I got AirPods for Christmas from my partner and I absolutely love them. I'd wanted them for a few months, and he splashed out on Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) much to my joy (thank you David). I wear them on the bus to work, when I'm loading the dishwasher, when I'm walking to the shop - basically anywhere I can.
Shortly after Christmas though, perhaps after seeing how much I loved them, David said he fancied some wireless earbuds of his own - and he bought these soundcore Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds from Amazon. They cost £26 normally but only £21 for Prime members, so you could get them even cheaper!
I didn't try them out at first (why would I, I thought, with my fancy AirPods to hand?) but soon my curiosity got the better of me. David loves his wireless buds, and wears them at work every day so he can concentrate in a busy open plan office. So I asked to try them out - how would these little £26 buds compare to my grand, luxurious £229 AirPods?
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Well, if I'm totally honest, I feel a bit bad now. I was quick to dismiss these cheap little earbuds without giving them a fair shot at first. So I performed an equal test of both buds, listening to them in the same room, one after the other, and playing the same song - Enchanted by Taylor Swift (of course).
Here's my verdict:
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) £229
I love my pods, they are just sublime. I adore the active noise cancellation feature when I'm on the noisy bus during rush hour trying to get into Birmingham city centre. I love listening (and dancing) to Taylor Swift when I'm cleaning up the kitchen after dinner - I feel like I'm in my own little world.
The audio is crisp and clear - and the music just feels amazing, if that even makes sense. The pods pick up when I take one out of my ear so it pauses the music or TV show or whatever I am listening to. They also have up to six hours of listening time with a single charge, which is plenty, and the case also charges the Pods when you put them away - a feature I love.
They are always connected to my phone so I just pop them straight in my ears and then click play on whatever I want to listen to. One thing I was worried about too, but didn't have to be, is that they do stay in my ear. (I thought they would fall out easily). But I've not had a problem with that at all.
I know this is a tiny little detail too but I loved that David got a little engraving on the front of the case too, what a sweet little addition which is free of charge.
soundcore Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds £25.99 (or £20.99 with Amazon Prime)
The soundcore earbuds are actually pretty decent! For £26, I wasn't sure what the quality would be like but the music was clear and I couldn't hear any of Toy Story 4 or my giggling children in the room directly underneath me.
There is a clear difference in the quality of the sound between the AirPods and the soundcore buds (it would be a bit embarrassing for Apple if not, I guess) but for £26, the sound is really good.
They are easy to connect to your phone (I have a standard iPhone). You just pop the buds in your ear and then go on Bluetooth on your phone and hit connect. They remember your phone too so you don't have to do it each time, David tells me.
Like the AirPods, the wireless buds slip easily back into their magnetic case, meaning they're less likely to fall out. The buds themselves also felt very secure in my ears. They also have up to 10 hours of listening time with a single charge, but the case doesn't charge the buds when you put them away, like the Pods case does.
So which is better?
I thought the AirPods would be the clear winner - and they are, but honestly, not by a lot! The soundcore earbuds from Amazon are brilliant value for £26 and I really recommend them if you're not looking to spend a lot of money. If you want crystal clear sound and perfect noise cancellation, and something to last you years to come, then I'd opt for the AirPods.
You can get the AirPods here from the Apple store for £229. Alternatively get them from Amazon at the cheaper price of £204. Or take a look at the soundcore Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds on Amazon here for £25.99.
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