HWith the average sound-canceling headphones now selling for hundreds a pop, it's a challenge finding quality sound that's not super expensive. On our team, most of us always have headphones in, on, or around our ears, listening for the best sound money can buy. We've tried a bunch of products to find the best budget alternative to the BeatsX headphones for you.
Bang for Buck
The Anker SoundBuds Slim can offer you about 99% of what the BeatsX do, and they cost less than half of what you'd spend on the BeatsX. Of course, the sound is super important in any pair of headphones, and Anker delivers. The 6mm drivers deliver a very clear, crisp sound that's very well-rounded and not at all bass-heavy. Passive sound isolation isn't bad, so you can actually hear and enjoy your tunes and not just the sound of the world outside.
Best battery life
With slightly better battery life than the Anker SoundBuds Slim, the Aukey Latitude isn't a bad choice either; however, their sweat resistance is lower (only IPX4), and the sound quality is slightly lower too. With that being said, the extra hour of battery life Aukey Latitude offers can be a lifesaver for people who wear their headphones all day. Plus, with inline controls and lots of extras included ear tips, Aukey offers up a compelling package for a good price.
Best wired option
These earbuds from Marshall also come with a universal one-button inline remote that makes it easy to pause and play your music on the go and a shirt clip to keep the cord from bouncing around as you walk. What you're sacrificing in wireless technology, you're gaining in sound. The 9mm drivers in the Marshall Mode are fantastic at producing clear and crisp highs, as well as smooth low-end sound.
Best look
For a truly wireless experience, these Firefly Earbuds from Jabees are small and comfortable to wear. They are also some of the coolest-looking earbuds we've seen. They have a crystal clear casing that reveals all of the little mechanics that go on inside the headphones. They come with a compact charging case and excellent sound quality.
Best noise cancellation
Designed with noise cancellation and voice isolation as a priority, these truly wireless earbuds will block out the outside world for a clear, pure sound experience. These are also useful for making phonecalls in noisy environments, allowing both you and your phonecall recipient to hear eachother clearly despite background noise. To boot, TaoTronics promises up to 30H of playtime when used with the included charging case.
Affordable Sound
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As you can see, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to find good headphones that will provide a similar sound quality to the BeatsX. If you're looking for a great budget pair of wireless earbuds, the Anker SoundBuds Slim offer a fantastic package for a fraction of the price of BeatsX. Out of all the headphones we tried, these were our favorite for sound quality and added features.
If you prefer a truly wireless experience instead, look into the Jabees Firefly for its comfortable fit and very cool look. These are small, compact, and well-designed. Whatever you choose, any one of these headphones will prove to be a great alternative to the BeatsX, and they'll save you some cash.
