Best cheap wireless earbuds vs AirPods: the $99 Soundcore case

I want to be normal about a pair of sub-$100 earbuds and I physically cannot. Picture the usual budget-earbud life: an hour's commute each way with a $19 pair that hisses, works loose on the escalator, and makes everyone on a call sound like they're talking through a fish tank. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the pair I'd point that commuter to — and on paper, and in the measured reviews, it's a genuinely different class of cheap.

The reason is the noise cancelling. RTINGS measured it and says the ANC does a great job of isolating you from the deep rumble of plane engines (RTINGS, Sep 2023) — exactly the low engine roar on a packed train that you stop noticing because you can't do anything about it. That used to cost a full AirPods price; here it costs about a third of one.

First, a moment of silence for the budget-earbud graveyard

Everyone has a drawer of bad cheap earbuds. The gas-station ones. The ones with 40,000 five-star reviews that all somehow say "good for price 👍". The pair that lasts exactly until the first rainy bus stop. It's easy to decide that "cheap earbuds" and "earbuds I don't resent" are two different product categories that will never meet. The Soundcore line is where I'd stop believing that — the measured reviews and the spec sheet put it a clear step above the bargain bin, so you don't have to waste years on $19 pairs.

The pair worth buying: Soundcore Liberty 4 NC

Here's what a normal week with them should look like, going by the spec sheet and the reviews. Morning commute: noise cancelling on, podcast, and the engine rumble is exactly what RTINGS says the ANC handles well. Gym: RTINGS found they stay in place during a moderate run or a bench session, but aren't stable enough for CrossFit or HIIT — so they're a lifting pair more than a burpee pair. Work calls: multipoint means they can stay connected to your phone and laptop at once. Walk home: there's a transparency mode so you can hear a car coming without pulling a bud out. That's the whole pitch — a pair built to cover every part of an ordinary day, which is the highest praise I have for any gadget.

The noise cancelling is the headline and, by the measured reviews, it earns it — not literally AirPods-Pro-level, but RTINGS rates these very good for commuting and travel. (For balance: Tom's Guide was less impressed with the ANC while praising the sound and battery.) RTINGS lists a nine-hour battery per charge, plenty for a week of commutes with the case topping them up. There's an app with a graphic EQ if you're the kind of person who tweaks. And RTINGS calls them lightweight and comfortable for long training sessions — a bar the $19 pairs never clear.

The honest part, because I promised: call quality is fine. RTINGS found your voice on calls comprehensible but bassy and lacking in detail, so expect a windy street corner to sound like a windy street corner. And the app wants to onboard you like it's a new job. Neither of those things would make me want a $19 pair back.

"But are they as good as AirPods?" — okay, let's actually talk

No. And also: for most people, who cares. The AirPods Pro 3 are better — a little cleaner, the noise cancelling is a touch stronger, and if you live inside an iPhone they do magic tricks: instant switching between your phone, iPad and Mac, hands-free Siri, find-my-when-you-lose-one, even hearing-aid and heart-rate stuff now. If that ecosystem is your whole life, they're worth it and you already know it.

But be honest with yourself about what you're paying for. A big chunk of the AirPods premium is the ecosystem glue, not the sound. If you're on Android, or you just want great earbuds without the tax, the Soundcores get you most of the experience for a quarter of the money. I'd rather have the $190 difference. That's not me being cheap — that's me being right.

If you want something in the middle

There's a sensible in-between if the Soundcores feel too budget and AirPods feel too expensive: the Sony WF-C710N. It's roughly half the price of Sony's flagship, still has noise cancelling, and comes with Sony's well-regarded sound tuning. It's the pick if you want a brand-name safety net and a slightly more grown-up sound without going all the way to $250.

If you want to see how these stack against everything else I'd actually recommend, I keep a running shortlist on the best wireless earbuds page, and the whole audio buying guide if you're also eyeing headphones or a speaker. No 200-item lists — just the stuff worth your money.