Top 5 Best Earbuds in 2025

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The best earbuds from Apple, Sony, Technics and more all rigorously tested.

Since I started working as a full-time audio journalist in 2019, I have personally evaluated over 160 audio devices. However, TechRadar has been in the business since 2006, and our team has reviewed over 300 earbuds to far. Thanks to our stringent in-house earbud testing procedure, only the best arrive here.

Whether you’re powering through your commute with an inspiring soundtrack, zoning out with a soothing playlist, or streaming a podcast on a lengthy journey, the best earbuds may completely change the way you listen.

A longer battery life, more comfortable designs, and improved Bluetooth codecs have led to the majority of consumers choosing the best wireless earbuds in 2025.While the top-rated wireless versions are the main subject of this list, some wired jewels for those looking for high-resolution or affordable music are also included. To make sure it meets (or above) expectations, every selection has undergone extensive testing for music quality, noise cancellation, mic clarity, and battery life.

For the majority of individuals, the Technics EAH-AZ100 is now the greatest option due to its exceptional triple-device multipoint connection, rich audio, and call quality. The Sony WF-C510 buds impress with excellent sound at a reasonable price, while the Nothing Ear (a) offers exceptional quality and value for less than $100/£100. Searching for options that are affordable? See our list of the best wired earbuds or our guide to the best inexpensive wireless earbuds.

Table of Contents

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1. Technics EAH-AZ100

The 2025-issue Technics EAH-AZ100 buds include several features, triple-point connectivity, a beautiful little earpiece, a sound that truly needs to be heard to be believed in a wireless design, and a premium feel—because they are.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 made a strong case for itself in almost every area we tested, securing Technics’ position at the top of the wireless earbuds market. They have a great appearance, faultless control choices, remarkable comfort, and a fascinating, thrilling, and distinctly musical sound.The Technics EAH-AZ100 are prepared for battle, and in our opinion, they triumph in nearly every way. Their comprehensive specifications cover everything from adaptive ANC to Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with LDAC compatibility, and their design is lighter, smaller, and somehow no less premium in look and feel than their slightly larger EAH-AZ80 siblings.

The EAH-AZ100 are the real deal, unless you value bubble-of-silence noise cancellation or exceptional battery life over excellent sound quality.While we’re talking about noise cancellation, we should also mention that, in order to receive the finest audio quality, we recommend leaving it turned on. We promise you won’t be let down. They didn’t receive the full five stars despite their significant sonic abilities, comfort, and features because when you turn off ANC, the snappy, exquisitely managed bass frequencies mysteriously lose some of their bite and substance.

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2. Nothing Ear (a)

The buds of the Nothing Ear (a) go from being “fine, but nothing special” to “these are the best value you can get for the price,” which is a significant improvement above Nothing. While doing so, they’re a fun shade of yellow!

They feel luxurious and are excellent for their under $100/£100 price. According to our assessment, “the Nothing earbuds look more premium and feel more foxy than the similarly priced (and fantastic) Sony WF-C700N.” The sound is just as vibrant, detailed, and enthusiastic, and (dare we say it?) a little more expansive to boot. Their noise cancellation is also a little more reliable.

Generally speaking, we stated that “for the money, Nothing has tweaked its recipe to near perfection here”; sure, you can get better sound from the Technics at the top of the list or other more expensive options, but you will have to pay twice as much for a significant difference.

This also applies to features: the noise cancellation is as good as we tested for the price, and you get clever features like wear detection that automatically pauses the devices when you take them out, multi-point pairing that allows you to switch between devices instantly, a Find My mode, support for LDAC high definition, etc. The only thing lacking is spatial audio, which is typically not a must for reasonably priced headphones.

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3. Sony WF-C510

The Sony WF-C510s are now our number one budget choice if you’re searching for the best inexpensive earbuds. They demonstrate that you don’t have to shell out a fortune for a good set of buds and that Sony still produces reasonably priced buds that are on par with its more expensive versions.

Although the Sony WF-C510 earbuds aren’t flawless, they offer all the attributes that most people would want in a dependable pair of buds, including clear sound and long-lasting comfort.Although there isn’t active noise cancellation here, there is passive noise isolation because of the snug fit and an option called “sound control” that increases background noise to make sure you’re aware of your surroundings. The companion app from Sony gives you access to both basic features and an EQ. Low-latency mode and wear detection are not available beyond that, however not everyone will notice their absence.

The buds themselves have a respectable 11-hour battery life. Although competitors typically complete two or three charges, you will only receive one additional full charge of eleven hours from the accompanying case. This indicates that they are excellent for an extended listening session. However, they lag behind certain competitors when it comes to charging on the move.

During our testing, the audio quality impressed us. Given that they are inexpensive headphones, you should definitely control your expectations. However, our reviewer stated: “I found the audio high-quality and also certainly distinct in that Sony, ‘have this sound, and have it good and clear’ system.” With a slightly forward sound profile and a distinct treble, even at higher volumes, the bass isn’t very strong, but everything else is nice and well-balanced.

The Sony WF-C510 earbuds have a straightforward, rounded, and inconspicuous style. The buds have a remarkably snug fit and weigh only 4.6g each.”They always felt rigid in my testing, never once falling out or even feeling loose,” our reviewer stated. Notably, they have an IPX4 water resistance rating, meaning they should withstand light showers and strenuous workouts. A few features are missing from the Sony WF-C510 earbuds, but other than that, they are incredibly well-made for the price and outperform all of the competitors at the low end.

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4. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

With good reason, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our choice for the top noise-canceling earbuds in this list. They offer significant enhancements, such as superior ANC and device-agnostic head-tracked immersive audio, to the already fantastic QuietComfort Earbuds 2 model.

As anticipated, this device has excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), which produces a “near bubble of silence” that is ideal for blocking out outside noise during lengthy flights or commutes. They’re a good option for prolonged listening sessions when you combine their noise-cancelling capabilities with a 6-hour battery life in the buds and a 24-hour battery life in the case.

Thanks to Snapdragon Sound Suite and aptX Adaptive compatibility, the brand-new Immersive Audio technology offers spatial sound that changes with your movements, making for a more dramatic experience on all devices. Although rivals like Sony may have a little advantage in terms of detail when it comes to audio, we described them as a “vigorous and engaging listen” in our assessment. You don’t need to search for greater sound unless you want audiophile-caliber quality.

Although these aren’t the smallest earbuds available, they do have easier-to-fit silicone stability bands and weigh only 6.24g each, which is a slight improvement over the QuietComfort Earbuds 2.

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5. Apple AirPods Pro 2

Excellent earbuds, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are often regarded as the greatest choice for Apple enthusiasts. Active noise cancellation is one of the best features here; it rivals the Bose choice above in terms of how well it blocks out practically all outside noises, but we give the Bose a slightly higher rating. Another useful gimmick is the Adaptive Transparency Mode, which allows you to change how outside noises are blocked at any time.

The battery lasts six hours with ANC turned on and thirty hours with the case. The case is IPX4 water resistant, has a speaker, and a wireless tracking chip, so if you misplace it, your phone can literally direct you to it or use the “Find My” network to locate it. The audio quality is excellent and significantly better than the original AirPods Pro. The soundstage is broad and expansive, with rich sound across genres, a deep yet controlled bass, and a clear, elevated treble.

If we had to critique it, we might say that, in contrast to the more neutral and natural sound of the Technics at the top of this list, it is a bit too forward. There is a lot of detail, and it is also energetic. Another amazing feature of these headphones is spatial audio, which makes watching movies feel more like you’re in a home theater than if you’re listening to sound sent straight into your ears.

However, the main reason you would pick these over alternatives is the additional capabilities they offer for people who own a lot of Apple products.In addition to supporting Find My, they can share audio with other AirPods or Beats headphones, easily switch between your Apple devices, provide customized audio adjustments, and even optimize battery charge to extend their lifespan. However, you must use them with an iPhone in order to access all of this. Anything else only offers the rudimentary features of “they play music and you can switch between noise cancellation and Transparency.”

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Each of the best earbuds in our guide has been put through testing to ensure that it meets certain requirements, which are represented in our comprehensive evaluation.

Features: One of these is how well they compare to other earbuds of the same price in terms of features like battery life, smart app controls, active noise cancellation, and connection possibilities. We use several methods to test each of these features. By running them down and monitoring the timing, we test the active noise suppression in various real-world settings.

Audio: Above all, we want to make sure the sound is great, with a good bass level and clarity. We listen to music from a variety of sources, including YouTube and social media apps, as well as high-quality files from streamers like Apple Music and Tidal and lower-quality streams from services like Spotify. We’ll listen to a variety of genres and blend songs that we’ve known for years with some new ones that allow us to hear all the small variations.

Comfort: Wearability and comfort come next. The greatest in-ear buds must feel safe and comfy because you need to know that you’ll be able to wear them for hours on end. Some appear to be made organically to fit snugly, while others include various silicone tip alternatives to assist you achieve the ideal fit. When it comes to design, we also search for small, non-obtrusive earbuds and, in the case of true wireless designs, earbuds that have a tiny charging case that can be tucked into a pocket, backpack, or purse.

Value: After testing everything, we evaluate them based on their value, which basically refers to how well the aforementioned factors balance out their cost and that of competing earbuds.

Sound quality testing: The main component of this is a specific playlist from a certain source device and music service that will be utilized for sound quality testing. Although additional music and sound sources will also be tested by our reviewers, this playlist offers a starting point for comparisons, and you are welcome to duplicate it and use it for your own purposes.

Testing of microphone quality: We will also record our conversation to evaluate the microphone’s ability to pick up speech. If you would like, you can listen to the recordings on the website and compare them for yourself. Additionally, we’ll describe in detail how long the battery lasts in actual use and include that data in tables for convenient comparison. Please be patient with us as we continue to compile this information; an even better shopping guide will be available soon!

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