When it comes to Valentine’s Day tech gift ideas, audio accessories have always worked for me, irrespective of whether I was on the receiving end, or the one shelling out on some shiny new audio equipment. And these days, when most of my time is spent glued to my PC for work and preparing for my exams, wireless earbuds have been a savior. No more tangled wires or fumbling with in-line controls. They are extremely convenient for attending online classes, meetings, or workouts. Convinced yet? Here are the best earbuds for him and her on Valentine’s Day to win the day (and hearts):
The best from Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
The latest from the house of Samsung, the IPX7-rated Galaxy Buds Pro are said to reduce the surrounding noise by up to 99 percent. There is also an ambient mode to let users hear what is happening in their surroundings, the ability to recognize when users are speaking to automatically adjust the sound settings. They have been praised for their sound quality and can last up to 8 hours on a single charge.
Google smarts in earbuds
google pixel buds
Alright. The Google Pixel Buds look fantastic. And those two-tone colors are just an eye-candy. But what they lack in audiophile-grade features, they make up for it with a ton of tricks such as a transcribe mode that translates spoken text into another language via the earbuds and also transcribes it on the phone. They can also detect sounds such as a baby’s cry, the barking of a dog, or an emergency siren. Overall, they offer a good sound, light fit, great controls, and plenty of Google Assistant smarts.
High fashion aesthetics
Microsoft Surface Earbuds
The Microsoft Surface Earbuds look less like a traditional earbud, and more like a high-end fashion accessory. They offer an extremely comfortable and pleasing sound output, but despite missing out on ANC, they add some neat productivity features. The touch controls are best-in-class, and they offer support for screen-free access to Office 365 and Swift Pair with other Surface devices. The Microsoft offering lasts 8 hours on a single charge, while the charging case adds enough juice for an additional 18 hours of usage.
They’re famous for a reason
Apple AirPods Pro
Easily among the best true wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro offer a great mix of impressive sound quality, fantastic noise cancellation and a ton of features tailor-made for Apple's own ecosystem. If you, or your significant other happen to be an iPhone user, the AirPods Pro are a great Valentine's Day gift without an iota of doubt. As for features, you get some cool tricks such as Active Noise Cancellation, a transparency mode, Spatial Audio for offering a 360-degree immersive listening experience, and Adaptive EQ to name a few.
Best for budget shoppers
OnePlus Buds Z
You don’t always have to spend a fortune on a pair of reliable true wireless earbuds, and the OnePlus Buds Z personifies that to perfection. A comfortable in-ear design, clear sound output with a strong bassline, fast charging support, quick pairing, IP55-rated build, and up to 20 hours of battery are what they offer.
Champion of the value arena
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2
Another terrific option if you’re looking to strike the right balance between price and features, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 earbuds have proven to be a loyal companion of mine for a while now. They bring a comfortable in-ear design, cVc 8.0 noise cancellation tech, up to 28 hours of battery life with the charging case, custom EQ settings, one-step pairing, and balanced sound output.
For Audiophiles
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony is known for making some of the best noise-canceling headphones out there, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 simply carry that legacy forwards in the TWS earbuds form factor. They offer an immersive audio experience, fantastic noise cancellation, up to 24 hours of battery life with the charging case, adaptive sound controls and a host of other perks that audiophiles will certainly appreciate.
The Bose Legacy
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Now that we’re talking about the best in class earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Earbuds should definitely be on your shopping list. They offer an impressive sound output with a great ANC mode to go with it. Bose says that its IPX4-certified earbuds offer 11 levels of active noise canceling, up to 18 hours of battery life, and customizable touch controls among other perks.
Looks and substance
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
If you're after earbuds that offer the best in-ear fit and comfort, the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live are simply the best by far. And despite their tiny size, they bring Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to the table. They are claimed to last up to 6 hours with ANC enabled, while the charging case adds another 15 hours of playtime. Plus, they come in some eye-pleasing colors such as Mystic Bronze and Mystic Silver for that added dash of aesthetic flair.
If I were to pick one item from the list, I’d go with the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. They look less like earbuds, and more like a fashionable accessory. Pulling double duty here? Sure, why not! Plus, the bean-shaped Samsung earbuds also offer Active Noise Cancellation, which is great, alongside a host of other cool tricks. And right now, you can score a sweet discount on them as well.
That concluded our best earbuds for him on Valentine’s Day gift guide. Need more Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Check out our Best Tech for him on Valentine’s Day and Best tablets for him and her on Valentine’s Day gift guides for some clarity.