Any tech enthusiast has a pair of wireless earbuds they swear by. Battery life, protective casing and connectivity are some of the most important factors when choosing the pair that is right for you. Every major audio brand has their own variety of earbuds, including Samsung, Razer, EPOS and more. This year our biggest hitters came from the likes of Sennheiser, Google, JBL, Sony and OnePlus.
Here are CGM’s nominees for Best Earbuds 2021/22:
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds
Writer: Steven Green
Score: 9
Price: $299.99
Sennheiser has been known for their world-class audio products for over 75 years, and with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds you have another stunning achievement from the German manufacturer. Between the dynamic sound, long battery life, and set of features controlled through Sennheiser’s app, you have earbuds that might be unrivalled on the market today.
Coming in at over $220 USD, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds are some of the pricier options on the market. With all the features and excellent quality in sound and design, however, you can see where this price makes sense for consumers looking for the best of the best. This is one of the only downsides, but considering all the positives with these earbuds, you can see where is completely justified. For the consumer looking for a more budget-friendly solution to their earbud needs, this set of Sennheiser earbuds might be out of the question.
In terms of battery life, sound quality, and features, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds are easily among the earbud elite.
Google Pixel Buds A Series Earbuds
Writer: Lindsay Traves
Score: 9
Price: $139
The Google Pixel Buds A Series come with the features you want from a premium product, setting them apart and justifying the price jump from buds made by companies not linked to mobile devices. They have the bells and whistles of higher quality buds, including connecting automatically when you remove them from the case, sensing when they’re your ears, and adjusting to a single earbud when one is removed. They not only pair with Android devices, they pair with iOS or any other Bluetooth 4.0 device. I connected to them using the regular Bluetooth settings, and they worked great on my Windows Surface Laptop and my MacBook Pro.
The Google Pixel Buds – A Series are an incredible option for anyone looking to go wireless, specifically those with Android devices looking for added functionality. They work well, they stay in your ears, have premium features, all for the middle-of-the-road price point. If you can make them work, they’re absolutely worth holding out for.
If the upgrade from third party buds is within your budget, these boast all the functionality of premium earbuds at a middle-of-the-pack price point. The Google integration will make these especially appealing for Android users, but they’re a great option to connect to any device.
JBL Endurance Peak II Earphones
Writer: David Walters
Score: 9
Price: $149
The JBL Endurance Peak II are right in the middle of the line for JBL’s true wireless selection of headphones and come in 4 different colours: blue, black, white, and red. A younger me would have adored the red version, but white appealed to me more now. They are the least expensive sets that are considered IPX7 sweatproof and waterproof. Now for those that aren’t quite sure what that means, I have you covered. IPX7 rating means that the device is protected from water in an accidental submersion of up to three feet for 30 minutes. How the device determines if a submersion is accidental or not, I’ll leave that to the experts.
Apart from the tedious initial pairing process, I was really impressed with these headphones. The sound quality is brilliant, and doesn’t ever feel grainy or that you’re missing out on any part of whatever it is you’re listening to. As I mentioned earlier, these really don’t fall out, even with the, frankly, embarrassing amount of headbanging that goes on from time to time. I love the design and how light they feel while wearing them. They aren’t the absolute best that JBL has to offer, but they stay in their lane and do it exceptionally.
The Endurance Peak II are well worth your consideration if you are looking for a good set of truly wireless headphones but don’t want to break the bank. The fantastic audio quality is the highlight for me and everything else is simply a great addition.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Earbuds
Writer: Brendan Frye
Score: 9.5
Price: $399.99
While I loved what the 1000XM3 offered when they hit the market, Sony has outdone themselves with this update. The MX4 earbuds look better, sound better, and cancel noise in a much more complete way. The WF-1000XM4 has also been noticeably changed, and delivers a new, more stylish look that should set you apart from the crowd all wearing the latest from Apple.
I can’t say enough good things about the WF-1000XM4, Sony has outdone themselves with these headphones. While one of the more expensive options on the market, if you demand great audio, and want the best noise-cancelling earbuds we have ever tested, few can compare to the WF-1000XM4. For people that want everything from their audio, Sony has delivered; I look forward to seeing what they do next.
While a bit bigger than other earbuds on the market, the Sony WF-1000XM4 delivers some of the best sound and noise-cancelling you can find on earbuds.
OnePlus Buds Pro Earbuds (Winner, Best Earbuds 2021)
Writer: David Walters
Score: 9.5
Price: $150
There is so much balance in the sound that these tiny little things put out, I never felt overwhelmed by any particular aspect of what I happened to be listening to. It wasn’t until I had the volume up about as near to full as I dared go before I heard any kind of distortion, and to be honest, I want to hear a tiny bit of distortion when listening to some hard rock.
All-in-all, the OnePlus Buds Pro are an incredible pair of earbuds, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a different set that sounds as good as these without considerably breaking the bank. The sound quality and battery life are amazing features that have completely sold me. Add to that, the three different sized ear-tips that come in the box and there’s a fit for everyone.
The OnePlus Buds Pro are easily the best earbuds I’ve ever used, bar none. Not much more needs to be said than that. The only thing I would change is the price.
