Five Good Alternatives to the Apple AirPods 2

Ever since the AirPods 1 came out in December of 2016, they’ve arguably become one of the most well-known Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds in the market today. While they’re great options for a reliable pair of TWS earbuds, especially if you’re already using Apple devices, they come with a pretty hefty price tag.

That said, there are plenty of TWS earbuds you can choose from depending on your budget. But where to start? Worry not because this guide is for you! In this article, we’ve listed out some alternatives whether you want to find a more budget-friendly alternative or want to find TWS earbuds that are similar to the AirPods 2. Check them out!

Table of Contents

Joyroom JR-T04S TWS

First up on this list is the Joyroom JR-T04S TWS earbuds. Priced under PHP 1USD 0.02INR 1EUR 0.02CNY 0.12.5k, these TWS earbuds are the most affordable option on this list. These look like the AirPods except for the buttons and the flatter design on the stems.

They have all the essentials you may look for in TWS earbuds and even come with the option to use the left or the right earbud alone, which is nice. The earbuds on a single charge give you three hours of playback, and the charging case gives you about an extra 15 hours.

The buttons on each side of the earbuds give you standard controls of the earbuds. You can play, pause, go to the previous/next song, answer a call, and activate your voice assistant through the buttons, but these lack volume control. They also lack a USB-C charging port and an IP rating for water resistance.

All things considered, if you are on a tight budget and want to try out a decent pair of TWS earbuds, this one’s for you. For a more in-depth look, you can check out our hands-on look at these TWS earbuds here 10.

Joyroom JR-T04S TWS specs:
Bluetooth 5.0
Frequency response: 20-20KHz
Earphone battery: 50mAh
Charging case battery: 500mAh
Playback time: 3 hours
Charge time: earphones – 2 hours, case – 2.5-3.5 hours

You can purchase the Joyroom JR-T04S TWS Earphones at Digital Walker, and OMG Feel Good Gadgets for PHP 1,390USD 24INR 2,008EUR 23CNY 172.

SoundPEATS TrueAir

This next one is probably the least known from all the ones we will mention in this list, but don’t count them out. The SoundPEATS TrueAir packs a punch for an affordable price. Like the Joyroom JR-T04S TWS earbuds, while the resemblance to the AirPods is there, they do not look completely identical. The earbuds themselves are not rounded like the AirPods, and the charging case has a triangular button on the front of the case.

The battery life of these earbuds is impressive, considering the price point. On a single charge, you’re getting about five hours of playback, and with the help of the charging case, these can give you a total of 30 hours of playback.

These earbuds have some cool features such as U charging, touch control, mono mode, and an IPX 5 rating. The earbuds have touch control which, apart from the usual gestures, can control the volume of your audio.

If you want TWS earbuds with a lot of functionality and do not mind not having some features like smart-in ear detection, wireless charging, or active-noise cancellation, this one is for you.

SoundPEATS Trueair specs:
Bluetooth 5.0
Frequency Response: 20-20000Hz
Earphone battery: 40mAh
Charging case battery: 600mAh
Playback time: 5 hours
Charge time: earphones – 1.5-2 hours, case – 2.5 hours

You can buy these online through their online stores in both Lazada and Shopee. Price varies between PHP 1660USD 28INR 2,398EUR 27CNY 206–PHP 1799USD 31INR 2,599EUR 29CNY 223, depending on where you get them.

Sabbat X12 Pro

Compared to all the ones mentioned on this list, these look nothing like AirPods. Still, the Sabbat X12 Pro is a good alternative. They come in a variety of different designs and lack that long stem that sits outside your ear when you wear it. The earbuds themselves sit in your ear like the AirPods as they have a half-in ear design.

These earbuds have great battery life. You can get six hours of use with one charge, and the case gives you an additional four charges, amounting to an extra 24 hours of use.

The Sabbat X12 Pro also features a HiFi stereo, which will mean better sound quality. Like the Soundpeats Trueair, these earbuds also have USB-C charging, an IPX 5 rating, and mono mode and touch control. Although, these do not have smart-in ear detection, wireless charging, and active noise cancellation.

If you want TWS earbuds that have a unique design, excellent sound quality, and proper functionality, even without the extra features of smart in-ear detection, wireless charging, and active noise cancellation, these are for you.

Sabbat X12 Pro specs:
Bluetooth 5.0
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
Earphone battery: 60mAh
Charging case battery: 750mAh
Playback time: 6 hours
Charge time: earphones – 40-60 mins, case – 40-60 mins

You can buy these on Shopee, Lazada, and Digital Walker for about PHP 2,990USD 51INR 4,319EUR 49CNY 371.

Realme Buds Air

The resemblance is almost uncanny with the next pair on this list, the Realme Buds Air. However, these come in different colors (yellow and black). The Realme Buds Air features a custom R1 chip, dynamic bass boost, wireless charging, smart in-ear detection, touch controls, and one of its most unique features, gaming mode.

When the Realme Buds Air is in gaming mode, this enables the dual transmission of the earbuds meaning better connection and significantly less latency. It will specifically benefit you if you want to play games like PUBG and COD on your smartphone because you will be able to hear your surroundings better without any delay.

While the Realme Buds Air comes with a lot of great features, the battery life compared to the other TWS earbuds we have previously discussed, such as the SoundPEATS Trueair and the Sabbat X12 Pro is not as long. You get about three to three and a half hours of playback on a single charge and a total of 17 hours with the help of the charging case.

Nonetheless, if you’re a mobile gamer or someone looking for TWS earbuds with some innovative features, this one’s for you. You can check out our hands-on here.

Realme Buds Air specs:
Bluetooth 5.0
Frequency response: 100 – 2000kHz
Charging case battery: 400mAh
Playback time: 3-3.5 hours
Charge time: earphones – 1-2 hours, case – 2 hours

You can purchase these in Realme’s Lazmall store for PHP 3,990USD 68INR 5,764EUR 65CNY 495.

Huawei Freebuds 3

For our final and most expensive pick on our list, we have the Huawei Freebuds 3. While the sub-PHP 9K price tag may seem steep, these earbuds are a bang for your buck.

If you place the two side by side, you can see a difference right away. The charging case of the Huawei Freebuds 3 is circular compared to the one of the AirPods. The earbuds themselves look different from the Dolphin Bionic design of the Huawei Freebuds, which is supposed to be more ergonomic. You also get different color variations besides white, such as red and black.

For a lower price, the Huawei Freebuds 3 features Bluetooth 5.1, a bone sensor to improve calls, wireless charging, a Kirin A1 Chipset, low latency, and probably its most notable feature, active noise cancellation.

While the two have a lot of similarities in terms of features, it is worth pointing out that the AirPods 2 does not feature any active noise cancellation. To get the premium of active noise cancellation, you must purchase the AirPods Pro, which is even more expensive than the AirPods 2.

That said, the battery life of the Huawei Freebuds 3 is still good but less than what the AirPods 2 is offering. The Huawei Freebuds 3 can do four hours of playback on a single charge and gives you 20 hours of playback with the help of the charging case. You can check out our detailed comparison of the Huawei Freebuds 3 and AirPods 2 here.

If you want the premium experience and want to get TWS earbuds with active noise cancellation, this one’s for you.

Huawei Freebuds 3 specs:
Bluetooth 5.1
Earphone battery: 30mAh
Charging case battery: 410mAh
Playback time: 4 hours
Charge time: earphones – 1 hour, case – 1 hour

You can purchase the Huawei Freebuds 3 on Lazada, Abenson, Shopee, and Huawei stores for PHP 8,990USD 153INR 12,987EUR 146CNY 1,116.

Are you getting any of these TWS earbuds? Let us know in the comments below!

This article was written by Sofia Tan.