Note: This feature was first published on 31 March 2023.
Anyone still unconvinced that wireless earbuds are the future of personal audio only needs to look at the number of nominees we have in the Best True Wireless Earbuds category of the 2023 Tech Awards. In the past 12 months alone, these eight major brands have released flagship-class products, that’s not to say of the countless more mid-range and entry-level ones from these brands and many other smaller ones.
If you want to know how these flagship-class earbuds fare against each other quickly and succinctly, and buy them (buying links included), this is the place. Let’s not waste any more time and get right down to it.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) - Best for iPhone users
- IPX4 water resistance
- Up to 6 hours single charge / Up to 30 hours with charging case
- S$362.25
If you own an iPhone, you can stop reading now and go out and buy the new AirPods Pro. It is, without question, the best true wireless earbuds for any iPhone user. Its active noise cancellation abilities are one of the best and its ambient sound mode is peerless. It doesn’t hurt that it sounds good too, with tastefully emphasised lower frequencies and balanced mids and treble. Battery life isn’t bad either. But most of all, and what makes it so special, is its deep integration with Apple devices. It’s extremely easy to set up and once it's done, you can easily switch between all your Apple devices (as long as they are signed in to your iCloud account) that you would think there's witchcraft at work. If you use multiple Apple devices daily, these are the earbuds to have.
Find out more in our full review of the AirPods Pro here.
The AirPods Pro are S$362.35, and you can find them on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II - Best ANC
- IPX4 water resistance
- Up to 6 hours single charge / Up to 24 hours with charging case
- S$379
The moment you put on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, you’ll be amazed at how much noise it can nullify. I consider it to be the best - better than Apple and Sony. In fact, it's so good it's almost freakish. However, some might find it uncomfortable to wear because the earbuds have a silicone band around them to help create a tighter seal. The charging case is also large and cumbersome when compared to its rivals. As for its sound, it’s one of the few earbuds to feature adaptive EQ technology, so it constantly measures the drivers to achieve its target frequency response. The sound is best described as typical Bose, which is to say it has a U-shaped sound signature with strong bass and slightly bright treble. Overall, these are very solid earbuds, but apart from the above-mentioned shortcomings, it’s also missing wireless charging and multipoint support. That keeps it from getting a higher rating. But if ANC is your greatest priority, these are the earbuds to get.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are S$379, and you can find them on , Lazada, and .
Google Pixel Buds Pro - Best for most Android users
- IPX4 water resistance
- Up to 7 hours single charge / Up to 20 hours with charging case
- S$299
Most Android users should be very pleased with Google’s Pixel Buds Pro. Naturally, these earbuds have deep integration with Android and have a fast pairing feature that rivals Apple’s AirPods. While the active noise cancellation is one of the best, the transparency mode could use a bit more work as it sounds digitised and unreliable. The way it sounds is one of its biggest strengths. Perhaps it’s because of its large 11mm drivers, but it sounds surprisingly spacious and wide. The overall sound is also balanced and pleasant, though I think it could use a little more bass energy. Overall, for Android users, it’s hard to beat the Pixel Buds Pro’s blend of performance and features. Furthermore, it’s quite reasonably priced.
Find out more in our full review of the Google Pixel Buds Pro here.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro are S$299 and you can find them Amazon, , and the Google Online Store.
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 - Best for Huawei users
- IP54 water resistance
- Up to 4 hours single charge / Up to 18 hours with charging case
- S$298
The FreeBuds Pro 2 have many Huawei-specific features that make them the best choice for anyone who’s invested in the Huawei ecosystem. Apart from the usual quick-pairing, it can also switch quickly between your Mate phone, MateBook laptop, and MatePad tablet. Co-engineered with Devialet and featuring a dual-driver configuration, the sound is good and easily above average. Bass is punchy, the mids are smooth and forward, and the treble is crisp and smooth. The sound stage is also above average. Fussy listeners will appreciate that it’s one of the few earbuds to support the LDAC codec. On the flip side, it didn’t fit me well despite my attempts with the various ear tips. Consequently, the ANC suffers and is average at best. Another downside is that its battery life is middling. I’d recommend this only if you use more than one Huawei device.
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 are S$298, and you can find them on Lazada and Shopee.
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.
Model | Design | Performance | Features | Value | Overall | Price |
Apple AirPods Pro 2022 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | S$362 |
Bose QuietComfort II | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | S$379 |
Google Pixel Buds Pro | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.5 | S$299 |
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.5 | S$298 |
Jabra Elite 5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | S$231 |
JBL Live Pro 2 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 9.0 | S$265 |
Oppo Enco X2 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | S$261 |
Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 3 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | S$399 |
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