AirPods are reliable earbuds as much as they are a status symbol, and like all sought-after tech products, they come with a clout tax. Luckily, we found a suitable stand-in at a fraction of the cost that one reviewer says is “a steal for quality” and that they “run CIRCLES around AirPod Pros.”
Meet the active noise-canceling A40 earbuds by Soundcore, which last up to 10 hours after a single charge and up to 50 hours with their powerhouse charging case. Typically $79.99, these ultra-comfy in-ear buds are currently 44% off in select colors — a deal many agree is more than worth it.
“On a budget? You’ll feel like you spent $250 on [these],” one user writes, before celebrating that these buds also carry “double the battery life” of their expensive Apple counterpart.
These ultra-light earbuds have a case that supports wireless charging, but, according to some reviews, you won’t be doing much as they support up to 10 hours of battery life on a single playback. They have an excellent range for listening to podcasts, music and voice calls, plus, when paired with the Anker app, you can toggle its equalizer for a full custom sound. They also have a transparency mode, letting you hear your surroundings when they’re in-ear, so you won’t miss anyone calling your name or a passerby on your next run.
Using them on calls is easy, too, and many say they’re very comfy to use. “These little earbuds surprised me with their high quality sound and how insanely comfortable they were in my ears,” says Dean G. “I don’t need a high level of sound dampening but they work great in the train tunnel during my commute, and I can still hear well enough when they’re in Transparency mode. Using the app is easy and personalizes the buds to my preferences. The buds also have a fantastic range which can handle the bass in dance, rock, and whatever else I’m listening to, even at higher volumes. Plus, when I receive calls, the other person can hear me clearly!”
Save big on these small earbuds today and see for yourself how they stack up to a pair of AirPods. Read on for more promising reviews from several users who were blown away by their quality and value.
Read on for more promising reviews of the Soundcore A40 wireless earbuds:
“[…] Enter these Anker Space A40′s... The very good to excellent: These don’t break the bank at $60ish dollars. I’ve seen them on sale for ~$50 so watch for that. Deep base, very clear treble, the ability to customize the sound... the list goes on and on. These things run CIRCLES around my Airpod Pro’s -even when they worked. How do I know that? Because my wife also has “working” Airpod Pro’s and I used my right ear to play several songs using the A40′s while at the same time I used my wifes phone to play the exact same song (yes it was hard to synchronize that) using her left Airpod Pro. Sorry Apple, your product doesn’t sound as rich at 4-5 times the cost. Yes, they noise cancel better; other than that, you are miles ahead buying these Anker Space A40′s - even if they only last a year or 2. I’m highly impressed. On a budget? You’ll feel like you spent $250 on the Ankers but actually a fraction of that. Buy them. Edit: Oh, forgot to add this: average battery life is 6-7 hours before I get a “battery low” message 10 minutes before they die. Airpod Pro’s? 3.5 hours… yeah, double the battery life of Apple.” — J. Hart [This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.]
“You won’t find better headphones for the price. Anker continues to deliver solid products, these soundcore headphones (and the app-unlocked features) is no different. The active noise cancelling is incredibly solid and with the right tips installed, they fit snug and the sound quality and bass hit the mark remarkably well... ESPECIALLY at this price point!” — Ryan A
“Honestly, been loving these earbuds ever since I purchased them. You can custom set all your gestures, and even customize the specific frequencies you can hear (called “HearID”) with the app, which by the way, you don’t need an account for, just the app! Very good move on their part to not require an account.
Something that stuck out to me was the bass. For something so small at this price point, absolutely great - even better when you adjust the earbud to fit snugly, I love it.
Well worth the price for something that could be more expensive for the same experience.” — Gary
Still want to browse more listening options? Covered! Check out this list of HuffPost readers’ favorite headphones at every budget by Griffin Wynne.
A pair of colorful over-ear buds
Come for the fun colors, but stay for the comfort and sound quality. This over-ear option has up to 40 hours of listening time between charges and controls on the earbuds for easy listening.
Promising review: "I love these headphones !!! So comfortable to wear and stays on your ear well and comfortable. Seeing they are sports related and are water resistant I have even worn them in the shower as long as I’m not washing my hair. Case recharges them when docked and auto connect when removed. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves music in the background without having everyone hearing it. Wearing one at the time gives one on standby for when you want to switch ears and you can still hear everything else going on around you. Great product and very well made, quality product" — Charlie Suzy
Beats flex connected earbuds (20% off)
Connected to each other but wireless for your device, this set from Beats really gives you the best of both worlds. The earbud heads are magnetic and can stick to each other for easy storage or to keep them around your neck when they're not in your ears. The battery lasts for up to 12 hours between charges, with a built-in microphone and on-device controls that let you control your sound on the move. Best of all, these headphones have audio sharing letting you connect your sound with other pairs of Beats or AirPods. Usually $50, you'll save 20% on these today.
Promising review: "I have no interest in fully wireless earbuds as I know I'll lose them right away. Finding these Beats wireless earbuds that wrap behind the neck are perfect. I bought my first pair a few years ago when looking for an affordable option and I use them almost daily (my second pair is for keeping in my suitcase). I like that I can wear one (leaving one ear free to hear around me) or two, or I can let them both fall around my neck where a small magnet connects them, turns the sound off, and keeps them from falling off. I can control everything on the lightweight comfortable headset." — CarMela
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)