The 5 best TWS earbuds across price points

THEY’VE gone from ‘nice to have’ to ‘must have’; TWS Bluetooth earbuds are now ubiquitous and complements our daily lifestyle. Whether you lead an active lifestyle, or need an accessory for never-ending calls or virtual meetings, or like to immerse yourself in your music playlist, you probably need a pair of earbuds. Prices have steadily declined over the past few years even as demand has surged. According to market research firm, Grand View Research, the global true wireless stereo earbuds market is expected to soar from USD 51.36 billion in 2022 to USD 563.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 34.9%. Battery life and sound quality have improved as brands up their earbud game. We pick 5 TWS earbuds across price points:

OPPO Enco Air 2 Pro

Deliver solid value for their asking price. It starts with the audio experience, powered by 12.4 mm drivers that sound good even as you pump up the volume. They do a good job of isolating you from external sounds and comes in a slinky case. OPPO offers a fast-charging option – 10 minutes of charging delivers 2 hours of listening time. Battery life is quite dependable – 7 hours for the buds and 28 hours including the case. (Rs 3,499)

OnePlus Buds Pro 2R

They may look like the first gen Pro buds, but the sound quality got even better. OnePlus has co-developed the second-gen Pro buds in tandem with Danish audio major Dynaudio. There are two variants – the top-end Pro 2 comes is pegged at Rs 11,999. The Dynaudio partnership has a significant impact on the soundstage; the lows have been fine-tuned. Battery life is another win for these buds – 39 hours with the case. We also approve of the slim form and clean lines of the case (Rs 9,999)

Redmi Buds 4 Active

Come in an elegant, pebble-shaped case with a matte finish. The case is extremely light and is slim enough to fit into your skinniest jeans. These buds pair effortlessly with Android and iOS devices; the Xiaomi earbuds app offers a low-latency mode that gamers will appreciate. They are crafted with 12mm Bass Pro drivers that deliver decent sound and bass at this price point. Redmi claims just under 30 hours of battery life with the charging case (Rs 1,399)

Apple AirPods

It’s easy to recommend the third gen AirPods for iPhone. These buds get quite a few features from the pricier AirPods Pro, including computational audio. You will also dig the design and form factor – they feature a shorter stem with a ‘force sensor’ for one-touch media controls. More than the easy operability with iOS devices, these earbuds also score with their acoustic experience with features like Adaptive EQ. (Rs 19,900)

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

The second gen ‘Pro’ buds from Samsung are packed with more features than their predecessor. We totally approve of the matte finish – they look particularly good in the Bora Purple colour variant, and the improved design. The rejig makes them 15% smaller than the Buds Pro, and more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. It’s not just the ergonomics, these buds hit the right ‘notes’ with 24-bit hi-fi sound quality, enhanced 360 immersive audio powered by Dolby Atmos and intelligent Audio Noise Cancelation (Rs 13,999)