Numerous premium truly wireless earbuds from well-known companies including Samsung, Apple, Sony, and others debuted in 2022. In India, the TWS earphone industry has grown swiftly and significantly, and there are presently too many alternatives available at various price ranges. With so many possibilities, selecting the earphones that are right for you might be challenging. In an effort to solve this, we are going to feature top contenders for the title of “Best Truly Wireless Earbuds of 2022.” As part of the largest tech award in the country, the Indian Gadget Awards, this year’s jury is made up of 18 tech industry experts. Here’s a look at the winners for the Best Truly Wireless Earbuds in the Mainstream and Premium categories.
Winners: OPPO Enco Buds2 (Mainstream) and Sony WF-1000XM4 (Premium)
Now that you know the winners, check out the other TWS earbuds that were nominated:
Mainstream category (under Rs 5,000)
Realme Buds Air 3
For customers on a low budget, the Realme Buds Air 3—our first nominee—is an obvious choice. It gives a well-rounded experience and hits all the relevant boxes. With its 10mm “Bass Boost” drivers and active noise cancellation, the Buds Air 3 produces sound and offers 5 hours of battery life. A short 10-minute charge-up may give you up to an hour of use while a full charge takes the usage times to 30 hours. It offers a sleek and fashionable design with features including Bluetooth 5.2 connection, app compatibility, two microphones for noise cancellation, and more.
OPPO Enco Buds2
The OPPO Enco Buds2 carry OPPO’s illustrious history as a manufacturer of audio equipment, and despite their affordable pricing, they punch beyond their weight. These include balanced 10mm drivers and passive noise cancellation, which has been improved by the company’s use of AI deep noise cancellation algorithms that mimic binaural hearing to distinguish sounds. These truly wireless earbuds feature quick charging and have a total battery life of up to 28 hours. Enco Buds2 also includes twin microphones, app compatibility, Bluetooth 5.2 connection, and a low-latency gaming mode.
Vivo TWS 2E
Another affordable set of truly wireless earbuds on the market is the Vivo TWS 2E. These are extremely similar to our previous candidates and have Vivo’s DeepX 2.0 Stereo sound effects in addition to 12.2mm Super Strong Bass drivers on either side. These have outstanding battery life, and with the battery in the case, can operate for up to 27 hours on single use. Although they don’t feature Active Noise Cancellation, the audio quality more than makes up for it.
OnePlus Nord Buds
The first set of truly wireless earbuds in the Nord range is the OnePlus Nord Buds. Due to their low pricing, Nord products are often marketed to the general public, and the Nord Buds follow this trend. A pair of 12.4mm titanium drivers that support Dolby Atmos and OnePlus’s acoustic tuning technology power the OnePlus Nord Buds’ powerful sound. The IPX55 rating ensures that these are both water- and dust-resistant. The company’s renowned quick charge support is included with the Nord Buds, which allows for up to 30 hours of music playback and provides 5 hours of battery life after only 10 minutes of charging.
Redmi Buds 3 Lite
The Redmi Buds 3 Lite is the brand’s most cost-effective set of fully wireless earbuds available in the nation. Due to the underwhelming reception, their audio goods have had in the past, Redmi has always been reluctant to introduce audio equipment in the Indian market. The in-ear design of the Buds 3 Lite and their remarkable lightness make them perfect for exercise. With a pair of 6mm drivers on either side that has been fine-tuned by the Xiaomi Audio Lab, they feature a respectable sound character. The Buds 3 Lite also has an IP54 rating, Bluetooth 5.2 connection, ENC, and an 18-hour battery life.
boAt Airdopes 601 ANC
One brand that is impossible to omit from this list is boAt. With the help of the charging case, the boAt Airdopes 601 ANC’s 10mm drivers can provide a satisfying listening experience for up to 5.5 hours. Their playback time is just around 60 minutes after a short 5-minute charge. The boAt Airdopes 601 ANC has IPX4 certification and a lightweight TWS earphone construction. These earbuds support up to 33dB of ANC while a total of 4 microphones improve to boost the calling experience. Other features include Bluetooth 5.2, in-ear detection, ambient mode, instant wake and pair, and a Type C connector.
Premium category (budget no bar)
Sony WF-1000XM4
The Sony WF-1000XM4 truly wireless earbuds are the brand’s most recent model. Compared to the XM3s, the company’s prior model helped break into the market for high-end truly wireless earbuds. These are more comfortable and feature a more compact design. A wide range of features, including cutting-edge adaptive ANC, DSEE Extreme upscaling, Quick Attention, EQ tweaks for a tailored sound, and much more, are available on the Sony WF-1000XM4. The earphones frequently last 7 hours with ANC turned on, and the case adds two to three more charges.
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds are the company’s flagship TWS buds pair on the market. These are known for their pristine sound, excellent design, a multitude of options within the companion app, industry-leading Active Noise cancellation, and reliable battery life.
OPPO Enco X2
For the money, the OPPO Enco product line provides superb audio quality. A successor to the OPPO Enco X, the OPPO Enco X2 improves ANC and audio quality by a margin. With a noise reduction of up to 45 dB, they feature one of the best active noise cancellation systems available in the market. The earbuds offer different noise-cancelling settings and a transparency mode. They come with an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance and offer a total battery life of up to 40 hours with ANC enabled, along with support for wireless charging and fast wired charging.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is the brand’s premium TWS earbuds. One 6.5mm driver on each side and an 11mm woofer unit are included in this setup. Due to Samsung’s ownership of the Harman business, the Buds2 Pro’s drivers have undergone AKG tuning for crystal-clear and accurate sound. There is a long list of features included with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, such as 360-degree audio theatre-style multichannel sound, Dolby Head Tracking support, the Auto Switch feature to quickly switch between Galaxy devices, Active Noise Cancellation, the Voice Detect option, Wireless Charging IPX7 rating, and more.
Apple AirPods Pro
For iPhone owners, Apple’s AirPods Pro is without a doubt the best premium alternative. The long-awaited second generation of AirPods Pro headphones has already been released. These combine the new H1 chip with a low-distortion driver. The findings confirm Apple’s claim that the ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) on the AirPod Pro is twice as effective. The clever new “Adaptive Transparency” function, among other helpful features, helps you better tune into your environment.
Sony LinkBuds
The Sony LinkBuds represent the company’s vision for the next round of truly wireless earphones. These have a unique new appearance thanks to an Open-Ring Design for Ambient Sound. The LinkBuds receive this brand-new Sony-made Integrated V1 Processor, which has balanced high-quality sound, a whopping 17.5 hours of battery life, 360 audio compatibilities, app support, industry-leading Active Noise Cancellation with multiple settings, and much more.
LG Tone Free FP9
The company’s version of a premium set of fully wireless earbuds is the LG Tone Free FP9. These include various first-in-the-industry features, such as the self-cleaning UVnano charging case, which provides a strong argument in favour of them. In addition, the Tone Free FP9 has an IPX4 rating, fast pairing, a pair of standard dynamic drivers tuned by Meridian, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, powerful Active Noise Cancellation with a variety of settings, and a total of 27 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Nothing Ear (stick)
The Nothing Ear (Stick) features a special charging case that twists open in addition to the company’s well-known transparent design language. These boast 12.6mm drivers that are specially designed to deliver deep, distinct highs and dramatic details. Ear (Stick) also includes the most recent iteration of Clear Voice Technology, which cancels out stronger background noises, with three high-definition microphones and new algorithms. On a single charge, the Nothing Ear (Stick) provides up to three hours of talk time and seven hours of listening time. The case provides an additional 22 hours of charge, totalling 29 hours along with fast charging ability.
Vivo TWS Neo
To further improve the listening experience, the Vivo TWS Neo has 14.2mm dynamic drivers with DeepX Stereo Sound effects, aptX Adaptive, and AAC high-definition audio. There is an 88ms low latency mode that is claimed to offer the ‘best gaming experience.’ Additionally, the earphones are an IP54 rating for water resistance and house a battery that promises at least 5.5 hours of battery usage and a total battery life of 22 hours. Other features on the TWS Neo include Bluetooth 5.2, Google Assistant compatibility, and a “Find My TWS Neo” device locator feature.
