Want a portable yet wireless audio experience? The chances are that you will find yourself having to choose between truly wireless earbuds (or TWS) or simple wireless earbuds (Bluetooth headphones – the one with large cups – are not that portable).
Both of these are incredibly portable (you can chuck most of them into your pocket). But while both work on Bluetooth, these two are poles apart in every aspect. One comes with an extremely strict “no strings attached” policy (quite literally) while the other offers freedom with terms and conditions applied, and there is a string although only to connect the buds themselves.
With lots of options in both categories flooding the market, it can be rather tricky to find which one works best for you. So, if you are also confused between these two wireless buds, read on to find out which is your type:
Which looks better?
In terms of sheer looks, the TWS definitely have a major EDGE over wireless earphones. TWS are more trendy, they look more stylish and definitely manage to turn more heads as opposed to wireless earphones.
In terms of innovative design as well as colours, TWS have an upper hand. When it comes to wireless earphones, there is one basic blueprint that you cannot drive too far away from – you have a wire with two earbuds at each end. At max, you may find a choice between a pair of hard collar wireless earphones or flexible wire all along earphones but that is majorly it.
In TWS on the other hand you get all these different shapes and sizes that differentiate one TWS from another very distinctly. All in all, truly wireless earbuds have got the looks. What’s more, they also blend in more easily – there is no wire hanging around your neck, which can be inconvenient to some.
Winner: TWS
Just Wireless or TWS: Which is easier to use ?
On paper, anything without wires should be easier to use than something with wires. And initially, that seems to be the case with TWS and wireless earbuds, However, it turns out to be a different story when you actually start using them.
The pairing process on both kinds of earbuds changes from brand to brand and how tricky or easy they have made the process. We have some hits and misses in both categories. Once paired, connecting either one does not seem like a problem either– in most TWS you basically just take them out of the case and they are connected while in most wireless earbuds you can just turn them on and they connect instantly.
But the story gets very different when it comes to using the buds. In TWS, because the earbuds are so tiny, they often come with even tinier controls which makes them a nightmare to use.
Some TWS do come with haptic touch commands but even then we have often found ourselves struggling to get a command right simply because the surface area is so small. That is not the case with wireless earbuds at all. Almost all of them come with good old buttons (often on the Band itself) that are big enough to be handled by even the stumpiest of fingers, making it easier to give commands. Hence wireless earbuds take this round out.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
Which is easer to carry around?
The biggest reason for all the wire-free fuss is that we want more freedom and freedom equals portability. While both, TWS and wireless earbuds are very portable, there is one that has a slight edge over the other in this category as well.
If portability is super important to you, we suggest you should pick wireless earphones over TWS. Even with a string of wire connecting the two earbuds on a wireless earphone, you can simply take them out of your ears, curl them up and shove them in your pocket and in case if you have a stiff collar band instead of free wire, you can just pull the buds out of your ears and let the earphones dangle from your neck.
Want a case for them? You can choose from different options.
This unfortunately cannot be done with TWS. You have to carry a case around, and your choice is limited to the one they come in because the case is also their charger!
Yes, you can keep them separately from the case if you wish but they would lose charge and then there is a chance that you might misplace one of them, without which the other is pretty much useless.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
If you drop them, which breaks?
No matter what brands might tell you, truly wireless earbuds often fall out of ears regardless of their design. Unless they have a hinge that latches onto your ear, you will find them casually falling out of your ears every now and then. And when they do, they fall on the ground and take a solid hit, because they are falling from a good height.
This makes TWS are very prone to drop damages. Wireless earbuds on the other hand have a wire working in their favour which allows the buds to dangle from your neck even if the buds pop out of your ears, hence they are not as susceptible to drops and subsequent damage.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
Which sound better?
Well, they both deliver audio over Bluetooth. But from what we have seen so far, at the same price, a pair of wireless earbuds generally tend to have better sound quality than a TWS.
What’s more, there’s no chance of one of the two buds falling silent in the case of wireless earbuds, which can happen with TWS, where both buds sometimes have different battery levels.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
Which are better for making calls?
TWS have tiny microphones built into them whereas wireless earphones come with a small unit that has a microphone and volume buttons and others controls on it for calls. From what we have seen, TWS are better for being totally hands-free if the microphone quality is good – you can do something else with your hands while making a call.
However, wireless earbuds give you the option of actually bringing the microphone closer to your mouth in noisy conditions. And sometimes that can be super handy. A lot depends on the microphone quality, but we are calling this a tie.
Winner: Tie
Which have better battery life?
Both TWS and wireless buds have to be charged to be used. TWS do this through their case, which is not only their resting place but also their charging station. Most truly wireless earbuds often deliver a battery life of five to eight hours at max on a single charge while in most cases that can charge your earbuds 3-4 times.
The wireless earbuds also need charging but their battery life is mostly much better than that of TWS. Many wireless earbuds offer a battery life of up to 20 hours on a single charge which is significantly more than TWS.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you do not need a special charging case for your wireless earbuds – in most cases, you can charge them from your phone charger.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
Just Wireless or TWS: Which is better value for money?
TWS is newer and fancier technology, so it is currently more expensive than wireless earbuds. This means for the same budget you are likely to get better sounding, more feature-rich and overall superior wireless earbuds as compared to truly wireless earbuds.
No, TWS are not bad. They are convenient and becoming more affordable by the day, but wireless buds generally deliver much more at the same price.
Winner: Wireless earbuds
Wait, is there any point of going for TWS at all!
Given how utterly one-sided this comparison has been, does buying TWS make any sense at all? The answer is: yes.
While they do lag behind wireless earbuds in many regards, TWS are very trendy and convenient. Get ones with a decent interface and you will barely notice they are in your ears. They are great for those who like to keep up with technological trends and value a completely wireless experience.
Still, if you are looking for real value for money, we suggest you pick up wireless earphones – it is amazing how much difference a small piece of wire can make, even while keeping your relatively wire-free.