The best true wireless earbuds we've tested in 2023

Jabra, JBL, Oppo, and Sennheiser

Jabra Elite 5 - Best for those on a tight budget

• IP55 water resistance
• Up to 7 hours single charge / Up to 28 hours with charging case
• S$231

The Jabra Elite 5 is, by some measure, the most affordable earbuds here. And although it might not stand out in any way, it’s a solid performer without any glaring weakness. To start, the fit is good, mostly because the earbuds are designed to go deep into your ears. Some might find this unnerving, so take note. Because of the way the Elite 5 wears, passive noise isolation is good. However, the ANC is only average and cannot block out noise as effectively as the top performers can. Sound quality is decent, but the bass lacks punch and the treble is uneven. Battery life is quite good at up to 7 hours on a single charge and 28 hours with the charging case (that’s with ANC activated). The app also gives you a great degree of customisation. The Elite 5 is a good choice if you are tight on a budget but still want all the bells and whistles of a flagship-class earbud.

Watch what we think of the Jabra Elite 5 here in our video assessment.

The Jabra Elite 5 are S$231 and you can find them on Amazon, Lazada, and Shopee.

JBL Live Pro 2 - Best overall true wireless earbuds

• IPX5 water resistance
• Up to 10 hours single charge (ANC off) / Up to 40 hours with charging case (ANC off)
• S$265

What more is there to say other than this is the winner of the Best True Wireless Earbuds award at our 2023 Tech Awards? If you need more convincing, here it goes. The ANC is excellent. It's not quite at the same level as Apple, Bose, or Sony, but it comes very, very close. The ambient sound is one of the better ones too, plus it sounds terrific as a whole too. The overall sound signature is balanced with strong, clean bass, a well-judged mid-range, and a tastefully elevated treble. The bass, in particular, is satisfying because there’s a palpable sense of sub-bass, something that’s missing from many other earbuds. Battery life is good too, as you’ll easily get around 30 hours with the charging case. As for features, it has customisable EQ and multipoint connection. And the icing on the cake is that at S$265, it’s one of the more affordable flagship-class earbuds. All in all, the JBL Live Pro 2 is unquestionably one of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy now.

Read the review of the JBL Live Pro 2 here.

The JBL Live Pro 2 are S$265, and you can find them on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the JBL Online Store.

Oppo Enco X2 - Best for audiophiles

• IP54 water resistance
• Up to 5.5 hours single charge / Up to 22 hours with charging case
• S$261

If sound quality is imperative, you might want to consider the Oppo Enco X2. These earbuds were designed in collaboration with Danish audio specialists Dynaudio and are, quite possibly, the best-sounding earbuds in the market. What makes them stand out is a coaxially-arranged dual-driver system that consists of a bass driver and a planar tweeter. The advantages of such a configuration are very deep and strong bass, and clean and sparkly highs. Coupled with a tuning that clearly has audiophiles in mind, it means the Enco X2 has a dark sound signature that sounds exceptionally smooth. In addition to that, it’s also one of the few earbuds to support the higher bit-rate LDAC codec. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fare quite well in other areas. The ANC is weak, the ambient sound mode sounds digitised, and the battery life is below average. But if you value sound above everything else, this is worth a look-see, especially since it's one of the more affordable options.

The Oppo Enco X2 are S$261, and you can find them on Lazada and Shopee.

Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 3 - Most stylish

• IPX4 water resistance
• Up to 7 hours single charge / Up to 28 hours with charging case
• S$399

Style and looks are subjective matters but the Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 3 is the only true wireless earbud on this list that has a charging case that’s covered in fabric. Surely that counts for something. It’s also available in three finishes: Black, White, and Graphite. It also helps that the earbuds themselves are smart-looking – compact, with all curved edges, and a matte finish. But it’s not all show and no go, the True Wireless Momentum 3 are very capable earbuds. Though the ANC is only average, the ambient mode is quite realistic, and, as you’d expect from a Sennheiser product, it sounds pretty fantastic. The treble, in particular, is very well-judged and has a nice sparkly quality to it, and the mids are clear and forward. The stage is quite wide, and the imaging is precise. Its only weakness is its bass, which is clean and tight but lacks punch. Overall, these earbuds are a good blend of style and performance.

The Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 3 goes for S$399, and you can find them on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Sennheiser Online Store.

Final Ratings

I'll leave you with the scoring table as seen in our Tech Awards Editor's Choice series to better understand how we quantified each pair of earbuds from our findings.