True Wireless (TWS) headphones are becoming more and more popular. It is the largest and fastest-growing segment of the headphone market. The prices start at under 50 dollars and end with premium models and prices that exceed 400$. We will advise you on how to choose the right wireless headphones.
Before getting into the different sections of the article, first we will share some questions which you might ask yourself when you want to buy wireless headphone. If you have decided to buy true wireless headphones, carefully consider:
- How much do you want to spend on headphones?
- What will you use them for, and what do you want from them?
- Are you going to be on the go with the headphones? Will you need a lot of endurance?
- Are they your only headphones, or are they just a supplement to others?
- Do you care about call quality, though, right? Are they primarily for music?
- Do you only have them to go to school or work, or will you play sports with them?
True Wireless headphones come in many varieties, and it’s not always possible to find the perfect headphones for every situation. Sometimes it’s even better to buy two more affordable models instead of one very expensive one: for instance, a larger, robust pair of headphones for sports and a small, sleek pair with active noise cancellation for around town.
Determining your requirements will help choose from a huge range of headphones that will not disappoint you.
The battery life is crucial in fully wireless headphones. It cannot be influenced by anything other than your choice when buying them. The manufacturers usually do not specify the battery capacity but rather the battery life in hours. In the case of TWS headphones, battery life is given on a single charge; add the hours provided by the rechargeable sleeve. Example: 7 h + 21 h = 28 hours total.
When battery life is mentioned, it is mostly about music playback. The battery life usually drops further for phone calls; some manufacturers also specify this time. But be careful with headphones with ANC, where some state the battery life without active noise cancellation. Thus, it will be a bit shorter as well.
Typically battery life on a single charge (i.e. without case):
- Up to 4 hours: This is a basic requirement, but you better avoid such headphones since you will only work with them for two hours.
- 4 to 8 hours: An adequate standard for normal use
- 8 to 20 hours: For those who want to keep the headphones in their ears all the time
Also, this case has a built-in rechargeable battery that charges the headphones when they are used. The headphones can be fully charged once and ten times in others. However, the more charges possible, the larger and bulkier the case. Casings are always charged with a cable, today mostly with USB-C; some models also offer wireless charging.
The ideal pair of TWS headphones should have a battery life of at least 4-5 hours and have a case that allows the device to be fully charged at least three times. Long working hours (7 hours or more) are advantageous for those who travel a lot. This is because, during normal use in the city, the headphones are kept in the bag during the day, and then you have to constantly recharge them until they are full again.
And even for headphones with a long battery life of over 10 hours, the real value is one or two hours less or even more. It depends, among other things, on the volume of reproduction. Also, batteries in headphones are not replaceable, so battery life has decreased over the years. Particularly in cheap models, the decrease can be surprisingly fast.