Best wireless earbuds UK 2026: AirPods, Sony, Samsung and Soundcore compared

Apple says the AirPods Pro 3 remove up to twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2, with new ear tips in five sizes for a more secure fit. They also add heart-rate sensing for workouts, Live Translation (with a compatible iPhone and Apple Intelligence), and Apple's hearing features, including a hearing test and Hearing Aid mode. Battery life is up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on.

Owners praise the sound, the noise cancelling and a secure, comfortable fit, and say they connect seamlessly with iPhone. They're expensive, and many features need a recent iPhone, so Android users should look at Sony or Samsung instead.

Sony's newest flagship uses a new processor and eight microphones (two more than the WF-1000XM5) for noise cancelling, plus Hi-Res Audio Wireless, a 10-band EQ and bone-conduction voice pickup for calls. Battery life is up to 8 hours in the buds with noise cancelling on, or 24 hours with the case, and the case charges wirelessly.

Owners praise the sound and noise cancelling, and one says callers hear them clearly. As with most earbuds, fit is the main complaint: some say they fall out, so try the different ear tips. The older WF-1000XM5 is still on sale on Amazon.co.uk and is often cheaper, if you'd rather save.

The Galaxy Buds4 Pro have a two-way speaker (a woofer and tweeter with separate amplifiers) and support Samsung's Ultra High Quality Audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz with a compatible Galaxy phone. Calls use Samsung's Super Clear Call, and the compact case has a translucent lid so you can see the buds are charging. This UK version comes with an extra year of Samsung warranty, which is recorded automatically.

Owners find them extremely comfortable for long periods and say they stay in when moving; feedback on noise cancelling and battery is more mixed. The best audio and features need a Samsung phone; with an iPhone, choose AirPods or Sony.

AirPods 4 sit in your ear rather than sealing it with a silicone tip, which many people find more comfortable. This version adds active noise cancelling, Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Voice Isolation for calls and a small wireless charging case that works with an Apple Watch charger, USB-C or Qi charger.

Owners say the sound is fantastic and they hardly notice them in their ears, but fit is mixed: some find they fall out. Without a seal, the noise cancelling is weaker than the AirPods Pro 3, and battery life is shorter.

The WF-C710N replaces the WF-C700N with better noise cancelling (two mics per earbud), clearer calls and, Sony says, up to twice the battery life: up to 40 hours in total, or 30 hours with noise cancelling on, and a 5-minute charge gives an hour of playback. Multipoint lets you connect to a phone and laptop at the same time, which is handy for work calls.

Owners like the sound, the noise cancelling and easy connection. Fit is mixed, as with most earbuds, and some report reliability issues.

The Liberty 4 NC has adaptive noise cancelling that adjusts to your ears and surroundings, 11mm drivers, LDAC Hi-Res audio on supported Android phones, six microphones for calls and multipoint connection. Battery life is up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, or 40 hours with the case, and they're IPX4 splash resistant.

Owners praise the sound, noise cancelling, battery and comfort, with one saying they're among the lightest they've worn. Fit, reliability and connection feedback are mixed. It's sold by AnkerDirect and fulfilled by Amazon.

The P31i brings adaptive noise cancelling, LDAC Hi-Res audio, six call microphones and AI translation (through the Soundcore app) to a budget price. Battery life is up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, or 40 hours with the case, and a 10-minute charge gives up to 3 hours. It's sold by AnkerDirect and fulfilled by Amazon.

Owners say the sound is phenomenal for the price, the noise cancelling works well on low engine noise, and they stay in during workouts. Bluetooth connection feedback is mixed.

Sony says the WF-C510 are among its smallest and lightest earbuds, at 4.6g each, with a compact shape that stays stable even when running. They have DSEE upscaling, multipoint connection to two devices and up to 11 hours in the buds (22 hours with the case), with a 5-minute charge giving an hour.

Owners like the sound, volume and comfortable fit, and the physical click controls. There's no noise cancelling, and battery and reliability feedback is mixed, with a few reporting failures after several months.

The P20i are about as cheap as decent earbuds get: 10mm drivers with boosted bass, 22 EQ presets and a Find My Earbuds sound in the Soundcore app, and up to 10 hours from the buds or 30 with the case. The small case has a lanyard so you can clip it to a bag or keys.

Owners say they sound good, fit snugly and are easy to set up, and many call them the best budget earbuds. There's no noise cancelling, and some report one earbud failing or losing connection. It's sold by AnkerDirect and fulfilled by Amazon.