From studying to working out, these are the best earbuds of 2024

Who it's for:

People who enjoy great active noise cancellation and even better sound quality will appreciate the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds — the full package.

Why we picked this:

Even if you're not a full-blown audiophile, we're betting you'd be impressed by just how good these earbuds sound. Though they're great when you plug and play, the highly customizable equalizer allows these earbuds to really shine. If you're not quite sure what you enjoy when it comes to EQ, no problem.

The companion app has a "find your equalizer" feature that lets you play a song and select between six EQ settings to find the one that sounds best to your ears. Once you do, you get more options to select, with that choice marking the "custom" EQ you like best. To make sure you're satisfied, the app then lets you easily compare the new and original settings side by side. That's just one of several sound features built into the app that allow you to customize your experience, far surpassing every other pair of earbuds on this list.

Wear-wise, the ear tips on these buds forego the usual silicone for a foamier alternative that's more reminiscent of the material you might expect from earplugs. We found this material to wear comfortably and snugly, staying in place in your ear better than AirPods typically do. On a further design note, these are also a great option for folks who don't like the stemmed look made popular by AirPods.

Finally, the ANC. You're paying high-end prices for these earbuds, and they do deliver on high-end ANC. If noise cancellation is your biggest concern, you might want to go for the Bose earbuds instead, but these still do an excellent job (plus, their multipoint pairing actually works, unlike Bose's). We will say that with ANC on, we did tend to get closer to seven hours of listening time before running out of juice, instead of the eight Sony claims.

Check out our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

Who it's for:

For those who value noise cancellation above all else, the $299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are worth the investment, offering the best ANC experience we've had with a pair of earbuds.

Why we picked this:

Over-ear headphones are the typical pick for those who want the best noise cancellation, but in recent years high-end earbuds have started to prove themselves worthy competitors. Bose is already known for offering some of the best ANC, so it's no shock that these earbuds, which were released just this past fall, showcase what the brand is best at.

Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth said that these earbuds offer the best ANC of any he's tested, a lineup that includes products from Apple, Beats, and Jabra. In fact, he writes, "Bose's noise cancellation is so good that I often use these earbuds when I'm not even listening to music." Customizable stability bands help create a tight but comfortable seal that helps unwanted sound stay out (and sets these earbuds apart from other ANC buds on the market).

Though we appreciate the QC Ultra's noise-cancellation first and foremost, we also enjoyed Bose's foray into spatial audio with the Immersive Audio feature that can be toggled on and adjusted via the companion app. It's good, not great, and definitely not the top reason to get these earbuds, but still a pretty nice feature — and certainly welcome at this price point.

Speaking of the price point, we were shocked that at $299, these earbuds don't offer functional multipoint pairing. While you can technically connect more than one device at a time, you do have to manually change your device with the app, instead of switching back and forth simply by changing your audio output, like you can with the Sony WF-1000XM5 or AirPods Pro. While we do think Bose needs to update this feature ASAP, the ANC, combined with the comfort for long-term wear and sound quality, still earned these earbuds a spot on our list.

Check out our full review of the USB-C AirPods Pro.

Who it's for:

Apple device owners will appreciate how easily these earbuds pair with multiple devices and their impressive active noise cancellation.

Why we picked this:

The AirPods Pro are incredibly popular for several reasons. They produce a sound that's rich and well-balanced, they have excellent noise cancellation (that falls just behind the Bose QC Ultras), and they work seamlessly within the Apple ecosystem.

What exactly does that mean? Whereas earbuds like the aforementioned Ultras might struggle to pair, and then swap between, an iPhone and an iPad quickly, the AirPods Pro were built to do exactly that. And as you'd expect from an Apple product, they do have some nice features built around convenience. In addition to great ANC and sound, Apple hones your listening experience with three modes: Conversational Awareness, which automatically lowers the volume of your music when you're talking to someone and raises it when you're done; Adaptive Audio, which functions as an ultra-smart transparency mode; and Personalized Volume, which automatically adjusts the volume based on your environment.

Outside of those listening modes, you also get lossless audio support with the Apple Vision Pro (in case you happen to own the $3,500 headset). With the new USB-C port, you can also charge the case by connecting it to any iPhone 15 device, though we don't consider that the most useful feature out there. If you're not a fan of touch controls, you're also likely to appreciate that the touch commands only require you to press the stem of the earbuds. Our biggest gripe with these earbuds? Even though they sound great, they don't offer customizable EQ like Bose and Sony.

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds.

Who it’s for:

If you want good-quality sound but don’t want to spend over $200, the Bose QuietComfort is an affordable answer to the brand’s line-up. They’re focused on a great fit, as they not only come with multiple ear tips but multiple bands that can be changed out on the earbuds for a better fit on the crest of your ear. 

The accompanying app lets you adjust audio levels, but you won’t need to, as these earbuds make all your music sound better. They’re reliable, have a long battery life, and are sure to please the pickiest of audiophiles.

Why we like it:

I’ve sung the praises of the QuietComfort Ultra, but Bose’s latest earbuds, the entry-level QuietComfort, are also fantastic, especially with their under-$200 price tag. Even after adjusting the ear tips and bands, I didn’t find the fit on these quite as secure as the Ultras. However, my colleague Bethany Allard, who also tested the QuietComfort earbuds, said they were the best earbuds that have ever fit her.

The QuietComfort’s sound quality is just phenomenal. With these earbuds, listening to Ethel Cain’s A House in Nebraska immersed me in the orchestrations. When Brick House by The Commodores came on, the earbuds elevated the snappy drum beats so that I may have been listening live.

The noise cancellation on the QuietComfort earbuds isn’t as sophisticated as the Ultras; I found they had more sound leakage and that classic ANC buzz when I was in noisy environments. However, the ANC on these is still great, especially in quiet spaces. 

One tiny beef I have with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds is that they require a different app than the standard Bose one. This is annoying if you’re an existing Bose user and need to download another app; plus, this earbud app just isn’t as good as Bose’s flagship app.

All in all, these are a solid pair of headphones that, for $179, are an unbeatable value.

Who it’s for:

If you want a pair of fail-safe, trusted earbuds for working out, the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the one. Whether you're running on pavement or at the quick pace of the elliptical, these headphones aren't moving in your ears.

If you are concerned about them falling out in tough conditions — maybe you're a trail runner — these are the only headphones on this list with a US military-grade standard of durability. Aka, they aren't going to crunch if you step on them. Plus, an IP68 rating makes them dust- and water-resistant.

While the sound might not impress the pickiest audiophiles, it delivers clear, consistent sound, while the ANC quiets the surrounding world so you can focus on your music as you move through your reps.

Why we picked this:

For a pair of headphones designed for working out, we want to see all of the following: a secure but comfortable fit, sweat resistance, easy connectivity, good sound quality, active noise cancellation, and responsive touch controls. The Elite 8 Actives measure up on every front.

The ear tips come in three sizes; the small ones fit perfectly in narrow ear canals. The buds sit snugly in the ear and don't budge when chugging along on the stair climber or elliptical. Plus, the touch controls have an actual button to press that's responsive but not too touchy, unlike the Beats Fit Pro (which previously held this superlative), that leave you vulnerable to accidentally ending calls.

For the weeks we tested them, the headphones instantly connected every time we opened the case and put them in. The AirPods Pro were the only other earbuds with such easy connectivity. Plus, the battery life can't be beat. The earbuds run for nine hours, and the charging case provides another 32 hours with ANC and 56 hours without ANC.

They deliver good sound, but not quite as rich as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds. The sound from the Jabra Elite 8 Active is flatter compared to those more audio-focused earbuds, not to mention they have weaker ANC, but ultimately, they're still our ideal earbud for working out.

Who it's for:

Whether you're looking to save some cash, prefer the better signal that wired headphones can offer, or simply hate charging earbuds, these Marshall Mode earbuds are sure to satisfy.

Why we picked this:

We know it's 2024 and everyone has Bluetooth everything, but some people genuinely prefer wired headphones. For those people, we recommend the Marshall Mode headphones.

As you would expect from wired headphones, these earbuds aren't too terribly expensive at $59.99 (though you can often find them on sale in the $39 to $49 range. Despite their affordability, they produce clean, well-rounded audio comparable to earbuds in the $100-plus price range. The wire itself is lightweight but durable and not at all tangle-prone, making these earbuds plenty comfortable to wear for long stretches of time. We do wish it was detachable, and therefore replaceable, but that's not a dealbreaker, especially at this price point.

The mic works well for calls, and it's separate from the remote button that allows you to answer and hang up calls, as well as play and pause your music. There isn't too much more to say about these earbuds beyond this: They do what you expect them to do.

Who it's for:

If you don't want to be too precious about your earbuds (there's nothing wrong with being accident-prone) the Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds will be the kindest to your wallet, while still delivering an all-around decent listening experience. If ANC is essential for you though, you'll want to pass on these buds.

Why we picked this:

We'll be honest: We weren't expecting much from a pair of earbuds that cost less than $40. However, we were shocked to find that these earbuds not only had an impressive array of features, but in some cases also had better features than earbuds that cost hundreds of dollars more.

First, let's start with the sound. Admittedly, we weren't too blown away by how they sounded at first. However, once we played around with the equalizer presets on the companion app, we found the Treble Boost produced the kind of well-rounded sound we expect from pricier earbuds. The app also allowed you to set up to three touch controls on each earbud, which actually worked decently well once we played around with them (the touch controls have just the right level of sensitivity). However, the most exciting feature in the app was the "find device" tab. Unlike Apple AirPods, which only play a sound from the case when you're trying to find your earbuds, the Soundcore earbuds each play a loud tone when you activate this feature, making it easier to locate a single bud.

The P20i buds also best AirPods in battery life. Per charge, we were able to get about nine-and-a-half to 10 hours of battery life. The case overall holds 30 hours of charge total. Admittedly, these earbuds don't have ANC, so that helps, but we were still impressed. (For comparison, the most recent AirPods Pro and standard AirPods without ANC offer six hours per charge).

Obviously, a budget pair of earbuds will have some more noticeable drawbacks. For the P20i, that would be the lack of multipoint pairing. Not only can you not pair more than one device at a time, but we also found that we often had to manually unpair the earbuds from one device before pairing with another. The lack of pairing capability also meant that to use the companion app, you have to be connected to your phone.