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A good pair of wireless earbuds can last you through work meetings, gym visits and subway commutes. That said, there are plenty of options available, with many boasting features like active noise reduction or wireless charging. Below, we list the best wireless headphones of 2024, plus our methodology behind choosing them.

How we chose the best wireless headphones

Every pair of buds mentioned below has been tried on by a staff member or tested by me – we recommend them because we love them and have been using them for at least over three months. To test these earbuds, I wore them to work, to the gym, and in loud environments like a grocery store or on a subway train. I also took into account how comfortable they felt, how secure the fit was, and how vocal-heavy and bass-heavy tracks sounded on them.

Wireless earphone features we looked for:

Battery life: Each option mentioned below has a battery life of at least five hours per charge.

IP rating: The IP rating of a product determines its water and dust resistance, see here for a full list of what each IP rating means. An IP68 rating, for example, says that the product is both dust and waterproof.

Finished: Each earbud we mention comes with multiple eartips for a better fit. We also included a range of earbuds, including bone conduction headphones that don’t need to be plugged into your ears, as well as more traditional earbuds like the AirPods Pro.

The best wireless headphones of 2024:

Best Overall: Apple AirPods Pro (Second Generation)

I’ve owned the AirPods Pro 2nd Gen for over two years now and I can’t get enough of them. They have excellent noise cancellation – some of the best I’ve experienced easily – drowning out loud subway noises and city chatter almost completely. You can also turn on transparency to listen to what’s going on around you or try the new Adaptive Sound mode, which automatically adapts the noise reduction to your surroundings. For example, you’ll get a more muted plugged-in feel around loud construction spaces, but if you’re in the office in a quiet space, you might hear more background noise coming in. Battery life is about six hours on a single charge, and the wireless case holds another 24. As for audio, I personally love listening to music on the AirPods Pro. They feature Apple’s new H2 chip which the brand says gives you better noise reduction and more immersive sound. I especially enjoy listening to bass-heavy tracks, as they have no distortion even at high volumes.

Best sound: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

If you want something a little more premium, go with Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. These buds also have active noise cancellation, but their best feature is their clear, balanced sound. In fact, when I replayed some of my favorite songs, I could hear instruments and sound features that I hadn’t heard before. They have fast charging features, support multi-device pairing and have a battery life of up to 20 hours for all-day listening. You can choose between four ear tips and four colors, depending on your preference.

Best sweatproof: Jabra Elite 8 Active

These are the best waterproof earbuds on the market, so if you’re looking for a pair for the gym or for your next jog in the rain, go for the Elite Active 8. They’re extremely light and grippy, and even stayed in my ears during HIIT workouts or cycling. You get eight hours of battery life on a single charge (32 hours total with the case) and there’s also active noise cancellation, which automatically filters out background noise depending on the environment you’re in. It’s not the strongest ANC Jabra offers though. If you’re okay with sacrificing a sweat-proof design, go for it Jabra Elite 10 which is also extremely comfortable and has the best noise reduction of Jabra’s offerings.

Best leg guidance: SHOKZ New OpenRun Pro 2

These bone condition style earplugs are a new favorite of mine for their sweat resistant design and secure fit – thanks to the lightweight frame that wraps around your head. Since they don’t technically connect to your ears, there’s no noise cancellation available. That said, if you want to keep an eye on your surroundings, these are the best headphones for you. They conduct sound through vibrations sent to your cheekbones which then transmit sound to your inner ear, according to the brand. The result is an immersive sound experience, without having to worry about ear tips or finding the right fit. Battery life is up to 12 hours (up four hours from the previous generation), but you can get an additional 2.5 hours with a 5-minute charge, according to the brand.

Coolest: Pixel Buds Pro 2

You don’t have to be a Google Pixel user to take advantage of Pixel Buds Pro – it works with iOS devices too. They have multi-point connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly switch between listening to music on your smartphone to your laptop. There’s also active noise cancellation, which is pretty decent and can shut out most city noises around you. There’s also a special game mode that helps deliver audio faster during intense eSports moments. Like other earbuds on this list, you also have a transparency mode to help you stay aware of your surroundings, and a sweat-proof design so you can wear them while you exercise. The battery life is up to 30 hours with the included charging case. Choose from four colors including lighter tones like pale pink and sage green.

Why trust us?

I’ve been testing and writing about wireless earbuds for over five years now, including producing in-depth reviews of various headphones and earphones. For this article, I personally tested these earbuds and also considered customer reviews.

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