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
Samsung and Google's Dolby Atmos rival is coming to Android – but I need it in earbuds before I get excited
Eclipsa Audio coming to Android is all well and good, but until support for earbuds and headphones lands, I'm on the fence.
You have to see Dark Matter's stunning wired earbuds, which have up to 8(!) drivers in stunning designs
These high-end IEMs have more drivers than Fed-Ex
Sony MDR-EX15AP review: left your Bluetooth headphones at home? These wired earbuds will get the job done
The popular Sony MDR-EX15AP offer decent audio and an attractive design but are unlikely to excite you.
The best wireless earbuds 2025
Our reviewers spent over 600 hours testing these earbuds, so here’s my verdict on the best wireless earbuds for iPhone, Android or anything else.
Powerbeats Pro 2: everything we know about Beats' much-teased athletic earbuds
Updated Beats has already teased that Powerbeats Pro 2 will arrive in 2025, so here's everything we know about the next earbuds from the brand.
Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: great sounding earbuds with a classy build, but too few features to trounce rivals at the level
There's no question that B&W's 'entry level' earbuds have great audio, but occasional connectivity dropouts and a few missing features mean they aren't yet rivalling class-leaders at this level.
Activo Q1 hybrid IEM headphones review: impressive and affordable audiophile IEMs
Astell & Kern's hi-res player now has matching high quality headphones that won't break the bank – joy!
I saw wireless earbuds that are also air purifiers, and they claim to be a maskless mask
CES 2025 Listen to dope tunes and breathe cleaner
