It is a new decade already, and the audio-generation is shifting from wired to wireless.
Many brands are already ditching headphone jacks in their flagship devices to force the customers to switch to wireless audio gears, and also providing an opportunity to bring out their wireless earphones. Xiaomi, OnePlus and now Realme also joined that bandwagon, with their Mi Sports, Bullets Wireless 2, and Realme Earbuds, respectively.
While most of us still prefer wired earphones, since our existing devices have a headphone jack, its time you also start looking at wireless alternatives and upgrade yourself. Nevertheless, if you still consider yourself a wired guy, we have the Top 10 Budget Wired Earphones listed here; otherwise, you can proceed to today’s article, which is about its wireless counterparts.
With major brands of smartphones already losing the legendary 3.5 mm headphone jack on their devices, it’s the time for wireless earphones to rise and shine finally. In this post, we’re going to take a look at the Top 10 Wireless Earphones, which are all under ₹3k and don’t put a dent in your pocket.
Going Wireless? Keep this in mind:
Well, before we begin, I would like to mention something useful for new buyers. Before you start shopping, keep these three points in mind:
- Wireless is Costlier: This is a no-brainer; wired stuff is cheaper. Spend just Rs500, and you will get good earphones from trusted brands. Increase that budget to Rs1000 or Rs1500, and you will be using better products than most of the wired users. But in the case of wireless, that curve is a bit higher. Although this post mentions some cheaper ones, you should expect to spend at least Rs1500 to get an excellent sounding pair of earphones from trusted brands. Do not cut your budget against more affordable audio gears.
- Wireless is not meant for Gaming: I am quite surprised that most of us don’t speak about it, but wireless products, especially the cheaper ones, suffer from minor audio lags. If you are the one listening to just everyday music or watching videos, then you will be good to go, but if you are into gaming, where the ping matters, using wireless gears, you might face slight audio lag. Newer technologies like AptX from Qualcomm has solved this issue, but many budget wireless earphones may not have it.
- Check the battery life and charging time: Wireless gears run on battery, and it needs to be charged at regular intervals. So, before buying one, always check its battery capacity, how long it takes to charge, and how long it can run on a single charge. Some of my friends use audio gears that sound so well, but they have to keep it plugged in now and then, which is an issue in the long term. Healthy battery life is at least 6-8 hours. Battery life above 12 hours is excellent.
So, let’s begin. This list below is arranged in random order, so I would recommend you to have a look at all of them before going with any.
Boat 100 Wireless:
The Boat 100 Wireless is the wireless version of the legendary Boat 100 earphones. These have the same sound signature as that of the latter but offer the convenience of being wireless. The Boat 100 Wireless supports Bluetooth 5.0 and offers “pure ethereal sound” because of the dynamic 10mm drivers.
These also have a more “deep bass” sound signature, which is very typical of Boat products. They’re also IPX 4 Sweat and Water Resistant, so you can hit the gym rocking these. Check it out below.
Boat Rockerz 239:
The Boat Rockerz 239 has got an advanced QCC3003 chipset that lets you seamlessly connect with devices. It also has Bluetooth 5.0, and with just 15 minutes of charging, you get a 3.5-hour playback, which is super impressive. It has got an IPX5 rating as well, so sweat it out as much as you can. Check it out below.
Boat Rockerz 255:
The Rockerz 255 is Boat’s sports-centric wireless earphones. These are fine-tuned with Boat’s signature audio that includes HD sound and deep bass. However, Boat hasn’t updated these, and they still feature Bluetooth 4.1 with Qualcomm CSR 8635 Chipset. There’s not much of a difference between the two Bluetooth standards, but again we’re talking about the best.
You can charge this device for 10 mins and get 45 mins of playback. The earphones, being sports-centric, have got excellent ergonomics and won’t fall off from your ears even after serious efforts. Check it out below.
Blaupunkt BE50:
Finally, something not from Boat, the Blaukpunkt BE50, are also some exceptional quality wireless earphones at the same price range. These offer high-quality sound as well, but what seems to be the most significant feature is perhaps the battery life. You get 12 hours of playback time on a single charge, which is super convenient for a neckband.
These are also IPX5 certified. There’s also an outstanding quality inbuilt mic, which has high sensitivity to make sure you surely don’t miss out on words while calling. This used to be a problem on many of Boat’s earphones, so if you call a lot, you can surely check these out. Check it out below.
JBL Infinity Glide N100:
The Infinity Glide N100 from JBL glides the way around when it comes to sound quality music. It is a very light neckband but rugged enough to be tough. The earphones also have a deep bass sound signature, which JBL calls “Advanced Acoustic Anechoic Earpiece design.”
Other than that, it has got 7 hours of playback time and IPX5 certification as well. The earphones also feature magnetic earbuds, so when you’re not using them, they attach without strangling. Check it out below.
Mi Neckband and Mi Sports Bluetooth Earphones:
Xiaomi stepped into the wireless league quite a long time ago. They offer a lot of options in China for quite a few years. However, their recent offerings in the Indian Market include the Mi Neckband and the Mi Sports Bluetooth Earphones.
The Mi Sports are designed for activity. They are lightweight at just 13.8g, sweatproof has an ear hook clip that attaches to your ear, and offers up to 9 hours of battery life on a single charge. It also supports Google Assistant. Check it out below.
Realme Buds Wireless:
Realme’s take on wireless earphones is a success, as these are perhaps the best-in-class earphones in this segment. A 10 min charge will give you 100 minutes of playback, and thanks to the large battery, a full charge will last for up to 14 hours!
The earphones feature an 11.2 mm driver, which offers excellent sound quality and bass as well. These also feature magnetic earbuds, just like the Infinity Glide N100. The neck portion of these earphones is made up of metal and not plastic, which offers a premium feel. The cable used is also tangle-free. Check it out below.
Samsung Level U:
The Level U from Samsung is perhaps the most ergonomic neckband on this list. They feature Bluetooth 4.1 and 11 hours of playback time, which is quite impressive. The built-in microphone is pretty good as well and provides crisp sound output to the other side during calls. Check it out below.
Sony Wl C200:
Sony has recently updated its wireless earphones lineup. The Wl C200 has got a unique Sony sound signature with deep bass, as well as equally good treble. It has 12 hours of battery life, but real-life usage exceeded that claim with over 15 hours of usage. 10 mins of charge will give you 60 mins of playback as well.
There’s magnetic housing on these as well. The Wl C200 has 9mm drivers, which provide remarkable sound output. It weighs just 15 gms, super light to carry around your neck, that you won’t even feel it most of the time. Check it out below.
Sony Wl C310:
These are the second earphones in the newly launched Wl series. The C310 has the same sound features as that of the C200. The only difference is in the built quality. The C310 has got a metallic housing that feels premium. The cord is also tangle-free.
Other than that, it has got the same 9mm drivers and the remarkable 15-hour battery life. It also weighs just 15 gms and can provide a 60 min playback with only 10 mins of charge. Check it out below.
Sony Wl XB400:
These are the premium ones in the new WI series. The Wl XB400 offers super extra bass, which you can probably guess by the XB (Xtra Bass) in its name. It also has an exceptional 15-battery life, just like the others in this series. A quick 10 min charge will give you an hour of instant playback as well. The drivers on this one are 12mm that provides the signature Sony output, with extra bass, of course.
It has got a USB Type-C charging port, so if you have one on your smartphone, you don’t even have to carry an extra cable! Check it out below.
Leaf Sports Wireless:
Leaf Sports Wireless Earphone is designed for an activity like running and exercise. It has a clip near earbuds that will attach to your ears, and it is sweatproof. It offers 6 hours of battery life with 200 hours standby. Check it out below.
Soundlogic Neckband:
Soundlogic Neckband is the latest wireless offering from Soundlogic, which relies on Bluetooth 4.2 and offers magnetic earbuds, which also isolates external noise. It supports virtual assistants for both Android and iPhones. The battery life is 8 hours on a single full charge. Check it out below.
Zebronics Zeb Symphony:
Zeb Symphony grabbed my attention because it offers 13 hours battery life with 15 days standby and also supports Google Assistant for Android devices or Siri for iPhones. It has a 10mm driver with Bluetooth 5.0 support. So, it can pair with two devices simultaneously, and you can switch between them. Check it out below.
Final Words:
These were our Top 10 picks for the Best Wireless Earphones under ₹3k. Time for my recommendations. If you are looking for a balanced sound profile, I would suggest you go for the Realme Buds Wireless. If you want more bass, you can pick up the WI XB400 or the Boat 239/255.
If you’re using any of these wireless earphones, please let us know your experience in the comments section below. Also, if your favorite earphones aren’t listed, comment down that as well, and we’ll surely check them out as well. Let me know which one you chose.
Karthik is a BCA student who loves to write about science and technology. He also loves reading encyclopaedia when he's not writing.
