Earbuds go by many different names, including earphones, in-ear headphones, in-ear monitors or simply buds. They also come in all shapes and sizes and can be both wired or wireless, with some variations. Probably the most widely known (and worn) earbuds are the AirPods, which Apple launched in 2016.
Compared to over-ear and on-ear headphones, they offer a more compact, lightweight design that’s easier to set up and store. Earbuds are often cheaper too (usually), and have better stability. Being small does have its disadvantages - namely with sound quality, which can’t match wired headphones - but every music lover should own at least one pair all the same.
Latest about Earbuds & Airpods
OpenRock S review: affordable open earbuds that sadly focus on iffy extra features rather than simply delivering the goods
The OpenRock S try too hard with features that don’t work well and it's a shame, because at their core, these are respectable low-cost fitness earbuds
Sony WF-C710N review: excellent ANC in slightly bigger earbuds makes for a solid hit
Sony's newest budget noise-cancelling earbuds sound good and come with perks – and that's before we get to the excellent bubble-of-silence ANC.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE 2 earbuds specs spotted, revealing bigger battery and even Wi-Fi support
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE 2 filings spotted in the US and India, along with dual-band Wi-Fi specs and 'Buds Core' name.
Skullcandy's new ANC earbuds have sound by Bose, and look like Bose, but don't have Bose prices
True wireless earbuds with Bose sound, long battery life, low price, and a really cool case
Sennheiser launches AirPods-like open earbuds, and if they're as good as the rest of its Accentum headphones, they'll be a bargain
The Accentum Open are lightweight, open earbuds with an attractively low price and a slim case design
Earfun OpenJump review: decent open-ear buds that fail to stand out in a hugely competitive market
They're good, others do better
The best noise-cancelling earbuds 2025
Updated These best noise-cancelling earbuds block out the world without the bulk of over-ear headphones.
One of the best budget earbuds brands just launched two super-cheap noise cancelling buds, and some open earbuds with Hi-Res Audio
Incredibly affordable ANC, Spatial Audio and open-ear audio too
