Battery life is important to me. I like to make sure that my headphones or my earbuds are going to last a good amount of time — a long bus journey, a lengthy train ride, or a multi-hour flight somewhere. If I have to charge up, that’s time spent not listening to my favorite tunes, and that, friends, simply won’t do.
The AirPods 4 have a lot going for them, but the battery life certainly isn’t one. Given that I care about battery life, the 4 hours of rated staying power just isn’t good enough. The non-ANC version aren’t much better, only lasting for 5 hours.
Sure, I can pop the buds in their charging case for five minutes and get an hour’s extra battery life, but then I have to do that every hour when I go on longer trips in order to keep listening to my music. Nope, not acceptable. Thankfully, there are some other excellent options that I’ve tested that turn out to be the best wireless earbuds with plenty of battery that outperform the AirPods 4. Here’s 5 of my favorites.
Beats Solo Buds
The Beats Solo Buds bring more battery life in their tiny shells than pretty much anything else out there, to the tune of 18 hours. You do have to forgo some of the more premium features, presumably so that they can fit in some massive batteries.
Let’s do some quick math — the AirPods 4 (without ANC, so that we’re being fair) last only 27% of the time of the Beats Solo Buds. That’s less than a third, for those gifted with number-sight (I had to use Google Gemini, because I am not gifted with number-sight). While I might not be all that good with numbers, I do know one thing. If you’re looking for the best battery life out of a pair of earbuds, you’re not going to do much better than the Beats Solo buds.
Just remember that in its infinite wisdom, Apple didn’t put a battery in the charging case. To juice the battery of your buds back up, you have to place them back in their case, and then plug them onto a USB-C cable. This can be done on the go though, which is helpful. Sound is fine for the price, and their tiny size and light weight make them feel comfortable in the ear.
Cambridge Audio Melomania M100
As you might have guessed from that massive charging case, the Melomania M100 don’t just last long in your ears, but they also have hours of charging time on tap in the case. In fact there’s 36 hours worth of battery on tap in the case, so you can charge them several times before you need to plug the case into the nearest USB-C socket.
But its the battery of the buds themselves that’s most impressive. Without ANC, the buds will last 16 hours, which is just over 3x longer than the base model AirPods 4. Turn the ANC on and you still get a class-leading 10 hours. That’s 2.5x the battery of the AirPods 4 with ANC, as well as more battery than almost every other pair of buds out there.
They also happen to sound incredible thanks to Cambridge Audio’s excellent tuning, and their fit is super comfortable as well. They’re a great package, and they come in at a price that beats out both the ANC-equipped AirPods 4 and the noise-canceling model — they cost just $119. I think I know which I’d rather buy.
Sony WF-1000XM5
The WF-1000XM5 need no introduction. They’re Sony’s top-of-the-line ANC earbuds, and they come with battery life to match — 8 hours, in fact. That’s double the battery of the AirPods 4 with ANC, and even 2 more hours than you’ll find in the higher-end AirPods Pro 2. That means you’ll be listening to more music for longer — and with higher quality.
We called the Sony WF-1000XM5 the best wireless earbuds for a reason. In addition to their excellent battery life, they also sound amazing and feature some great noise canceling. Yes, they cost more than both the AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2, but they also happen to be much, much better.
The only place they might trip up slightly is the battery life from the charging case, but even then it’s not bad. 24 hours of extra battery is always welcome, and it works out to about three extra charges for when you’re on the go. Compact, long-lasting, and great sounding — what more could you want?
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
Sennheiser is known for more than just top-notch sound. In recent years, the firm has been packing loads of battery life into its headphones and earbuds — and there are few with as much staying power as the Momentum 4 true wireless. With ANC turned on, they’ll last you 7.5 hours, which is nearly double that of the AirPods 4.
You get 30 hours of battery life out of the case, so you’ll be able to juice them up plenty when you’re on the go. They also happen to sound really, really good, and Sennheiser has given them some great silicon fitting options so that they’re comfortable when worn for long periods of time.
Even better, they can be had for much cheaper than their launch price now, frequently bringing them to a sub-$300 price. That’s more than the AirPods 4, but they more than take the fight to the AirPods Pro 2.
Beats Studio Buds+
Beats Studio Buds+ where a massive update to the previous model, and one of the biggest upgrades was the battery life. With ANC enabled, they last for up to 9 hours — a whole lot more than the AirPods 4 with or without ANC. That’s not bad at all, and then you consider the price of the buds.
While they feature a more comfortable fit, better sound, and ANC than the AirPods 4, they cost around the same price. That’s a pretty great deal, and you should definitely consider the Beats Studio Buds+ if you’re looking for an alternative to the AirPods 4.
