'Better than AirPods': these rival earbuds boast better stamina, more
reliable Bluetooth and cost a third of the price

Date:
Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Description:
The new SoundPeats Air6 HS take the tip-less build of the AirPods 4 and make some improvements.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Soundpeats launches Air6 HS The new earbuds have AirPods 4 or Galaxy Buds tip-less 'open-fit' design Solid specs (including 13mm drivers) and a low price make them tempting Most owners of the best earbuds have (rightly) made the move to models with ear tips, which offer a more stable fit, noise cancellation and a sealed-in sound. But some prefer to ditch the tip.

Joining the AirPods 4 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 in the "you don't want your earbuds reaching half-way to your brain, right?" camp is a new option from budget sound company SoundPeats, catchily called the Air6 HS. The Soundpeats Air6 HS cost $39.99 (about 30, AU$60) so they're also inexpensive options which is what the company is known for. But there are a few reasons these new buds might outstrip the non-ANC enhanced AirPods 4 ($129 / 129 / AU$219) or the flagship and ANC-toting Galaxy Buds 4 ($179 / 159 / AU$299) for buyers. They're out now, and you can buy them from Amazon . Article continues below You may like A serious Apple AirPods Pro rival: Huaweis new FreeBuds Pro 5
are the real deal Best earbuds: top buys, all TechRadar-tested and
recommended The best wireless earbuds for all budgets, all tested by our reviewers

Now, before you dismiss these as some cheap-and-cheerful but unspecial options, we've been impressed by the brand before. The company's Soundpeats
H3 were fantastic affordable earbuds, and I was also fond of the SoundPeats Cove Pro over-ears I tested recently. What I'm saying is, this is a brand worth paying attention to. Budget buds with solid specs Other than being cheaper, there are a few ways the Soundpeats beat Samsung and Apple 's alternatives.

Take the battery life: the Air6 HS last for 9 hours of listening, with the case bumping that up to 45 hours. Move over Apple (5/30) and Samsung (6/30, though these buds do have noise cancellation, which the others don't).

The driver of the Soundpeats is 13mm, which means it should offer louder
audio than the 11mm on the Samsung. Apple doesn't publicize its driver sizes, although it's unlikely that it's 13mm or above. Bear in mind, higher volume doesn't mean better audio chops. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The Air6 HS weigh 4g, which is 0.3g lighter than the AirPods and 0. 6g
lighter than the Galaxy Buds. Admittedly that margin isn't huge, but it's still points in favor of the Soundpeats.

Offering Bluetooth 6.0, the new buds also beat the AirPods 4's Bluetooth 5.3, though fall slightly behind the Bluetooth 6.1 of the Galaxy Buds 4. This higher standard will likely result in slightly more stable a connection, useful for avoiding drop-outs.

I'm being slightly facetious in calling these genuine AirPods rivals, if the price didn't give it away. What to read next Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5: easily some of Huawei's best buds yet Sony WF-1000XM6 vs AirPods Pro 3: which should you buy? The best noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, all tested by experts

Soundpeats specializes in budget audio and so I don't expect they'll sound as good as Apple's versions, or offer as many features (though they will work on Android).

But if you're looking for earbuds with a similar design and longer battery
yet don't break the bank, these could really be better than AirPods for you. The best wireless earbuds for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best earbuds 1. Best overall: Technics EAH-AZ100 2. Best mid-range: Cambridge Audio A100 3. Best budget: Nothing Ear (a) 4. Best for noise-cancelling: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/better-than-airpods-these-rival-earbuds-boast- better-stamina-more-reliable-bluetooth-and-cost-a-third-of-the-price


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