Best Wireless In Ear Headphones 2018 – Buyer’s Guide

Although wireless headphones are relatively new to the market, they have managed to evolve substantially over the last couple of years. In fact, they are more than a trend now, they are becoming a new standard.

The fact that Apple and Google flagship phones do not have a headphone jack tells you the story. This only means that soon, the wired, tangled headphones will be a thing of the past as other mobile phone makers will follow the trend.

If you are in the market for a new pair of earbuds and are finally ready to cut the cord – you are in the right place as we review some of the best wireless in ear headphones 2018 has to offer.

We have tested multiple various headphones and have shortlisted a handful to suit your needs and your budget.

If you are looking for the open back headphones – please check out our open back headphone review.

Best Wireless In Ear Headphones 2018 – Quick Comparison

If you are short on time and not able to go through the detailed description of all the Bluetooth headphones in our review, we have prepared the below table summarizing main Bluetooth headphone characteristics you need to consider before making your decision. If you need a more detailed comparison, you will find another table at the bottom of this page.

1. Best Waterproof Bluetooth Headphones – Optoma NuForce BE Sport3

Turning the Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 on for the first time initiates a pairing mode, which is a breeze. Holding down the main button for six seconds (until the LED light blinks red and blue) pairs the headphones to your phone or any other compatible device.

The headphones support Siri and Google Now, yet that experience felt somewhat fiddly. To trigger the virtual assistant you need to press the main and volume up buttons at once.

The Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 is IP55 certified making it rain, sweat and dust resistant.  Although the headphones have been designed with the ‘working out’ in mind, nothing really prevents a casual, day-to-day use.

The overall audio quality is great, especially knowing that you can get them for under $100.

Finding a good fit at first may feel a little bit awkward, especially if you are using the wing tips, yet once you get used to it the fit feels natural and the headphones simply stay in place even at times of the most intense workouts. In fact, if you are looking for earphones for running that don’t fall out – NuForce BE Sport3 does an incredible job at it also. Getting the Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 to fit your ear properly will also make you realize that the noise isolation is simply spectacular with low-level of sound leakage.

We found the sound quality to slightly favor the bass response, yet not excessively. In fact, we do suggest that bass lovers check these headphones out before looking at anything that has a Beats logo. The highs are also good, prominent and clear.

Battery life demonstrated by Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 is probably as good as it gets in the wireless headphones world. In our testing, they have lasted for over 10 hours in real-life conditions.

As one of the first headphones we have tested, the Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 has set a pretty high bar for others to match. These are not the most sophisticated headphones you will come across, neither they pretend to be. What NuForce have managed to do is to get the key things right – great build quality, amazing sound and incredible noise isolation. In fact, we are so surprised by the sound quality that we believe some of the $200+ earbuds out there will struggle to match it.

2. Best Earbuds for Running – Jaybird X3

The enhancements include better build quality, longer battery life, smaller size, weight, and better sound quality overall.

On top of it, new headphones are released with a $50 cheaper price tag compared to its predecessor. It comes with multiple rubber and foam ear tips that take some time figuring out what fits best. Once you find the right combination for your ears, the headphones sit tight ready for any workout activity you throw at them. 

Getting the fit right also ensures that most of the ambient noise gets blocked. In fact, we think it could be blocking a little too much. 

The carry case is a step back compared to X2 as it now represents a carrying pouch rather than a solid case. The pouch though contains a clip that allows the headphones to be attached to your shirt.

Just like with Optoma NuForce BE Sport3, the Jaybird X3 provides a slightly boosted bass response, yet it does not feel overwhelming. The sound produced maintains a good balance across the frequency range with fine details resulting in a deep, rich and dynamic sound experience.

One aspect which Jaybird got wrong in our opinion is the charging system as it uses a specially designed charging clip. We can see this being a good idea in theory as it improves the water resistance, yet in practice, it has achieved quite the opposite. Carrying the proprietary cable with you on a daily basis is a nuisance, which may become a frustration if you lose it. On the flip side, this design has allowed Jaybird to offer a one year warranty for sweat-related damage.

Another bonus feature is the ability to customize your audio experience using the MySound app that you can download to your phone. We never felt a need to change the factory settings as it came quite balanced out of the box. The changes that you make to the sound profile are directly saved to the headphones and would persist with any device you pair them with.

The battery life has also been improved compared to X2, yet it still is inferior to the outstanding longevity of Optoma NuForce BE Sport3.

3. Best True Wireless Headphones – Sony WF-1000X

Sony claims that this approach improves audio quality and connection stability. In fact, talking about competition – when the Apple AirPods came out, their focus was on getting the connection issues resolved. When Jabra Elite Sport came out, they focused on making it work for sports. It is Sony’s turn now, and the focus is audio quality!

The design of Sony WF-1000X is surprisingly subtle as it mostly sits in your ear. There are two classic types of ear tips that come in the box – silicone, and sponge. It does not take too long to pick the ear tip that suits you best, and once you have them on, they feel light. Actually, they feel so light that at times you forget that you are wearing them. 

The fit for me was perfect, and although these earpieces are not designed for sports use, no matter how hard I shook my head they stayed in place firmly.

The WF-1000X has demonstrated strong connection quality and signal reliability which is second to only Apple AirPods.

In terms of audio performance, the Sony WF-1000X was a revelation for me. I quite frankly did not know that the wireless earbuds could sound so good. I would even go as far as saying that some of the wired sets are no match for them. It is the first pair of wireless headphones that I did not feel that I had to compromise the sound quality over convenience.

The WF-1000X is the first and only example in my experience which demonstrates that you could have both – total freedom of movement and exceptional sound quality.

The tonal balance is typical to Sony where all frequencies are presented in a natural, non-exaggerated way. The sound is so detailed, precise, balanced and textured that it emerges you and brings a whole new level of experience never seen in wireless headphones before.

Not only the WF-1000X can be praised for their sound quality but also their ability to cancel the noise. The earbuds come with Adaptive Sound Control, which I was hugely skeptical about, but as the practical test showed – it works like magic! In short – this feature adapts to the environment you are in and adjusts the sound and noise levels to provide the best experience possible. For example – in a quiet space, the ‘Staying’ mode is engaged where noise cancellation is on, but letting voice through. When walking in the street – the ‘Walking’ mode is triggered letting in some selective ambient sounds and allowing you to hear cars. When on the train, the ‘Transport’ mode applies 100% of noise cancellation.

Battery life is the only real flaw we found with WF-1000X as it only lasts 3 hours on a full charge. The docking station can hold a battery charge for additional 6-hour use. Combined, you get 9 hours in total with two charges in between.

4. Best Wireless Headphones for iPhone – Beats by Dr. Dre BeatsX

The presence of the two integrated batteries on the cord technically make those speakers neckbuds, which is a whole new niche in the wireless headphones space. When the first neckbuds (Beats call them Flex-Form cable) came out, I could never justify a good enough reason to have them as they looked unorthodox. Yet, it only took one real-life practical try, and I’ve realized that they are quite comfortable to wear, do not tangle and are pretty reliable.

You will also notice that pairing with iPhone is a breeze since BeatsX is only a third device to feature an integrated W1 chipset from Apple. This chipset allows the devices to pair almost instantly and have a faster and more stable connection. Using Siri on iPhone featured the fastest, close to instant connection speed, which gives BeatsX a unique selling proposition. Don’t get me wrong, you can use those earbuds with Android devices too, yet the experience is not as streamlined or rich.

The battery has a solid life of up to 8 hours, yet what stands out is the Quick Charge feature, which adds 2 hours of play time on a 5-minute charge.

As for the sound quality – it sounds a little less Beats-like. You still have sufficient levels of bass, yet it is not the same deep signature Beats bass. You won’t find shimmering highs and sparkling mid-ranges with BeatsX either. The overall sound is a lot more balanced, and I would generally say that in a nice sense, but with Beats it is different. In fact, it feels strange saying that Beats headphones have a balanced sound palette with highs, mids, and lows being on the same keel. So if you are a bass lover – this is probably not a headphone for you (we can’t believe we are saying this).

5. Best Budget Wireless Earbuds – SENSO ActivBuds S-250

As you get to know ActivBuds S-250 better, you realize that they come with some pleasant surprises such as being IPX7 certified. This allows the headphones to get submerged in 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes. Quite impressive for a budget pair of headphones.

The headphones are using Bluetooth 4.1, which ensures a better, faster and more reliable experience at a distance of up to 10 meters.

For sound quality, ActivBuds S-250 have packed rich lows with clear mids and highs providing a balanced sound experience across the board. It is not a premium grade sound, but one that is usually found in more expensive middle range earbuds.

The noise suppression is easily the best we have seen in this price range as the earbuds come with a CVC 6.0 noise cancellation technology. In practice, they get the job done quite well, as listening to the music or podcasts while walking down the crowded street provides a great experience with only little external noise coming through. Overall, I believe the balance to be quite right as you do not want to be completely isolated.

The headphones also come with a clip to help you manage the cable. Although it works, the design is not as nice or practical as the one that comes with Jaybird X3. The cable tends to rub on clothes and pull the earbuds to the side.

Testing the battery life, we have managed to get over 8 hours of play time from a single charge. This is an exceptional result shared by much more expensive headphones in our review. Moreover, it comes with a Quick Charge feature that charges the battery in 1.5 hours.

6. Best Looking Wireless Headphones – V-MODA Forza Metallo Wireless

Yay, this is already an exciting start! The hexagonal lines can be seen everywhere as they are integral to V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless design. You can find them on the box, earbuds, controls, and even the battery pack.

The build quality is excellent as the whole set feels like one solid piece. The headphones feature quality materials such as anodized aluminum and premium plastic and rubber bits.

Forza Metallo Wireless is by far the most comfortable pair of earbuds we have ever tested. The neckband is designed to fit seamlessly underneath your collar, which vibrates when your phone rings. This feature may seem unnecessary at first, yet it has proven to be very useful for reducing missed calls. I guess it depends on the personal use, but most of my calls get missed when my phone is on silent, sitting on my desk. With Forza Metallo Wireless around your neck – it is almost impossible to miss a call now. I think V-Moda may have just found a great solution to a common problem!

Coming back to comfort, it is well beyond of just how it feels in your ears, the ergonomic design underpins the whole product. The buttons on the controller have an amazing tactile click found in Apple products, there are no moving or wobbly bits, and everything just feels solid.

There are two control modules, one on each side of the cable. The left module has a button to power on the headset, yet the right module is responsible for volume control and other functions. Each module has a built-in noise-canceling microphone. The microphone tandem registers the voice with an exceptionally crystal clear quality. In fact, the quality was so good that the people on the other side of the line did not realize I was using the headset rather than the phone.

Although Forza Metallo Wireless does not have an official IPX certification, the company claims the earbuds to have a nano-coating which repels water and sweat. This makes the headphone a viable option for working out. In terms of the reach and connection strength, the headphones have left us with a bag of mixed feelings. The connection seems to be stable when you stay within 10 feet from the phone, yet when you push the distance to 15 feet or have a wall in-between the sound starts to skip and lag.

The battery life is another strong side of Forza Metallo Wireless as it is very comparable to Optoma NuForce BE Sport3, our battery life benchmark. A single charge can give you up to 10 hours of play time and sometimes, even more, depending on your usage patterns. In addition, you get a QuickCharge feature adding 2 hours of use with a 15 minutes charge.

The audio experience is right amongst the best in the class. The highs are very clear, and the bass is deep and punchy. Although the mids are also clear and can cope with almost anything you throw at them – they are not exactly rich.

Best Wireless In ear Headphones – Detailed Feature Comparison

How do we test?

You may find that the way we do reviews is entirely different to other review websites on the internet. Although we do believe the first impressions of using the new product are essential – the real customer feedback is just as crucial. In our reviews, we consider both and provide an honest, practical and complete review to help you choose the best wireless in ear headphones 2018 has to offer. The main five aspects we consider when reviewing headphones are:

1. Design
2. Features
3. Sound
4. Battery Life
5. Value

Reviewing wireless headphones is a pretty tricky job. Most of the wireless headphones on the market are quite frankly terrible unless you are ready to spend north of $200. The reasons are countless – short battery life, poor sound, connection issues, and interference to name a few. Amongst the many options available today, we have found a couple of gems that seem to be breaking that stereotype and deserve your attention. Above, we have summarized the best wireless in-ear headphones available on the market today. Please share your thoughts and comment – we hope you’ll enjoy it and find it useful.

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