Wireless headphones are great, but true-wireless earphones go one step further. As the name suggests, true-wireless earphones feature no cabling at all: nothing between your music and your headphones, but importantly, nothing linking each earbud together. Simply put, they’re like earplugs that don’t just block the noise out but play whatever you want. So, which ones should you buy?
To make your purchase journey easier, we’ve outlined the best true-wireless earphones available.
Sony has always been involved in the world of mobile listening, and arguably started the whole thing off with the Walkman. Either way, it's taking over the true-wireless market too with these: the WF-1000XM3. As you'd expect from Sony, sound quality is impressive but punchy, and they'll go for six hours – or 24 if you add the case. Underneath their rather sleek frame, the WF-1000X3 earphones also pack in noise-cancelling tech – that makes them great in the home and office. These Sony earphones aren't cheap by any means, but with the everything they do and how well they do it, we think they're worth the money.
No list is complete with Apple's Airpods – a gadget so popular they've become part of the zeitgeist. Easy to pair with an iPhone or iPad, Airpods make use of Apple's simple set up process – just tap them on your smartphone and you're good to go. The Apple Airpods don't offer the best sound quality on the planet, but they do sound better than the standard earbuds you get with most phones. Bass is there but not overpowering, treble is present but a little harsh – and the Airpods do their best to represent everything in between. At just over a day with the charging case, battery life is good, and Apple users will be pleased to know they also come with Siri built-in. However, if you want something for sport, check out the similar Powerbeats Pro.
Want something like Apple Airpods, but with a bigger sound and a more stable fit? Then you'll want some Powerbeats Pros. Simply put, these offer the same tech as Apple's Airpods, with punchier, bass-heavy sound, and they also grip your ears like a vice – so you won't worry about playing a variety of sports with them. They aren't cheap and they aren't the most subtle of devices, but then they're made for more active music lovers. You get nine hours of them before charging, and up to 24-ish with the case – just like the AirPods. They'll also charge quickly; five-minute's charge gives 1.5 hours of music.
The new earbuds from RHA look almost identical to the earbuds they replace, but that's no bad thing. Finished in matte black, with two microphones on either side to improve call quality, the RHA's are again clean, functional and very Scandinavian-looking in their execution.
Read our full RHA TrueConnect 2 earbuds review.
B&O's E8 2.0 headphones are already on this list, and you can get them for a great price – but if you want the best the brand has to offer, you'll want these. Mark three of B&O's E8 gives you improvements all round. They're 17% smaller than before, now give you seven hours of battery life and the case can hold four extra charges. That's 35 hours of the music if you've left the house organised. Call quality is better too, thanks to beaming-forming technology that uses sound from four – not two – microphones this time around. The only issue? At £300, they've got a premium price to match their new premium performance.
The Cambridge Audio Melomanias were released last year. Look at the pebble-like charging case, and it's clear these aren't as premium as some other entries – but what they lack in looks they make up for in performance. Featuring vibrant, bouncing bass and no real distortion at high volumes, the Melomanias offer impressive sound for the money, and hammer the point home with even better battery life: Cambridge Audio's Melomanias will put out nine hours of music before needing a charge – and their carry case contains a further 36 hours of music time.
Bose's wireless solution offers up all we've come to expect – true-to-life, high-quality sound. SoundSport designed for sport, obviously, so they fit snuggly and are sweat/water resistant. They have five hours of battery life with an additional 10 from the case, which isn't as long as some – but they pay off is incredible sound. You'll also get access to the Bose Connect app which improves the Bluetooth pairing and operates a "Find My Buds" location feature.
B&O are known for their design-led hi-fi gear and their first true-wireless offering is equally premium. The E8s are stylish, unobtrusive, and pack balanced, detailed sound into a small, perfectly formed package. If you want a pair of wireless earbuds that'll suit your wardrobe, and also provide extremely balanced, precise sound, look no further than these. B&O has also launched the Beoplay Charging Pad, so the E8s can be topped up without any cables at all.
If you're looking for an inexpensive pair of true-wireless earphones, check out these from Groov-e. The sound is reliable and clear, and they're comfy to wear. We tested these out while following Couch to 5k and found them easy to use and simple to set up. You can use voice controls, and connect to phone calls; plus, the charging pack can be used as a power bank for other mobile devices.
Read our full Groov-e Sportsbuds review.
If it's an Apple Airpods lookalike you're after, these ones really do come close. Featuring an extra-long wireless range and portable charging case, they're a brilliant budget option. The touch sensors are very sensitive, so you'll need to get used to using them, but once you do, you'll find great sounding music and convenience. You'll get up to six hours of playtime from a single charge, however the carry case included with the earphones gives on-the-go charging, making the total playtime up to 16 hours. They fit securely in your ears, have a built-in microphone for calls and feel like a real quality product for a great price.
Are they worth it?
If you like to listen to music when you're on the go or running, you’ll probably prefer a pair of true-wireless earphones over conventional headphones. And because the sound quality of wireless headphones is pretty much identical to traditional headphones, you'll want to make use of them around the home or garden, too.
Despite only being around for the last two or three years, there're now countless true-wireless devices from the likes of Sony, Bang & Olufsen, RHA and Cambridge Audio, and there are more coming out all the time. Look towards the checkout at your local supermarket, and you’ll find a few cheap true-wireless headphones there, too.
Futuristic devices like these are possible thanks to advances in battery, Bluetooth and speaker systems, and the tech has several advantages over usual earphones.