When Apple launched the original AirPods in late 2016, it took the market by storm. They worked seamlessly with other Apple products and were a notable step above other Bluetooth earbuds in the market. Fast forward to 2019 and the market is filled with truly wireless earbuds that are better than the AirPods in many ways.
Apple did launch the second-generation AirPods earlier this year with some key improvements but when compared to its competition, the new AirPods lack key features like improved sound quality, water-resistance, and active noise cancellation. With the AirPods, you are getting a level of convenience that no other wireless earbuds on the market can offer. However, if you are ready to give up on that convenience factor, you have plenty of other options to look at. Below are some of the notable AirPods alternative available in the market.
The Best AirPods Alternatives
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony’s recently launched WF-1000XM3 are easily among the best wireless earbuds in the market. They are not exactly cheap at $229 but offer excellent sound quality and even feature active noise cancellation. The fit is also better than the AirPods, with Sony offering a bunch of ear tips to ensure one finds the perfect seal.
One issue with the Sony WF-1000XM3 is that it lacks any kind of water or sweat-resistance like the AirPods.
The battery life is pretty decent as well and the earphones can last for around 6 hours at medium volume levels with active noise cancellation. With ANC off, the battery life jumps by 2 hours to 8 hours.
One issue with Sony’s offerings is that they are not as discrete to wear as the AirPods or other wireless earbuds. But I guess that’s the price one has to pay for the improved sound quality and active noise cancellation.
The carrying case is also a bit on the bulkier side but it can charge the earbuds three times. Plus, they feature a USB-C port and support fast charging so a 10-minute charge is enough to make the earbuds last for an additional 1.5 hours.
Pros:
Active noise cancellation
Excellent sound quality
Great battery life
USB-C connectivity
Fast charging
Variety of ear tips bundled
Cons:
Expensive
Not as discrete as AirPods
No volume controls
No wireless charging
No voice assistant integration
➤ Buy Now ($228)
Jabra Elite Active 65t
Jabra offers two variants of its wireless buds: the Active Elite 65t and the Elite 65t. The former is a better buy in my opinion due to some design advantages, though the sound quality offered by the two models are the same.
The Jabra Elite Active 65t lack active noise cancellation but they make up for it by offering passive noise cancellation with a very tight in-ear fit. However, some may find this tight fit a bit too uncomfortable after a few hours. Jabra does bundle three different sizes of ear tips to help one find that perfect fit.
If you had not already guessed it from their name, the Elite Active 65t features an IP55 certification which means they are splash and dust-resistant. The Active even comes with a special rubber coating for a secure fit and finish.
In terms of battery life, the Elite Active 65t can last for up to 5-6 hours on a single charge. The carrying case is good enough to charge the earbuds two more times. There’s also fast charging support and a 15-minute charger will be enough to make them last for 1.5 hours.
One notable feature of the Elite Active 65t is that each earbud packs two microphones which means it offers excellent voice quality.
The earbuds also pack an accelerometer which is used for step counting purposes but it has limited use-case.
Pros:
IP55 Sweat and dust-resistance
Better sound quality than AirPods
Excellent microphone quality
Fast charging support
Cons:
No Active Noise Cancellation
No wireless charging
No voice assistant integration
➤ Buy Now ($184.95)
Bose SoundSport Free
The SoundSport Free is basically the wireless version of the regular SoundSport. They have decent sound quality despite lacking active noise cancellation. The design is also pretty good, though the ear hooks mean they are not as discrete as the AirPods. They do have a more secure finish than the AirPods which means one will not have to worry about them falling out during any kind of activity.
The battery life is good enough for around 5 hours of use, with the bundled carrying case good enough to charge the earbuds twice. There’s no fast charging support here which is a bummer.
The SoundSport Free was were buggy when it first launched but recent updates from Bose has greatly improved its overall performance and audio/video syncing issue. Plus, it has also got a nice price cut making it for a pretty tempting deal.
One issue with the SoundSport Free is that during calls, it only acts as a mono earpiece with the sound coming from the right earbud.
Pros:
Superior sound quality than AirPods
Water-resistant
Cons:
Design not as discrete as AirPods
No Active Noise Cancellation
No Wireless Charging
No Fast charging
➤ Buy Now ($199)
Beats Powerbeats Pro
Ironically, one of the best AirPods alternatives comes from Apple itself. The Beats PowerBeats Pro might not feature design as discrete as the AirPods but they make up for it by offering excellent sound quality, better battery life, and sweat-resistance. In addition to this, since the PowerBeats Pro ship with Apple’s H1 chip, they offer the same level of convenience as the AirPods including always-on ‘Hey Siri’ detection and excellent battery life.
It does lack active noise cancellation and wireless charging. The charging case is also extremely bulky and might not fit in everyone’s pocket. The price is also going to be another issue as the PowerBeats Pro is significantly more expensive than the AirPods.
You can find out about all the differences between the AirPods 2 and the Powerbeats Pro in this comparison.
Pros:
Sweat-resistant
Excellent battery life
Always-on ‘Hey Siri’ detection
Excellent sound quality
Cons:
Bulky carrying case
No wireless charging
No Active Noise Cancellation
Expensive
➤ Buy Now ($249.95)
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are a great alternative to the AirPods provided you are ready to live with a few compromises. They have a design as discrete as the AirPods and offer decent sound quality and battery life. Even the charging case is compact and easy to carry and it comes with wireless charging support.
The touch control on the Galaxy Buds can be a bit finicky, though Samsung has rolled out multiple updates to improve it.
One issue with the Galaxy Buds is that some of its features are only going to be available to Android users. That’s because there’s no iOS app for the Buds which means iPhone users won’t have access to features like equalizer presets and ambient noise control.
The Galaxy Buds might not be perfect but their value for money ratio is hard to beat.
Pros:
Discrete design
Great battery life
Wireless charging support
Cons:
No Active Noise Cancellation
No iOS app
Value for money
➤ Buy Now ($119.98)
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Which wireless earbuds do you think are the perfect alternative to the AirPods? Or do you think the AirPods has no competition in the market? Drop a comment and let us know!
