True-wireless wireless earbuds and noise-canceling headphones are among the most popular products on CNET. Not only do I test a lot of earbuds but I create a lot of best lists to help folks narrow down their choices and navigate the buying process.
So, what are the best wireless earbuds? There's a lot of debate around this question and it's hard to name one single model as the best overall wireless earbuds. But a few models stand out a bit from the rest of the pack, including the Technics EAH-AZ100, Apple AirPods Pro 2 USB-C and Sony WF-1000XM5. Also, I called the new, highly rated Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 "the best new wireless sports earbuds with ear hooks of 2025."
A few other models I've tested also stand out from the pack, including the recently released Skullcandy Method 360 ANC ($100), which feature Sound by Bose and are essentially a budget version of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. The Method 360 ANC make their debut on our list of best overall wireless earbuds for 2025 as a top value pick for sound quality alongside another top budget pick, the Earfun Air Pro 4, which can be had for an additional $10 off when you apply the code EAP4CNET at checkout at Amazon.
However, we also have more granular lists for those looking for specific types of earbuds with certain qualities or more specific uses. We've compiled all those best lists here on one landing page to give you quick access to our comprehensive earbuds buying advice.
CNET best wireless earbuds lists
- Best True-Wireless Earbuds of 2025
- Best Open Earbuds of 2025
- Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds for 2025
- Best Cheap True-Wireless Earbuds of 2025
- Best Earbuds for Making Hands-Free Calls of 2025
- Best-Sounding Wireless Earbuds in 2025
- Best Workout Earbuds and Headphones of 2025
- Best Clip-on Earbuds of 2025
- Best True Wireless Sports Earbuds With Ear Hooks of 2025
- Best Running Earbuds and Headphones in 2025
- Best High-End Bluetooth Headphones and Earbuds of 2025
- Best AirPods Deals
Best new wireless earbuds of 2025 (so far)
Like
- Affordable
- Impressive sound for the price
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Decent noise canceling
- Good battery life
Don't like
- Charging case is bulky
Skullcandy hyped its new Method 360 ANC earbuds (read full review) as "the boldest audio product of 2025, featuring a partnership you didn't see coming." Whether the Method 360 ANC earbuds are the boldest audio product of the year is debatable, but I was certainly surprised to learn that Skullcandy had joined forces with Bose to create what's essentially the budget version of Bose's $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Not only do the Method 360 ANC buds sound better than most earbuds in this price class (they sound very similar to Bose's $170 QuietComfort Earbuds), they also fit comfortably and securely. While they share many of the traits of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, they're lighter and lack the more premium finish of those pricey buds. Also, their noise canceling isn't up to the QC Ultra's very high ANC standard. But it's still effective and better than the noise canceling I experienced with the previous Skullcandy earbuds I tested.
The Method 360 ANC's only potential major drawback is the rather large carrying case. Some people won't mind that it's bulky, but others might.
Like
- Improved design with smaller case, ergonomic ear hook and lighter weight
- Equipped with Apple's more powerful H2 chip
- Good noise canceling with a tight seal
- Excellent voice-calling performance with new microphones and voice accelerometers to help pinpoint your voice
- Heart-rate sensors
Don't like
- Some users may not get a tight seal
- A few features missing from AirPods Pro 2
- More basic Find My feature (no Precision Finding)
It's been almost six years since the Powerbeats Pro were released in May 2019, so Beats has had a lot of time to plot how to improve the second generation of its popular ear-hook style true-wireless sport earbuds. And improve they have -- by quite a bit. Not only do they feature a new, more refined design with better ergonomics, but new drivers, a more powerful Apple H2 chip, a new built-in heart-rate sensor and, yes, active noise canceling for the first time in a pair of Powerbeats. (Read our full Powerbeats Pro 2 review).
There are a lof of new premium earbuds with built-in ear hooks, though the majority of them, like Shokz OpenFit 2, have an open design with no ear tips, which some people prefer. I like the Shokz and some of those other open earbuds, but if you're looking for ear-hook style earbuds with noise canceling and superior sound quality, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the best right now.
Like
- Improved noise-canceling and battery life
- Refreshed design
- Good sound
- New ear-detection sensors and upgraded voice-calling performance
- Touch controls work well
Don't like
- Sound could be a tad more detailed and smooth
Not surprisingly, the next-generation of Sony's entry-noise canceling earbuds now feature better noise canceling (with dual microphones). They also get a few other enhancements, including ear-detection sensors and upgraded voice-calling performance along with slightly better battery life and a style makeover, as these buds now come in an eye-catching translucent "glass" blue color that I liked a lot.
The successor to the WF-C700N, the WF-C710N is a definite upgrade that delivers pleasing, dynamic sound with deep, punchy bass. Initially, I thought the earbuds were lacking a bit in the clarity department but when I prioritized sound quality in the settings and engaged Sony's DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) in Sony's companion SoundConnect app, the sound improved. That said, you're just not going to get the more refined and accurate sound of Sony's flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds, which sound smoother and more articulate (with some tracks I encountered a touch of distortion with the WF-C710N). The sound isn't quite as good as that offered by the more expensive LinkBuds Fit, which I like a little better because those buds are smaller and include sport fins. However, that model's battery life is only 5.5 hours and they do cost about $50 more.
Battery life is rated for up to 8.5 hours on single charge with noise canceling on and audio played at moderate volume levels, although that number will dip if you engage DSEE. With the improvements, the CF-C710N are overall quite appealing earbuds but they'd be easier to enthusiastically recommend if they cost $99. Hopefully we'll see them hit that price later this year as their predecessor, the WF-C700N, is on sale now for $75.
Like
- Excellent sound with improved bass performance
- Improved noise canceling
- Comfortable fit
- Decent voice-calling performance
- Support for a variety of audio codecs
Don't like
- Pricey
- Small percentage of users may not be able to get a tight seal from the included ear tips
In 2024, Edifier released a set of earbuds, the Spirit S10, from its audiophile brand Stax that featured low-distortion planar magnetic drivers (planar magnetic drivers have only recently started appearing in true-wireless earbuds). The Stax's buds sound was a little too neutral for some folks, including me, and the noise canceling wasn't quite strong enough. But both the sound and noise-canceling have improved with Edifier's similarly styled new-for-2025 NeoBuds Planar. While they retain the clean, clear sound of the Stax buds, they serve up more bass and sound more alive and dynamic than the Spirit S10s. They also have more effective noise canceling, plus good voice-calling performance.
Along with those planar magnetic drivers, the NeoBuds Planar are powered by a Qualcomm chipset that supports all audio codecs in the Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound suite, including aptX Audio, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, plus HD codecs like LDAC and LHDC 5.0 (most Android smartphones support LDAC). Additionally, the more universally supported AAC codec is on board, and you can tweak EQ settings via Edifier's ConneX app.
While I used these buds with both an iPhone and a few Android smartphones, I think these are slightly better suited for use with Android devices, particularly those certified with Snapdragon Sound. As you'd expect from earbuds that cost this much, the NeoBuds Planar are equipped with ear-detection sensors and wireless charging. Battery life is pretty average (up to around 5 hours with noise canceling on), and they're IPX55 splash-proof and dust-resistant. 7 different ear tips are included to help ensure you get a tight seal, which is crucial to getting optimal sound quality.