Products at a Glance
How we chose the best workout earbuds
We wanted to make sure we picked high-quality earbuds that have different features that benefit all kinds of workouts. From yoga to endurance training, we wanted to make sure there’s a choice for everyone, including various budgets.
With that being said, all of our options are premium earbuds just because lower-end earbuds won’t stay in-ear and won’t drown out any background noise. Now, with those two crucial features in mind, here are our best workout earbuds choices that are all great value for money.
If you’re looking for more headphone recommendations, then head over to our best bone conduction headphones guide. Perhaps you are interested in more workout buying guides. Then check out our best treadmills under $1000 piece.
Product Reviews
- 6mm Driver Unit
- Water Resistant
- May need to buy different sized ear tips
Apparently, Sony is taking the next step in true wireless noise-canceling technology with WF-1000XM4 thanks to a built-in V1 processor. This allows for more tasks to be carried out by the earbuds themselves instead of relying on an app or device.
The industry-leading noise cancellation offered is one of the main reasons why we picked Sony WF1000XM4, these earbuds will drown out the bangs and grinds of gym workouts and will also help users focus during home workouts.
Supporting high-resolution audio wirelessly, the 6mm drivers reproduce dynamic sound despite their small size. The V1 chip further enhances sound quality whilst reducing distortion and supporting both the LDAC codec and DSEE Extreme format. Long story short: These earbuds are engineered to provide a quality, isolated experience to quite possibly produce the best workout earbuds.
- 9 hour playback design
- Apple H1 Headphone chip
- Not suitable for small ears
Built for working out, PowerBeats Pro is powered by Apple’s H1 headphone chips that provide powerful, balanced audio that doesn’t just rely on overbearing base frequencies to get the job done. Delivering pure sound reproduction, enhanced clarity, and improved dynamic range earn the right to have Dr. Dre and Beats brands attached to them.
With no wires to get in the way, PowerBeats feature adjustable ear hooks to make sure these earbuds don’t go anywhere whilst smashing out a powerful workout. They’re also adjustable which means they’ll fit almost anyone, but for those with small ears, the Powerbeats might not be a great option for you. With that being said, the ear tips are customizable and the buds are very lightweight.
Each earbud has full volume and track controls which means users can play audio from one or both earbuds. Optical and motion sensors are built-in to detect when earbuds are in the users’ ear to enable autoplay features, for example. The voice control capabilities on Powerrbeats also come in handy when your hands aren’t free to control audio.
- Active EQ technology
- StayHear secure silicone tips
- No volume or skipback controls
The sound quality on any earbud can be amazing, but if they let in too much background noise that quality can easily be drowned out in a noisy gym and work environment. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are designed with their effective noise-canceling technology and high-fidelity audio to tick all the boxes in terms of audio quality.
Alternatively, you may need to be alert to surrounding noise when taking a class or following instructions, for example. By simply tapping QuietComfort earbuds twice, users can minimize noise canceling on the fly. Featuring StayHear Max tips, Bose QuietComfort earbuds stay secure whilst making sure your ears are comfortable.
The quality of Bose products is hard to duplicate and beat, which is why the active EQ technology makes these earbuds some of the best in the market right now. Boosting highs and lows for a consistent balance with bold sound and fuller bass frequencies, regardless of musical tastes.
- Spatial audio
- Silicone ear tips
- Expensive compared to other earbuds
For iPhone users, a set of Apple earbuds that takes full advantage of iOS features will be almost essential. AirPods Pro sports active noise cancellation alongside a transparency mode for when you need to block the world out, then when you need to listen in a little bit.
Spatial audio support compliments one of the latest iOS features, which makes sure music and other audio are all around you in a virtual space. Head tracking is also supported so that the mapped-out audio follows your head motions, which is ideal for when users are working out.
Their adaptive EQ automatically tunes music to your ears making for the best Apple audio experience around for the most part. AirPods pro is the first AirPods to feature silicon tips for added comfort and stability, which means these earbuds should stay in place during a good workout. Most importantly, they are sweat and water-resistant, although we would recommend giving them a clean every once in a while anyway.
- 6.5mm tweeter
- Water resistant
- Can be quite bulky for some users
Just like Apple products, Samsung users may want to have a set of matching earbuds with their Samsung Galaxy smartphone. Galaxy Buds Pro has active noise canceling built-in by tapping the buds twice, which gives users flexibility on when they want to listen to anything around them or focus on a good workout.
Galaxy Buds Pro has 11mm woofers and 6.5mm tweeters built into each bud for unprecedented sound quality at its price bracket. Combining this technology with active noise canceling makes every track on a playlist pop.
It’s all well and good having some great earbuds for some high-quality audio, but microphone quality is equally important for taking calls whilst using Galaxy Buds Pro. Ambient noise cancellation and Ambient sound amplify your voice by capturing what’s most important and pushing out background noise. This will come in really handy for those emergency phone calls in the middle of a workout or gym.
Features and considerations
There are a few things you should consider before purchasing your next workout earbuds.
When choosing earbuds, fit and comfort are essential. There is nothing worse than earbuds that move around or fall out of your ears. Therefore, it is important to find a pair that fits you well. There are a variety of sizes and shapes available, so there is sure to be a pair that is perfect for you.
Next is battery life. Make sure your earbuds have enough battery life to last the duration of your workout. Most come with 4-6 hours of battery life, and some models even reach 8 hours.
Water resistance is also another feature that you may want to consider. Those who sweat a lot or want to work out in the rain may need a pair of water-resistant or waterproof earphones. Make sure to check out the IP rating to ensure they are designed for your type of workout and environment.
Finally, sound quality. In an ideal world, your headphones will produce exceptional, crisp sound. Look for earbuds with drivers of at least 10 mm in size and that support high-quality audio formats like aptX and AAC.
FAQs
Do I need noise-canceling best workout earbuds?
No, there are plenty of earbuds that are high quality that doesn’t have processors or active noise canceling. It’s one of those features that once you experience it, you can’t really go back to a standard set of earbuds. The best workout earbuds mostly have active noise canceling in some way, shape, or form due to workouts being noisy by nature. Even if you’re using them for Tai Chi or Yoga, active noise canceling will help users focus.
Won’t earbuds just fall out?
Some earbuds are guilty of not being very secure in the ear. This is due to uneven weight distribution, low-quality ear fittings, and low-quality silicone or foam tips. All of our best workout earbuds ensure they will stay in your ear, provided you’re not literally trying to shake them out of your ear that is!
How do I play music through earbuds?
All the best workout earbuds, and normal earbuds for that matter, connect to a Bluetooth-enabled device and streams music to them directly. More importantly, once connected, your device should remember the connected earbuds and auto-connect when the earbuds are turned on.
Our Verdict
And there we go, quite possibly every best workout earbuds choice available at the time or writing. They’ll be some that agree and some that disagree for one reason or another, but we’ve made sure all of the earbuds in this article are somewhat affordable and would all be suitable for use during workouts.
If you’re worried about earbuds falling out, maybe go for a hook design such as the Powerbeats Pro. For those looking for a smaller profile whilst packed with the features you need, we feel there’s only one logical choice left for users:
In a world full of smartphone manufacturers breaking into new technology markets and market leaders dominating the space, it’s easy to forget about technology giants such as Sony. Whilst they haven’t had the best luck in the smartphone market over the years, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 isn’t following the same path.
These earbuds look the part and have every feature you’ll ever need in the gym or at home working out, it’s kind of a no-brainer. We’ll be honest, the included silicone buds might not be the best fit for everyone, but replacements and various sizes can be bought online for just a couple of dollars. This is literally the only criticism we have about these best workout earbuds.
Of course, they won’t be for everyone. Regardless of budget, style, or ear size, there’s still plenty of best workout earbuds options available in this buyer’s guide. Thanks very much for trusting PC Guide with your best workout earbuds purchase, keep an eye on our Fitness hub for all the latest in fitness tech.