Sunday, 3 November 2019

Best wireless earbuds in Singapore: the top Bluetooth earphones

Now that almost every major flagship smartphone has lost its headphone jack, the rise of the Bluetooth earbuds makes a whole lot more sense. Thankfully, the days of unstable connections and poor audio quality are all but behind us, and the wireless earphones of today offer some truly future-ready functionality.

With the likes of Apple AirPods competing with Bose earbuds, as well as industry heavyweights like Sony and Jabra, there's heaps to choose from. Varying hugely in price and function – from rugged wireless earbuds for sports to noise-cancelling, true wireless buds for business – it can be hard to choose.

Thankfully, we've reviewed the cream of the crop in order to compare the best Bluetooth earphones in Singapore, whether they're regular wireless earphones (with a cable or neckband that connects them) or true wireless earbuds (two separate 'buds that you can store in a charging case).

First on the agenda is our pick of the best true wireless earbuds, with Sony taking out top spot. If you're after wireless earphones that feature a neckband or some kind of cable between each earpiece, then scroll down further to check out our favourites in that category.

The best true wireless earbuds in Singapore at a glance

  1. Sony WF-1000XM3
  2. Beats PowerBeats Pro
  3. Jabra Elite 65t
  4. Apple AirPods (2019)
  5. Jabra Elite Sport

The best wireless earbuds in Singapore at a glance

  1. Jaybird Tarah Pro
  2. RHA T20 Wireless
  3. Optoma NuForce BE Sport4
  4. Sony WI-1000X
  5. Beats X
  6. Bose QuietControl 30

Sony WF-1000XM3

Sony WF-1000XM3

Sony's fabulous WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones have gotten a true wireless counterpart, and they're every bit as solid as their over-ear siblings.

With state-of-the-art noise-cancelling, a crystal clear yet warm audio signal, and an impressive 24-hour battery life (when using the ANC and recharging with the case), these earbuds are worth every dollar spent on them. They also avoid the foibles of many other non-Apple true wireless buds by establishing a connection between each bud and your device individually, thus dodging the sometimes flaky signals that result from a single primary bud having to connect to both your device and a secondary bud.

Read the full review: Sony WF-1000XM3

For those rocking an iPhone, the simplicity of pairing with the AirPods was a joy, but now you can have that same ease-of-use but with true wireless earbuds made to be pumped at the gym.

With one of the most secure fits to date, the PowerBeats Pro are sure to stay in your ear when you're sweating it up, and the IPX4 resistance makes sure that sweat won't break your buds. The sound is typically punchy, as is the style of Beats, and very suitable for modern electronic, hip hop and similar genres. In most ways, these are in improvement on the AirPods, and even feature the same smart H1 chip that helps with pairing and allows for on-board Siri communication.

Read the full review: Beats PowerBeats Pro

Jabra Elite 65t

Although these have been surpassed by the Sony WF-1000XM3 and PowerBeats Pro, the Jabra Elite 65t still offer a great true wireless solution and are more affordable to boot. 

After spending over a month with them, we came away impressed with the well-rounded package that Jabra managed to create: The earbuds offer a subtle, mature look and a reliable wireless connection, which isn’t always the case with truly wireless earbuds. Plus, they sound great compared to much of the competition. 

Read the full review: Jabra Elite 65t

Image credit: TechRadar

The second generation Apple AirPods, the AirPods (2019), aren't quite the AirPods 2 we were hoping for, but they still boast some cool features. 

They still sport the iconic design of the original AirPods (a good or bad thing depending on your point of view), and sound quality hasn't changed at all. The bulk of the upgrade comes from the new H1 headphone chip, which improves connectivity and battery life, and allows for a new ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation feature.

The AirPods (2019) also come with an optional wireless charging case, which means you can use a Qi-compatible charging mat to power the case, rather than sticking a cable into the Lightning charging port in the bottom of the case. 

Like their predecessors, they are super easy to pair, but they are very much optimised for using with iPhones and are somewhat pricey. 

Read our full review: Apple Airpods (2019)


Jabra Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds


If you're deep into fitness and the tracking thereof, the Jabra Elite Sport are currently the ultimate true wireless earphones for you. There’s a heart rate sensor on the right earpiece, letting it monitor your exertion level as you exercise. 

A Jabra companion app lets you track your exercise, and you can kick off a workout by pressing a button on one earpiece, and the heart rate tracker is more reliable than most wrist-worn models... as long as you fit the Elite Sport buds properly. 

The Jabra Elite Sport don't perch in your ears, they fill them rather like a custom molded earphone. As a result, sound isolation is excellent and the fit is very secure. 

To sweeten the deal, Jabra recently updated the Elite Sport to boost stamina to a better-than-average four-and-a-half hours per charge – more than enough to get you through your weekly workouts – before hanging up the towel. 

Read the full review: Jabra Elite Sport

Jaybird Tarah Pro

Known for its more affordable and sports-centric wireless earbuds, Jaybird has delivered something truly spectacular with its first 'Pro' offering, and thankfully it won't break the bank either. 

Improving on almost everything that made its predecessors great, the Jaybird Tarah Pro offers excellent sound (tweakable via the simple Jaybird app), great comfort and fitting options, and all the conveniences you'd come to expect in the ultimate pair of wireless in-ears, such as a 14-hour battery life, magnetic driver housings, and a rugged design. Because the Tarah Pro deftly balances all the features that make for a great everyday pair of 'buds without having an offensive pricetag, we reckon they're our top choice right now.

Read our full review: Jaybird Tarah Pro

RHA T20 Wireless

RHA T20 Wireless

This Scottish audio company had a smash hit with its T20i cabled headphones, so much so that we gave them full marks in our RHA T20i review, and now the audiophile company has made a wireless version.

You can swap over a physical filter on each of the buds, changing from a reference (flat EQ) to a more treble- or bass-focused audio profile, depending on your preference. The drivers feature a solid aluminium housing that feels sturdy and premium, and you'll get a wide array of eartip sizes and shapes in the box (including some foam tips if silicon doesn't sit well with you). While these certainly arrive with a premium price tag, they truly earn it and are unmatched for audiophiles on the move.

wireless earbuds

 Image credit: TechRadar 

The NuForce BE Sport4 wireless earbuds are that rare find: earbuds that are good for basically all situations, whether you're looking to take them out on a run or just wear them around town, but well and truly avoid breaking the bank. They're ideal for exercise, although any urbanite will also find their lightweight functionality and impressive sound isolation highly appealing. If you want proof that wireless headphones can now compete with the best of them, look no further.

Read the full review: Optoma NuForce BE Sport4

Sony WI-1000X

Sony WI-1000X

Sony’s excellent WF-1000XM3 are the gold standard when it comes to true wireless in-ears, and they're noise cancelling to boot, but the WI-1000X is Sony's nifty neckband alternative. 

These wireless noise-cancelling earbuds offer some of the most pleasant sounding wireless audio we’ve heard in a robust form factor that can survive the abuse of a daily commute or visits to the gym. The headline feature of the WI-1000X headphones is its excellent sound quality thanks to aptX HD support and, despite some average battery life, these in-ears do so much right that it more than makes up for it.

Read the full review: Sony WI-1000X

Beats X

Beats X

There will always be those who are ready to complain about the sound performance of Beats headphones, but the inclusion of Apple's proprietary W1 chip has been a boon for the strength of their wireless connectivity. 

Functionally that makes these wireless earbuds a joy to use (with Apple products, at least), just don't expect the most detailed or broad soundstage. If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in 5 minutes and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you.

Read the full review: Beats X

Bose QuietControl 30

Bose QuietControl 30

Life is full of compromises, and it's no different with the Bose QuietControl 30s. On the positive side you get a level of noise cancellation that comes close to what's offered by the brand's over-ear headphones, but the concession here is on sound fidelity, which just isn’t on the same level as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tested. 

There's also that neckband which adds an unfortunate level of bulk to what should otherwise be a slimline pair of headphones. 

Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30

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