost in your own world while locking in. Instead, they're designed with spatial awareness and comfort in mind. If you're highly touch-averse or work out outdoors, these are great. Nothing is inserted into your ear canals, your ears stay aerated, and you are completely cognizant of your surroundings. I can see them being a bit hit with several types of niche users.

A high-performance wireless earbud package: the Status Audio Pro X combines a hybrid triple-driver system, top-tier codec support, AI-enhanced calls and premium fit. Battery and ultra-quiet ANC fall slightly short of the very best, but for sound-centric users the trade-off is well justified.4

The Dell Pro Plus Earbuds EB525 are not typical lifestyle headphones, but in-ears for professional use that are primarily designed for stability, voice quality and integration. The earbuds cut an excellent figure, especially in terms of microphone quality, and also deliver a very good sound as well as a practical connection via USB-C dongle.

A top-notch pair of mid-range true wireless earbuds that, aside from a wonky call quality performance, offer a consistently excellent performance across the board. Want Bose sound but can’t find the dosh for the Ultra earbuds? The QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen are an excellent alternative.

The Soundpeats H3 sound and look like buds twice their price, making them a competitive mid-range option for audiophiles that hold their own against some well-known rivals. A few problems stop these being instant must-buys for everyone, but the things to love vastly outweigh the problems. Check Amazon

For the price, the JBL Tune Beam 2 are worth considering due to their finely tuned sound signature, decent comfort and build quality, good call quality and plethora of features on offer. While the bugs in the app can be bothersome, we hope JBL fixes them on a priority basis.

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are easily one of the best earbuds you can get at this price. They actually sound better than last year’s Buds 2 Pro, even though they skip the smart dial on the case — which, to be honest, wasn’t all that useful anyway. If you can stretch your budget a bit, these are a better pick over both the CMF Buds 2 and even the Buds 2 Pro.

Excellent value for money, the A100 are an engaging listen with very good options and controls. The downside is that you can get better just a little further up the ladder.

They’re pricey and aren’t brilliant on battery, but the Quietcomfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd-gen still set the bar for commuters craving the sound of silence

AO’s first foray into the world of true wireless earbuds could have gone a lot worse, but the retailer has its work cut out breaking into a competitive market

Bose's class-leading noise cancellers have been refreshed and are back with a few extra tricks up their sleeve

“The Liberty 5 goes back to the basics (and nails them).”

“The Ultra Open Earbuds popularized the clip-style shape and they're still one of the best.”

“The Soundcore AeroFit 2 strike the perfect balance between performance and budget.”

“The Powerbeats Pro 2 are comfortable, secure, and full of features that make them perfect for working out, or even everyday use.”

“Shokz's OpenFit 2 deliver almost everything we could want from open-ear earbuds.”

“With the EAH-AZ100, Technics secures its place as a maker of the best wireless earbuds you can buy.”

“Meaningful upgrades over the originals make this sequel a noise-canceling force to be reckoned with.”

The Sony Inzone E9 gaming earbuds have a lot to offer. I like the included USB dongle and the features it unlocks. Plus, the earbuds sound pretty good and come with a solid selection of accessories. The USB adapter really is the advantage that these earbuds offer — and if you don't care about being able to unlock features like 360 Spatial Sound, there are probably better options out there, especially considering the fact that you can EQ your audio with other software. But as a complete package, those who want IEMs for FPS gaming will like what's on offer by the Sony Inzone E9 earbuds.

Retailing for $129.99, the Baseus Inspire XP1 earbuds are solid wireless earbuds that perform pretty well, with good noise cancellation and a solid frequency response. They're not perfect — the transparency mode is only fine, and they lack features like wireless charging — but they're generally a workhorse pair of wireless earbuds that most users will like using.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 6 are yet another pair of open-fit wireless earbuds, not unlike the AirPods 4 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 3. But with a unique design, comfortable in-ear fit, great sound quality, and surprisingly decent ANC, the FreeBuds 6 stand above their competition.

Also absent, however? Good noise cancelation and transparency modes.

The Sony LinkBuds S still hold their own in 2025 with solid sound quality and very good noise cancelling for the money making them effective everyday earbuds.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Generation earbuds improve upon their predecessors in some minor ways like multi-point connectivity whilst retaining the core components of industry-leading sound quality and noise cancelling.

Summary The OpenRock S2 is an affordable, sub-$100 pair of open-ear sport earbuds designed for active users. They prioritize a secure, comfortable fit and situational awareness over audio purity.