The Apple AirPods were launched in 2016 and they gave the world the first-ever truly wireless headphones that worked as they should. Currently, it’s the most popular wireless earphones in the world. Last year, the standard Airpods saw some minor updates like a new wireless charging case and a new U1 chip and along with that a completely new iteration of the Airpods were also launched called the Airpods pro. The Airpods Pro comes with a shorter stem and an in-ear fit and most importantly it is now equipped with active noise cancellation. Active noise cancellation is a huge deal as it enhances your listening experience by cutting out ambient noise by forming a sonic barrier around you that engulfs you in silence.
The Airpods are a perfect accessory for your Apple devices as they pair as soon as you open the case and have various gesture functionalities. The Airpods do work with other non-Apple devices but the experience is not that great and you miss out on a lot of features like auto play/pause.
If you want the best Airpods replacement with the same functionality, our list of Airpods replacements will guide you.
Sony WF-1000XM3
The Sony Wf-1000XM3 are the perfect AirPods pro replacements. They are priced at INR 21990 and are cheaper than the Airpods Pro which cost INR24990. The WF-1000XM3 are truly wireless and support active noise cancellation thanks to their dual noise sensor and Sony’s Proprietary HD Noise Cancelling Processor. They have an in-ear design for the best fit and come in various ear tip sizes. They have a 0.24” driver and DSEE HX Digital sound enhancement. They support Bluetooth 5.0 and claim a 24hr playback time. They charge via their charging case which then charges via USB-C. The sides are equipped with capacitive touch panels for gestures like skip, pause and invoking your smart assistant.
As for the sound, they sound balanced and warm with excellent clarity and uniform highs and lows. The bass, however, is not as magnified as Sony’s xtra bass series of earphones. You can adjust the sound quality and EQ using the companion app.
Pros
Active Noise Cancellation
Bluetooth 5.0
Digital Sound enhancement
Cons
Bulky Charging Case
No water resistance
No wireless charging
Bose SoundSports Free
These Truly Wireless offering from bose are designed for working out. They are IPX4 Water-resistant and have winged ear tips that ensure a secure stay. They are priced at INR 18999 and are cheaper than the Airpods Pro but pricier than the standard Airpods. The earphones have a 5hr playback and with the case, you can get additional 10hrs. Each earbud as physical buttons for volume control, play/pause and invoking your smart assistant.
The earphones have a very wide soundstage and very good vocal clarity. The Mids are also well defined. The bass is punchy and adequate without overpowering the other aspects.
The SoundSports free do have a slight audio delay issue with apps like YouTube and Netflix that you should consider
Pros
Water and dust resistant
Secure fit
Cons
Bulky case
No wireless charging
Audio delay
Protrude out of the ears
Beats PowerBeats pro
The Beats Power Beats pro are a pair of sports earphones with the Apple W1 chip for easy pairing with Apple devices. Just open them and they automatically pair. They come with an ear-hook design assuring a secure fit. The earphones are dust and water-resistant. They have an IR sensor that pauses the music when you remove the earphones from your ears.
Each earbud is equipped with volume controls and the “b” button offers functionality like call rejection and assistant invoking. The powerbeats also support hands-free ‘Hey Siri’. They offer up to 9hrs of battery life along with Fast Fuel Fast charging technology that gives you 1.5hrs of listening time with just 5 minutes of charging. They are priced at INR 21500.
The earphones sound good with extra emphasis on the bass just like any other beats earphones out there. The vocals are clear but can be overpowered by the bass.
Pros
High Bass
Volume Control on each earbud
Secure fit
Dust and water-resistant
Cons
Charges via apple’s lightning cable
Bulky case
No Wireless charging for the case
No Noise cancellation
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earphones
These truly wireless offerings from Sennheiser are one of the best sounding earphones out there. They have a low profile making them inconspicuous in your ears. It has an in-ear style fit with multiple ear tips included. The earphones are IPX4 dust and water-resistant making them a good choice for working out. The sides are touch-sensitive with gestures for play/pause and skip. You can also long-press to invoke your smart assistant. The charging case is very premium and is covered with a cloth-like material all around it. The earbuds offer 4hrs of listening and additional 8hrs with the case.
The earbuds integrate additional listening technologies like Qualcomm aptX, aptX low Latency along with Bluetooth 5.0 for the highest quality audio transmission.
The sound quality is immaculate with everything balanced and with a touch warm undertones. The presence of bass can be felt without it being overpowering. The ear tips form a good seal giving you passive noise isolation and the sound signature can be adjusted using the companion app. 28511They are priced at INR 24990.
Pros
Excellent sound quality
IPX4 Dust and Water-resistant
Premium design
Cons
No Active noise cancellation
Bulky charging case
No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy Buds+
The latest iteration of Samsung’s truly wireless earphones brings with them a few hardware changes. Keeping the design similar to the previous galaxy buds, the new buds + give you twice the battery life (22hrs). They also now feature dual drivers and an extra microphone. Other than that the buds are small and sit flush inside your ears. They have tiny wings to keep them in place. The buds have touch-capacitive surfaces for gesture control and are IPX2 dust and water-resistant. The charging case is very compact and supports wireless charging something that even the more expensive earphones lack.
The sound quality is decent with an adequate bass response and clear vocals. The ear tips offer a good seal giving you passive noise isolation. The sound can be altered using the EQ on the companion app. The galaxy buds+ are available for pre-order for INR 11990.
Pros
Small and compact
Wireless charging
Cons
Low IP rating