Best Earbuds and Headphones for Working Out in 2024

Apple not only swapped in USB-C for Lightning connectivity in its new iPhone 15 models, but it made the switch with the AirPods Pro (2nd generation). The new AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe (USB-C) are nearly identical to their Lightning predecessor, delivering the same excellent sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. That said, they offer some other small upgrades, including additional dust resistance and a new acoustic architecture that allows for Lossless Audio with the Vision Pro, Apple's upcoming wearable headset that is coming in February 2024 and costs $3,499. Is it possible that new acoustic architecture makes the buds sound subtly different with current devices like the iPhone? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) are easy to recommend to Apple users despite their high price. Pro tip: Don't pay more than $190 for these, which is the online sale price at which they're now frequently available.

Earfun has put out a series of wireless earbuds over the last couple of years with one important commonality: They're very good values, made more so by frequent discounts. The company's 2023 Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds have the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive for Android and other devices that support the new LE Audio standard and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (they also support AAC for Apple devices).

Lightweight and comfortable to wear -- I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size -- these aren't a huge upgrade over the Earfun Air S, but they are better. They have slightly larger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), slightly improved noise canceling and better battery life (up to seven hours with noise canceling on, according to Earfun).

In short, the Earfun Air 3 deliver strong performance for their modest price, with robust bass, good clarity and a relatively wide soundstage. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and "multidevice" connectivity. (I could pair them to two devices simultaneously but had to pause the music on one device and hit play on the other for the audio to switch.) They're IPX5 splash-proof and also work well (though not exceptionally well) as a headset for making calls. 

Note that after you activate the instant $12-off coupon at Amazon, adding the code EAP3CNET at checkout gives you an additional 20% off.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have one of the most unusual designs of any earbuds I've tested over the last several years. They literally clip onto the side of your ears, kind of like earrings, and their open design has micro speakers that fire sound into your ears while still being able to hear what's happening around you. At $299, they're somewhat overpriced, but otherwise there's a lot to like about them, including a surprisingly comfortable, secure fit and very good sound quality for open buds.

Baseus is a value brand that makes well-designed charging products and earbuds. The Eli Sport 1 can be had for around $50 when you apply an instant 30% off discount coupon on Amazon. And while they may not sound quite as good as some of the premium open earbuds out there -- there can be a touch of distortion at higher volumes with bass-heavy tracks -- they sound quite decent for their modest price and I found them comfortable to wear. They look more premium than their price would indicate. They have 16.2mm drivers, are IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for up to 7.5 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. I also liked that their case is relatively compact for this type of ear-hook style earbud and they come with a detachable neckband like some competitors. Voice-calling performance is also pretty good, though not great. Note that they're available in a few different colors, but Amazon currently only has them in black.

1More makes a couple of open sports earbuds with ear hooks. The Fit S50 buds are the flagship and feature a little better sound than the Fit SE S30, have a more premium design and are fully waterproof (IPX7 rating). But I like the fit a little better on the step down S30, which is IPX5 splash-proof (can sustain a spray of water) and costs half the price, making it a better value.

The case is bulky and feels a little cheap (the lid is flimsy) but the buds themselves seem sturdily built and the ear hooks are nice and flexible. They have 14.2mm drivers that output decent but not great sound (there's a bit of distortion at higher volumes), which is par for the course for these types of open buds that sit on top of your ears and fire sound into them. They're also good but not great for voice calling. A companion app for iOS and Android allows you to tweak the sound with an equalizer and you can update the buds' firmware. The buds are available in black or white and offer up to 10 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.

Carrying a list price of around $100, Samsung's 2023 Galaxy Buds FE feature a single driver (Samsung isn't saying what size it is), three mics on each earbud and active noise canceling. They charge in a case that's the same size and shape as what you currently get with all of Samsung's latest Galaxy Buds, including the Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. And they look a lot like an updated version of Samsung's discontinued Galaxy Buds Plus earbuds, which also came with a set of swappable fins that helped create a secure, comfortable fit. Like those buds, the Galaxy Buds FE are sweat-resistant with an IPX2 water-resistance rating that protects against splashes. 

They don't sound quite as rich as the Galaxy Buds Pro, and their voice-calling performance isn't up to the Buds Pro's level (it's decent, not great). But they do offer respectable sound quality (it's certainly as good as the Galaxy Buds 2's) and decent noise canceling. I also found them to be lightweight and comfortable to wear. While they may not measure up to more premium earbuds, including the Buds Pro, they deliver good bang for the buck. The Galaxy Buds FE are rated for up to 6 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and 8.5 hours with it off.

Equipped with six microphones instead of four, slightly improved adaptive noise canceling and wind-reduction technology along with a higher durability rating, the Elite 8 Active look, feel and perform like a modestly upgraded version of the Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active. Jabra is billing them as the "world's toughest earbuds," and based on our tests (they survived several drops without a scratch), that may very well be true.

Shokz, the company formerly known as AfterShokz, has long been the leader in bone-conduction headphones. Models like the OpenRun Pro, which deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones, are popular with runners and bikers who like to leave their ears open for safety reasons. However, Shokz's new OpenFit model, the company's first true-wireless earbuds, doesn't use bone-conduction technology. They have an open design that fires sound into your ears using custom speaker drivers, which Shokz dubs "air conduction" technology.

I was impressed by how lightweight (8.3 grams) and comfortable they are -- they have one of the best ear-hook designs I've tried (Shokz calls it a Dolphin Arc ear hook). It's soft and offers just the right amount of flexibility to conform to the shape of your ear, with "dual-layered liquid silicone that provides a pliable fit," according to Shokz. The earbuds also sound quite good for open earbuds, though not quite as good as Cleer's Arc 2 Open Ear Sport earbuds ($190) that also have an ear-hook design.

Alas, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance.

The transparent version is getting a lot of attention (who doesn't like transparent electronics?), but the big changes are on the inside. Beats says 95% of the components are new and improved, and the buds' "acoustic architecture" has been revised. The speaker drivers remain the same, but the Studio Buds Plus are powered by a new, more powerful custom chipset and have three new microphones in each bud, which are three times larger and more sensitive than the ones found in the Beats Studio Buds.