Game Rant has previously covered thebest earbuds for iPhoneusers, but what about the rest of the world, who use Android phones? Well, search no longer because Game Rant has gone through and compiled a list of the best earbuds for Android, at least for now. There are always new and exciting earbuds coming out. FromSonyto smaller brands likeSoundcore, there are a ton of earbuds to choose from to make the perfect companion for your Android phone.
The Best Wireless Earbuds For Android
Jabra Elite 4 Active Earbuds
The Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds are designed for an active life with a durable build quality and a wing-free ergonomic design with a secure fit. The earbuds are IP57-certified, which makes them waterproof and dirt resistant. The noise-canceling feature uses four microphones to deliver crystal-clear calls while eliminating unwanted background noise.With the HearThrough technology, the user can listen to the surroundings to join in on a conversation or listen to an announcement. The earbuds offer up to 7 hours of battery life with additional 28 hours available in the charging case.
While Jabra earbuds tend to fly under the radar for most people, its latest models, especially the Elite 4 Active, have been making quite a splash. These earbuds are at the bleeding edge of earbud technology, like some premium options, but most people don’t need that high level of performance. Thanks to their fantastic sound quality, impressive ANC performance, comfortable design, and relatively affordable price point, the Elite 4 Active is an excellent option for most Android users.
These earbuds are designed to be used during exercising, and even though they don’t have wing grips like other fitness earbuds, they stay incredibly stable (for the most part) during any activity. Finding a properly fitting ear tip is essential for this earbud to feel as stable as possible, so it is worth trying out the different sizes Jabra provides before sticking with one. The only uncomfortable part of the Elite 4 Active is the physical button controls on the earbuds instead of being touch-sensitive. While this is nice when you are sweaty, you have to press the button reasonably hard to get it to register, which can lodge it pretty far in your ear canal if not done carefully.
The Elite 4 Active sounds fantastic out of the box, with a frequency response fairly similar to most other earbuds at this price point; you will enjoy listening to music on these earbuds regardless of the genre. However, you can take it a step further by playing around with the EQ settings in the Sound+ app for a more personalized sound. You can either use one of Jabra’s presets or play around with the five-band equalizer if you like to fiddle with your settings.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise Canceling Earbuds
After the massive success of the Song WF-100XM4, the WF-100XM5 had some big shoes to fill, yet somehow it did. Designed to offer an extraordinary audio experience, the smaller, lighter earbud and charging case comes with an improved ear tip design for comfort. These earbuds redefine what wireless earbuds should feel and sound like.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 is not the end-all-be-all when it comes to premium earbuds, but they are pretty close. These earbuds deliver unparalleled sound performance, incredible build quality, and all the fancy features you can ask for. The price tag of these earbuds is not for everyone, but for those looking for the best of the best with minimal downside, the WF-1000XM5 is the way to go.
All earbuds have pros and cons regarding sound quality, but most users will be hard-pressed to complain about the WF-1000XM5’s sound quality. These earbuds produce a natural sound profile that rivals full-sized headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5. The lower end is booming and powerful, but doesn’t overwhelm the top end or muddy vocals. Thanks to some Sony magic, these earbuds also do a great job of rendering stereo sounds that maintain a convincing illusion of 3D space.
These earbuds deliver similar ANC performance to the previous generation WF-1000XM4. This is not bad; the last generation already had exceptional ANC performance. However, the WF-1000XM5 takes it a step further with better passive isolation. The new foam ear tips do a much better job forming the user’s ear canal, which blocks out a decent amount of sound even with ANC turned off.
Nothing Ear (a)
Using the Signature Nothing design, the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are an incredibly stylish pair of earbuds with translucent plastic and fun colorways. Not only do these earbuds look good, but they also sound amazing; with a driver designed to protect each detail, high notes hit deeper, and lows feel richer. Plus, with fantastic ANC performance, you can easily tune out the world when you want to with the Nothing Ear (a).
The Nothing brand has made itself famous fairly quickly with its translucent tech, which is taking the Android phone market by storm. While Nothing’s phones have made quite a splash, its earbuds have been lackluster over the last couple of generations. Now, with the latest Nothing Ear (a), that trend seems to be changing. These earbuds offer incredible sound quality and some of the best ANC performance at this price point.
ANC performance doesn’t make or break mid-range earbuds, but if you are looking for some of the best ANC for under $100, it is hard to beat the Ear (a). You can easily tune out the world and focus on your music on the highest setting. However, the transparency mode is not the best. Voices sound a bit muffled and artificial, but that is true for most earbuds besides Apple Airpods.
With support for LDAC codec and impressive earbud driver performance, the Ear (a) does not disappoint when it comes to sound quality. These compact earbuds deliver an expansive and wide sound stage, and even when listening to lossy audio, there is an excellent amount of texture and clarity in the music. They may not be the most accurate earbuds, but the Ear (a) is incredibly fun to listen to no matter what you are listening to.
Anker Soundcore Life A2 NC
The Anker Soundcore Life A2 NC are the perfect budget earbuds for anyone who wants excellent ANC that blocks out 90% of outside noise and sounds terrific regardless of the genre of music or content being watched. The 11mm driver creates a surprisingly robust sound profile with bass-heavy thumps that don’t overpower the mids or highs. With 7 hours of playtime and a 35-hour case, the Life A2 NC can make it through 4 charging cycles before being plugged back in.
The Soundcore Life 2 NC might not have the most powerful noise cancelation from the Soundcore lineup, but if people want a pair of earbuds that are just $55 with an incredibly stable connection and bone-rattling bass, the Life 2 NC is the way to go. If you thought the Life P3 from Soundcore was affordable, the Life 2 NC is an even better deal if you are willing to give up some of the creature comforts, such as a smaller form factor.
These affordable earbuds rival the bass response of the much more expensive Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, but when it comes to the mids and highs, it does start to lose out. In music with heavy bass elements, vocals and higher-pitched elements begin to get a loss in the mix. They don’t sound muddy exactly, but they do not deliver the same clarity and separation that higher-end Anker Soundcore earbuds have.
The Life 2 NC is a very affordable pair of earbuds that are exceptional at this price point if people want to spend about $60. Of course, if people are willing to extend their budget a bit, they can pick up a pair with more ANC, like the JLab Epic Air Sport. However, many people will be hard-pressed to find a better bass and a more stable connection than the Life 2 NC.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Using breakthrough spatialized audio for more immersive listening, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds make the music feel more accurate than ever before—no matter the content or source. They are the ultimate wireless noise-cancelling earbud experience.
If you are looking for the best ANC performance in earbuds, look no further than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. As the company that practically invented noise-canceling technology, Bose goes out of its way to establish market dominance in that part of the equation.
Unlike many earbuds that primarily rely on passive isolation to do most of the work when it comes to canceling outside noise, the QuietComfort Ultra uses a pretty even mix of passive and ANC to get the best performance. Using four microphones per earbud and a proprietary technique Bose calls custom tune, these earphones cater to each user’s needs individually based on the size and shape of their ear canal. Across the board, whether the outside noise is high-pitched or low-pitched, these earbuds pretty much nix any surrounding sound that could distract you from your music.
Sound-wise, the QuietComfort Ultra continues its strong performance, with a reasonably accurate frequency response and a fun listening experience. However, compared to the other earbuds in this guide, these earbuds emphasize the low end quite a bit. This is not strictly bad, but for songs with strong bass lines, it can be a bit overwhelming in the mix, leading to the mids and highs becoming muddy in some situations.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Earbuds
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are truly wireless earbuds with a superb feature set. They include HD Voice Technology. This technology isolates the user’s voice from background noise during calls. As a result, conversations are clear, even in noisy environments. Active Noise Cancelation ensures the best listening experience without distractions.The earbuds also have Intelligent Conversation Mode. When the user starts speaking, this mode automatically disables Active Noise Cancelation. The sound volume is lowered and the earbuds switch to Ambient Mode, making it easier to engage in conversation.
Like Apple AirPods, which pair seamlessly with iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is a match made in heaven for all Samsung phones. Built from the ground up to work seamlessly together, it is a perfect choice if you are looking for a new daily driver to pair with your favorite Samsung phone. Of course, you’re able to use these earbuds with non-Samsung phones, but if you want to get the most out of these earbuds, they are best paired with a Samsung device.
Using the same round design as the previous Galaxy Buds, the Buds 2 Pro is fairly comfortable for most people, but the larger driver does take some getting used to at first. That being said, if you are a runner or like to move a lot with your earbuds, these do tend to pop out or shake a bit during heavy movement, with occasional replacement needed every so often for the best results.
The biggest selling point of these earbuds for Samsung users is the support for Samsung’s terrific Seamless Codec. This allows users to get basically lossless audio via Bluetooth and makes for super simple switching between devices, as long as they are both Samsung.
Key Factors For Choosing The Best Wireless Earbuds For Android
When searching for the best earbuds for your Android phone, the results can be pretty intimidating; luckily, with these three key factors, you can quickly narrow down the expansive list into a much more manageable one.
FAQ
Q: Which is better in-ear or on ear earbuds?
If you want better sound quality and noise cancellation, in-ear earbuds provide the best results. However, if you want a more casual listening experience and want to keep your ears open to your surroundings, on-ear or open-ear headphones are an excellent choice.
Q: How do you pick the right size earbuds?
If you don’t have an ear tip you have used in the past to refer to, one of the best ways to do it is to gently place your fingers in your ear canal until you get a good amount of isolation from outside noise. Start with your small finger and work your way until you get a comfortable fit. Then, try to find an ear tip size that most closely fits that size.
