Space A40, Ear (a), and More Tested

Flagship earbuds like Apple’s AirPods Pro, Sony’s WF‑1000XM5, Jabra’s Elite 10, and Soundcore’s Liberty 4 Pro sound fantastic, but they come with equally premium price tags. Luckily, there are plenty of stellar alternatives that won’t gut your wallet. Spend less than $100, and you can still land punchy audio, rock‑solid active noise canceling (ANC), and marathon battery life without feeling like you settled.

Below, we start with our overall winner and count down to number five, covering specs, pros and cons, and the exclusive, standout features that separate each pair from the pack. Each model stands out for different strengths, so you can zero in on the perfect balance of price and performance without sacrificing the features that matter most to you.

Quick notes

Before diving in, here are a few cross‑model facts and caveats to keep in mind:

• iPhone codec limits: iOS maxes out at AAC, so LDAC (Lossless Digital Audio Codec), aptX Adaptive/Lossless, and Snapdragon Sound goodies work only on Android or other compatible sources.

• Six‑mic arrays for calls and ANC: Every model uses three mics per earbud to capture your voice and cancel noise.

• Multipoint on every pair: All five buds can stay connected to two devices simultaneously on any platform.

• Fast Pair caveat (Android‑only): Google’s seamless device‑switching handoff works only on Android; iOS, macOS, and Windows still benefit from basic multipoint but require manual selection.

• Adaptive ANC and transparency: Each set lets you hush the world or pipe it back in with a tap.

• USB‑C across the board: One cable charges every case.

• Quick‑charge built in: Ten minutes on the cord nets at least 2 – 4 hours of listening, model‑dependent.

• Sweatproof buds and modest case protection: Every pair of earbuds has at least an IPX4 rating; only one case is rated.

• Companion apps required: Install the brand’s app to unlock LDAC, EQ, control remaps, and firmware updates.

• Qi, not Qi 2: Wireless charging cases stick to standard Qi pads — none yet use the magnetic Qi 2 spec.

Whether soaking up the atmospheric synths in Hans Zimmer’s latest score or streaming lossless jazz tracks, the Space A40 constantly surprises with a soundstage that feels far wider and cleaner than any sub‑$50 earbuds have a right to. Their feather‑light shells vanish in the ear, while adaptive ANC hushes train rattle to a whisper and LDAC unlocks hi‑res clarity that lets cymbals shimmer and bass lines stay tight. Top it off with a Qi‑ready case good for a ridiculous 50 hours of total playtime, and you’ve got the most complete bargain in personal audio — the reason these are our runaway #1.

Pros

• Well‑balanced sound with 22 EQ presets

• Class‑leading 50‑hour endurance

• Compact, Qi‑ready case with fast charging

• Multipoint and reliable touch controls

Cons

• Mic quality average in wind

• Hinge feels flimsy next to Liberty 4 NC’s case

• LDAC mode only available on Android devices

• No pinch controls

Standout extras

• Auto‑tuning ANC that chooses the optimal profile for plane, train, or office

• HearID 2.0 hearing test to build a custom EQ

• Safe Volume hearing‑protection cap in the Soundcore app

Specs at a glance

• Available colors: Black, blue, green, purple, white

• Companion app: Soundcore (Android / iOS)

• SoC / chipset: Bestechnic BES2600 series (not disclosed)

• Drivers: 10 mm dynamic

• Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC

• Noise control: Adaptive ANC (≈ 98% cut) • Transparency mode

• Levels of ANC: Adaptive (auto) • Manual (weak / moderate / strong) • Transparency (full / vocal)

• EQ: HearID personal profile + 22 presets

• Battery size: 55 mAh buds • 600 mAh case

• Battery life without case: Up to 10 hours (ANC off) • 8 hours (ANC on)

• Battery life with case: Up to 50 hours (ANC off) • 40 hours (ANC on)

• Quick‑charge: 4 hours of play time from 10 minutes over USB‑C

• Wireless charge: Qi pad supported

• Bluetooth: 5.2 • Multipoint (2 devices)

• One‑tap pairing: Not supported

• Ear‑detect sensor: No (no auto‑pause)

• Low‑lag mode: Gaming mode – via Soundcore app

• Pinch controls: Touch taps only

• Button / gesture customization: Yes — via Soundcore app

• LED charging status: Single front LED on case

• Find my buds: Trigger a loud beep from each earbud in the Soundcore app

• Audio processing: —

• Durability: IPX4 buds for protection from splashes, sprays, falling water drops, and sweat

• Included ear tips: 5 pairs (XS, S, M, L, XL) silicone

• Included cable: USB‑A ↔ USB‑C

Dual‑driver buds for under sixty bucks used to be pipe dreams, yet CMF pulls it off on its Buds Pro 2 with an 11 mm woofer and 6 mm tweeter that sling punchy, disciplined bass under sparkling highs. Flip on the hybrid ANC, and the commute clamor fades. Or crank Ultra Bass Tech 2.0 when you want club vibes on the go. The icing is that clever Smart Dial case — a tactile aluminum wheel that lets you adjust volume without fishing for your phone. Add IP55 protection, LDAC, and a spatial audio effect that actually widens movies, and the Buds Pro 2 earns its spot as the ultimate bang‑for‑buck marvel.

Pros

• Dual‑driver setup delivers lively highs and deep lows

• LDAC + spatial audio effect for immersive tracks

• Smart Dial on the case controls volume/tracks

• Rugged IP55 water/dust protection

• ChatGPT integration via the Nothing X app

• Pinch controls

Cons

Standout extras

• Five‑level Ultra Bass Tech 2.0 you can dial in live

• Spatial audio effect is rare at this price

• Find My Earbuds beeper in the Nothing X app

• Ear Tip Fit Test ensures a proper seal

• Dirac Opteo audio processing

Specs at a glance

• Available colors: Dark gray, light gray, orange, blue

• Companion app: Nothing X (Android / iOS)

• SoC / chipset: BES2600YP with Dirac Opteo DSP

• Drivers: Dual — 11 mm woofer + 6 mm tweeter

• Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC

• Noise control: Hybrid ANC (up to 50 dB) • Transparency mode

• Levels of ANC: Adaptive (auto) • Manual (high / medium / low) • Wind‑noise reduction toggle • Transparency

• EQ: Five presets + 8‑band custom

• Battery size: 60 mAh buds • 460 mAh case

• Battery life without case: Up to 11 hours (ANC off) • 6.5 hours (ANC on)

• Battery life with case: Up to 43 hours (ANC off) • 26 hours (ANC on)

• Quick‑charge: 7 hours of play time from 10 minutes over USB‑C

• Wireless charge: None

• Bluetooth: 5.3 • Multipoint

• One‑tap pairing: Google Fast Pair • Microsoft Swift Pair

• Ear‑detect sensor: Yes (auto‑pause)

• Low‑lag mode: Low Lag Mode • Game Mode with less than 120 ms latency paired with Nothing Phone

• Pinch controls: Yes (stems) + case Smart Dial

• Button / gesture customization: Yes — via Nothing X app (pinch + Smart Dial)

• LED charging status: Ring LED on dial + small bud LEDs

• Find my buds: Ping the earbuds with an audible beep via the Nothing X app

• Audio processing: Dirac Opteo correction

• Durability: IP55 buds for protection from dust / water jets, splashes, sprays, falling water drops, and sweat

• Included ear tips: 3 pairs (S, M, L) silicone

• Included cable: USB‑A ↔ USB‑C

Give the Air Pro 4 to any spec‑sheet junkie and watch their jaw drop: Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless, Bluetooth 5.4 ready for Auracast broadcasts, and adaptive hybrid ANC that lops off 50 dB of airplane hum. In practice, that means you can stream bit‑perfect 24‑bit/96 kHz files over aptX Lossless and still have battery to spare after an 11‑hour work session. The tuning skews neutral‑bright, so vocals pop and strings retain air, yet the 10 mm driver digs deep when the bass hits. If you crave tweakability, EarFun’s app offers 10‑band EQ and gesture remapping that puts pricier brands to shame.

Pros

Cons

Standout extras

• Auracast‑ready Bluetooth 5.4 for broadcast audio sharing

• 50 ms low‑latency mode for gaming

• Customizable tap/hold gestures per bud in the app

Specs at a glance

• Available colors: Black, glossy white, royal blue, violet, white

• Companion app: EarFun Audio (Android / iOS)

• SoC / chipset: Qualcomm QCC3091 (Snapdragon Sound S3)

• Drivers: 10 mm dynamic

• Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LC3 (LE Audio)

• Noise control: Hybrid ANC (up to 50 dB) • Ambient Sound (transparency) mode

• Levels of ANC: Adaptive (auto) • Manual (strong / moderate / weak) • Wind cancel • Ambient sound (default / natural)

• EQ: Personal hearing test + 10‑band + presets

• Battery size: 54 mAh buds • 600 mAh case

• Battery life without case: Up to 11 hours (ANC off) • 7.5 hours (ANC on)

• Battery life with case: Up to 52 hours (ANC off) • 35 hours (ANC on)

• Quick‑charge: 2 hours of play time from 10 minutes over USB‑C

• Wireless charge: Qi pad supported

• Bluetooth: 5.4 • Multipoint • Auracast ready

• One‑tap pairing: Google Fast Pair

• Ear‑detect sensor: Yes (auto‑pause)

• Low‑lag mode: Game Mode (~50 latency)

• Pinch controls: Touch taps only

• Button / gesture customization: Yes — via EarFun Audio app

• LED charging status: Single front LED on case

• Find my buds: Ring the earbuds and view their last known map location in the EarFun Audio app

• Audio processing: —

• Durability: IPX5 buds for protection from water jets, splashes, sprays, falling water drops, and sweat

• Included ear tips: 5 pairs (XS, S, M, L, XL) silicone

• Included cable: USB‑A ↔ USB‑C

Slip the Liberty 4 NC in during rush hour, and its Adaptive ANC 2.0 immediately flexes — slicing city din so effectively you can hear the micro‑reverb on a snare hit. Anker’s 11 mm drivers balance muscular sub‑bass with clear mids, and the HearID test sculpts the curve to your hearing like a custom IEM. Toss in wireless charging, wind‑noise baffles, and a surround‑sound EQ preset that breathes life into Dolby Atmos flicks, and these are the noise‑canceling workhorses you can reach for when silence matters more than absolute fidelity.

Pros

• Beefy ANC rivals $200+ flagships

• HearID 2.0 personalized sound profile

• Wireless charging + fast charge

Cons

Standout extras

• Wind Noise Reduction 2.0 for breezy commutes

• 3D Surround EQ preset simulates spatial audio

• Find Device ping via the Soundcore app

Specs at a glance

• Available colors: Clear white, velvet black, navy blue, pastel pink, light blue

• Companion app: Soundcore (Android / iOS)

• SoC / chipset: BES2600 series (undisclosed)

• Drivers: 11 mm dynamic

• Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC

• Noise control: Adaptive ANC 2.0 (≈ 98.5 % cut) • Two transparency modes

• Levels of ANC: Adaptive (auto) • Manual (5‑step slider) • Wind‑noise reduction toggle • Transparency (full / vocal)

• EQ: HearID profile + 22 presets

• Battery size: 53 mAh buds • 800 mAh case

• Battery life without case: Up to 10 hours (ANC off) • 8 hours (ANC on)

• Battery life with case: Up to 50 hours (ANC off) • 40 hours (ANC on)

• Quick‑charge: 4 hours of play time from 10 minutes over USB‑C

• Wireless charge: Qi pad supported

• Bluetooth: 5.3 • Multipoint

• One‑tap pairing: Google Fast Pair

• Ear‑detect sensor: Yes (auto‑pause)

• Low‑lag mode: Gaming mode – via Soundcore app

• Pinch controls: Touch taps only

• Button / gesture customization: Yes — via Soundcore app

• LED charging status: Single front LED on case

• Find my buds: Activate an earbud beep from the Soundcore app

• Audio processing: —

• Durability: IPX4 buds for protection from splashes, sprays, falling water drops, and sweat

• Included ear tips: 4 pairs (XS, S, M, L) silicone

• Included cable: USB‑A ↔ USB‑C

If style could sing, it would look like Nothing’s transparent Ear (a). But these aren’t all show; the 11 mm drivers dish a fun, V‑shaped signature that makes pop hits sparkle and action‑movie explosions rumble convincingly. Smart Adaptive ANC dynamically seals leaks, while the Game Mode drops latency so low you can watch explosions on‑screen and feel them in real time. Add ChatGPT voice controls, multipoint pairing, and a battery that lasts a coast‑to‑coast flight, and the Ear (a) proves fashion and fidelity can coexist — even if the glossy case scuffs easily.

Pros

Cons

Standout extras

• Adaptive ANC leak‑compensation that tightens seal in real time

• Press‑and‑hold switching between two connected devices

• Ear Tip Fit Test ensures a proper seal

Specs at a glance

• Available colors: White, black, yellow

• Companion app: Nothing X (Android / iOS)

• SoC / chipset: BES2700YP

• Drivers: 11 mm dynamic

• Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC

• Noise control: Adaptive ANC (up to 45 dB) • Transparency mode

• Levels of ANC: Adaptive (auto) • Manual (high / medium / low) • Transparency

• EQ: Single‑band slider + bass boost toggle

• Battery size: 46 mAh buds • 500 mAh case

• Battery life without case: Up to 9.5 hours (ANC off) • 5.5 hours (ANC on)

• Battery life with case: Up to 42.5 hours (ANC off) • 24.5 hours (ANC on)

• Quick‑charge: 10 hours of play time from 10 minutes over USB‑C

• Wireless charge: None

• Bluetooth: 5.3 • Multipoint

• One‑tap pairing: Google Fast Pair • Microsoft Swift Pair

• Ear‑detect sensor: Yes (auto‑pause)

• Low‑lag mode: Low Lag Mode • Game Mode with less than 120 ms latency paired with Nothing Phone

• Pinch controls: Stem squeeze + slide for volume

• Button / gesture customization: Yes — via Nothing X app

• LED charging status: Single multicolor LED on case

• Find my buds: Ping the earbuds with an audible beep via the Nothing X app

• Audio processing: —

• Durability: IP54 buds for protection from dust / splashes, sprays, falling water drops, and sweat • IPX2 case for protection from falling water drops

• Included ear tips: 3 pairs (S, M, L) silicone

• Included cable: USB‑C ↔ USB‑C

The bottom line

You don’t need to spend flagship money to score excellent audio, dependable ANC, and all‑day endurance. The Soundcore Space A40 is our runaway winner for the most balanced package. If you’re chasing max savings, grab the CMF Buds Pro 2, while the EarFun Air Pro 4 is the spec junkie’s dream. Want brute‑force ANC? Liberty 4 NC are your cans. And if you value see‑through style, Nothing Ear (a) seals the deal. Any of these five will keep your music pumping and your bank account happy.

Don’t Miss: Best External USB-C Storage Options for iPhone and iPad