When all the smartphone manufacturers made a pact to get rid of the headphone jack, some started to include wired USB-C headphones in the box. However, as time went by, new phones started to come with fewer accessories and the true agenda of ditching the headphone jack to promote Bluetooth options flourished.
We now live in a time where the average person listening to music on their smartphone is using Bluetooth earbuds. You want good sound quality but you don’t want to spend absurd amounts. There are several amazing wireless earbud options you can get under $100 (but above $50), so let me show you some of them.
Soundcore Life P3
$69.99
The Anker Soundcore Life P3 earbuds find themselves in a very sweet spot. They’re on the more affordable side of this list, offer 50 hours of playback time when paired with the charging case, and even have fast charging. 11mm drivers send out the sound, and three noise-canceling modes lock out the noise. The only downside here is a lack of water resistance.
Sennheiser CX
$79.99
Sennheiser is a brand name that is rooted in audio quality, and the company’s CX headphones sound amazing, very unsurprisingly. They’ve got a pretty unique look for earbuds (might be a bit polarizing). You get basic IPX4 water resistance, 27 hours of battery life with the case, touch controls, and passive noise cancelation.
Soundcore Space A40
$59.99
If you want earbuds that cost more than $50, but not too much above that mark, the Soundcore Space A40 is the perfect fit. You get 50 hours of music playback with the charging case, active noise cancelation, and very lightweight earbuds. These are a good choice if you prefer your earbuds without a stem.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series
$79.00
If you have a Google Pixel, it just makes sense to get the Google Pixel Buds, but if you want a similar experience for less, the Buds A-Series will do the job. You can use them to interact with Google Assistant, you get 24 hours of battery life with the case, and they’re water resistant too.
JBL Tune 230NC
$79.95
Bass lovers assemble here. JBL is known for the bass experience with its speakers, and the “Pure Bass” sound here won’t disappoint. 10mm drivers pump sound, and you get ANC, 40 hours of battery life with the charging case, and IPX4 water resistance for the gym and those rainy days.
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
$79.99
Samsung users will have a lot of fun with the budget Buds FE, but so will other Android users. These buds bring touch controls, a built-in virtual assistant, active noise cancelation, and amazing sound. With SmartThings Find, you’ll even be able to locate the Buds if they get lost.
Sony WF-C700N
$86.37
As far as earbuds on this list go, the Sony WF-C700N is quite expensive, but it’s hard to say that you don’t get most of your money’s worth. There’s the expected Sony build and sound quality, IPX4 water resistance, and noise cancelation. 15 hours of battery life with the charging case is disappointing though.
Asus ROG Cetra
$79.99
If you like to let your gamer side out, the Asus ROG Cetra are screaming your name. Their performance is great, with ANC, 27 hours of battery life with the charging case (with ANC on), and IPX4 water resistance. It’s also hard to ignore that gamer-centric design. It’s certainly going to stand out in a crowd.
Good Sound Won’t Cost You The World
The $50 to $100 range of Bluetooth truly wireless earbuds is vast, and there’s a lot of good stuff that you can find in there if you look well enough. You might not have that time or energy though, so I’ve done it for you.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE because I’m in Samsung’s camp at the moment, but I also love what the Soundcore Life P1 brings to the table, especially at its price. There’s nothing quite like it, and I could see myself betraying Samsung for it.
