RS Recommends: The Best Earbuds With Microphones for Voice and Video Calling
Trust us, we love earbuds with super-sophisticated drivers and the clearest, crispest music reproduction possible. But if you can’t take a call while walking down the street without having to ask “can you hear me?” multiple times, you need a pair with microphones tailored for daily communication.
The best earbuds with microphones let you be understood more clearly with the people you’re chatting with, designed with built-in mics that accurately pick up your voice and tune out ambient noise, like wind and passing traffic.
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What that means: you’ll be more focused on your phone calls, work calls, calls to your mom etc. If you choose a pair that doubles up on powerful active noise cancellation, you’ll also be able to hear the other side of conversation more clearly (instead of getting distracted by all the sound that bleeds through).
As many of us adjust to a hybrid work model, having the ability to hop on a video call with a built-in mic without wearing a huge headset or distracting members of your home, and being able to pick up a work call while you’re on-the-go is a new necessity. Owning a great pair of earbuds with built-in mics is one of the many ways to stay connected remotely, and gives you hands-free control of not just your calls, but your music, too.
Here, we’ve picked some of the best earbuds that also happen to include the best microphones for voice and video calling, so you can easily communicate wherever you’re working remotely or traveling.
What Are the Best Earbuds With Microphones?
Battery: Unlike some of the best headphones with microphones, not every pair of earbuds is made to carry on conversations for hours without needing to recharge frequently. We’ve chosen earbuds that are built to last longer that a couple hours of use, whether you’re stuck in Zoom meetings all day, or just listening to music while you work.
Connectivity: While your earbuds should deliver solid sound, the best earbuds that have built-in microphones shouldn’t drop your connection while you’re in the middle of a phone call. We’ve chosen earbuds that maintain a strong Bluetooth connection between your ears and your device, and even over longer ranges if you have to step away from your desk.
Bluetooth: Nobody loves untangling earbud wires anymore when trying to connect to their laptop or phone. These wireless earbud models all come with Bluetooth, so you can quickly pair them to your device of your choice and be automatically connected the next time you put them on.
Active Noise Cancellation: The best noise-cancelling earbuds aren’t just going to help the person on the other end of the line understand you. Some earbuds also feature noise-cancelling mics that keep out unwanted noise when you’re talking, and when you’re listening to the other person. They can also help when communicating with virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa.
1. Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless Earbuds
EDITOR’S PICK
No matter if you’re joining a virtual meeting or hopping on a conference call, you’ll want to have a set of high-quality earbuds nearby.
And unlike your phone or computer’s built-in mics, these Jabra earbuds were actually designed to help improve your calls. That’s thanks to the brand’s MultiSensor Voice, which has an advanced sensor in each bud that automatically activate when it detects wind, using bone conduction technology to transmit your voice via vibrations in your jawbone.
And you’re not just getting one single mic when using the headphones either — Jabra says these water-resistant headphones use four total microphones with 6mm speakers for upgraded sound during calls. Put simply, whether you’re sitting inside or outside on a windy day, no one should be able to really hear the difference.
They’re a pair of earbuds that pack a mind-boggling amount of sound tech and battery power. They can even last for a full 8-hour workday (30 hours with the charging case), even when you’re using the noise-cancelling feature.
Buy: Jabra Elite 7 Pro Wireless Earbuds $199.99
2. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
BEST ANC
Similarly to the Bose 700s, these Bose QuietComfort buds pack powerful noise-silencing power, just in a slightly more portable package.
Instead of a couple larger mics, the Bose QuietComfort buds are designed with several, tinier microphones on each bud that work together to cancel out ambient noise around you for fewer distractions during phone calls. While the battery life is reasonable at 6 hours per charge (and 12 more with the case), these are a great option if you’re going to be taking calls somewhere with a lot of background noise. With Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity you can work out or just walk around your office without the connection dropping.
You can control ANC from the buds, but Bose recently updated the software with new ANC modes engineered for specific activities, and added an “Aware Mode” that automatically reduces louder, unexpected sounds (like a dog barking or a car honking), then switches back to transparency mode. The QuietComfort earbuds are also designed with music lovers in mind, too, with an EQ that stays crisp and balanced no matter the volume level.
Buy: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds $199.00
3. Apple AirPods Pro
BEST APPLE EARBUDS
There’s a reason why everyone from musicians to professors use Apple’s AirPods Pro when on a call, live performance or presentation. The wireless earbuds may be small, but the built-in mics pick up your voice accurately and efficiently, without that fuzziness or “whooshing” you often hear from other buds.
The sleek buds come with a charging case that can produce up to 24 hours of battery life. Unlike previous Apple buds, the AirPods Pro support noise cancellation so you can hear your music clearly without disruptions, whether you’re on your commute or running outdoors. Plus, they include a Transparency Mode, which lets you hear what’s going on around you better while you have them in your ears.
These water- and sweat-friendly earphones also feature three different silicone tips so you can get a better-fitting seal for both music and so you don’t risk losing them when you’re en route.
Buy: Apple AirPods Pro $179.99
4. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
BEST SAMSUNG EARBUDS
If your video chat quality is in high-definition, why shouldn’t your call quality be the same? Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds use HD Voice tech that actually separates your voice from ambient noise around you, so you always come in crystal clear when there’s a ton of distractions around you.
Samsung’s three-mic array gives you clear-sounding calls combined with Active Noise Cancellation that intelligently filters out the loudest sounds around you so your volume is boosted more naturally.
Speaking of ANC, the Galaxy Buds block out almost everything with minimal bleed, but are more comparable to AirPods in terms of strength than the ultra-quieting Sony WF-1000XM4s. That beings said, getting superior audio quality and 3D sound with head tracking is a big draw for these earbuds, so your tunes sound just as good as your calls.
Buy: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro $229.99
5. Beats Fit Pro
BEST FOR WORKING OUT
Earbuds that work best for sitting down and Zoom calling aren’t always going to be the best if you want to take calls calls during a run. The Beats Fit Pro not only has flexible, secure-fit wingtips that won’t slip while you’re working out, your voice will stay clear no matter how you move.
The six built-in mics (three in each earbud) not only boost the quality of your calls, but of the stellar ANC and Transparency modes, too. Even when taking phone calls with just one earbud, all three microphones on the bud will stay active. In our tests we also found that it was great at consistently picking up hands-free voice commands to Siri, too.
The sweat and water-resistant buds will not only keep background noise to a minimum while you’re talking or jamming out to your workout playlist, but also give you 6 hours of listening time (up to 24 hours combined with pocket-sized charging case).
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