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Apple AirPod Pros are reliable earbuds as much as they are a status symbol, and like all sought-after tech products, they come with a clout tax. Luckily, we found a suitable stand-in at a fraction of the cost that one reviewer says is “a steal for quality” and that they “run CIRCLES around AirPod Pros.”
“On a budget? You’ll feel like you spent $250 on [these],” they continue, before exclaiming that they also carry “double the battery life” of their expensive contemporary counterpart.
Several other reviews agree: The active noice-canceling Soundcore A40 earbuds are incredible given their price. They last up to 10 hours after a single charge, their battery charging case is good for up to 50 hours, they’re ultra-comfy in-ear and have solid sound quality. Typically $79.99, they’re 40% off right now, dropping them to $47.99 — a price many agree is more than worth it.
These ultra-light earbuds have a case that supports wireless charging, but, according to some reviews, you won’t be doing much as they support up to 10 hours of battery life on a single playback. They have an excellent range for listening to podcasts, music and voice calls, plus, when paired with the Anker app, you can toggle its equalizer for a full custom sound. They also have a transparency mode, letting you hear your surroundings when they’re in-ear, so you won’t miss anyone calling your name or a passerby on your next run.
Using them on calls is easy, too, and many say they’re very comfy to use. “These little earbuds surprised me with their high quality sound and how insanely comfortable they were in my ears,” says Dean G. “I don’t need a high level of sound dampening but they work great in the train tunnel during my commute, and I can still hear well enough when they’re in Transparency mode. Using the app is easy and personalizes the buds to my preferences. The buds also have a fantastic range which can handle the bass in dance, rock, and whatever else I’m listening to, even at higher volumes. Plus, when I receive calls, the other person can hear me clearly!”
Save big on these small earbuds today and see for yourself how they stack up to a pair of AirPods. Read on for more promising reviews from several users who were blown away by their quality and value.
“I acquired my first set of these by happenstance…. My neighbor had gotten them for her boyfriend and they broke up before they arrived, so she asked if I wanted them. I figured I’d give them a try and said yes, and I’m very glad I did! I’m not an audiophile, nor do I have much of a budget, so I was rocking my three year old Jaybird Vistas still, which I loved for the sound quality, but after having completed my college degree primarily by Zoom during the pandemic, my ears were hurting after extended wear and I wasn’t sure where to go from there. These little earbuds surprised me with their high quality sound and how insanely comfortable they were in my ears. I don’t need a high level of sound dampening but they work great in the train tunnel during my commute, and I can still hear well enough when they’re in Transparency mode. Using the app is easy and personalizes the buds to my preferences, and they have a fantastic range which can handle the bass in dance, rock, and whatever else I’m listening to, even at higher volumes. Plus, when I receive calls, the other person can hear me clearly! I’ve never had them fall out of my ears except for when I’ve accidentally dislodged them by bumping them, but even then it’s a rare occurrence and they’ve never broken. (I’m only on a second set because my wife absconded with my first set and has refused to give them up, even over her AirPods Pro, so I figured I better order my own…. Happy wife, happy life, right?) The battery life is also crazy in the best way…. I’ve only had to charge them a handful of times in almost a year, and I use them at least a couple of hours a day. In my opinion, you’ll really have a time finding a better pair of earbuds for the money.” — Dean G.
“[…] Enter these Anker Space A40′s… The very good to excellent: These don’t break the bank at $60ish dollars. I’ve seen them on sale for ~$50 so watch for that. Deep base, very clear treble, the ability to customize the sound… the list goes on and on. These things run CIRCLES around my Airpod Pro’s -even when they worked. How do I know that? Because my wife also has “working” Airpod Pro’s and I used my right ear to play several songs using the A40′s while at the same time I used my wifes phone to play the exact same song (yes it was hard to synchronize that) using her left Airpod Pro. Sorry Apple, your product doesn’t sound as rich at 4-5 times the cost. Yes, they noise cancel better; other than that, you are miles ahead buying these Anker Space A40′s – even if they only last a year or 2. I’m highly impressed. On a budget? You’ll feel like you spent $250 on the Ankers but actually a fraction of that. Buy them. Edit: Oh, forgot to add this: average battery life is 6-7 hours before I get a “battery low” message 10 minutes before they die. Airpod Pro’s? 3.5 hours… yeah, double the battery life of Apple.” — J. Hart [This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.]
“I was very pleasantly surprised. Got those for $50 with a bunch of coupons and was prepared to return those but i will definitely keep them. I got those to replace my Airpods, and wanted a good noise cancellation to replace my Airpods Max. These do a perfect job, the noise cancelling is nearly as good as my $500 Apple headphones and the sound quality is really pleasing. Would 100% recommend for such a low price!” — Best multi-use coffee table
“I really enjoy high quality audio, but I won’t bore you with my collection of toys. After having a set of over ears and 2 different earbuds stolen from my hotel room, I decided to get something fast and cheap before researching the latest and greatest. I eventually got the Airpod Pros for my work phone, but I have to say, if I’m listening to music but don’t want over ears, I still find myself looking for the A40s! Clear audio, good sound stage, solid noise cancelling, excellent battery, very comfortable and no issues with fit even while running. I’m really happy with these, full stop, period; layer on that they are super affordable and I think you have value that can’t be beat. Highly recommended!” — Michael J Large
“The first thing I have noticed is the battery life of the ear buds them selves is quite impressive and last longer than expected. I have yet to have an ear bud die on me! They fit quite comfortably and have not fallen out of my ears yet. The sound quality is quite nice and vibrant. There is no “tinny” sound, plenty of bass. I keep the ear buds connected to my phone and the range is quite decent typically having perfect connection for up to approximately 100 feet. The only notable issue I have encountered is the ear buds will very occasionally change from noise cancelation mode to transperency mode. All you have to do to correct this is open the soundcore app and change it back to noise cancelation mode. All in all I would buy again.” — Elmer V.
“I have several owned high-end and mid-level earbuds. The Soundcore A40 buds rank above all of them because they provide comfort, great audio, and quality in all areas. They are the most comfortable and the noise canceling feature is as good or better than the pairs or $250 & $300 earbuds that I own. The app is also better than most. Forget the word “budget earbuds” when you read through the reviews. These are outstanding and the word budget had no relevance. I would have been happy if I had paid 200 dollars for them. The Earfun Air Pro 3 buds are similar, however, they are not as comfortable. The Soundcore A40 buds are so light and fit so well that you can forget they are in your ears. They also stay more secure than most. If you fall asleep they don’t fall out or become uncomfortable. I just played 7 hours of continous music with the noise canceling activated at high volumes and there’s still almost 30 percent battery avaliable. Note: Jazz mode seems to offer the best clear balance of sound across the board, just fyi. I prefer these over my Sony Link Buds S buds and even my Sony M4 buds. Obviously if you want to pay 350 -1000 dollars for an extra audiophile edge, there are more options available out there. This is the one to buy. Remember when you place them in your ear to give them a slight downward twist/turn which secures the earbud.” — B.P.