Selection of wireless headphones: what is the best reference for iPhone?

Since the jack port has gradually been abandoned on most mobiles, the majority of manufacturers are now turning to the manufacture of wireless headphones, following the example of Bragi (since converted to software). Among them, we find two types of accessories: on the one hand thetrue wireless, truly autonomous, and on the other models in which each earpiece is connected to the other by a cable. This alternative is ideal for the most clumsy or sports that require the most movement such as swimming or running.

To begin our list, we have therefore referenced the most popular editions and their technical sheet before presenting lesser known, but more affordable duos. Make your choice!

AirPods 3: THE reference for any Apple user

Obviously, how can we start this top without talking about the headphones designed by Apple especially for itsiPhone?AirPods, already available in a third version, are thus the most preferred option by iOS customers. Simple to configure, it also guarantees continuity to your equipment. The particularly iconic design, and features such as “Dis, Siri” which are also available from the competition (Google Assusnat / Alexa) hit the mark. Be careful of counterfeits, however: they are numerous, sometimes under ten euros, but often very disappointing on a daily basis.

Sony WF-XB700: the best Bluetooth headphones on the market?

Water resistant,Sony's WF-XB700s are probably the best option across all brands. In fact, these connect just as well to the iPhone as the AirPods, but offer much better sound quality with, for example, the modeEXTRA BASSwhich will delight fans of electronic music. However, they do not have active noise reduction, but this is not at the point in most other headphones and only useful in certain rare cases, it is a detail. Count 149 euros.

Buy the Sony WF-XB700

The best at Apple with AirPods Pro

Do you want to equip yourself without leaving Apple, but the lack of active noise reduction on classic AirPods bothers you? Opt forthe Pro model. The manufacturer has integrated parts very similar to those of the original AirPods, including an in-house processor. The other difference concerns the charging case, which is only sold with induction this time. Ear pressure is regulated by a proprietary vent system, while several microphones are also included for making calls.

The ergonomics are (almost) in-ear and supplied with three different pairs of silicone tips. But according to most of the tests published so far,holding it in the ear would not necessarily be more effective. Finally, a touchpad allows you to control different actions, which range from calling on the voice assistant to controlling playlists during playback. Useful in public transport!

With the WF-1000XM4, Sony convinces everyone

Sony also sells the WF-1000XM34, which are sold for more than the XB700, but on the other hand offer theactive noise reductionand more equal sound for each frequency. They are also considered by most critics to be the best headphones in the sector, but we cannot rank them first because the integration of the third generation AirPods and the second generation AirPods Pro is necessarily better with the iPhone .

To form your own opinion on this Japanese pair, compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa,you can also read the illustrated test from our colleagues fromPresse-citron.netat this address.

Beats quality with Powerbeats Pro

Wednesday May 23, 2014, Apple buys Beats for three billion dollars. Since then, the company has still existed and has continued to design its own items, including obviously headphones. If there are wired versions,les Powerbeats Pro(second generation) are totally independent.Our editorial team had the opportunity to test the first generation(only the colors change) for several weeks, and its verdict is unanimous: it is a good choice, especially for exercising outdoors, because these devices are equipped with aframe that goes around the earwhich guarantees unfailing comfort. The autonomy is also quite substantial.

Three colors have been available since the release of the second generation of Powerbeats Pro:black, deep blue or cream. Please note, however, that these earbuds are among the most expensive models in our selection, with 299.95 euros on the clock, but you can monitor our table below: promotions are regularly offered by Beats, often at third-party resellers.

Motorola: good value for money

Motorola has imagined a complete family of several pairs of wireless headphones: the VerveBuds 100, 120 200 and 300 as well as the Moto Buds 085, 120, 150 and 250. There is therefore something for all profiles, with more or less water resistance and autonomy, but most other technical characteristics are rather similar. The price also changes,from 39.99 to almost 60 eurosdepending on the variation chosen.

Discover the Motorola range

For athletes, it's Jabra

Little known among the general public, but just as qualitative, the American brand Jabra (since bought by a Danish holding company) markets numerous audio products. Among its family of wireless headphones,we find theElite Active 65t. They also offer three tip sizes, to fit most bells, and come in five different color duos to suit all tastes: black/copper, black/titanium, gold/beige, blue/copper and red /copper.

The music can be cut off automatically by removing the pair from your ears, which is very practical for not losing track of a video. Endurance lasts up to five hours, or even fifteen with the portable Li-ion battery, and aapplicationwhich can be downloaded from the App Store allows you to equalize the sound when necessary. The seller also offers more affordable versions, such as the Jabra Elite 65t (with anti-wind microphone), the Active 75t (which last longer) or the Active 45e which are connected by a cable going around the neck to avoid lose them. Simply follow the link below to discover each item on Amazon, where the prices are often the most advantageous:

Buy Jabra headphones

Son : Sennheiser vs Bose

No more joking: to really enjoy a quality musical experience, you obviously have to turn to experts in the sector. Who better than companiesspecializedto play this role? Bose and Sennheiser, trusted by producers and enthusiasts alike, are among the most emblematic. It's difficult to deny their know-how and experience in this area: both deliver a pure sound with rounded and powerful bass, which will not leave music lovers indifferent. In addition, the material is water resistant withMomentum True Wireless 2 from Sennheiser!

Buy Sennheiser headphones

THEBose SoundSport Freeseem to be aimed more at young professionals, because they are also equipped with a plastic skeleton which conforms to the shape of the ear. Their autonomy is one hour longer, but they do not have Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy (limited to the 4.1 version). In addition, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 recharges half an hour faster. This is not significant, but in the case of an extended video conference in a coworking space, the proper monitoring of the conversation could be affected.

Buy Bose Bluetooth headphones

Always excellent value for money at JBL

Created in 1946 by an American, JBL is also a key player in the audio market. If the firm is known for its portable speakers, widely used among young people in France, it has also followed the movement of wireless headphones, notably withTHETune 120TWS, sold below the symbolic bar of 100 eurosand whose design is reminiscent of Apple AirPods. These offer sixteen hours of combined listening time thanks to their external battery (that's not much), and are available in four different colors.

Buy JBL Tune 220TWS headphones

Still from the manufacturer JBL, there are also other products with more features such asTHEJBL Reflect Flow Pro TWSwhich are waterproof and benefit from no less than thirty hours of battery life this time, as well as active noise reduction. Cyclists will also appreciate being able to spot the cars behind them without leaving the tracks of their favorite album, thanks to the transparency mode – if necessary.

Buy Reflect Flow at JBL

Even Marshall joins in the dance

Marshall, standard brand in the Rock world,also created its pair of Bluetooth headphones. Although relatively expensive and with high-end listening quality, it unfortunately does not offerno in-ear format. However, a wire connects the two sides, which allows them to be held in place in the event of a sudden movement. Expect around 45 to 130 euros depending on the model (there are several, with different colors).

Buy Marshall headphones

Fierce competition from Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2

Samsung Bluetooth headphonesare among the popular ones on the market, and there are several pairs to the Korean's credit. Our favorite here being the pair of Galaxy Buds 2, which offers excellent value for money with a base price of 149 euros for five colors to choose from: olive, onyx, graphite, lavender or white. All with AKG brand audio technology under the hood.

Galaxy Buds 2 provide up to five hours of continuous listening time. A companion application allows you to know when they are running out of energy, to configure them, but also to find them if you forget them. With this, six microphones are there for your calls and Bluetooth generation 5.2 will allow you to quickly pair the wireless headphones to your iPhone.

Buy Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

Pixel Buds A-Series: to replace Siri with Google Assistant?

Did you know? Google has also designed wireless headphones:les Pixel Buds A-Series. And although they are particularly optimized for the Android operating system, they also work very well with iOS. Here, you will have the right to three colors to choose from: white, charcoal or olive. All for only99 euros, not to mention the reductions regularly offered by the manufacturer.

The Pixel Buds A-Series come with Google's voice assistant, the results of which are often more effective than Siri. Allow five hours of listening time in terms of autonomy, on a single charge and without the wireless charging case.

Buy Pixel Buds

Xiaomi or Huawei

Who said that Bluetooth headphones for iPhone had to rhyme with high-end accessories? There are indeed solutions from Chinese companies, such as Xiaomi which also offers a product at a very attractive price compared to the competition: they costless than fifty euros! With them, you can make calls and even benefit from noise reduction, with touch control also being included. Moreover,les Redmi Buds 3 Litecan withstand a few splashes and would last up to eighteen hours with their wireless charging case.

Buy Xiaomi headphones

On the other hand, we also find Huawei which until recently occupied one of the first places in the ranking of smartphone sellers.Its FreeBuds 5i headphones, pair easily with iOS, but are much more expensive with an average of only 100 euros to pay to purchase them. Four editions are sold: black and white, but also blue or silver.

With this model, it is possible to obtain no less than four hours of autonomy in just fifteen minutes of charging. As a bonus, Huawei's wireless earbuds are waterproof and resist not only eai, but also dust. It is of course also possible to pair them with Android devices, and not just iPhones.

Buy Huawei Freebuds 5i

Bang & Olufsen, the class

Also a subsidiary of Harman alongside JBL, the (still) Danish company Bang & Olufsen specializes in verypremiumfor a long time.Its third generation Beoplay E8are therefore probably the most premium in our comparison, with seven hours of minimum autonomy and up to… thirty-five with their portable battery! A record, to which are added Bluetooth 3.1 connectivity and a particularly successful design that makes all other brands pale in comparison. There are even four built-in microphones for seamless communications.

Buy Beoplay E8

Anker: the king of external batteries takes on wireless headphones

From AirPods to Galaxy Buds, all true wireless headphones come with a wireless charging case that allows you to move around without risking an unexpected cutoff. Indeed, with their reduced size these small devices cannot carry many mAh in their structure, which requires offering abattery external. And who better than Anker to design them? The reputation of the Chinese brand is well established in the field. It therefore offers its own product equipped with its renowned technology:les Soundcore Liberty Air 2, with noise cancellation and 28 hours of reading for less than 115 euros.

Buy the Soundcore Liberty Air 2

L’outsider : Libratone Track Air+

Another Danish brand? Yes! Libratone, created in 2009, has gradually made a place for itself in the audio connected objects market both in Europe and the United States. The firm sells several models, includingTHETrack Air+with twenty-four hours of autonomy. Their design is particularly original, resembling a boomerang, and the water resistance is IPX4 certified for athletes. No notable advantage over all the other “hearables” on this list, but still a relatively clean sound. You have to pay around 111 euros to buy them.

Discover the Libratone Track Air+

Les Microsoft Surface Earbuds

We could not finish without presentingMicrosoft Surface Earbuds. As their name suggests, these headphones are primarily intended for PCs runningWindows, but they actually work very well with macOS and iPhones. Despite their neat appearance, these are still far from perfect: they are in fact intended more for office use because there is no in-ear on the program, for a price which nevertheless exceeds 220 euros.

Buy Surface Earbuds