The Best Wireless Earbuds
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The AirPods Pro 3 won because they score highest in the two areas that matter most to daily earbud users: noise cancellation and reliability. MKBHD measured ANC performance at 2x the noise reduction of AirPods Pro 2, and Mike O'Brien confirmed it matches or beats the Bose QC Ultra in controlled testing. InsideTech ranked their transparency mode as the most natural on the market, meaning you can hold a conversation without removing them.
The health features sealed the deal. Only the Powerbeats Pro 2 also puts a heart rate sensor in each bud, and the FDA's over-the-counter hearing aid authorization gives these earbuds a job nothing else on this list can do. RecordingNOW called this 'the most forward-thinking earbud launch in years.'
Build quality is a quiet strength. IP57 means full dust protection and submersion resistance. Only the Galaxy Buds4 Pro matches it in this group, while the Sony, Bose and Powerbeats all stop at IPX4 splash resistance. The case has USB-C, MagSafe, Apple Watch charging, and a built-in speaker for Find My. InsideTech noted that the total package feels like Apple over-engineered every surface, and for once, the premium price reflects the premium experience.
Call quality rounds out the win. RTINGS Audio tested voice isolation across 12 earbuds and ranked the AirPods Pro 3 in the top two, with natural-sounding voice reproduction that doesn't compress or roboticize your speech the way Sony and Technics tend to.
What It Won't Do
The AirPods Pro 3 only support AAC over Bluetooth. No LDAC, no aptX, no lossless streaming. For the 55% of the market that uses Android, there's no companion app, no custom EQ, and no true multipoint switching. Picky Audio put it bluntly: 'If you're on Android, you're paying $249 for half a product.' The ecosystem lock-in is real and disqualifying for a large chunk of buyers.
Wirecutter's Lauren Dragan and a listening panel of audio reviewers, musicians and composers named the Liberty 5 Pro the best wireless earbuds for most people. The microphones are the reason. Wirecutter tests calls in quiet, noisy and windy places, and it says these are the best noise-reducing mics it has ever tested. CNET's David Carnoy agreed and gave it a 9.1/10 Editors' Choice as his pick for voice calls.
Noise cancelling lands close to flagship level. RTINGS made it the best mid-range pick in August and found its ANC comes close to the $330 Sony WF-1000XM6, even beating it in some respects. RTINGS then dropped its upper mid-range category entirely because the Liberty 5 Pro outperformed everything in it.
At $169.99 you also get what the AirPods Pro 3 hold back from Android users: LDAC, multipoint and adjustable EQ. The case has a small touchscreen that shows each bud's battery level and changes ANC and EQ presets without your phone, and Wirecutter found the buds recharge remarkably fast in it.
What It Won't Do
Battery life is the weak spot. Wirecutter measured 6.5 hours per charge and RTINGS got 6.9 hours, well short of the 8.6 hours RTINGS measured on the Sony. The buds are chunky as well. CNET found they stick out of your ears more than lower-profile pairs, and TechRadar calls the charging case irksomely bulky. Wirecutter also found the supplied silicone tips let higher-pitched sounds leak through, so plan on third-party foam tips if you want the full effect of the ANC.
Who Should Buy Which
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The earbuds all 11 of our sources recommend, with the strongest ANC SoundGuys has measured
- iPhone owners who want the strongest ANC SoundGuys has measured
- Anyone who wants IP57 protection for workouts and rainy commutes
- Buyers who want heart-rate tracking and a hearing aid mode built in
- Mac, iPad and Apple Watch users who want automatic device switching
- Frequent flyers who want small buds that cut engine noise
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Wirecutter's top pick for most people, with the best call mics it has tested
- Android users who want LDAC and multipoint
- People who take a lot of calls in wind or traffic
- Buyers who want near-flagship ANC for $169.99
- Anyone who likes changing ANC and EQ from the case
- iPhone owners who also pair their earbuds with a Windows laptop