Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless vs Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless Side-by-Side Headphones Comparison (2024)

FAQs

Are AirPods better than SoundCore? ›

The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless are better true wireless headphones than the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. Although the Apple feel better made, the Anker have a noticeably more neutral sound profile, and they pack a lot more accurate bass thanks to their closed-back design.

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better headphones for most uses than the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable and better built. They also have a more neutral sound profile out of the box and better battery performance, and they can isolate more noise.

If you want the best all-rounders we suggest the Sony WF-1000XM5. If you want the pair with the best noise-cancelling tech, then it's the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. But don't discount Apple's own AirPods Pro 2 as these tick a lot of boxes and work brilliantly with the iphone.

The Bottom Line

The true wireless Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro earphones aren't perfect, but they deliver a sculpted, bass-forward sound signature and some of the best noise cancellation we've heard below $150. PCMag editors select and review products independently.

That being said, both the Liberty 4 NC and the Air Pro 3 don't sound as clean, or as complete as the AirPods Pro 2, whether in quiet or noisy conditions. Listen to the samples here. (I compared their call quality using the same background noise used in the noise canceling test, and some wind noise coming from a fan.)

Apple's commitment to software is keeping them alive

They're still serviceable buds with a huge following. We can thank iOS updates for that. Optimizing features and performance around the AirPods 2's hardware through newer software is a genius move that has extended their shelf life.

All in all, this is currently the cheapest AirPods in the current lineup, and it excels at enough things (comfort, practicality, "good enough" sound quality) to be worth a buy.

Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It's much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant.

If you want volume, get the 2. If you want a richer musical experience, get the 3. As far as the basics go, the Soundcore 2 has a "Bass Boost" button directly on the unit itself, and the Soundcore 3 has the "Bass Boost" on its app, but not the unit.

The Soundcore Motion 300 is Anker's answer to that Bose speaker. Around the same size as the Bose, it doesn't sound quite as good, but it sounds impressive for its compact size and costs only $80. As a result, we've awarded it a CNET Editors' Choice as a strong value pick in the portable Bluetooth speaker category.

How long does Soundcore Liberty Air 2 last? ›

Up to 28 Hours of Playtime: Enjoy 7 hours of playtime on a single charge and extend to 28 hours with the charging case. HearID Technology: HearID maps your hearing sensitivity at multiple frequencies and intelligently analyzes the results to give you a truly personalized listening experience.

Yes. Anker Soundcore is hands-down the most reliable Chinese manufacturer of wireless earbuds. The brands products are always sturdy and well-built, and often look and feel more polished than their price suggests.

Dual high-performance drivers and a unique spiral bass port deliver great sound quality with the Anker SoundCore. Battery life for the Soundcore is spectacular, and that's not an exaggeration.

AirPods Pro 2 are my go-to earbuds for sound right now

A new low-distortion driver and custom amplifier are fitted inside the buds to pump out clean mids and deep bass, and this has really paid off to the overall sound balance and delivery. Apple claims the AirPods Pro 2 have double the noise canceling.

While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Anker have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their integrated mic has a better recording quality. However, the JBL have a significantly better battery performance.