
Apple
AirPod Pro Series
Apple-integrated, great ANC but can cause ear pain.

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Earfun is such propaganda, these are all bots. I bought them and they SUCK.
I've owned several models, including the Air Pro 2, 3, and 4, SV, and Free Pro 2. I'm always interested in finding a lower cost alternative to the often problematic Bose QC Ultra (and II before them) earbuds, and I've recently found a comparable-cost alternative in the new AirPods Pro 3. EarFun keeps drawing me in with their 30% off and similar introductory pricing, though that may be over as the AirPods Pro 3 are giving me legit 8+ hours battery life and good ANC, and between them and the 5 hour Bose, my day's covered. According to my notes, I returned the 4's because of asymmetric ANC pressure (and I never notice ANC pressure), also because the range was so poor with multipoint, but disabling multipoint prevented me from switching sources without re-pairing, as I easily do with my AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, Bose QC Ultra earbuds, Air Pro 3, etc. As for the Air Pro 2 and Free Pro 2, I no longer have them, so I must have tossed them for one reason or another. I do still have the Air Pro 3's but only use them for brief periods with one source. I remember concluding the SV were unadulterated garbage and tossed them. Based on my experience, I expect the 4+ to be $100 earbuds at best. I'd be surprised if they're worse than the CMF Buds 2 Plus, my latest venture into less expensive earbuds. Those are quite bad, and I wish I had returned them.
Got the AP4 exactly one year ago, as an upgrade to the AP3 and especially geared towards calling in semi-noisy environments such as walking in the street. Things were good until a few days ago, when people started complaining that my voice sounded muddy and they couldn't hear me. It was quite sudden and out of the blue. So much so that even the AP3 (that I had held) now performs better in this regard. I'm a bit reluctant to move to the AP4+ if it's a one-year thing, but I still hope it's a random defect or something a software update could address.
If you want stemless with solid sound, check out the EarFun Air Pro 3. Clicky buttons, good bass, and comfy for long use. Also worth a look: Jabra Elite 75T. Older model but still great sound and physical buttons. Skip the Space A40s if sound is your main thing. I found them kinda flat. Try it out on AudioTones .co so you can hear the difference before you buy.
I did quite a bit of research and ended up with Ear Fun Air Pro 3. $70.
If ANC is your top goal and you want real noise blocking in cafés/parks/home, the cheap JBLs won’t cut it. In your $100–$130 range, the Anker Soundcore A40 and EarFun Air Pro 3 are much stronger for actual ANC, more comfortable for long study sessions, and still sound good. Those are the best budget picks. Before you buy, try [audiotones.co](http://audiotones.co) to check the tunings so you can see which sound profile fits your vibe.

Apple
AirPod Pro Series
Apple-integrated, great ANC but can cause ear pain.

OnePlus
Buds 4
Budget king, great ANC/sound, but no wireless charging.

Anker Soundcore
Sport X20
Secure fit for sport, durable, but connectivity issues.

EarFun
Air Pro 4
Budget value, good ANC/sound, but cheap case, noisy transparency.

Beats (Apple)
Fit Pro
Workout king, secure fit, but wing-tips tear easily.

Ranked #1
Apple - AirPod Pro Series

Ranked #1
Denon - PerL Pro

Ranked #1
Beats (Apple) - Fit Pro

Ranked #1
Sony - WF-1000XM5

Ranked #1
Apple - AirPod Pro Series

Ranked #1
Shokz - OpenFit Series