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Earbuds go by many different names, including earphones, in-ear headphones, in-ear monitors or simply buds. They also come in all shapes and sizes and can be both wired or wireless, with some variations. Probably the most widely known (and worn) earbuds are the AirPods, which Apple launched in 2016.
Compared to over-ear and on-ear headphones, they offer a more compact, lightweight design that’s easier to set up and store. Earbuds are often cheaper too (usually), and have better stability. Being small does have its disadvantages - namely with sound quality, which can’t match wired headphones - but every music lover should own at least one pair all the same.
Latest about Earbuds & Airpods
The excellent Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are back down to their Black Friday price
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are a great pair of earbuds that just got even cheaper thanks to this Amazon deal.
The best AirPods Pro sales and deals for May 2026
Your guide to today's best AirPods Pro deals and sales that are available online.
The cheapest AirPods sales and deals in May 2026
The best Airpods deals are right here in this guide with the best AirPods sales and prices that are available online.
These 'ridiculously good wireless earbuds' are now just £15 at Amazon
The JLab Go Air Pop are incredibly cheap while still offering all the features you need, and right now, they're even cheaper at Amazon.
This updated open-source app makes it easier to use AirPods with Android
You can now do more with AirPods wirelessly connected to Android devices, thanks to this clever app.
The best noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, all tested by experts
Updated The best noise-cancelling earbuds block out the world without the bulk of over-ear headphones – here are our top recommendations based on in-house testing
EarFun Clip 2 review: the best cheap open earbuds I'd actually recommend
The Earfun Clip 2 are clip-on open earbuds that cost a fraction of the competition and pack in AI translation, Hi-Res audio and decent bass.
These open earbuds use reverse noise cancellation tech to stop sound leaks
The Honor Choice Earbuds Clip 2 Pro have anti-sound-leaking tech, to solve a major open earbud woe.
