Block out the world around you with these ANC wireless earbuds
The best wireless earbuds have come a long way in the few short years they've existed, and now with so many options with ANC, it can be tough to decipher which are the best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds. Early offerings like the first-gen AirPods were expensive and lacked many features, but as time went on, prices went down, and additional features have been implemented - one of which is noise cancelation. True wireless earbuds that can block out ambient sound are more common than ever before, and today, we're highlighting six of our favorite ones - including the Sony WF-1000XM4 as our top overall pick. Here's a power-packed list of the best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds you can buy right now.
Best overall: Sony WF-1000XM4
Sony has been on a run with its wireless earbuds with ANC lately. The WF-1000XM3 were fantastic but had their flaws. Many of those issues were resolved with the release of the new Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds. In fact, Sony did such a fantastic job of refreshing an already great pair of earbuds, that it could take the top spot.
The overall shape of the XM4 is more in line with other earbuds, but the rest of its features are leaps and bounds better than its competitors. Starting with the star feature - active noise cancelation, these earbuds' ability to erase ambient noise with the ANC enabled seems almost magical, nearly to the same level as the full-sized over-ear Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. That's very impressive considering these are little earbuds that fit inside of the ear, where no matter how good the fit is, there's always going to be a little bit of gap for noise to sneak in.
Image
Aside from the amazing ANC, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds also pack incredible sound quality to whatever you like to listen to. With the Sony Wireless Connect app, you get all sorts of settings to customize the sound profile specifically for your preferences. Of course, great-sounding earbuds don't help if the battery is always dead, and with the XM4's that won't happen often.
With up to 8 hours of listening per charge, and if the battery does run low, pop them into the case and get up to 1.5 hours in just five minutes! You'll also get IPX4 water resistance, a charging case with USB-C and wireless charging options, LDAC, and 360 Audio support. It's not all roses though, these are on the pricey side, and the touch controls could be better. But in the end, if you crave amazing audio quality and the best ANC from wireless earbuds - the Sony WF-1000XM4 is for you.
Pros:- Amazing sound quality
- Industry-best ANC
- Fantastic battery life
- Earbuds are IPX4 water-resistant
- The case has wireless and USB-C charging
- Expensive
- Touch controls could be improved
$278 at Amazon$280 at Best Buy$278 at B&H
Enjoy the silence
Get the absolute best ANC on any wireless earbuds along with stellar sound quality and battery life with the Sony WF-1000XM4s.
Best alternative: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Bose has established a reputation for creating some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, and now, it's brought that same level of prowess to the earbud space. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds have arrived, and while they aren't quite as impressive as the Sony WF-1000XM4's - they're still pretty incredible.
Regarding noise cancellation, the QuietComfort Earbuds have 11 levels of the feature for you to play with. So whether you want to block out everything or just dull background sounds, you have that control. There's also a Transparency Mode, allowing you to easily hear everything around you even when you still have the earbuds on. When it comes to raw ANC power, these rank amongst the best.
Audio quality is top-notch (as you'd expect), with the QuietComfort Earbuds delivering audio that's super crisp and detailed. You can expect up to six hours of continuous battery life, the charging case allows for another 12 hours of use, and there's support for Qi wireless charging when you need to refuel. There's also an IPX4 rating, helping keep the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds protected against rain or sweat.
So long as you're OK with the bulky design and very steep price, the QuietComfort Earbuds are a fantastic option.
Pros:- 11 levels of noise cancellation
- Crisp and detailed audio
- IPX4 water-resistant
- Six hours of continuous playback
- Wireless charging
- Bulky design
- Expensive
Block everything out
With 11 customizable levels and a Transparency Mode, the QuietComfort Earbuds are noise-canceling champs.
Best for Samsung users: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Alongside the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S21, the company also gave us the refreshed Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. These earbuds were updated in nearly every way over their predecessors, and perhaps the most significant change is the inclusion of active noise cancellation.
Though this isn't the first time ANC was in a pair of the company's true wireless earbuds, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live got that honor - the ANC works pretty well given the unique shape of the Buds Live - on the Galaxy Buds Pro the feature works way better. The in-ear design allows for a better seal, yet because Samsung includes a vent, you don't get that plugged-up feeling when wearing the earbuds.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro also has an immaculate and balanced sound profile outside of the active noise cancellation. You can make some adjustments within the app to better fit your preferences. Some other features include a transparency mode that can let in some outside noises. There's a voice detection option that will lower your music volume when speaking and speaking. These are a solid option if you are looking for great-sounding earbuds that have good ANC. With an IPX7 rating, these are also excellent for workouts.
Pros:- Fantastic sound
- ANC works well in most situations
- Very comfortable
- Great option for workouts with an IPX7 rating
- Touch controls can be finicky
- Transparency mode needs some improvements
- Battery life could be better
Going pro
A low-profile look with a clean, even sound profile and with the inclusion of a solid ANC system make for an excellent choice.
Best for phone calls: Jabra Elite 85t
Following up on the excellent Jabra Elite 75t, we now have the new and improved Elite 85t. Once again, Jabra proves that it's one of the best in the business right now when it comes to high-quality wireless earbuds.
The Elite 85t sound fantastic, delivering much more powerful audio compared to the 75t. Thanks to 12mm drivers in each earbud, the 85t play music with a wide soundstage and deep, yet accurate bass. The out-of-the-box listening experience is impressive enough on its own, but you can kick things up a notch by using the Jabra MySound+ app to fine-tune the EQ settings to your exact liking.
Jabra also killed it with the ANC performance of the 85t, managing to block out most background sounds with ease. Combine that with a comfortable design and a compact case that supports both USB-C and wireless charging, and there's not much to dislike. Unfortunately, battery life isn't the best we've ever seen, and having mono audio playback limited to the right earbud only is annoying. Still, the overall experience of the Jabra Elite 85t is not one you want to miss.
Pros:- Truly fantastic audio
- ANC is very effective
- Personalized EQ feature
- Super comfy
- Wireless and USB-C charging
- Average battery life
- Limited mono playback
Another incredible option
Jabra's latest iteration of wireless earbuds comes in the form of the Elite 85t, which are outstanding in almost every way.
Best value: Mpow X3
If you can't justify the Sony Wf-1000XM4's cost, check out the Mpow X3. Mpow may not be a household name, but the value and features you're getting with the X3 are hard to ignore.
Right off the bat, the Mpow X3 sound really good. They offer a big and balanced sound stage, big bass and block out around 28dB of ambient noise so you can focus on your music. They're also backed by long battery life, getting up to 28 hours of total use between the earbuds and the included charging case.
Both earbuds have capacitive touch areas, making it super easy to control your playback without touching your phone. You can also use these controls for controlling the ANC and prompting the voice assistant on your phone.
Pros:- Good sound with deep bass
- Responsive touch controls
- Charges via USB-C
- 28-hour total battery life
- Cheap charging case
- Doesn't have wireless charging
Lots of features, lots of value
The Mpow X3 stands out as one of our top recommendations, offering a huge list of features at a wallet-pleasing price.
Best premium: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
For shoppers that want to go all-out with some of the most premium wireless earbuds money can buy, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 is bound to get your attention. We don't consider them the best overall pick given the enormously high price, but if sticker shock doesn't affect you, there's plenty to like.
Being audio gear from Sennheiser, it shouldn't come as any surprise that the Momentum True Wireless 2 sounds outstanding. With bass, mids, and treble that are all perfectly tuned, you end up with a listening experience unlike anything else. That's also accompanied by highly effective ANC, ensuring you can focus on your music and not distracting background noise. Similarly, Sennheiser includes a transparent hearing mode so you can stay in touch with the world around you when needed.
You can expect around 28 hours of total battery life between the earbuds and the included charging case, which features a gorgeous fabric finish that stands out from the competition. Sennheiser's touch controls are also pretty great, allowing you to control music playback, prompt your phone's voice assistant, or enable/disable ANC and the passthrough mode through various customizable touches.
It's a shame that Qi wireless charging isn't offered, given how much money Sennheiser is asking for the Momentum True Wireless 2. Still, that omission aside, this is a truly elite package in every other way.
Pros:- Sleek fabric case
- Top-notch sound quality
- Transparent hearing mode
- Great touch controls
- 28-hour total battery life
- Doesn't have wireless charging
- Extremely expensive
Go above and beyond
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 aren't for everyone, but if you want a thoroughly premium experience, they deliver.
Best comfort: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Announced alongside the Galaxy Flip 3 and Galaxy Fold 3, the Galaxy Buds 2 share a lot of DNA with its predecessor, the Galaxy Buds Pro, both in design and features. But the differences between these two earbuds are key and maybe a primary factor in choosing for your ears. Because each option excels in its own way, but if you are looking for the most comfortable pair of ANC wireless earbuds, then the Galaxy Buds 2 are the ones for you.
Samsung made ever so slight changes in the earbud shape to push the Galaxy Buds 2 into that "oh so comfortable" category. Of course, you want your earbuds to be comfortable, but if they sound bad, then - what's the point? The Galaxy Buds 2 brings not only great audio but solid active noise canceling into the comfy earbuds. The companion Galaxy Wearable app for your phone gives you added controls to tweak your earbuds to get them just right for you.
While the battery life in the Galaxy Buds 2 isn't the absolute best, you can expect to get about five and a half hours of use before popping them into the charging case. However, if you turn off the ANC, you'll get about 8 hours between charges. Unfortunately, the water resistance rating is only IPX2, so even sweat can cause some issues here. Also, the microphones can pass for a casual call or video chat, but you probably don't want to use them for your most important voice calls.
Pros:- Great audio quality
- Solid ANC
- Lots of features in the companion app
- Good battery life
- Fun color choices
- Microphones could be better
- Only IPX2 resistance rating
Your ears will thank you
Good comfort is a huge factor when buying a new pair of earbuds, and in these regards, the Galaxy Buds 2 come out on top.
Best battery life: Dyplay True Wireless Earbuds
Continuing with our recommendations, this next set of truly wireless earbuds comes from Dyplay. Right off the bat, Dyplay's buds caught our attention with the stark red loop against the black charging case. I'm not sure how useful this will be for you in day-to-day use, but it's a unique design choice that helps the package stand out.
Bluetooth 5.0 is available to give you a strong and reliable wireless connection, along with support for AAC and SBC audio codecs for great-sounding music. Dyplay's earbuds also offer some of the best battery life you'll find, featuring up to seven hours of continuous use with a total life of 45 hours when you factor in the charging case.
As long as you don't mind the lack of a proper water-resistance rating, these buds are worth a look.
Pros:- Impressive 45-hour battery life
- Supports AAC and SBC codecs
- 25dB active noise cancellation
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Loop on charging case
- No water-resistance rating
Leave battery anxiety at the door
If you're frequently traveling or otherwise without a power source, Dyplay's 45-hour battery life is hard to ignore.
Best workout buds: Jaybird Vista 2
When working out with true wireless earbuds, you need a pair that can withstand the intensity of a long run, bike ride, or weight-lifting session, and that's exactly what you'll get from the Jaybird Vista 2's.
These are earbuds designed with physical activity in mind, readily apparent by the ultra snug and comfy design. Though the Vista 2's are on the bulky side in terms of their design, you'll get three different sizes of ear tips and wings to make sure the buds stay comfortably in your ears. You also get an IP68 rating, ensuring they aren't damaged by water or sweat. But, not only are the earbuds going to stay safe from a splash, but so will the charging case thanks to an IP54 water resistance rating. Oh, and the case is trackable should you misplace it.
Jaybird designed the Vista 2 to sound great. You'll get a more neutral sound stage out of the box. But with a full-featured companion app, there are plenty of ways to customize the sound to how you prefer. You also get noise canceling (obviously) and up to 24 hours of battery life.
Pros:- IP68 water resistance earbuds and IP55 for the case
- Up to 24-hour battery life
- Trackable charging case
- Powerful companion app
- Charging case offers wireless charging
- Design isn't for everyone
- No aptX support
Perfect for your next run or hike
In need of truly wireless earbuds that'll be able to keep up with your workout? Jaybird Vista 2 is up to the challenge.
Best personalized sound: Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro
Soundcore, Anker's audio sub-brand, has a mighty impressive pair of truly wireless earbuds on its hands with the upgraded Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro. There's a lot to talk about, so let's dive right in.
On the audio side of things, the Liberty Air 2 Pro maintains the feature called "HearID" that creates a custom EQ for the earbuds made specifically for your ears. It does this by mapping your hearing sensitivity at multiple frequencies, ensuring your music sounds just right. Adding to the impressive sound are 11mm PureNote drivers that are capable of an impressive bass range.
Looking at other areas of the Air 2 Pro, the good news continues. There's an IPX4 rating that will be fine for some sweat - but that's about it, and the case can be topped up wirelessly on a Qi charger. If we had to complain about something, it'd be battery life. Don't get us wrong, 28 hours of total use is excellent, but you can also spend less money on the Dyplay earbuds for substantially longer endurance.
Pros- Very comfortable
- Great overall sound
- Creates custom EQ based on your ears
- Fantastic battery life
- Only IPX4 water-resistance rating
- Tap controls are inconsistent
- Missing AptX codec
Creates sound just for your ears
Thanks to the unique HearID feature, the Liberty Air 2 Pro creates an EQ profile just for your ears. Pretty cool, huh?
Best for gaming: Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro
When you search for nearly anything gaming-related, you will undoubtedly come across the name Razer, and the new Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro earbuds fit right in that pedigree. These earbuds have a sound profile great for gaming and a nice trick to make them perfect for gaming.
One of the most sought-after features for gaming is low latency - the amount of time between what you see, hear or do. So Razer included a gaming mode specifically for these earbuds to solve the delay that most true wireless earbuds experience. This mode keeps you locked into the game, especially when you have ANC to keep out distractions surrounding you.
No matter whether you are using the Hammerhead Pro earbuds for gaming, movies, or music, it will all sound amazing due to the THX certification. You'll be able to listen for hours with a multitude of ear tips to give you the perfect fit. Although there is still quite a bit of audio bleed at higher volumes regardless of the fit. These earbuds are a solid choice for anyone looking for excellent-sounding earbuds with ANC, from the look to the features.
Pros:- Great audio quality
- Gaming mode reduces latency for gaming
- Multiple tip sizes and materials for excellent in-ear fit
- Response to touch controls is slow
- Audio can bleed out easily
Gaming without delay
Gaming mode means you don't miss a moment when playing, THX certification makes it all sound great, and ANC blocks out the rest.
Best Alexa: Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen)
After popularizing Alexa with its Echo speakers, Amazon popular Echo Buds Amazon has improved the true wireless earbuds with a sequel.
The Echo Buds (2nd Gen) brings dynamic audio and full active noise canceling to the earbuds to offer great sound quality while blocking unwanted noise from your environment. From the app, you still get built-in settings for changing the Echo Buds' EQ.
Being an Echo product, it only makes sense that Alexa is baked in. Just say "Alexa" at any time while wearing the Echo Buds to set a timer, ask about the weather, get turn-by-turn directions, and more. While we love that this new version is 20% smaller than the previous iteration, it also means that the battery life has been cut to a 15 hour total battery life. At least Amazon did manage to squeeze in IPX-4 certification for sweat resistance.
There are two case options, one with USB-C only and another that for a little more money, you can get wireless charging included. The cases offer quick charging to give you up to two hours of music playback in only 15-minutes in the case.
Pros- Audio is great
- Improved noise cancellation
- Hands-free Alexa
- 15-hour battery life
- Sweat-resistant
- Wireless charging costs extra
- Case charges via Micro-USB
Help whenever you need it
With built-in Alexa, the Echo Buds can tell you about the weather, set timers, and more, no matter where you go.
Best for Apple users: Apple AirPods Pro
Moving right along with our list, we need to talk about the AirPods Pro. Easily some of the most popular truly wireless earbuds in existence, the AirPods Pro deliver an excellent user experience in return for the high price.
Like the Sony WF-1000XM4, the AirPods Pro offers some of the best noise-cancellation you'll find in the true wireless segment. The amount of background sound these little buds can block out is darn impressive and easily one of the main reasons to consider picking them up. Similarly, the Transparency mode does the exact opposite and allows you to clearly hear everything around you when wearing the earbuds.
You can technically use the AirPods Pro with an Android phone, but you miss out on some of the features that make AirPods so great in the first place. As such, we're more inclined to recommend these if you have an iPhone.
Pros:- Noise cancellation is top-notch
- Unique and effective stem gestures
- Very enjoyable sound
- Transparency mode is incredibly useful
- Qi wireless charging
- Charging case uses Lightning
- Loses features with non-Apple devices
Have an iPhone? Get these!
While that value proposition isn't as good for Android owners, the AirPods Pro are an easy recommendation if you have an iPhone.
Bottom lineTrue wireless earbuds that have noise cancelation are quickly exploding in popularity, and as of right now, the best ones you can buy are the Sony WF-1000XM4.
In just about every regard, the XM4s come out on top. With great sound quality, a noise-canceling effect that's in a league of its own, and we have no complaints about battery life.
We also like the Sony goes the extra mile not only with its ANC, but also in the excellent sound quality. Then there's the earbuds' ability to automatically switch between ANC and Ambient mode by learning when you like to use each feature. That allows you to let in more of the outside noise more naturally when you actually want to.
Unfortunately, while wireless earbuds have better noise-canceling than ever before, it's still not to beat out the best noise-canceling headphones. Aside from including active noise canceling, a great pair of over-ear or on-ear headphones also have a physical advantage. Although if you've decided that you want more true wireless earbuds to choose from, regardless of noise cancelation, we've got a list of the best wireless earbuds too.
Credits - The team that worked on this guide
Joe Maring was formerly a Senior Editor at Android Central and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He's been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop.
Chris Wedel is a fan of all things tech and gadgets. Living in rural Kansas with his wife and two young boys makes finding ways to get and stay online tricky. By utilizing his years of experience with the tech and mobile communications industries - success is assured. When not conquering connectivity challenges and testing new gadgets, Chris enjoys cruising a gravel road in his UTV with some good tunes.