Best Wireless Earbuds We’d Buy Right Now (2026): Apple, Sony, Bose, and More
This is a WIRED buying guide recommending the best wireless earbuds available in 2026, covering top picks by category rather than reporting a single news event. The guide matters as a practical shopping resource, with WIRED's reviews team testing hundreds of models for sound quality, comfort, battery life, and features before selecting favourites for different needs and budgets.
The Google Pixel Buds 2a are named best overall for most people at around $99–$129, praised for sound quality and Android integration despite lacking wireless charging. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 (around $190–$249) top the iPhone category with improved noise cancellation and a refined fit, while the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro (around $250) and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 (around $189–$229) lead the Samsung and Android categories respectively. The guide also includes honorable mentions and models to avoid, alongside WIRED's testing methodology.
– WIRED names top wireless earbuds picks for 2026 by category and price. – Google Pixel Buds 2a rated best overall for most people. – AirPods Pro 3, Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Pixel Buds Pro 2 lead other categories.
Explained simply
Wireless earbuds are small headphones that connect to a phone or other device without a cable. Buyers often compare how they sound, how comfortably they fit, how long the battery lasts and whether they work well with their phone.
WIRED’s reviews team tests many models and recommends different pairs for different needs, budgets and phone systems. Apple, Google and Samsung make earbuds designed to work especially closely with their own devices, while brands such as Sony and Bose offer alternatives across a range of prices.
These differences matter because a pair that suits one person or phone may not suit another. A buying guide can help readers weigh sound, comfort, battery life and features before choosing.