How do I find good AirPod alternatives?
There are several criteria that I base my research on. I'll walk you through my process now to let you know what you should pay attention to when shopping for wireless earbuds.
Battery Life
Battery life is extremely important for wireless earbuds. This is something you never had to worry about when all headphones had wires. It would not be good if you got a pair of wireless earbuds and frequently had to stop listening to your favorite music, podcasts, or any other type of content because your battery ran out. Keep in mind that battery life is affected by active features like noise cancellation.
Sound Quality
I would say that sound quality is the most important metric I judge wireless earbuds on. Other criteria are not that significant if I can't fully enjoy the audio. If the sound quality is not good, I won't even consider buying those earbuds. They can have all the extra features you can think of but I'm still not interested.
One of the things I got really excited about recently is when it was announced that you could have personalized spatial audio for AirPods on iOS 16. This feature produces a fully immersive experience by tracking your ears' position. Essentially, the sound quality is notably enhanced through 3D mapping of your face.
Noise Cancellation
I listen to music when I work out. I often listen to music when I work. When I was still a student, I listened to music while studying. I also know a lot of other people who do the same. That's why noise cancellation is one of my criteria for finding good wireless earbuds. When it's time to focus, you want to have a pair of earbuds that will block out the world around you.
Water Resistance
I like to take my earbuds with me everywhere I go. That's why I pay attention to water resistance before buying a pair of earbuds. I want to know that they'll work properly even if I work out daily, travel, and hike. There are some cool waterproof earbuds on the market but I can always settle even if they're just made of water resistant materials. At least some type of water resistance will prevent them from malfunctioning when it's raining or sweat is pouring down your face in the middle of a workout session.
Extra Features and App Support
Every device that you can connect to via bluetooth should have good app support. It's a more immersive experience listening to music with my wireless earbuds if I can adjust the settings to my liking. Apart from being able to customize touch controls and switch between devices, I'm always interested in additional app support.
Comfort and Fit
You can find the best earbuds on paper but if they don't fit you properly or aren't comfortable to wear, I won't be interested in them. Comfort is often overlooked when people are shopping for earbuds. To me, it's one of the most essential criteria. After all, one of the reasons why the AirPods became such a hit is because they fit nearly all people who try them perfectly.
Design
Apple has mastered the art of designing products. Their simplistic designs are partly why they became so popular. I like when the design of earbuds is clean and sleek. But sometimes looks can be deceitful. I always tell everyone not to judge earbuds only by their design. Although it can be a cool addition to an overall great product, it's something you should pay attention to only after you checked more important criteria like sound quality and battery life.
Earbud FAQ:
Why are AirPods popular?
AirPods have become insanely popular in a short amount of time. The first AirPods were released in 2016 but it feels like they've been around much longer. So, how did Apple do it? They focused on what was important. Features like easy charging, portability, good battery life, audio switching, and design were done extremely well. There is a lot of impressive technology packed into those small earbuds.
Are there AirPod alternatives for Android?
You don't need an iPhone to enjoy AirPods. However, if you have an iPhone the listening experience is enhanced due to exceptional app support. If you're looking for something similar but you have an Android, you should look for something like the Google Pixel Buds Pro. Getting access to good apps will only make the listening experience better.
How long do AirPod alternatives last?
It's hard to determine the true average lifespan of wireless earbuds. It has a lot to do with the model you get and how you handle them. Remember that earbuds are quite delicate, so you should be careful when holding them. In most cases, wireless earbuds will last at least 2-3 years.
As far as battery life goes, most wireless earbuds will last five or more hours on a single charge. The great thing is that the portable charging case can give you a lot of additional hours of listening to your favorite audio content when you need it.
How to choose the best pair of wireless earbuds?
It can be hard to choose the best pair of wireless earbuds. There are so many different options. However, you can make the decision process much easier if you stick to a formulaic approach. I do this by checking seven criteria and then compare them with other wireless earbuds. The criteria important to me include sound quality, battery life, noise cancellation, water resistance, extra features and app support, comfort and fit, as well as design.
What is the difference between wireless earbuds and AirPods?
Objectively speaking, there are not a lot of major differences between AirPods and any other quality wireless earbuds. There are some very good AirPod alternatives available today. I deem the products on this list to be at least on the same level as AirPods.
Should I worry about which audio codecs are supported?
Not many people pay enough attention to codec support for their wireless earbuds. But codecs play an important role in the quality of the audio. Although your smartphone will often automatically select the best codec as soon as you connect your earbuds, sometimes it's best to take matters into your own hands. That's why it's a good idea to check which codecs are supported before buying a pair of wireless earbuds.
What are some mistakes to avoid when buying wireless earbuds?
There are some mistakes that you should avoid at all costs. For example, you should always check out what the battery life on a pair of wireless earbuds is. You don't want to have to recharge your earbuds every hour or two. Make sure you check whether the earbuds come with noise cancellation. Don't buy a product from a company nobody has heard of. Instead, put your trust in brands with a good reputation. In essence, avoiding to research any criteria I previously mentioned in the article is a mistake you should avoid making.
