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4 True Wireless Earbuds Worth Buying for Under $40

David Carnoy , , , , ,


    

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        Ugreen HiTune X6
        Surprising sound
        $30 at Amazon

  •     


        Tranya T20
        Good sound for $40
        $40 at Amazon

  •     


        Tranya T40
        Budget sports buds
        $30 at Amazon

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        Earfun Free 2
        Next gen of popular budget buds
        $40 at Amazon


    


    We have a list of the best cheap true-wireless earbuds. But what if you want to pay as little as possible? Say, under $40 or even less? Yes, there are an increasing number of cheap true wireless earbuds out there, but only a few that stand out for being a cut above and surprisingly decent for the price. As I like to say, you shouldn’t expect the world at this low price, but you can throw any of these wireless earbuds in a gym bag (when gyms open again) and not feel heartbroken if you happen to lose them.
    The wireless headphone game has evolved significantly over the last few years. The market has been completely flooded, and there are wireless earphone options that we never could have imagined. These earphones are so tiny but can come with noise isolation, incredible battery life, ear hooks, microphones and more. And a pair of cheap earbuds could totally meet all of your needs when it comes to filtering out background noise on your commute or during a workout. And, with these new-fangled phones forgoing a headphone jack, you don’t need to worry about spending a ton of money on top-notch Bluetooth earbuds.
    Here are my current dirt-cheap true-wireless favorites, listed from lowest to highest price. I’ve tried them all, and I’ll update this list periodically.
    Read more:?Best Cheap True-Wireless Earbuds for 2022
    
    David Carnoy/CNET
    Ugreen HiTune X6
    Surprising sound
    
    Yes, Ugreen’s HiTune X6 buds are a bit weird looking, but they should fit most ears well and come with a few different sizes of ear tips (I went with large). Their charging case feels solid, and the buds themselves don’t look or feel cheap. IPX5 splash-resistant, they feature active noise canceling — it does manage to muffle a reasonable amount of ambient noise — but their best feature is arguably their sound. They offer good clarity along with a wide soundstage and very plump bass that avoids being boomy. They sound as good as many buds that cost more than $100 and sometimes even $150. (Note that to get the $30 price on Amazon, there’s a coupon box that must be checked on the product page; otherwise it appears that they cost $20 more.)
    There are some caveats. First, I noticed that these sound better with the noise canceling off (they lose some clarity with it on). Also, while the included tips should fit most people’s ears, I swapped in a pair of my favorite tips and got an even tighter seal, which improved sound quality.
    Read our Ugreen HiTune X6 first take.


    


    $30 at Amazon
    
    David Carnoy/CNET
    Tranya T20
    Good sound for $40
    
    The Tranya T20s remind me a little of a cheaper version of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 without the noise canceling. They’re pretty no-frills and are missing more premium features such as an ear-detection sensor that automatically pauses your music when you take a bud out of your ears. But they sound surprisingly decent for their modest price. If you get a tight seal, they sit pretty flush with your ears (they don’t really stick out much) and they have decent battery life — up to eight hours at moderate volume levels. They also work pretty well for making calls and are IPX7 waterproof.
    The case feels a little cheap and the buds are lightweight. The Galaxy Buds 2 definitely feel more premium. However, the buds are well tuned and have a relatively wide soundstage. Don’t expect the world from them and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.?
    $40 at Amazon
    
    David Carnoy/CNET
    Tranya T40
    Budget sports buds
    
    Water-resistant: Yes?(IPX5 rating — can withstand heavy sprays of water)
    If you like the style of the Beats Powerbeats Pro but don’t want to spend $150 or so on them, there are plenty of budget alternatives out there. I like the Tranya T40s, which sound quite good for the money, fit comfortably and securely and have good battery life (up to 8 hours). I also like how they have physical buttons for controlling playback and volume rather than touch controls.?
    Their charging case, which charges via USB-C, doesn’t feel terribly sturdy and is somewhat bulky, but in all these are a good value. ??
    $30 at Amazon
    
    David Carnoy/CNET
    Earfun Free 2
    Next gen of popular budget buds
    
    I was a fan of the original Earfun Free buds, and now there’s an upgraded version called the Earfun Free 2. They’re not a huge upgrade but like the originals, they fit my ears well and deliver decent bang for the buck with strong sound — they have just a touch of treble and bass boost (there’s plenty of bass) — and extra features such as wireless charging.
    Battery life is rated at up to seven hours at moderate volume levels, and these buds are fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating. These are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 and use Qualcomm’s QCC3040 chip that includes support for Qualcomm’s aptX audio codec if you’re using an aptX-enabled device (such as certain Android smartphones).?
    $40 at Amazon