Our top earbuds of 2026 so far: all the buds that wowed us in testing

Date:
Sun, 18 Oct 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Description:
Brilliant headphones from the Sennheiser, Samsung, Shokz and more.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter We're about to enter the final stretch of 2026, and with the Black Friday sales and the festive season looming on the horizon, it felt like as good a time as any to take stock of the headphones we've tested this year, and what has impressed us most.
Because we've tested just so many great headphones so far this year, in this article I've narrowed things down to just the earbuds. Below, you can see all the pairs that impressed us enough to score four stars or higher in our tough tests.

Sennheiser has produced standouts at both ends of the price spectrum. For those feeling flush, the Momentum True Wireless 5 offer "superb" sound
quality with a side order of sustainability, thanks to user-replaceable batteries in both the earbuds themselves and the charge case. Anyone on a tighter budget should take a look at the Sennheiser CX 80U these wired earbuds deliver stellar sound (our tester noted "clean and agile bass, clear mids, and vivid highs") alongside solid noise isolation, for a price tag that'll give you change from $40 / 30. Another big winner was the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro . Our reviewed noted: "they sound incredible, the noise cancellation really works, they look classy yet understated, and knock it out the park with the array of features offered in the app". There are a few little caveats, though: the battery life could be better, and you need a Samsung phone to really get the best from them.

We've also tested plenty of impressive open-ear buds this year. We found the Shokz OpenDots 2 ultra-comfortable and long-lasting, but a little prone to being knocked out of the ear. The affordable Baseus Bowie MC2 also delivered on the comfort front, and are a very solid choice if you're on a tighter budget.

Scroll down to take a look at the earbuds we've been most impressed with this year so far hit the View details button to see each model's overall score, a rundown of the main pros and cons we noted in testing, and a link to read the full review. Note: you'll only be able to see product cards for the earbuds available in your region. Earbud excellence Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 very.co.uk 149 Shop Now View Details Coupons Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 Amazon 249 Shop Now View Details 37% OFF Coupons Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Joybuy
139 219 Shop Now View Details Coupons Shokz OpenFit Pro Amazon 219 Shop Now View Details Coupons Cambridge A100 SE Amazon 129 Shop Now View Details Coupons Sennheiser CX 80U Amazon 29.49 Shop Now View Details Coupons Shokz OpenDots 2 EE Tech & Gaming 149 Shop Now View Details 30% OFF Coupons JBL
Live Flex 4 Amazon 125.38 179.99 Shop Now View Details 41% OFF Coupons JBL Live Buds 4 Amazon 106.20 179.99 Shop Now View Details JBL Live Beam 4 JBL UK 109.99 Shop Now View Details 15% OFF Shokz OpenDots Air Balfe's Bikes 110 129 Shop Now View Details 20% OFF Coupons Baseus Bowie MC2 Amazon 63.99 79.99
Shop Now View Details 20% OFF Coupons Earfun Clip 2 Amazon 31.99 39.99 Shop Now View Details 16% OFF Sony WF-1000XM6 very.co.uk 209 249 Shop Now View Details Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 very.co.uk 159 Shop Now View Details 19% OFF Coupons Nothing Ear (3a) Amazon 79.96 99 Shop Now View Details Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/our-top-earbuds-of-2026-so-far -all-the-buds-that-wowed-us-in-testing-including-budget-stunners-that-deliver- stellar-sound-for-under-usd40-gbp30


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