If you feel hopelessly lost in a world of acronyms and jargon, here’s your quick guide on what to look for in a pair of wireless earbuds for your phone. In layman’s terms, this is what you need to look for.
Active Noise Cancelation (ANC): If you want to only hear your sound, ANC is what you’re looking for. This is the real deal; not noise reduction, but truly blocking out the sound from outside. Most headphones let you toggle ANC on and off, but some premium sets offer even more options than just a binary. Just remember that turning ANC on will drain your earbuds’ battery faster than if it were off. And speaking of…
Battery Life: Many wireless earbuds have a battery life that lasts between four and eight hours (with ANC turned off). The saving grace is the now ubiquitous charging case (thanks Apple, genuinely!). These helpful carrying cases will give your earbuds an addition 15 to 30 hours of life, just depending on the brand.
Durability: You want a pair of earbuds that will last, ones that can get tossed around in a backpack and not sustain any damage. Water and sweat resistance are a large factor in durability, too. Thinking of your frequent activities and most visited environments is a good place to start determining how durable you need your iPhone’s earbuds to be.
Comfort: Last, but never least, is comfort. This one is hardest for us to determine for you, and since “trying on” earbuds isn’t really a thing we know it’s tough to figure out before you tear open the box. In general, if you find yourself often having comfort problems with earbuds, check to see how many different earbud tips and sizes come with the device. Having as many interchangeable options as possible is always best if comfort is your most trifling concern.
