Best Wireless Headphones

JBL gets two mentions in this comparison review with their Endurance Peak and Free X headphones. The reason for this is JBL’s more than affordable price point, in this case, $129.95CAN / $95.95US as well as the Endurance Peak's impressive sound quality. With an intense bass and crisp highs, the Endurance Peak headphones will go on satisfying for hours given their ability to play for up to 28 hours with the 24 hour boost the charge case provides.  

With an exceptionally secure fit thanks to their over the ear design and an IPX7 waterproof & sweatproof rating the Endurance Peak headphones are ideally suited for sports and outdoor adventure when regular in-ear headphone may fall out. Despite there less than refined look the Endurance Peak’s have an innovative touch control that doesn’t require any button clicks, something that hampers the usability of most other in-ear headphones since they are embedded further into your ear canal with every click.

Price: $129.95CAN / $95.95US
Play Time: 4 hours (28 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 1.5 hours
Quick Charge Time: 10 min = 1 hour of playtime
Earbuds Weight: 24g / 0.85oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android

The Jlab Audio JBuds Air are a very affordable true wireless headphone that offers up a lot of tech and features for its minimal price. With a similar design to the JBL Free X, the JBuds Air’s have a single button on each earbud in order to control volume, music and take calls. There are also three built-in EQ settings for those that like to change their audio settings, these are Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost. You need only pair the JLab JBud Airs once and they will start to play consistently as soon as you remove them from the charging case. Once back in the charge case they are held there with small magnets so they won’t fall out. The case also has a charge indicator so you know their status. The JBuds Air’s are entry-level wireless earbuds which provide good value with moderate quality overall.

Price: $99CAN / $49US
Play Time: 3-4 hours ( 13-14 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 2 hours
Quick Charge Time: 15 min = 1 hour of playtime
Earbuds Weight: 12g / 0.42oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android

JBL’s Free X earbuds offer up a lot of value for their nominal price tag of $129.95CAN / $99.95US. Their sleek and refined design doesn’t rely on any fins to stay in your ears which means they are very comfortable to wear over longer periods of time. While the charging case is larger than most, it provides an impressive 20 hours of additional playtime with a 2 hour charge. The case is sleek and stylish with a series of charging lights and a hidden charge port, they also use magnets to ensure the Free X earbuds don’t fall out.

The audio quality is very clean with a clear and full mid-range that provides rich tones, a good bass extension and clean highs with little overall audible distortion across the frequency spectrum. With no associated app it's a good thing they sound so good right out of the case.

Price: $129.95CAN / $99.95US
Play Time: 4 hours (24 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 2 hours 
Earbuds Weight: 14g / 0.52oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are well designed—small on stature but big on features. They offer good overall sounds quality with a respectable 6 hours of battery life and a further 7 hours via the charging case. Wireless Charging is also an option for the Galaxy Bud’s case with any Samsung S10 Phone or Qi wireless charging mat. If this isn’t an option for you then the included USB-C charging cable will do the trick.

The Galaxy Bud’s touchpad control buttons require almost no effort to use and are customizable through Samsung’s Wearable App. In the App you’ll find a long list of other options including an audio EQ, ambient sound feature and a 'find my buds' option. While the app is only available for Android devices the Galaxy Buds can still be used with an iOS device although with a much more limited feature set. 

While not completely waterproof the Galaxy Bud’s IPX2 rating ensures they can repel light rain or sweat. Their compact and rounded design is pleasing on the eye and there are four colour options for those fashion conscious music lovers.

Price: $199CAN / $129US
Play Time: 6 hours (13 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: TDB hours (15 minute charge provides 1.7 hour of playtime)
Earbuds Weight: 12g / 0.423oz
Compatibility: Android / iOS
Colours: Black, Silver, Yellow, White

The new Jaybird VISTA Truly Wireless Sport Headphones were just released and said to be a replacement for the company's popular Run XT headphones. Their light weight design and low-profile charge case won’t slow you down as it easily stashes in a pocket or pack. With an impressive 6 hours of playtime (another 10 hours via the charging case) the Jaybird VISTA’s will keep the music playing long after your run is done. They are IPX7 waterproof rated and also sweat-proof and crush-proof so they’ll take some abuse. Their redesigned 6mm drivers deliver an improved sound with more precision, less harmonic distortion and better accuracy when compared to their predecessor. If the sound is still not up to your standards then the Jaybird app will help with that given its adjustable EQ that has a personal setting which is based upon your own unique preferences and hearing. In addition to this, Jaybird has created a very handy ‘Find My Buds’ feature which will help you locate the earbuds should they go missing.

Price: $239.99CAN / $179.99US
Play Time: 6 hours ( 16 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 2hrs
Quick Charge Time: 5 min = 1 hour of playtime
Earbuds Weight: 12g / 0.42oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android

Beats by Dr. Dre are behind the genius of the Powerbeats Pro so it’s no wonder that when Apple came calling and they answered. With an unparalleled user experience that includes out of the case sync and auto play, Siri hands-free voice control, ambidextrous controls on each headphone (including volume rocker control), iOS charge status and much more, the Powerbeats Pro are a very ‘apple-like’ product. The sound quality is not a bass heavy as most other Beats headphone and has a slightly flatter sound signature, but still, the Powerbeats Pro provides a rich sound throughout the spectrum and no latency.

With a 9 hour playback you will surely quit before they do and if you don’t well then the charging case has a further 15 hours of playtime to re-juice the Powerbeats Pros. If you are short on time then a 5-minute charge will provide 1.5 hour of playtime and a 15-minute charge, 4.5 hours.

The over the ear design means that the Powerbeats Pro are never, and I mean never, going to fall out of your ears. These are the ultimate sport headphone even though they are only IPX4 water and splash resistant rated. While the over the ear design has its perks it does mean that the charging case is larger than most and not pocket compatible.

Price: $329.95CAN / $249US
Play Time: 9 hours (24 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 1.5 hours
Quick Charge Time: 5 min = 1.5 hours of playtime and 15 minute = 4.5 hours of playtime
Earbuds Weight: 40.6g / 1.43oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android
Colours: Black, Ivory, Navy, Moss

The Jabra Elite Active 65T’s are premium earbuds with an innovative in-ear design that uses forward-facing fin design to ensure they never fall out. While many competing brands use a vertical fin on the top of the earbuds that protrudes into your ear and can cause discomfort over time, Jabra’s approach was to place them forward where they are much more comfortable over longer-term use. The result is one of the most comfortable Bluetooth earbuds tested. Their in-ear stability lends them well to sports and adventures as does their IP56 rated sweat and dust resistance which is backed up with a 2-year warranty. The integrated motion sensor not only stops the audio when you remove one of the earbuds but also can track your workout performance.

The audio quality is impressive with the right amount of punch though the treble range can be a little sharp at times, luckily you can make changes to the audio with the customizable equalizer in Jabra's free App. With 5 hours of playtime on a single charge, or a quick charge of just 15 minutes for 1.5 hours of audio the Jabra Elite Active 65T will last a through a long work-out session and when you need more juice simply pop them into the charging case which provides two more full charges after only two hours of charge time.

Price: $249.99CAN / $179.99US
Play Time: 5 hours (15 hours total playtime with charge case)
Charge Time: 2 hours Quick Charge Time: 15 min = 1.5 hours of playtime
Earbuds Weight: 12.3g / 0.433oz
Compatibility: iOS / Android
Colours: Titanium Black, Copper Blue, Copper Red