Technologies
Best New Wireless Earbuds of 2025
I review dozens of true-wireless earbuds each year. These are my current favorites among all the new earbuds released in 2025 so far.
Throughout the year I review a variety of wireless earbuds and put together plenty of best lists for both earbuds and headphones, including best wireless earbuds overall, best workout earbuds and headphones, best open earbuds, best cheap earbuds and best earbuds for making calls. And while many of the models on those lists have been released in the last couple of years, some folks want to know what the best buds are among those released this calendar year (that means that in order to qualify for this list, the buds had to make their debut in 2025). Here are my current favorites, all of which I’ve fully tested. I’ll add more buds to the list as new models are released in 2025.
HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK
-
$110 (save $20)
-
$299 (save $101)
-
$799 (save $200)
Top-sounding earbuds from Panasonic
Pros
- Excellent sound
- 10% smaller and 16% lighter than the AZ80s (better fit)
- Improved noise-canceling and voice-calling performance
- Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking
- Good battery life
- Triple multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Cons
- Despite smaller size, buds still stick out of your ears more than some buds
Panasonic’s premium Technics EAH-AZ80 true-wireless earbuds came out in 2023 and made our list of best-sounding wireless earbuds. Now Panasonic has released a new set of flagship earbuds, the EAH-AZ100, which feature a more compact design along with improved sound quality, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. One of the key upgrades here is Panasonic’s newly developed proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver that it says creates «clean, high-resolution, low-vibration and low-distortion sounds for the most authentic, balanced audio that’s true to the original source.» According to Panasonic, the «magnetic fluid» is an oil-type liquid filled with magnetic particles that is «injected into the space between the driver magnet and voice coil that enables low-distortion playback.» This type of driver is found in Technics high-end EAH-TZ700 wired in-ear monitors ($1,200), and it’s been miniaturized for use in the AZ100s, which do indeed sound great, offering satisfying clarity, bass definition and openness.
Like all great sounding headphones, the AZ100s come across as natural and accurate and bring out those little details and nuances in tracks that are missing when you’re listening to lesser headphones are earbuds. As for features, the AZ80s allowed you to connect to 3 devices simultaneously and the AZ100s retain this triple multipoint Bluetooth pairing option. The AZ100s add Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking, a nice bonus that you’d expect in a pair of $300 earbuds.
Designed to fit more ears comfortably, Panasonic says the Technics AZ100s are 10% smaller and 16% lighter than the AZ80s. A fifth medium-large ear tip has also been added to ensure more users get a tight seal, which is crucial to optimizing sound quality and noise-canceling performance.
Battery life was one of the strong points of the AZ80s and the AZ100s also appear to have very good battery life. They’re rated for up to 10 hours with noise-canceling on at moderate volume levels using the AAC audio codec. If you use the LDAC audio codec that’s available with many Android devices, battery life is reduced to up to 7 hours with noise canceling on. After testing the buds for a few weeks (and updating the firmware once), I also thought the noise-canceling and voice-calling were both improved from what I experienced with the AZ80s.
Best-sounding noise-canceling earbuds under $100
Pros
- Affordable
- Impressive sound for the price
- Comfortable, secure fit
- Decent noise canceling
- Good battery life
Cons
- Charging case is bulky
Skullcandy hyped its new Method 360 ANC earbuds (read full review) as «the boldest audio product of 2025, featuring a partnership you didn’t see coming.» Whether the Method 360 ANC earbuds are the boldest audio product of the year is debatable, but I was certainly surprised to learn that Skullcandy had joined forces with Bose to create what’s essentially the budget version of Bose’s $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Not only do the Method 360 ANC buds sound better than most earbuds in this price class (they sound very similar to Bose’s $170 QuietComfort Earbuds), they also fit comfortably and securely. While they share many of the traits of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, they’re lighter and lack the more premium finish of those pricey buds. Also, their noise canceling isn’t up to the QC Ultra’s very high ANC standard. But it’s still effective and better than the noise canceling I experienced with the previous Skullcandy earbuds I tested.
The Method 360 ANC’s only potential major drawback is the rather large carrying case. Some people won’t mind that it’s bulky, but others might.
Best new open earbuds with ear hooks
Pros
- Lightweight design at 0.02 pounds with comfortable ear hooks made of flexible nickel-titanium alloy and Ultra-Soft Silicone
- Impressive sound for open earbuds with larger 21x11mm driver equipped with DirectPitch 2.0 and OpenBass 2.0 technology
- Improved battery life (11 hours) and quick-charge technology for two hours of listening time on a 10-minute charge
- Both physical buttons and touch control for ease of use while running or working out
Cons
- Somewhat pricey
- Charging case is not dust- or water-resistant
Shokz has released the second-gen OpenFit 2 with a slightly upgraded design, upgraded drivers that noticeably improve the sound quality, better battery life and a new physical control button. The changes don’t seem huge on the surface, but the improvements are significant. They fit my ears more comfortably than the originals and have superior sound quality with more bass and better clarity. They sound excellent for open earbuds, at least in quieter environments.
Best new wireless sports earbuds with ear hooks
Pros
- Improved design with smaller case, ergonomic ear hook and lighter weight
- Equipped with Apple’s more powerful H2 chip
- Good noise canceling with a tight seal
- Excellent voice-calling performance with new microphones and voice accelerometers to help pinpoint your voice
- Heart-rate sensors
Cons
- Some users may not get a tight seal
- A few features missing from AirPods Pro 2
- More basic Find My feature (no Precision Finding)
It’s been almost six years since the Powerbeats Pro were released in May 2019, so Beats has had a lot of time to plot how to improve the second generation of its popular ear-hook style true-wireless sport earbuds. And improve they have — by quite a bit. Not only do they feature a new, more refined design with better ergonomics, but new drivers, a more powerful Apple H2 chip, a new built-in heart-rate sensor and, yes, active noise canceling for the first time in a pair of Powerbeats. (Read our full Powerbeats Pro 2 review).
There are a lof of new premium earbuds with built-in ear hooks, though the majority of them, like Shokz OpenFit 2, have an open design with no ear tips, which some people prefer. I like the Shokz and some of those other open earbuds, but if you’re looking for ear-hook style earbuds with noise canceling and superior sound quality, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the best right now.
New Sony entry-level noise canceling earbuds
Pros
- Improved noise-canceling and battery life
- Refreshed design
- Good sound
- New ear-detection sensors and upgraded voice-calling performance
- Touch controls work well
Cons
- Sound could be a tad more detailed and smooth
Not surprisingly, the next-generation of Sony’s entry-noise canceling earbuds now feature better noise canceling (with dual microphones). They also get a few other enhancements, including ear-detection sensors and upgraded voice-calling performance along with slightly better battery life and a style makeover, as these buds now come in an eye-catching translucent «glass» blue color that I liked a lot.
The successor to the WF-C700N, the WF-C710N is a definite upgrade and delivers pleasing, dynamic sound with deep, punchy bass. I initially thought the earbuds were lacking a bit in the clarity department but when I prioritized sound quality in the settings and engaged Sony’s DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) in Sony’s companion SoundConnect app, the sound improved. That said, you’re just not going to get the more refined and accurate sound of Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds, which sound smoother and more articulate (with some tracks I encountered a touch of distortion). The sound isn’t quite as good as the more expensive LinkBuds Fit, which I like a little better because those buds are smaller and include sport fins (however, that model’s battery life is only 5.5 hours).
Battery life is rated for up to 8.5 hours on single charge with noise canceling on and audio played at moderate volume levels, though that number will dip if you engage DSEE. With the improvements, the CF-C710N are overall appealing earbuds but they’d be easier to enthusiastically recommend if they cost $99. Hopefully we’ll see them hit that price later this year as their predecessor, the WF-C700N, is on sale now for $75.
Best-sounding earbuds from Edifier
Pros
- Excellent sound with improved bass performance
- Improved noise canceling
- Comfortable fit
- Decent voice-calling performance
- Support for a variety of audio codecs
Cons
- Pricey
- Small percentage of users may not be able to get a tight seal from the included ear tips
In 2024, Edifier released a set of earbuds, the Spirit S10, from its audiophile brand Stax that featured low-distortion planar magnetic drivers (planar magnetic drivers have only recently started appearing in true-wireless earbuds). The Stax’s buds sound was a little too neutral for some folks, including me, and the noise canceling wasn’t quite strong enough. But both the sound and noise-canceling have improved with Edifier’s similarly styled new-for-2025 NeoBuds Planar. While they retain the clean, clear sound of the Stax buds, they serve up more bass and sound more alive and dynamic than the Spirit S10s. They also have more effective noise canceling, plus good voice-calling performance.
Along with those planar magnetic drivers, the NeoBuds Planar are powered by a Qualcomm chipset that supports all audio codecs in the Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound suite, including aptX Audio, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, plus HD codecs like LDAC and LHDC 5.0 (most Android smartphones support LDAC). Additionally, the more universally supported AAC codec is on board, and you can tweak EQ settings via Edifier’s ConneX app.
While I used these buds with both an iPhone and a few Android smartphones, I think these are slightly better suited for use with Android devices, particularly those certified with Snapdragon Sound. As you’d expect from earbuds that cost this much, the NeoBuds Planar are equipped with ear-detection sensors and wireless charging. Battery life is pretty average (up to around 5 hours with noise canceling on), and they’re IPX55 splash-proof and dust-resistant. 7 different ear tips are included to help ensure you get a tight seal, which is crucial to getting optimal sound quality.
Technologies
Motorola’s New 2025 Razr Line Gets a High-End $1,300 Ultra Phone
Technologies
Motorola’s $1,300 Razr Ultra Adds Luxury to the 2025 Foldable Phone Line
The new three-tier Razr series comes with Motorola’s biggest AI push yet. One of the flip phones even has a wooden back like the old Moto X from a decade ago.

Motorola’s hoping that good things can come in threes for its newly announced Razr 2025 line. Specifically, there are three Razr models, with a $1,300 Ultra edition debuting alongside updated versions of the base $700 Razr and the $1,000 Razr Plus.
I spent a little time with the new Motorola Razr phones, and it was hard to notice their differences side by side. The design tweaks and spec changes between the three are slight. I found it easy to mix up the Plus and Ultra models when they’re folded shut, as they both have a 4-inch cover screen. The base Razr uses a 3.6-inch cover display adorned with a colorful bezel. Unfolded, all three phones look tall because each has an interior screen with a narrow aspect ratio compared to a regular smartphone. The Ultra folds out to an expansive 7-inch display, while the Razr and Razr Plus have slightly smaller 6.9-inch screens.
Motorola’s also using the new Razr line to showcase Moto AI and fashionable materials like Alcantara fabric. The new lineup marks Motorola’s largest push into AI — cleverly named Moto AI. Motorola has partnerships with Perplexity, Meta’s Llama AI, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini.
It’s quite an aggressive push to expand both Motorola’s Razr line and its AI ambitions, but it makes a lot of sense since Apple, Google and Samsung have also expanded their AI plans while releasing flagship phones at different prices. During a press preview event, Motorola noted that 25% of its Razr customers upgraded from an iPhone. Having a third higher-end Razr option should appeal stronger to customers abandoning the iPhone Pro Max. The Razr Ultra could also tempt someone considering the $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. While AI features still aren’t the main appeal for customers, the expanded suite of Moto AI tools makes this year’s Razrs more competitive against Apple and Samsung’s AI offerings.
However, the 2025 Motorola Razr line has a noticeable disadvantage against competing foldable phones: they will receive only three years of major software upgrades and four years of security updates. Compared with Google and Samsung’s seven-year commitment to both, it’s about half as long. But with that expectation set, there are a lot of unique design elements to the new Razr line that make it stand out from other phone makers. And that’s worth keeping in mind too.
Motorola’s new Razr line will go on preorder May 7 ahead of a May 15 release date.
Motorola Razr Ultra
The Motorola Razr Ultra is the newest and most powerful member of the family. It has the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip found in other flagship phones like the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. It also has a wood back option — known as Pantone Mountain Trail. The Razr Ultra is the first Motorola phone to get a wooden back since the Moto X line from a decade ago.
My favorite model, though, is the Pantone Scarab, which is made from velvety black Alcantara fabric — think faux suede or micro suede. The Ultra also comes in magenta-like Pantone Cabaret and Pantone Rio Red.
The phone supports 68-watt wired charging, which is faster than most other flagships, and 30-watt wireless charging. The Ultra also has three 50-megapixel cameras, with a wide and ultrawide lenses on the back and the selfie camera on the interior display.
That 7-inch interior display looks tall and could be a two-handed device for many people when unfolded. The Ultra model I tested did not have an internet connection, but I could easily see how the wider space would be useful for gaming and movie-watching.
On the other hand, the 4-inch cover display feels just right for quick texts and photography. I almost want this smaller display to be a hair taller, as its wider ratio makes it more challenging for viewing content. Both displays have an adaptive refresh rate of up to 165Hz, which makes animations, gameplay play and scrolling social feeds look ridiculously smooth.
The Ultra also has 16GB of memory and comes with either 512GB or 1TB of storage.
Motorola Razr Plus (2025)
Motorola’s Razr Plus gets a smaller revamp compared with last year’s model, and it has many of the same specs from the 2024 version (which earned it a CNET Editor’s Choice award). It has the same Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 processor, 6.9-inch interior screen, 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Cameras are also similar. There’s a 50-megapixel wide camera and a 50-megapixel telephoto on the cover display and a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the interior screen.
The Razr Plus gets a few new hardware enhancements that are coming to all three phones. It has a new titanium-reinforced hinge that Motorola says will help its extend its lifespan: 35% more folds than last year’s model. The Razr Plus has IP48 protection for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. This makes the phone, along with the other 2025 Razr models, one of the only foldables that has some level of dust resistance.
The Plus is available in three colors: Pantone Mocha Mousse, Midnight Blue and Hot Pink.
Motorola Razr (2025)
Motorola’s standard Razr also got a small spec bump compared with last year’s standard Razr. It does move up to MediaTek’s Dimensity 7400X processor, which is slightly newer than the 7300 included in the 2024 model. It also keeps the 3.6-inch 90Hz cover display and the 6.9-inch 120Hz interior screen.
Cameras are also largely similar: a 50-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide on the cover screen and a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the interior display.
The Razr (2025) comes in four Pantone-branded colors: Spring Bud (green), Gibraltar Sea Blue, Parfait Pink and Lightest Sky (white).
Moto AI
Moto AI debuted last year on the 2024 Razr and Razr Plus. Motorola will partner with several AI companies to significantly upgrade Moto AI in 2025. Moto AI features can be activated with a dedicated button or by looking and speaking directly at the phone.
Motorola says that Moto AI, along with integrated services like Perplexity, Copilot and Gemin, will complement each other. For instance, Perplexity can help with research-based tasks like vacation planning and will partly power Moto AI’s Next Move feature that offers suggestions based on what’s happening on your screen. Llama AI can summarize notifications for Moto’s Catch Me Up. Moto’s Pay Attention and Remember This are meant to help organize notes, audio transcriptions, contextual photos and screenshots. Other general queries can be fielded by either Copilot or Gemini.
Motorola’s own AI will also pitch in for a variety of photography enhancement features. These include Signature Style for customizing the look of your photos as well as a Group Shot feature that can merge multiple photos together to ensure one where no one is blinking.
Motorola’s earbuds get crystals and Bose
Motorola’s fashion-forward ambitions didn’t stop at just the Pantone-colored Razr line. The company also unveiled the Moto Buds Loop open-style earbuds, which include Swarovski crystals along with a Sound by Bose badge. Pricing and availability weren’t announced yet, but the earbuds look like small earrings and hook across the ear. Motorola says that the open style lets in ambient noise (which can be good for staying alert in public places). The buds have a dual-microphone system and AI for voice calls and reducing background noise.
Motorola Razr (2025) specs vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2025), Motorola Razr Ultra
Motorola Razr (2025) | Motorola Razr Plus (2025) | Motorola Razr Ultra | |
---|---|---|---|
Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 3.6-inch pOLED; up to 90Hz variable refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED; 1,272 x 1,080 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate |
Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 6.9-inch AMOLED; FHD+; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate | 6.9-inch pOLED; FHD+; 2,640 x 1,080 pixels; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 7-inch AMOLED; up to 165Hz variable refresh rate |
Pixel density | Cover: 413 ppi; Internal: 413 ppi | Cover: 417 ppi; Internal: 413 ppi | Cover: 417 ppi; 464 ppi |
Dimensions (inches) | Open: 2.91 x 6.74 x 0.29 inches Closed: 2.91 x 3.47 x 0.62 inches | Open: 2.91 x 6.75 x 0.28 inches Closed: 2.91 x 3.47 x 0.6 inches | Open: 2.91 x 6.75 x 0.28 inches Closed: 2.91 x 3.47 x 0.62 inches |
Dimensions (millimeters) | Open: 73.99 x 171.30 x 7.25mm Closed: 73.99 x 88.08 x 15.85mm | Open: 73.99 x 171.42 x 7.09mm Closed: 73.99 x 88.09 x 15.32mm | Open: 73.99 x 171.48 x 7.19mm Closed: 73.99 x 88.12 x 15.69mm |
Weight (grams, ounces) | 188g (6.63 oz) | 189g (6.67 oz) | 199g (7 oz) |
Mobile software | Android 15 | Android 15 | Android 15 |
Cameras | 50-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide) | 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel telephoto | 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide) |
Internal screen camera | 32-megapixel | 32-megapixel | 50-megapixel |
Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7400X | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
RAM/storage | 8GB + 256GB | 12GB + 256GB | 16GB + 512GB, 1TB |
Expandable storage | None | None | None |
Battery | 4500 mAh | 4,000 mAh | 4,700 mAh |
Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Side |
Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
Headphone jack | None | None | None |
Special features | IP48 rating, dual stereo speakers, 30-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging, 1,700 nit peak brightness on cover display, 3,000 nit peak brightness on main display, 5G. | IP48 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on front, titanium-reinforced hinge, 2,400 peak brightness on cover display; 3,000 nit peak brightness on main display, 5G, Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 7, 45-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging. | IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover dispaly, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 4,500 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G. |
US price starts at | $700 | $1,000 | $1,300 |
Technologies
Adobe and LinkedIn Are Teaming Up to Help Creators Verify Images’ Authenticity
The partnership allows the new Adobe content authenticity app to verify that a creator is who they say they are.

Adobe’s next step forward in its content authenticity efforts is here. The Adobe content authenticity app is now in public beta, available for anyone to try. With the app, you can attach content credentials to all your digital images and photos.
Content credentials are a kind of invisible digital signature that’s added after a project is finished. Right now, you can add them to images, with support for videos and audio coming soon. Besides your name, content credentials can include your social media handles, personal website and can disclose any AI usage. You can also use these credentials to signify that you don’t want your work to be used to train AI models.
One of the best parts about the app is that you don’t need a Creative Cloud subscription to use it. So even if you don’t want to pay for Adobe programs, you can quickly sign up for a free Adobe account and use the app to create content credentials and apply them to your digital work.
Creators who post their work online know that it’s all too easy for people to steal, misattribute or erase the original creator from a piece of work. That’s where the new partnership with LinkedIn comes in to give content credentials a little more security.
Currently, LinkedIn offers three types of verifications on its platform: identity, workplace and educational. You likely already have at least one if you’re a semiregular LinkedIn user. You can get a workplace verification by using your work email, or you can get an identity verification using a form of government-issued ID. LinkedIn’s new «Verified on LinkedIn» program will help people use these verifications in other corners of the internet. If you’re verified on LinkedIn, those credentials will appear in your Adobe content credentials account. You’ll also be able to apply your LinkedIn verifications on TrustRadius, G2 and UserTesting.
«Using Verified on LinkedIn, users will be able to use the verifications they’ve completed on LinkedIn to show who they are across the different online platforms they use, boosting trust, confidence and credibility,» Oscar Rodriguez, vice president of trust at LinkedIn, said in a statement.
When you’re inside the content authenticity app, you can batch apply credentials to up to 50 images at a time — a highly requested feature that came out of the private beta, Andy Parsons, senior director of content authenticity at Adobe, told CNET in an interview. You can also use the content credentials app to inspect tags added to other images. The content credential browser extension is also available, if you want the ability to view credentials wherever you scroll online.
Content provenance, or how we know where a piece of content originates, is more important than ever in the age of AI. The content credential app is the result of Adobe’s involvement with a larger group called the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, or C2PA. The group advocates for an open technical standard to help people easily see where an image, video or another piece of content came from. Other members include Google, Meta and OpenAI — all heavyweights in the generative AI market. LinkedIn is now also joining, but its parent company, Microsoft, is a longtime member.
For more, check out our hands-on testing of the new Photoshop iPhone app and the fight between Adobe and creators over the future of AI.
-
Technologies2 года ago
Tech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies2 года ago
Best Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies2 года ago
Tighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года ago
Verum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года ago
Google to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies3 года ago
Olivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies3 года ago
Black Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies4 года ago
iPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow