Best earbuds of 2020
Finding the best wireless or wired earbuds can be a challenge; especially given that there have been many options on the market in recent years. They give you a comfortable fit, crisp audio for media streaming and calls, as well as the ability to hands-free interaction with your smartphone through a digital assistant. It’s hard to beat the convenience of the earbuds, as they can be rolled up and shoved back into your pocket. Current champions like Sony and Sennheiser continue to produce great products, but there is also a wide selection of other manufacturers too. Whether you want wired or wireless, we’ve got you covered with some of the best earbuds of 2020 that are currently available.
Jaybird Tarah Sports Earbuds
Jaybird Tarah are good-sounding earbuds with decent clarity and respectful bass to listen to podcasts or pop/hip hop music.
For $99, Tarah are entry level wireless earbuds, 50% cheaper than the Jaybird X4 model with most of the features.
Fully water resistant due to IPX7-rated, Jaybird Tarah wireless sports headphones can be fully submerged in water for up to 30 minutes and 1 meter.
Double click the “play/pause” button to connect Google Assistant on Android phone.
Large wing tips securely keep them in place without worrying that they fall out during running or gym sessions.
Well designed companion app allows you to customize the sound and set auto-off timer (15-60 minutes).
Jaybird’s latest wireless headphones have a proprietary charging cable, in case you lose it, you’ll have to call support service to get a new one.
They have high latency, which makes them unsuitable for watching video or game content.
A carrying case is not included to store the earbuds with charging cable.
The average battery life is only 6 hours, perfect for a gym session or jogging but not for a full workday.
The bass and treble are good, as long as you get a good fit, otherwise they sound thinner than they should.
Source: Nileplay/Jaybird Tarah
Sony WI-1000X Neckband Earbuds
Balanced sound signature is good for a wide variety of genres, from bass-heavy to vocal centric.
Decent noise canceling that filters out most external sounds, such as wind or crowd noise.
The Sony WI-1000X have “noise canceling optimizer” that adjust according to lower air pressure when you’re flying.
More convenient to have option of seven different tip sizes to securely keep them in place without worrying that they fall out during running or gym sessions.
Onboard controls and microphone to answer calls, adjust volume, play/pause music, skip tracks, and adjust noise canceling levels.
It’s wonderful to have dedicated app to pair earphones with your smartphone, adjust noise canceling levels, setting auto-off timer to create an individual listening experience.
Some people don’t like the feeling of wrapping the neckband around their neck, they are light and not very clunky, but they are not exactly stylish.
When noise cancellation is turned on without playing music, you can hear some hiss or digital noise in these headphones, but not in other high-end Sony headphones like the wf-1000xm3.
The highly promoted feature “Adaptive Sound Control” is slow to respond, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Sony WI-1000X earphones have less latency than other in-ear headphones, but still are not perfect for watching high-quality videos or games.
Source: Nileplay/Sony WI-1000X
Sennheiser CX 350BT Wireless Earbuds
The Sennheiser CX 350BT has a unique and lightweight design that makes them portable and less visible during everyday activities than a round-the-neck model.
Thanks to the USB Type-C charging connector, which has become the standard for most Android models these days, you only need to carry one charging cable while traveling.
Compatible with high-quality codecs such as aptX, aptX LL, AAC and SBC, you can listen to your favorite songs with high-resolution audio quality.
There is no problem with the quality of the calls. The people on the other side of the call hear your voice clearly even in a moderately noisy environment.
With Bluetooth 5.0, you can seamlessly connect and switch between multiple devices. You can answer calls on your smartphone while listening to music on a laptop.
There are two standard color options to choose from: Black and White depending on your preferences.
There is no “auto pause” feature when take them off from your ears, which makes them a little less convenient
Since there is no automatic shutdown mode, the battery will be completely discharged if the earphones are left connected
There is no official IPX rating that indicates how much water and dust resistant these earphones are
There are no magnets inside the earbuds like Beats X to clamp them around your neck when not in use
Source: Nileplay/CX 350BT
