wireless earbud batteries

Earbuds With The Longest Battery Life

Earbuds have transformed the way we listen to music. We no longer need to carry bulky headphones around with us, and the evolution from wired to wireless connectivity has ushered in a new era of portable audio. Ease of use and portability are both driving forces among the rise of earbuds, but weak battery life can often cut listening sessions short and leave you frustrated. That’s why it’s essential to buy earbuds with long-lasting batteries that can keep the tunes playing for hours on end.

So, what is considered a long-lasting battery? Can you trust manufacturer estimates? And what models of earbuds have the longest battery life? These are all important questions that we’ll answer in this article.

How Charging Cases Impact Your Battery Life

Before we look at which models perform the best, it’s important to understand that there are two types of battery life referred to with most wireless earbuds. There’s the amount of time the earbuds hold a full charge and then there’s the amount of playtime offered by the earbuds and the charging case (also known as a charging dock or charging station). 

These charging docks are essentially power banks that allow earbuds to be charged without the need for an additional power source. This is useful for traveling or for outdoor adventures where you may not have another power source to charge them. 

The caveat with these charging cases, however, is that you can’t use your earbuds while they are charging, raising questions about their usefulness. Regardless of their limitations, charging stations can come in clutch when you are away from home and need to recharge your earbuds.

The Average Battery Life of Modern Earbuds

Modern wireless earbuds have much longer battery life than early models, with many new releases able to provide over 8 hours of playtime from a single charge or more than 30 hours including the charging case. The info below gives an understanding of what kind of battery life is considered mediocre and which is considered excellent, as well as how the battery life of wireless earbuds has evolved.

Single Charge

Sub-par: Less than 3 hours 
Average: 4-6 hours
Excellent: 7-10 hours

With Charging Case 

Sub-par: Less than 15 hours total
Average: 15-25 hours total
Excellent: 25+ hours total

Earbuds With The Longest Battery Life

There are currently dozens of earbuds that provide more than 30 hours, and countless more that claim to. But sound quality, noise-canceling, additional features, and comfort all play a role in creating a quality pair of earbuds. These earbuds all offer impressive battery performance without sacrificing other important features.

* The battery life estimates may differ from the manufacturer’s advertising, and better represent what customers will experience.

High-End Pick

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

RRSP: $239

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is a premium earbud with excellent sound quality, plenty of features, and a long-lasting battery. The earbuds provide around 7 hours of playtime, while the charging station provides an additional 3 charges for a total playtime of up to 28 hours. Earbud charging time is between 50 and 60 minutes.

Mid-Tier Pick

JBL Tune Buds

RRSP: $99

Widely considered the best value for money, the JBL Tune Buds offers high-quality sound, comfortable fit, and outstanding battery performance. The earbuds provide over 10 hours of playtime, and the charging case gives an additional 3 charges for a total of over 40 hours of playtime! They take just 50 minutes to recharge.

Mid-Tier Pick

Sony WF-1000XM4

RRSP: $85

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is renowned for its noise cancellation, but its battery performance is just as impressive. They exceed manufacturer claims and provide over 10 hours of playtime on a single charge. The charging dock can charge them an additional 2 times for a total playtime of just over 30 hours. The charging time is close to 85 minutes.

Budget Pick

Soundcore P40i

RRSP: $69

The Anker Soundcore P40i punches above its weight, producing high-quality sound and featuring IPX5 water resistance. They have outstanding battery performance with close to 10 hours of playtime and a charging station that gives another 4 recharges for a total of nearly 50 hours! They are also fast-charging with a charge time of around 45 minutes.

How The Battery Life of Earbuds Evolved

Modern earbuds are impressive, to say the least, they offer much higher sound quality than earlier models, facilitated by the evolution of Bluetooth codecs. Battery performance also saw a consistent increase over time, with there never being a better time than the present to enjoy long listening sessions and not having to worry about recharging. Here’s how things have changed over the years.

2010-2013: Early Adoption, Short Battery Life

  • Single Charge: Typically less than 2 hours
  • With Charging Case: Around 5-7 hours total

2014-2016: Improved Battery and Form Factor

  • Single Charge: 3-4 hours
  • With Charging Case: 10-15 hours total

2017-2020: Mainstream Adoption, Longer Battery Life

  • Single Charge: 4-6 hours
  • With Charging Case: 15-20 hours total

2021-2024: Premium Features, Extended Battery Life

  • Single Charge: 6-8 hours (or more)
  • With Charging Case: 20+ hours total

What Influences Battery Performance?

A common misconception is that earbuds have the same battery life each time you use them, but that’s not the case. How you listen to music and the types of features you have active will directly correlate to your battery life. 

Features like active noise cancelation can have a noticeable impact on battery life. Other similar features like transparency mode can have the same impact. Even the Bluetooth version being used by the earbud will impact its battery life, with modern Bluetooth versions supporting more efficient codecs that allow earbuds to play music at the same volume while using less battery.

Volume is another major contributor to the amount of playtime you’re going to get from your earbuds. Most of us understand the appeal of loud volume, but toning it down a bit can directly influence how much playtime you’re going to get.

Real World Results vs. Manufacturer Estimates

Battery life is usually noted in the specifications by the manufacturer and can vary in how they’re determined. For example, some may have their battery life rated with all features disabled, while others may take common features into account when providing their estimate.

Similarly, the volume levels used during testing can vary. Some manufacturers may provide a battery estimate at 30% while others may calculate theirs at higher volume levels of around 50%. It’s not always going to be possible to see what level the earbuds were tested at, but take a look at the spec sheet for more guidance.

The lack of standardized testing for battery performance is a point of contention, and understandably so. It allows manufacturers to portray earbuds as being better-performing than they are, potentially overselling the value of a product.

Take manufacturer estimates with a grain of salt, and rather trust third-party publishers who have tested or otherwise verified the battery performance of each model. In most cases, the manufacturers will over-estimate slightly, typically by around 10-20%, however, some brands have garnered respect for the accuracy of their estimates.

Charging Times

Battery performance isn’t just about how long each charge lasts, but also about how long the charging process takes. Earbuds with fast charging can quickly be brought back up to full capacity. This is especially useful with charging cases, which can get you listening to your music again in no time. Some models can even reach 50% capacity in under 30 minutes of charging.

Earbud Charging Times

Sub-par: Over 90 minutes
Average: 60-90 minutes
Excellent: 45 minutes or less

Charging Station Recharge Times

Entry-Level Models (300 mAh – 500 mAh): 1 to 1.5 Hours
Mid-Range Models (500 mAh – 700 mAh): 1.5 to 2 Hours
High-End Models (700mAh – 800+ mAh): 2 to 3 Hours

Keep in mind that it’s not only the earbuds that need recharging. The charging station will also need to be recharged once depleted. These charging stations have much bigger batteries than the earbuds, meaning they take longer to charge. The exact time it takes to charge will depend on its capacity, with modern earbud charging stations typically ranging from 300 mAh to 800 mAh. The higher the number, the longer it will take for the charging station to recharge. Inversely, the benefit of a higher mAh charging station is that it will give you more earbud recharges before needing to be recharged.

Tips For Making Your Earbuds Battery Last Longer

Do you find yourself frequently running out of battery life? Then it may be time for a new pair of earbuds. The reality is that rechargeable batteries gradually degrade over time and there’s little we can do to stop it, however, there are some best practices to reduce the rate at which this occurs. Follow these tips for longer-lasting battery life, in the short and long term.

Short Term

  • Fully Charge The Batteries: Ensure the batteries are fully charged before use, and if you’re going to be away from power sources for a few days, fully charge your station too.
  • Disable Features When Not Needed: If you have your ANC on but don’t need it, turning it off will help slow down the battery drain.
  • Reduce Volume Levels: Lowering your volume levels is an effective way of retaining battery life.
  • Auto-Power Off: If your earbuds have an auto power-off feature, activating it can help reduce battery use when the earbuds aren’t in use.

Long Term

  • Avoid Extreme Temperatures: Prevent your earbuds from getting too hot or too cold.
  • Don’t Overcharge: Avoid overcharging 
  • Avoid Deep Discharges: Try to recharge your earbuds before they drop to below 20%.
  • Store Properly: When not in use, store your earbuds in a cool, dry place.
  • Calibrate Occasionally: Occasionally, you can calibrate your earbuds’ battery by fully discharging them and then fully charging them. This can help maintain accurate battery level readings.

Conclusion

Earbuds have evolved rapidly over the last decade and the models currently on the market offer exponentially more battery life than early releases. Still, the exact amount of playtime differs between models and how they’re used. When buying a pair of wireless earbuds to provide long-lasting battery life, it’s important to buy models that have accurate playtime estimates.

Avatar photo
Written by
Bryn De Kocks

Bryn De Kocks is the lead editor for Audiostance, as well as one of our trusted reviewers. He has more than 15 years of experience in online publication and stands firm in being transparent with both the benefits and drawbacks of the products he reviews. Outside of editorial work, Bryn has been an avid online gamer and casual digital music producer since his teenage years, bringing his understanding of audio and especially headphones to the table. His daily driver is a humble pair of Fidelio X2HRs powered by a Fiio E10K. In his spare time he enjoys nature photography.

View all articles
Leave a reply