10 Best Earbuds for Phone Calls

The Moondrop Chu is an earbud that is well-suited for listening to music with a very good overall sound quality and comes at a budget price. It has a closed enclosure with a wired connection and a dynamic driver, although it lacks wireless capabilities. These earbuds excel in call and meeting quality, as well as gaming, providing very good microphone quality and sound. They are not optimized for exercise due to their poor score in that regard and do not offer features like active noise cancelling, sweatproof or dustproof certification, which might be important for some users. Comfort is rated as good, but built-in controls score poorly, so if you prefer earbuds with easy access to controls, you may need to consider other options. Moondrop Chu is quite portable with a large earbud size, and they come with cable ear hooks for a more secure fit but do not support wireless charging. They might be a good fit for users who prioritize sound and microphone quality over wireless convenience and who are not using them in very active scenarios.

The Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds are a midrange-priced option designed for active users, excelling in comfort, durability, and with a secure fit thanks to silicone fins, making them ideal for exercise. Their very good build quality, sweatproof and dustproof certification, and active noise canceling make them versatile for various environments, including air travel. While their sound quality is rated as very good overall, they may not be the best for gaming or TV due to poor scores in those categories. These earbuds also offer convenience features such as an app equalizer and controls customization, ear detection, 6 hours of battery life with 24 additional hours from the case, and wireless charging.

The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) earbuds are a midrange priced, closed enclosure option with a stemmed form factor. They boast a very good overall sound quality, comfort, and build quality, which makes them suitable for listening to music, and they have features like active noise cancelling, making them excellent for air travel and portability. Their low latency mode is ideal for gaming and watching TV, and they're sweatproof and dustproof, appropriate for exercise. With a dynamic driver and support for AAC and LHDC codecs, they deliver high-fidelity audio. They're optimized for both Android and Apple devices and offer around 6.7 hours of battery life, extendable to 30 hours with the charging case, which also supports wireless charging. They come with an integrated microphone but do not feature virtual surround sound. Their app allows for equalizer settings and controls customization. If you want versatile, durable earbuds with active noise canceling and low latency, these could be a good option, unless you're specifically looking for features like virtual surround sound.

The Sony WF1000XM3 earbuds offer a midrange price and are known for their excellent noise cancellation and sound quality, making them ideal for immersive music listening in noisy environments. They're stemless with a closed design, provide good comfort, and support Sony's 360 Reality Audio for an enhanced experience with compatible apps. They also boast very good battery life with up to 24 hours of total playtime including the charging case. However, they may not be the best choice for watching TV or gaming due to their poor latency performance. If you need a good microphone for calls, note that these earbuds offer fair call quality.

The Creative Labs Outlier Pro earbuds offer an overall good sound quality with particularly strong performance for calls and meetings, which is complemented by a very good microphone quality. They are also designed to be comfortable for extended periods and come with a robust build quality and excellent built-in controls. These earbuds are excellent for book and podcast listening as well as use during exercise and air travel. If you engage in gaming or watch a lot of TV and video, these may not be optimal due to their poorer scores in these areas. They feature active noise cancelling and are sweatproof, but they do not support lossless codecs for audiophile-grade sound. The earbuds are somewhat large but offer portability and a fair amount of noise isolation. They come with a convenient wireless charging case that can provide up to 10 hours of typical use, with a total battery life including the case being 45 hours.

The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is an earbud with a stemmed form and an open enclosure that's designed to be wireless. With a sound quality that's considered very good, they also have a specially noted microphone quality, making them ideal for calls and meetings. They offer customization through an app and support low latency mode, which is useful for gaming and video. The Ear Stick is sweatproof, dustproof, and offers a comfortable fit, but note that they are not recommended for use during exercise or for air travel as they're not the best at noise isolation. They're optimally designed to work with both Android and Apple devices, featuring ear detection and providing up to 5 hours of battery life plus an additional 22 hours with the case, which does not support wireless charging. Their compact size and light weight make them portable, though not as suitable for noisy environments. If you're looking for earbuds suited for everyday use with a focus on call clarity and good build quality, these might be a fit, but they wouldn't be the best choice for users who need strong noise cancellation or require a secure fit for intensive workouts.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are a midrange priced, stemless earbud option that offer features such as active noise cancelling, wireless charging, and an integrated microphone, making them suitable for calls and meetings. They are optimized for Android, though they also work with Apple devices, and have an app that allows equalizer, controls customization, and audio controls. With very good overall sound quality, they're great for music listening, and their excellent portability and good comfort make them convenient for use during exercise or air travel. However, their microphone quality is only fair, which might be a consideration for frequent call users. These earbuds are sweatproof but not dustproof, and offer 4.8 hours of battery life with an additional 12 hours provided by the case. They're suitable for gaming and watching TV due to their low latency, but might not be the best option if microphone quality is a priority.

The JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless earbuds are a budget-friendly choice with strong characteristics in certain areas. They're especially suitable for calls and meetings thanks to excellent microphone quality, and they're also well-built with reliable controls. They offer good portability and are sweatproof and dustproof, which makes them well-suited for exercise. However, they're not the best option for a rich sound experience while listening to music or for an immersive TV and gaming experience due to a low soundstage/imaging score. Although they're fairly comfortable, they may not be the best for long listening sessions, and they lack active noise cancelling. They're serviceable for casual book or podcast listening and have a fair noise isolation capability. These earbuds come equipped with app equalizer and app controls customization options, which could enhance their usability. They also have a decent battery life but do not support wireless charging.

Apple's Earpods are a budget-friendly earbud option known for their open enclosure design, which means they don't create a seal in your ear and allow you to remain aware of your surroundings. They're comfortable and provide good overall sound quality, with very good mic quality making them suitable for calls and meetings. Despite being wired with a 1.14-meter cable and not having wireless capabilities, they are highly portable. Suitable for general music listening, their open design is not ideal for use during exercise or air travel due to poor noise isolation. They lack features like sweatproofing, active noise cancelling, and app-based customization. However, they are optimized for Apple devices and are durable for everyday use. If you're looking for an affordable and reliable wired option mainly for use in quiet environments or for calls, the Earpods could serve you well.

The Beats Studiobuds are a midrange-priced, closed-enclosure, stemless earbud design, comfortable for long listening sessions, with very good build quality and controls. They provide very good overall sound quality for music, but may not be the best for gaming and watching TV due to sound latency. Their noise isolation is fair and they feature active noise cancelling, making them suitable for air travel and noisy environments. They are also sweatproof, making them a good option for exercise. With the AAC codec support, they're optimized for Apple devices though they work with Android as well. They offer up to 6 hours of battery life, augmented by an additional 24 hours from the charging case, but do lack wireless charging. Additionally, they have an integrated microphone with decent quality for calls and meetings, and feature customizable controls through an app.