In-ear headphones are a category that most people have a stake in. Whether you use them in the gym, for travel, commuting or just prefer them to chunkier over ears for casual listening, they’re a small and convenient form factor for getting music into your ears.
They’re getting ever smarter too, with noise cancellation, waterproofing and all manner of sensors built in – whether that’s to understand your heart rate and step count, or even how they’re sitting in your ear canal, so they can adjusting their sound to suit.
Whittling down our shortlist for the EE Pocket-lint Awards was no mean feat, and we were spoilt for choice, with lots of talented buds to choose from. But the winner is…
In-Ear Headphones of the Year: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
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In the Momentum True Wireless 3, Sennheiser provided a masterclass in how to make an already great product even better. But not only do they offer a clear step up from their predecessors, with lots of small improvements to their design, sound and ANC, they’re also cheaper now too.
Ultimately, for anyone looking for a pair of reliable in-ears that sound as good as they look, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are the best we’ve heard this year.
Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review
Highly Commended: Apple AirPods Pro 2
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The Apple AirPods Pro 2 were our pick for Highly Commended this year, for everything they deliver for those with an iPhone. While how seamlessly they work with iPhones is always a clear reason to recommend them, their improved noise cancellation, new charging case features and sound quality improvements also make these the best AirPods yet.
The best of the rest
While the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 won the judges votes for the top spot, with a highly commended nod for Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, the rest of the shortlist showed just how strong the selection was in 2022.
From the great value Sony Linkbuds S, which offer a lot of what we loved about last year’s winners – the Sony WF-1000XM4 – in a more affordable package, to the refinement from the audiophile-pleasing Shure Aonic Free, we really were spoilt for choice.
Elsewhere, Astell & Kern’s UW100 might not have active noise cancellation, but their audio performance and passive abilities more than made up for that, while we loved how versatile the Philips Fidelio T1 were with every genre we threw at them. A very talented shortlist indeed.
What are the Pocket-lint Awards?
The EE Pocket-lint Awards take place annually to celebrate the best of tech from the previous 12 months. Products need to be fully reviewed by the Pocket-lint team to be considered for the Awards, with judging taking place towards the end of the year. Through a process of longlisting and shortlisting, the panel of expert judges scores the devices to result in the overall winner and a Highly Commended runner-up.
The Pocket-lint Awards was run for 19th time in 2022.