5 wireless headphones with better battery life than AirPods Pro 3

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Praise for the AirPods Pro 3 abounds just about everywhere you get your hands on reviews and user comments. The latest generation of these premium Apple headphones sound better than ever, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more powerful ANC system than what the Pro 3 offers. They’re not bad when it comes to battery life, either: a full charge gives you 9 hours of playback, with up to 26 hours total with a fully charged case. That’s certainly solid performance, but what if we told you that there are a few competing products on the market that offer better battery life than the AirPods Pro 3, and that some of these in-ear pairs also cost less?

Don’t get us wrong: we think the AirPods Pro 3 are fantastic. We just think it’s worth noting that Apple isn’t the only brand with solid specs. In this roundup, we’ll cover five pairs of wireless earbuds with better battery life than the AirPods Pro 3, with options from Technics, Sony, Soundcore, Sennheiser, and even JBL. This is also not an exhaustive list; Consider it more of a starting point, especially as manufacturers are constantly releasing new headphone technology.

Developers may also release firmware fixes that may improve battery friendliness for compatible products. There’s a lot to learn and discuss, so let’s start this deep dive on battery-saving headphones by shining the spotlight on the technical part of the scene.

Brands like Apple, Bose, and Sony dominate the wireless earbud market, but if you’re looking for something off the beaten path that beats the AirPods Pro 3 in battery life, we recommend the $300 Technics EAH-AZ100. On a full charge, you can expect up to 12 hours of playback per earbud and up to 30.5 hours total with a fully charged case. There are also a few power-saving features, including an auto-off timer and sleep mode, both of which can be turned on or off in the Technics Audio Connect app. And thanks to fast charging support, just 15 minutes in the case should net you an extra 90 minutes of playback.

Battery life isn’t the only advantage the AZ100 has over the AirPods Pro 3. The Audio Connect app is packed with features and customizations to make your AZ100 your own. In addition to various audio presets and an eight-band EQ to create your own sound profile, these Technics headphones feature a robust ANC system that attenuates everything from plane and bus engines to chatty colleagues and keyboard clicks. The AZ100 has a warm sound profile right out of the box, but the bass tends to bleed into the midrange if you don’t adjust the presets or EQ.

The AZ100 also supports SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 via Bluetooth LE. While they’re a bit pricey, the Technics EAH-AZ80 (the precursor to the AZ10) is still available, but you’ll sacrifice 12 hours of battery life and other features for a lower price.

While the Sony WF-1000XM6 are the revered manufacturer’s latest flagship earbuds, the $250 Sony WF-1000XM5 are still available and beat the AirPods Pro 3. And the Sony WF-1000XM6 for battery life. You’ll get up to 8.75 hours of playtime on a full charge and up to 26.25 hours total with a fully charged case. You can also turn off ANC to get up to 12 hours of battery life before needing to recharge. Other power-saving features include an auto-off timer and auto-ear detection (the earbuds stop playing audio when you remove them).

Out of the box, the Sony Supported codecs include SBC, AAC, LE Audio and LDAC – the latter a Sony staple – and the headphones work over Bluetooth 5.3, so you can pair two devices simultaneously. You’ll also receive four pairs of memory foam ear tips to help you find the best fit. It’s worth mentioning that memory foam deteriorates over time, so you’ll need to budget for a replacement set in the future.

Once you factor in the XM5’s solid ANC performance and intuitive, customizable controls, you’ll realize just how good things can be with these premium Sony headphones. Since this is an older model, you’ll want to make your purchase before the XM5 is completely sold out.

Anker’s Soundcore sublabel is as reliable as it gets when it comes to cheap wireless earbuds, and the $80 Soundcore Space A40 is the most budget-friendly option on our list. Offering up to 8-10 hours of playback – the latter achieved when listening to SBC tracks with ANC turned off – the earbuds come fully charged and you’ll get up to 40.5 hours in total from a recharged case. That’s enough juice for four full charges, and there’s an auto-off timer that will put your earbuds to sleep if they’re left out of the case for too long.

Battery life isn’t the only Space A40 pro to write about; the sound quality and ANC system are also impressive. Right out of the box, you’ll experience a warm sound profile with an increase in bass range, but you can also use the Anker Soundcore app to select a different audio preset or create your own listening profile via the multi-band EQ. The Space A40 uses adaptive ANC to automatically adapt to the sounds around you (you can also manually choose between Low, Medium, or High settings in the Soundcore app).

Something to keep in mind: Headphone mics aren’t very good at handling hiss. The ANC system can also introduce audio artifacts when it comes to wind noise, although this isn’t particularly surprising; Most wireless earbuds face this call quality drawback.

More than just a company from which to purchase consumer and professional grade studio microphones, Sennheiser also delivers seriousness in the wireless audio department. The $300 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 are the brand’s flagship in-ear headphones, which actually lag behind the AirPods Pro 3 in earbud lifespan when ANC is enabled (7.3 hours of playback), but you’ll get up to 30 hours total when the case is fully charged. You’ll also get an extra hour of playback after charging the earbuds for just 8 minutes, along with an auto-off timer and sleep function.

Users are going to be delighted when it comes to sound quality and ANC performance. The Momentum True Wireless 4 delivers a warm, bass-leading sound profile, and its fidelity doesn’t change much when ANC is turned on or off. You’ll also be able to access the Sennheiser Smart Control app to change audio presets or use the graphic equalizer to create your own sound profile. There’s also a feature called Sound Zones that uses geolocation to change audio and ANC settings based on your location; Simply create a free Sennheiser account and enable location permissions.

If you’re a human with small ears, the bulky design of the Momentum 4 earbuds may not be the best fit, although they do come with four sets of differently sized ear tips, as well as three sets of stabilizers to keep the earbuds from sliding out of your ears when you hit the treadmill. It’s also worth mentioning that the touch points can be a little finicky, especially if you’re used to controlling the controls (like those on the AirPods Pro 3).

Finally, we offer a unique selection for those who enjoy a quick jog outdoors. The $130 JBL Endurance Peak 4 is tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts who care about battery life. On a full charge, these fitness earbuds provide 8 hours per earbud and up to 32 hours total when the case is fully charged. (According to RTINGS, you could actually get closer to 10 hours of playback per earbud.) There’s also an auto-off timer in the JBL Headphones app, and it takes less than an hour to charge the earbuds from scratch.

The Endurance Peak 4 comes with three sizes of ear tips, and the built-in ear hooks keep the headphones in place without putting a ton of pressure on the inner ear. They’re also easy to control but lack customization: controls are limited to three groups – Ambient, Volume and Playback – and only two can be programmed at a time (one group per earbud). Out of the box, the Endurance Peak 4 is powerful and punchy, but you can adjust the presets or use the graphic EQ to fine-tune it to your listening preferences.

Although an ANC system works behind the scenes, it doesn’t have much impact. The headphones struggle to attenuate most frequencies, and the mic quality for phone calls leaves a lot to be desired. Still, they beat the AirPods Pro 3 in battery life, and thanks to their IP68 rating, they’re a solid choice for gym-goers and outdoor exercisers.

When selecting the five products that made our list, our main criteria was that the total playback time – achieved with fully charged earbuds and case – exceeded the 26 hours offered by the AirPods Pro 3. Then, we prioritized features like sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort and price. We’ve also referenced practical reviews from professionals to help us understand the pros and cons.