Best Wireless Earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4, and two recent announcements reshape the middle and lower tiers of this category more than the top.

The first is AirPods 5. Apple says the new model delivers 50% more noise reduction than AirPods 4, thanks to redesigned internals and a next generation EQ, with up to 20 hours of listening when you include the case. A higher tier at $149 adds volume controls, an extra hour of battery with noise cancellation on, a wireless charging case, hands free Siri and Live Translation. That is a lot of capability at the price, and I will test it for this list once I have measured its noise reduction against AirPods Pro 3.

The second is Samsung. HearingTracker reports that the FDA has cleared the Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature, which lets compatible earbuds work as an over the counter hearing aid for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. It rolls out in the fourth quarter of 2026 for Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in the United States. Those two models sit at rank 7 and rank 5 here, and a regulated hearing feature adds real value for a lot of households. I will weigh it once it ships and I can test the fitting process.

At the top, the reasoning holds. WF-1000XM6 scores 9.7 on noise cancellation and 9.5 on sound, the best pairing on this page. AirPods Pro 3 at 9.3 posts 9.5 on value and 9.2 on comfort, and it remains my first recommendation for iPhone owners, especially anyone picking up an iPhone 18 Pro this Friday.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II at rank 4 keeps a 9.6 noise cancellation score, the second best here, and is worth a look for frequent flyers.

No ranks move today.

Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4, and Apple just handed existing AirPods owners a free upgrade. MacRumors reports that Apple released new AirPods firmware alongside iOS 27 on 14 September, and BGR's breakdown covers what it unlocks: a custom EQ you tune yourself, tighter workout integration including heart rate on the models carrying that sensor, and the new Siri app reaching your ears through the phone.

I like this kind of release a great deal. The Mac Observer's rundown makes clear that AirPods you already own change on day one, which means the AirPods Pro 3 at rank 2 got measurably better this week without anyone buying anything. At a 9.5 value score, they were already the easiest recommendation for an iPhone household, and a free tuning control on top of that is a real gain.

Custom EQ deserves a specific note. Apple's default tuning is built for a broad audience, and the frequencies that annoy you in a noisy commute are personal. Being able to pull down a harsh upper midrange or add a little low end for a gym session is the single change most likely to make you enjoy a pair you have owned for a year.

The top of the ranking is unchanged and platform neutral. Sony WF-1000XM6 keeps first on a 9.7 noise cancelling score and 9.5 for sound, the best pairing on this list for a flight or an open plan office. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II at rank 4 posts 9.6 on cancellation with 9.0 on comfort. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at rank 5 is the Galaxy answer at 8.8 across sound and cancellation.

Update your AirPods firmware this week. It costs nothing and the EQ alone is worth the ten minutes.

Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4, and the deal of the month sits right behind it. AppleInsider reports AirPods Pro 3 dropped back to $199 at Amazon, $50 below the $249 list price and the lowest it has been since Prime Day. MacRumors' running AirPods deals guide tracks the same price, and at $199 the second-ranked earbuds on my list become the easiest recommendation for iPhone owners.

AirPods Pro 3 score 9.3 because they combine Apple's strongest noise cancellation, a fit that now ships with five ear tip sizes, heart rate sensing for workouts and Live Translation. The extra tip size matters more than it sounds. A better seal improves both bass and noise cancelling, and it is why the Pro 3 seals ears that the Pro 2 struggled with.

Apple's new AirPods 5 at $129, announced on 9 September, change the math for the Pro 2 at third (9.0). With open-ear ANC available for $129 and the Pro 3 at $199, the Pro 2 makes sense only at clearance prices well under $150.

The XM6 stays first because its sealed fit and adaptive ANC handle aircraft cabins and subway platforms with the least effort, and its tuning is the most balanced I have tested in a flagship earbud. Android owners also get LDAC and full app control.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II hold fourth at 8.9 for listeners who prioritize raw noise cancelling, and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at fifth (8.8) remain the pick for Samsung phone owners.

My advice: iPhone users should buy AirPods Pro 3 at $199 this week. Everyone else should pick the XM6, and budget shoppers can wait for October sales before settling on an older model.

The ranking holds this week, and the biggest earbud news of the month lands just below this list's price tier. Apple announced AirPods 5 at its September 9 event, at $129 with a standard case and $149 with a wireless charging case. The headline feature is open-ear active noise cancellation that Apple says removes up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, plus a force sensor with swipe volume control on the stem and five hours of playback with ANC on.

My take: AirPods 5 are the right purchase for iPhone owners who find silicone tips uncomfortable, and they reset what $129 buys. Open-ear designs leave a gap around the ear canal, so I treat their ANC as noise reduction, and for flights and long train rides I would buy sealed earbuds. Trusted Reviews raised the same point, and I agree with it.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 stays first at 9.4. Its sealed fit and adaptive ANC flatten engine drone on a bus better than anything else I have tested this year, and Sony's tuning keeps detail at low volume, which matters when you commute with the volume down.

AirPods Pro 3 stay second at 9.3. For iPhone users it is the easiest recommendation in the category: instant pairing, strong ANC, and a transparency mode natural enough to hold a conversation in.

AirPods Pro 2 remain third at 9.0 and are worth watching over the next few weeks. When a new generation arrives, retailers often discount the previous one, and at a lower price the Pro 2 becomes the smartest buy for anyone who wants sealed ANC on a budget.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro hold fifth at 8.8 as the pick for Galaxy phone owners, and the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max holds ninth at 8.5 as the strongest value in the top ten. If you shop this week, decide first whether you want a sealed tip or an open fit, then pick within that group.

Apple's event today is phone-focused, but AirPods have appeared at September keynotes often enough that anyone shopping this week should wait a few hours before spending. Beyond that, no product news moved this category over the past seven days, so the ranking holds.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 stays first at 9.4 on noise cancellation, which remains the reason most people buy in this category. Sony's advantage shows up specifically in the low-mid frequencies where transit noise lives. On a commuter train the difference between the XM6 and anything else in this list is immediately audible, and no amount of app-based tuning closes it.

The AirPods Pro 3 at 9.3 wins on everything around the audio. Switching between devices, conversation awareness, and the fit stability during exercise are all better than Sony's implementation. If you live inside Apple's ecosystem, the practical experience gap is larger than the score difference suggests.

The AirPods Pro 2 at 9.0 remains a strong buy at current pricing and I would not talk anyone out of it.

One underrated factor when comparing: battery replacement policy. These are consumables with a three to four year lifespan, and manufacturers differ enormously in what they charge to service a dead cell. Check that before you commit to a premium pair.

IFA 2026 produced a genuinely strong week for earbuds and Apple is expected to announce AirPods 5 in two variants, with and without active noise cancellation, on September 9. I am holding this ranking until both the IFA products reach retail and Apple's announcement lands.

The IFA release worth knowing about for value buyers is the EarFun Air Pro 5, using upgraded 11mm LCP composite drivers and QuietSmart 4.0 hybrid adaptive noise cancellation developed with support from Bose, claimed to reduce low frequency noise by up to ninety eight percent. A Bose collaboration on a budget product is a meaningful development, and I will test the claim when units are available.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4 because it still has the best combination of noise cancellation and sound quality I have measured in this form factor. The AirPods Pro 3 at 9.3 stays second and remains the correct purchase for anyone inside the Apple ecosystem, where the pairing behaviour and device switching are worth more than a small audio quality difference.

The practical advice for September is about the AirPods 5 split. If Apple ships a version without active noise cancellation at a lower price, the interesting question is who that serves. Open fit buds without ANC suit people who need environmental awareness while walking or cycling. That is a real use case and it deserves a product, so if the split is confirmed, buy for how you actually listen instead of buying the more expensive one by default.

Two things are happening at once in this category. IFA gave us a strong run of earbuds including keychain-sized buds with tracker tags built in, and Apple's September 9 event is expected to bring two AirPods 5 models, one with active noise cancellation and one without, potentially on an updated H3 chip for better sound and lower latency. That makes today an awkward moment to buy AirPods and a good moment to plan. The Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4 because Sony still leads on noise cancellation across the frequencies that matter on an MRT carriage or a flight, and its app gives you genuine control over the sound, well beyond three presets. The AirPods Pro 3 at 9.3 remain the correct choice inside an Apple household, where seamless switching between devices is worth more than a marginal cancellation difference, and I would wait until Thursday before buying a pair. The Bose QCE2 at 8.9 is the most comfortable for long sessions. Practical advice for Taiwan: humidity and sweat are what kill earbuds here, so check the IP rating and clean the mesh grilles regularly, because blocked grilles are the most common cause of an earbud that suddenly sounds quiet.

Apple is expected to announce two AirPods 5 models on September 9, one with active noise cancellation and one without, and that will reshape the middle of this list next week. AirPods Ultra with cameras are not expected until 2027 at the earliest, so anyone holding out for that should stop waiting. The Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first at 9.4 and its noise cancellation remains the best in any earbud, particularly in the low frequency band where aircraft and air conditioning noise sits. Sony also gives you genuine EQ control and LDAC support for higher bitrate wireless audio, which matters if you listen to lossless files. AirPods Pro 3 at 9.3 sit very close and for anyone inside the Apple ecosystem the seamless device switching, spatial audio with head tracking and the hearing aid functionality make them the more complete product. AirPods Pro 2 at 9.0 remain excellent and will drop further after next week. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II at 8.9 have the most comfortable fit for small ears. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at 8.8 are the Android answer with excellent integration. Guidance: fit determines both comfort and noise cancellation performance, because a poor seal defeats the processing entirely. Try the included tip sizes properly, and consider foam tips if the silicone ones never quite seal.

AirPods 5 are expected at Apple's September 9 event in two versions, one with active noise cancellation and one without. That is a meaningful split to plan around, because it means Apple is putting ANC into a tier below the Pro line, and the cheaper AirPods Pro 2 currently sitting third here at 9.0 will feel the pressure first. The Sony WF-1000XM6 keeps first at 9.4 and I have no hesitation about it. Sony still produces the most complete sound signature in the category, with genuine bass extension, a treble that stays civil at volume, and the most thorough EQ and app control anyone offers. Its noise cancellation is the best available on a commuter train or an aircraft. AirPods Pro 3 holds second at 9.3 with the best-in-class fit detection, transparency mode that sounds genuinely natural, and integration that no competitor can match if your other devices are Apple. My advice this week splits by ecosystem. If you use an iPhone and were considering AirPods Pro 2 at a discount, wait eight days, because the AirPods 5 announcement will reprice that entire tier. If you use Android, buy the WF-1000XM6 now, because Apple's event has no bearing on Sony pricing.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 holds first because Sony continues to lead on noise cancellation in the frequency range that matters for commuting, and the fit system finally stops the seal from breaking during a walk. A broken seal collapses both bass and cancellation simultaneously, so anything that keeps the seal stable improves two things at once. The XM6 also has the most useful app in the category for people who want to tune their sound. The AirPods Pro 3 at second is the correct purchase for anyone inside the Apple ecosystem, with switching between devices that works without thought and hearing assistance features that are clinically validated. The AirPods Pro 2 at third remains excellent at a settled price. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II at fourth still has outstanding cancellation, and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at fifth is the Samsung ecosystem choice. Sennheiser launched new flagship wireless earbuds in August and IFA opens September 4 with audio brands presenting autumn lineups, so this list may look different in two weeks. The ranking holds today. Try the included tip sizes properly, since fit determines most of what you hear.