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Battle Of The Budget Wireless Earbuds
With so many cheap true wireless earbuds to choose from, it’s hard to narrow it down to the right one for yourself. We researched and narrowed it down to our top 3 choices, so hopefully, we can make the choice easier for you. There are some features that we definitely couldn’t sacrifice even when trying to save a buck. Just to make it in our top 3 they had to have these 4 essentials:
- At least 5 hours of battery life in the earbuds alone.
- Traveling, commuting, working, and long workouts are no trouble for these earbuds.
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for low latency.
- They all have the latest Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology to reduce the latency that’s noticeable when gaming or watching videos on your mobile devices.
- IPX7 or higher for workout usage.
- Their excellent water & dust resistance rating gives them the durability to be used in any situation and environment.
- Above-average sound quality.
- It’s tough to find earbuds that produce high-quality sound with heavy enough bass to bring your tunes to life. With these three sets of true wireless earbuds, that’s not a sacrifice you have to make.
Checkin' The Essential Boxes
With all three sets of these earbuds, putting out some serious sound for at least 5 steady hours, we wanted to highlight the differences. Even though the differences are minor, they can be the difference between your overall listening enjoyment. Pay attention to the accessory and charging options, and you’ll definitely find the true wireless earbuds for you. Saving money never sounded so good.
1. Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2
Color Options: Black
Key Features:
- Battery Life – 8 hours (100 hours total with charging case)
- Dust/Water Resistance – IPX5
- Fast Charging – 10 mins = 1.5 hours of listening
- Charge Type – USB-C charge port
- Accessory Kit – 5 sets of ear tips & 3 sets of ear wings
Pros:
- Best-in-class battery life
- Best custom fit with ear tip and ear wing options
- Super lightweight
- Heavy bass without distortion
- HD sound quality (20Hz – 20kHz frequency response)
- Great noise isolation
- Quick charging on the actual earbuds (10 mins = 1.5 hour of listening)
Cons:
- Only available in black
Conclusion
Anker is our favorite set of true wireless earbuds under $50, mainly because of their excellent sound quality. On top of that, their super lightweight design and customizable fit are a nice perk. The icing on the cake is the 8 hours of listening time and 100 hours total with the charging case.
We wish they came in some different colors, but that’s the only thing we could find wrong with these. Their IPX5 waterproof rating makes these perfect for the gym, work, and other wet and/or dirty conditions. If you’re looking for a catch, there isn’t one.
2. MPOW M30
Color Options: Black
Key Features:
- Battery Life – 5 hours (25 hours total with charging case)
- Dust/Water Resistance – IPX7
- Fast Charging – N/A
- Charge Type – USB-C charge port
- Accessory Kit – 3 sets of ear tips & 2 sets of ear wings
Pros:
- Good custom fit with ear tip and ear wing options
- LED light changes color based on remaining battery life
- USB-C charging port is super fast for charging the carrying case
- Great sound quality
- Powerful bass
Cons:
- Average battery life
- Only one color option
- Earbuds are a little on the bulky side
- No fast charging from charging case to earbuds
Conclusion
MPOW has been an established high-quality audio option on-a-budget for over 5 years. As their latest option in true wireless earbuds, the M30’s keep the tradition going. Even though they don’t have fast charging on the earbuds themselves, at least they have the super-fast USB-C port on the charging case. Hopefully, they give us one or two more color options on the next go around.
3. EarFun Free
Color Options: Black or White
Key Features:
- Battery Life – 6 hours (30 hours total with charging case)
- Dust/Water Resistance – IPX7
- Fast Charging – 10 mins = 2 hours of listening
- Charge Type – USB-C & Qi wireless charging
- Accessory Kit – 3 sets of ear tips
Pros:
- Best battery life of our top 3 choices
- Wireless charging is a nice option
- USB-C charging port for charging the case quickly
- HD sound quality
- Quick charging on the actual earbuds (10 mins = 2 hours of listening)
Cons:
- No ear wings for an extra-secure fit
- Charging case is bulkier compared to the other two
Conclusion
As an up-and-coming audio brand, EarFun has made a splash in the last few years at CES. These EarFun Free True Wireless Earbuds actually won the 2020 CES Innovation Award. We just wish they were innovative enough to design some ear wing options for people like me who want a more secure fit. On the other hand, it’s nice that they give us the option of USB-C or Qi wireless charging at a budget-friendly price.
