Wireless technology is definitely one of the—literal—small joys of the modern world, with so much convenience packed into such a small frame, it’s hard to believe that we used to be carrying around a cluster of wires wherever we went. Nevertheless, as a staple in modern society, it’s only reasonable that you would want to keep up with the latest and greatest of today’s audio technology–a precarious task with the endless stream of new earbuds being shipped out every week.
Luckily CGM was able to snag some of the best wireless earbuds of this year from all your favourite brands like Sennheiser, HUAWEI, SoundPeats, Google and ASUS that brought out some amazingly delivered products, and now one will rightfully claim its spot as the best earbuds 2023 among such a strong list of competitors.
Here are CGMagazine’s nominees for Best Earbuds 2023:
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Earbuds
Writer: Andrew Wilson
Score: 9
Price: $177.99
While listening to music, the ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless earbuds put out an amazing sound when compared to other earbuds I have tested. Bass-filled music delivers a satisfying deep punch and pound which I personally enjoy hearing. Mids and treble tones deliver clear and crisp sound and help to truly immerse you into what you are listening to. All the music I have tested the buds with has made the experience much more enjoyable and has me wanting to listen for even longer than I normally would.
Battery life is fairly modest as ASUS rates the buds at around 5 hours of use each, however, in my testing, I was regularly able to get more than that if I kept my volume to a reasonable level. The case delivers up to an additional 27 hours of charge, meaning you can likely take these on a long weekend trip without having to worry about bringing a charger.
The company has done an impressive job with the ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Earbuds delivering a pair that serve their purpose in just about every situation you could ask for.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Writer: David Walters
Score: 9
Price: $259.99
The sound quality that the Google Pixel Buds Pro affords is spectacular. Everything comes through in the form of rich and clear sound. I will say that it does have a bit of a bias towards bass, and that was very clear when listening to bands like Bullet For My Valentine and Theory of a Deadman. This isn’t a bad thing, to be clear. I’ve spent so much time with earbuds that don’t have a bias towards bass or treble that it was thrilling to hear sound that leaned that way.
The Transparency mode works like a charm, as I was able to switch to it and have a full conversation in a noisy room with my partner and not have to take the Google Pixel Buds Pro out or have the other person speak louder.
Whenever it comes to a wireless peripheral, the biggest issue for most people is how long the battery can last. Well, the Google Pixel Buds Pro have a very respectable battery life, coming in at 11 hours of continuous usage (without ANC on) and 31 hours of listening time with the charging case. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Google Pixel Buds Pro. Coming in at a price of $259.99 CAD, I think they are worth every single penny. If you are looking for a pair of earbuds that not only look good but work incredibly well, then you’d have a hard time overlooking the Google Pixel Buds Pro.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro are some of the absolute best earbuds I’ve used, and it would be very hard to look past them if you’re in the market.
SoundPEATS Mini Pro Earbuds
Writer: Andrew Wilson
Score: 9.5
Price: $92.99
In my time using the SoundPEATS Mini Pro earbuds, I found the sound quality to be excellent. While listening to various media types, the quality of sound they produced was exceptionally clear and crisp, with just the right amount of bass to give a satisfying audible pound. Users will also appreciate the long battery life of up to seven hours of continuous use while out of the case. With the case, you can expect to reach up to a total of 21 hours, making the SoundPEATS Mini Pro earbuds perfect to toss in a bag, pocket or purse without having to worry about charging them up.
The SoundPEATS have done an incredible job with their Mini Pro earbuds. I constantly found myself returning to them when I needed a pair of earphones when I went out and didn’t have a lot of room in my pockets. They deliver a truly rich listening experience that could easily rival that of a much more expensive competitor while consistently getting me through a full day of use. For those looking for a great set of earbuds without breaking the bank, look no further than the SoundPEATS Mini Pro earbuds.
SoundPEATS has delivered a truly incredible product with the SoundPEATS Mini Pro earbuds that produce rich and immersive sound while maintaining a fairly budget-oriented price.
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 Earbuds
Writer: Brendan Frye
Score: 9.5
Price: $268.99
With the clear sound of jazz to the vocals from an acoustic set, the FreeBuds Pro 2 manage to impress on all fronts. I threw on everything from Rage Against the Machine, to Ed Sheeran, and was impressed every time. Even throwing on some Master of Puppets from Metallica sounded rich, with the baselines and guitar coming through crystal clear, despite the small size.
One of the more interesting aspects of this year’s earbuds is the new Devialet partnership. HUAWEI has worked with the French audio company to bring a more refined EQ, and profiles look to make the earbuds more clear and rich sound compared to the bass-heavy fallback many brands resort to. These HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 are a breath of fresh air for people that want their music on the go. These headphones are comfortable, have some of the best ANC I have seen on earbuds, and the Silver Blue is striking to look at. For anyone on Android looking for new wireless earbuds, few compare to the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2.
With great audio and a wealth of features, the FreeBuds Pro 2 are simply a knockout victory for Huawei.
WINNER: Best Earbuds 2023: Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earbuds
Writer: Brendan Frye
Score: 9.5
Price: $129.95
At the core of these little headphones is the company’s Sennheiser’s TrueResponse transducer that boasts some fantastic features for people that love audio. According to Sennheiser, this will allow the tiny headphones to deliver “deep basses, natural mids, and clear, detailed treble”. From our time with the earbuds, I am inclined to believe this claim.
From podcasts to music, I found the CX True Wireless Earbuds to sound very good, offering a wide sound stage that delivers clear mids, trebles and bass to keep even the biggest EDM fans happy. While they are not the most natural-sounding earbuds you can buy, Sennheiser has found a sound that pleases most buyers, especially for the price they are charging. They cost less than past iterations, offer plenty of improvements, and still deliver the vibrant, robust audio the company is known for. If you like audio and want the best you can find for the price, few headphones compare to the Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earbuds.
Delivering great audio and costing less than many comparable headphones, the Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earbuds are one of the best offerings in wireless Bluetooth audio you can buy.
