You Don’t Have to Spend More Than $100 for Solid Noise-Canceling Earbuds
The Soundcore Life NC is Anker’s first pair of wireless noise-canceling earbuds. Priced below $100, the neckband offering boasts an impressive blend of audio and noise-canceling tech, which can effortlessly exist in a higher price point. Like all things Anker, the earbuds push the boundaries of how much bang for your buck a tech product can offer.
After a couple of weeks of testing, the Soundcore Life NC thoroughly exceeded my toned-down expectations, caused by their wallet-friendly price. Below are five reasons why they are the best affordable wireless noise-canceling earbuds worth your attention today.
They Tune Out Ambient Noise Well
The noise-canceling performance of the Soundcore Life NC wireless earbuds is truly impressive, especially considering their sub-$100 price point. I was honestly surprised by their expert ability to tune out my surroundings at work, during my workouts, and while traveling. The overall quality of this feature alone allows Anker’s offering to compete with much pricier products.
I like that there are three dedicated ambient modes, which are easily accessible with the press of a button. In addition to the headset blocking unwanted ambient noise, it includes an option that allows you to hear your surroundings (it’s great for commuting), as well as the ability to listen to your favorite content without noise cancellation.
They Sound More Expensive
Just like the noise-canceling performance, the sound of the Life NC also exceeded my expectations. Equipped with 12-millimeter audio drivers, the wireless earbuds deliver a detail-rich audio experience throughout the entire frequency range. To top things off, unlike its similarly priced competitors, the headset is also compatible with Hi-Res Audio content.
You can tune the sound of the earbuds to your liking via a Soundcore mobile app. The latter will also allow you to simultaneously link the headset to two devices.
With Bluetooth 5.0 on board, the Life NC maintained a superb connection with an iPhone XS and a Samsung Galaxy S10+ during my testing. The earbuds’ audio performance during phone calls was simply wow-inducing. Anker has put a duo of microphones on each side of the neckband, ensuring that you will sound loud and clear regardless of your surroundings.
They Have Excellent Battery Life
With the noise-canceling feature switched on, you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life from the Life NC. That’s an excellent number for a pair of wireless noise-canceling earbuds, regardless of their price tag.
Disabling the noise cancellation will extend the battery's endurance 50%, to an even more impressive 15 hours. You can get even more noise-canceling bliss if you opt to use the headset in wired mode. There’s a bundled microUSB cable with a standard audio connector for this task.
Speaking of connectors, I would have loved to have seen the Life NC pack a USB-C for charging and wired audio. Considering its price, however, I don’t think that this is a big deal.
They Are Comfy
Even though they are packed with tech, the Soundcore Life NC earbuds are seriously comfy. The neckband, as well as the actual buds, are lightweight and perfect for lengthy listening stints. I spent a couple of workdays using the headset nonstop and didn’t feel any fatigue.
The headset’s controls are conveniently placed on the neckband. The left side controls the audio playback and calls. The right side, on the other hand, has buttons for the volume, as well as for skipping or replaying your tracks.
They Are Water-Resistant
The Life NC wireless earbuds have an IPX5 rating for water resistance, meaning that they can survive heavy work and workout sessions equally well. The same goes for rain and spills.
Water resistance of any kind is typically not available on noise-canceling earbuds. Anker certainly deserves a hat tip for bringing the feature to such a product, especially at this price point.
Wrap-Up
The Soundcore Life NC earbuds offer a perfect mix of great audio performance and everyday practicality. Unless you can more than double your budget to buy the Sony-made leader in this product category, these are the wireless noise-canceling earbuds to get.
The headset’s 18-month warranty is excellent, as is its retail package. It includes several ear tips and ear wings, a charging cable, and audio cable, as well as a soft carrying pouch. I really like that the latter has an internal pocket with a zip closure. It’s a perfect spot for the charging and audio cables.
Read More:
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