Top 10 earbuds to consider as alternatives if you’re still not convinced by the AirPods Pro 2

I love a good pair of earbuds! In fact, I really can’t function without my personal earbuds. Once my earbuds are in, the rest of the world is out. I deep dive into the world of my favorite tunes, away from real-world problems, happy in my own little audio bubble. Hence, owning a pair of innovative and perfect earbuds is an absolute necessity for me, and I’m sure that’s the case for most music lovers out there as well. Quite a few of us are Team AirPods all the way. And Apple recently launched the AirPods Pro! And although they are a good bet, it’s better to explore all your options, before you purchase them. Let’s remember that great earbuds go beyond Apple as well. And this nifty list includes all of them. This collection of exciting designs has a pair of earbuds for everyone. From Bose’s new Quiet Comfort Earbuds II to wireless earbuds that have a sci-fi-inspired case – these earbuds provide unique design solutions and are a must-have for audiophiles.

1. The BD-1

Meet the BD-1, a conceptual pair of TWS earbuds modeled on the company’s OP-1 synthesizer. The OP-1 synth became a pop culture design icon when it was used in Swedish House Mafia’s first music video, One. It sported a form factor that was sleek yet fun, retro yet new, and predominantly clean-looking without being boring. The BD-1 follows similar design cues by being relatively boxy, and white, and using colorful ear tips that match the colors used on the OP-1 synth. The best part? The earbuds case comes with a tiny AMOLED display that mimics the one found on the OP-1, displaying visualizations that react to the music you’re listening to!

2. The Gravastar Sirius P5 buds

The Gravastar Sirius P5 buds have charging cases whose industrial designs are clearly inspired by the futuristic genre. If that weren’t already clear from their looks, the names like Defense Armor, Defense Mecha, and Defense Crystal definitely make it explicit. Made from either zinc alloy or a “LEGO-like material prized for strength and rigidity,” each of these cases has a distinct character that would appeal to fans of certain subsets of the sci-fi genre. Defense Armor, for example, will be at home in the hands of a Cyberpunk 2077 fan, while Defense Mecha might have its DNA rooted in Gundam or Macross.

3. Anker Soundcore Liberty 4

Realizing that earbuds are the first choice of athletes who desire music benefits during workouts or while walking/running; Anker has exploded into the market with Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds, a desirable pair of budget wireless earbuds touting a built-in heart rate monitor. The pleasing Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 delivers effective audio output via dual dynamic drivers in each earpiece. Offered in stem form factor, the Liberty 4 comes in a black finish with translucent ear tips revealing gold accents on the inside.

4. The Logitech G Fits

In a way the Logitech G Fits are similar to the Ultimate Ears’ (a brand that Logitech owns) UE Fits earbuds that boast the Lightform feature making the custom molded fit possible. Their feature list for gamers and power users makes the G series earbuds a better option. The pill-shaped earbuds when inserted for the first time in the ear canals will prompt the user to push a button so that the gel tips harden with flashing LEDs, taking up the ear’s canal shape in a 60-seconds setup. This totally seals the cavity without causing long-term wearing discomfort and blocks all the noises. Now, how cool is that?

5. The Bored Buds

The Bored Buds is a concept for a pair of earbuds that are not just intuitively designed but are also multi-functional. Basically, they’re earbuds that are also part of a Bluetooth speaker. So when you’re not listening to music using the audio accessories, they are nestled in the speakers through the protective case and serve as the control buttons. The speaker itself does not have any interface or display so the earbuds will serve as your on/off, pause/play, and volume up/down buttons.

6. The Nothing Ear (Stick)

Revealed as an accessory at Chet Lo’s SS23 fashion show on the runway, the Ear (Stick) seems to be a new case design for the Ear (1) buds. Unlike the old case that’s square-shaped, this one is styled to be the same shape and size as a lipstick (or if you’re looking for a less glamorous term, a nebulizer). It’s unfair to assume or speculate that the earbuds with the Ear (Stick) are simply the older earbuds. As far as we know, the design hasn’t changed, although Nothing did indicate that maybe this new SKU will get some sort of revamping in the form of a spec upgrade.

7. The QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose wants to take Apple head-on with its new Quite Comfort Earbuds II. If choosing the same day for the launch of the latest true wireless earbuds wasn’t a bold move enough, the claim of them being the “world’s best noise cancellation” is notice-worthy. According to Bose, the earbuds are now one-third the size of their predecessors and have better ergonomic comfort and fit. They like to call it Fit Kit. The QuietComfort Earbuds II come with the CustomTune sound calibration that we saw in the SoundControl hearing aids. While wearing the buds, acoustic properties of the ear canal are analyzed – thereafter the CustomTune delivers audio and active noise cancelation based on the data. This takes less than a second, right from the time earbuds are fitted inside the ear.

8. The D-TWS Earbuds

The geometrically designed chunky earbuds case of the D-TWS earbuds has an on-screen visualization to display information such as audio playback time, switch audio, artist information, and album art for a more inclusive listening experience. A scenario that immediately comes to mind is being engulfed in work tasks on a PC, and listening to music. Sure, you don’t want to keep the music application open on your PC or phone all the time. That’s where this pair of TWS earbuds come in. The earbuds case (designer denotes as BOX) shows the remaining battery levels, current audio playback, and more options on the touch display.

9. The Urbanista Phoenix

Don’t you hate it when you pop your AirPods into your ears only to get a notification that you forgot to charge them? Well, the Urbanista Phoenix seems to have an unusually sensible fix. Equipped with a Powerfoyle solar panel on the charging case, the Phoenix just keeps charging your TWS Earbuds whenever it has access to sunlight or any bright light. This isn’t the first time that Urbanista’s incorporated solar panels into its audio solution, though. Just last year, the company announced the Los Angeles, a pair of wireless headphones with a solar panel built into the headband. The Phoenix builds on that rather clever idea by introducing solar panels onto the charging case instead (because the TWS earbuds themselves are too small to put solar panels on).

10. The Free BYRD

While on the higher side, price-wise, Free BYRD is designed for audiophiles who want their tech to be a great blend between compact yet capable. The Free BYRD’s earpieces sport 10mm audio drivers that deliver crisp, balanced sound to your ear, and also dual mics with Qualcomm cVc for crystal clear audio. For the price, you also get ANC along with Transparency mode, so you can either cancel environmental noise for clear listening or have audio from the real world play right back in your ear so you’re aware of your surroundings.

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