Best budget earbuds for 2024: Sony, Soundcore, EarFun & more
DexertoWant to get a pair of the best cheap wireless earbuds? Don’t fret. This extensive list has some of the best value-for-money earbuds that help you save money.
True wireless earbuds are the most common accessory for any smartphone. While initially, earbuds were more of an acquired taste thanks to smartphone brands removing the headphone jack from the devices, they’re an essential part of your lives now.
If you’re in the market to buy a pair of earbuds, you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune. The best cheap earbuds come with premium features like active noise cancellation, fast charging, wear detection, Dolby Atmos, and more.
That said, while the best budget earbuds on this list offer the highest value for money, it is difficult to find a pair that can fulfill all your requirements, yet doesn’t cost a bomb. That’s why, before hitting the buy now button; it is important to understand the top priorities and pick the earbuds that tick all the boxes.
So, to help people under a strict budget and looking for earbuds costing less than $100, we’ve put this list with some of the top budget earbuds that work with iPhones, Android phones, Tablets, and laptops.
1. Soundcore Space A40
AnkerSoundcore is an audio accessory brand by Anker, and is known for making great value-for-money products. The Space A40 is a perfect example of what the company offers.
These are the best budget noise-canceling earbuds you can get under $100. The Soundcore Space A40 has many features, unlike the pricier and branded earbuds. These include fast pairing, extremely long battery life, a great audio profile, touch controls, a bundled app to tweak audio output according to your preference, IPX4 water resistance, and more.
These earbuds also come with an Adaptive ANC system, automatically changing the noise cancellation intensity based on your surroundings. Then there is a transparency mode too.
The Soundcore Space A40 misses the wear detection feature, automatically pausing the video or song when the buds are removed. However, long battery life, dual-pairing, and the other features mentioned above make these budget wireless earbuds impossible to miss.
2. Sony WF-C700N
SonySony’s WF-1000XM5 is the gold standard when it comes to wireless earbuds. The bar has been high with the class-leading noise cancellation, design, battery life, and other features. The WF-C700N tries to compete with its premium sibling but has a personality of its own.
These budget earbuds cost a fraction of the XM5s yet come with impressive features like noise cancellation, which might be best in this form factor but is effective at this price point. You also get Sony’s proprietary 360 Reality Audio, adaptive sound control, and Sony’s algorithm to upscale and enhance audio output.
Another important feature present in WF-C700N is multi-device connectivity, which is extremely handy if you want to pair the earbuds with multiple devices for calls, music, or to attend online meetings. Mind you, most cheap earbuds do not sport multi-point connectivity.
The WF-C700N comes in a compact charging case and is highly comfortable. Thanks to their design, they remain discreet and sit flush in your ears, offering a comfortable fit.
3. EarFun Air Pro 3
EarFunYet another impressive budget wireless earbuds that surprises everyone with the number of features it offers at an affordable price point. These earbuds come with an AirPods-like stem design, producing better sound quality on calls.
The EarFun Pro 3 has a bunch of features to boast about. You get ANC, transparency mode, Qi wireless charging, an IPX5 rating for dust and water resistance, and an app to customize EQ to suit your listening preferences.
However, it does have slightly higher than average battery life and a non-customizable ANC. You have support from Qualcomm’s aptX, which can be paired with multiple devices simultaneously.
These are priced at $80 on EarFun’s website. However, you can quickly get them at around $55 or below on Amazon, making them great budget wireless earbuds for various use cases.
4. Amazon Echo Buds
AamzonThe Echo Buds from Amazon are third-generation earbuds, which means they are way more refined and feature-rich than their predecessors. The new Echo Buds are cheaper than many earbuds from well-known brands and have some unique features.
The Echo Buds 2023 has an open design and a stem for better audio quality. While an Open design means that the buds do not go deep into your ear canal, one size fits all might suit everyone.
These earbuds come with Alexa built-in, allowing you to ask Alexa to play your favorite tracks, control the volume, and more. It is also IPX5-rated for dust and sweat resistance and has multi-device connectivity, which lets you pair the same buds with your phone and PC simultaneously.
You also get wear detection, ample bass, decent battery life, and more at $50.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0
LypertekLypertek is a slightly lesser-known brand compared to the above-listed products. However, the PurePlay Z3 2.0 is one of the best affordable earbuds you can get.
Successor the original PurePlay Z3, these earbuds offer improvements over an already excellent pair of earbuds. It has features like wireless charging, class-leading 80 hours of battery life, and a new companion app that helps you get the most out of these earbuds.
The sound quality of Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0, these earbuds punch way above their weight and even give some premium earbuds a run for their money.
The PurePlay Z3 2.0 is highly comfortable to wear even for long hours but misses out on active noise cancelation, which is a real disappointment.
Honorable mentions
- JLab Go Air Pop
- SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS
- Jabra Elite 4 True Wireless Earbuds
- Skullcandy Indy ANC
- Nothing Ear Stick
Are cheap earbuds safe?
Cheap earbuds work the same as premium or costly earbuds. They are equally safe yet harmful if you listen to music continuously at high volume.
While there could be an argument about the build quality and materials used, there is no guarantee for the costly earbuds. It is safe to say that price doesn’t define the features or materials used in the earbuds.
At times Cheap or affordable earbuds are more feature-rich use better materials, and have better build quality than the ones that are priced way higher.
Are cheap wireless earbuds any good?
While not all cheap wireless earbuds might be great, with technology being democratized, you can easily get great earbuds at a fraction of the price.
Most of the earbuds listed above punch way higher than their price point and can outdo most premium earbuds.
What are the features worth looking for in affordable wireless earbuds?
Apart from audio quality, which is essential, you must look out for battery life and a comfortable design. In terms of features, you can check out the earbuds with fast charging support, multi-point connectivity, wear detection, ANC, and an option to tweak the sound output.
Wireless charging, multi-codec support, and in-built digital assistant support are some other features that can add value.
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