Headphones and earbuds allow for immersing yourself in music but, at times, headphones can feel too bulky and fatiguing, while earbuds can sometimes fall out and get lost or need to be recharged quite frequently. A good middle ground to these extremes is neckband headphones. This headphone style, as the name suggests, is essentially two earbuds connected via a band that sits on your shoulders around the back of your neck. This not only makes the earbuds fit better but also prevents them from getting lost.
Neckband headphones were first brought to the mainstream in the late ’90s, and Sony was one of the brands that popularized these types of headphones. While Sony still makes neckband headphones, there are quite a few players in the market, making it challenging to find the best one for your needs. Over the years, a lot of improvements have been made, not just in terms of sound quality and design but also in terms of the features that they offer. Neckband headphones are targeted towards more active individuals and therefore come with water resistance ratings, are lightweight enough, and some even allow you to store music on them.
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Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Neckband Headphones in 2024
Jabra Evolve 65e
Best Overall Neckband Headphones
$159 $254 Save $95
The Jabra Evolve 65e neckband headphones are an all-around complete package. They work great in professional settings with features like a busy light, Microsoft Teams optimizations, passive noise-canceling, and more. These neckband headphones have a 13-hour battery life and support quick charging as well. The mics allow for crystal-clear calls even with ambient sound.Â
- Wireless?
- Yes
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- Jabra
- Transducer Size
- 12mm
- Frequency Response
- 20Hz to 20,000Hz
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation
- Passive
- IP rating
- IP54
- Impressive sound quality thanks to large drivers
- Solid build quality and battery life
- Come with Bluetooth USB dongle
- Wing-style earbuds may not be for everyone
- Quite expensive when not on sale
Jabra is a prominent brand in the headphone and speaker space, constantly coming out with new and improved products that are not only feature-rich but also offer great value. The Jabra Evolve 65e are neckband headphones targeted towards working professionals, as is showcased by its minimalist design and the Bluetooth adapter that comes with them. The Jabra Link 370 Bluetooth adapter helps with connecting to laptops or desktops through the USB port and offers a plug-and-play experience.
Jabra sells these neckband headphones in two versions: MS-certified and UC-certified. MS-certified headphones are essentially those that work seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, while the UC (Unified Communication) certified ones work with most other platforms.
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While they are advertised as professional neckband headphones, they come with features that make them great for more active individuals as well. The Jabra Evolve 65e features IP54 dust and water resistance ratings, which means sweat or water splashes are no issue at all. There is an equalizer in the Jabra app for fine-tuning the levels, and users can enjoy up to 13 hours of battery life.
The neckband headphones deliver impressive sound quality thanks to the 12mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz, and passive noise isolation. It should be noted that the earbuds are wing-style, which could be a dealbreaker for some. The physical buttons are on the neckband and there is also a busy indicator light that acts as a do-not-disturb notifier.
Sony WI-1000XM2
Best Premium Neckband Headphones
The Sony WI-1000XM2 is a top-of-the-line neckband headphone that offers a ton of features including noise cancelation, ambient sound mode, wired connectivity for Hi-Res audio, and magnetic earbuds, to name a few. They can deliver up to 15 hours of playtime, depending on whether noise cancelation is turned on or not. Â
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- Sony
- Transducer Size
- 9mm
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation
- Yes
- IP rating
- No
- Sensitivity
- 99 dB, 94 dB
- Impedance
- 50 ohm (headphone cable with the unit turned on), 17 ohm (headphone cable with the unit turned off)
- Supported codecs
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Crisp and clear sound output
- Impressive noise cancelation
- Wired operation
The Sony WI-1000XM2 neckband headphones bring everything you would need in one premium-looking package. They feature a 9mm hybrid driver with neodymium magnets and can be used in both wired and wireless modes. For wireless connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.0 with support for SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. Using the Sony WI-1000XM2 in wired mode, you get a frequency response range of 3Hz to 40,000Hz, while in Bluetooth mode, it goes down to 20Hz – 20,000Hz.
These neckband headphones come with best-in-class noise-canceling thanks to the dedicated HD Noise Canceling Processor QN1. Using them with noise cancelation turned on does impact the battery life, and they can go from delivering 15 hours of music playback down to 10 hours with noise cancelation on and 12 hours with ambient sound mode turned on. The Sony WI-1000XM2 can be recharged in about 3.5 hours but can deliver 80 minutes of playtime with a 10-minute charge.
The headphones also offer easy access to your favorite voice assistant as well as support for Google’s Fast Pair feature that not only makes pairing seamless but also lets you locate the headphones. You get access to the app, which enables additional features like Adaptive Sound Control, 360 Spatial Sound, and more. The earbuds are also magnetic, making them tangle-free and easy to locate around your neck.
All these impressive features come at a premium price, which also shows in its build quality, but it should be noted that there is no official IP rating for the Sony WI-1000XM2, so be mindful about getting sweat or water on them.
Beats Flex Wireless Earbuds
Best Budget Neckband Headphones
The Anker headphones offer an exceptional listening experience, with a battery life of up to 12 hours. Designed for all-day comfort, the headphones feature a Flex-Form cable and four eartip options that allow for a customized fit. Powered by the Apple W1 headphone chip, the headphones provide seamless connectivity with Apple devices.
The magnetic earbuds come with Auto-Play/Pause functionality, which pauses the music when you take them out and resumes playback when you put them back in.
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- Apple Beats
- Bluetooth
- 5.0
- IP Rating
- No
- Charging type
- USB Type-C
- Colors
- Flame Blue, Beats Black, Yuzu Yellow, Smoke Grey
- Max playback time
- 12 hours
- Fast charging support
- Apple W1 chip
- Very lightweight
- No IP rating
- Apple-exclusive features
Available in four stylish colors, the Beats Flex Wireless Earbuds are a great budget-friendly package for those who want above-average sound quality and a minimalist form factor. While the company does not share driver details and size, it states that the Beats Flex uses custom layered drivers that allow for accurate bass and ultra-low distortion. They also boast up to 12 hours of playtime and support for fast charging, as a 10-minute charge can give you 1.5 hours of playtime.
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The earbuds are magnetic and can autoplay/pause the music. Being a part of the Apple ecosystem, they work seamlessly with Apple devices thanks to the built-in W1 chip. They also come with Audio Sharing, which lets you share audio with compatible Beats headphones or even AirPods. The chip also enables the Find My Device feature on iPhones. You may be wondering if an Android user can use these budget-friendly headphones and the answer is yes, but of course, the advanced functionality enabled by the W1 chip is unavailable.
The Beats Flex Wireless Earbuds have controls for volume, calls, and activating the voice assistant. The built-in mic has wind reduction for better call quality. Furthermore, these neckband headphones are lightweight and advertised for all-day comfort because of the nitinol construction.
Soundcore Life U2i
Best Entry-level Neckband Headphones
$22 $25 Save $3
The Soundcore Life U2i wireless neckband headphones are a cheap but good value option. They deliver impressive sound quality thanks to the 10mm drivers, which are larger than some of the premium options. These neckband headphones boast 22 hours of battery life, IPX5 water resistance, and AI-enabled microphone for clear calls.
- Microphones
- Yes, AI-enabled
- Brand
- Soundcore
- IP rating
- IPX5
- Transducer Size
- 10mm
- Frequency Response
- 20Hz to 20,000Hz
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Impedance
- 16 Ohm
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Very affordable
- Impressive driver size considering price point
- IPX5 water resistance
If you find the neckband form factor to be alluring but are still on the fence about investing in it, the Soundcore Life U2i is a great entry point into neckband headphones. These feature 10mm drivers, which is impressive in itself considering the small size of the earbuds. They can deliver up to 22 hours of playtime and a 10-minute charge can give you up to three hours of playtime.
Even though the Soundcore Life U2i neckband headphones are a cheap entry-level option, they are well-built and durable. The silicone neckband has a titanium core inside it and the headphones are IPX5 rated, which means working out with these on will be no problem at all. The earbuds have magnets that help them stick together and also turn them on or off. There are volume controls on the neckband along with an AI-enabled microphone.
For connectivity, they come with Bluetooth 5.0, have a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz, and an impedance of 16 Ohm. All in all, these are fairly respectable specifications for entry-level neckband headphones, making the Soundcore Life U2i the best in this category.
Soundcore also offers a dual-EQ system with these headphones which includes a Bass Up mode and a Normal mode.
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LG TONE Flex HBS-XL7
Best Mid-range Neckband Headphones
$115 $130 Save $15
The TONE Flex HBS-XL7 from LG are stylish and elegant-looking neckband headphones that deliver impressive audio quality. The audio has been tuned by Meridian, and they can last for up to 10 hours on a single charge. The earbuds themselves are retractable and can be hidden away within the neckband when not in use.
- Battery Life
- 10 hours
- Microphones
- Dual
- Brand
- LG
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- IP rating
- No
- Retractable earbuds
- Meridian Audio tuning
- Google Assistant button
- Can be on the expensive side when not on sale
- Battery life could be better
- No IP rating
If an elegant and sleek design is what you are after but don’t want to spend a premium, check out the LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 neckband headphones. Besides the minimal design, the standout feature is the retracting earbuds. When not listening to music or taking calls, you can just take the earbuds out of your ears, and they will retract back into the neckband. Want to get back to listening to music? Just pull the earbuds out from the neckband that is already on your neck.
The LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 neckband headphones have been tuned by Meridian, a well-known British consumer audio and sound system equipment manufacturer. It comes with Meridian EQ, which has been customized by the company for the best sound output. LG says these headphones can deliver 10 hours of playtime and also support fast charging, whereas a 10-minute charge can deliver up to three hours of playtime. There are two mics to take calls and the location of the microphones allows them to pick up sound clearly, even when there is ambient sound.
The LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 comes with quick pairing and there is a dedicated Google Assistant button on the neckband. They have Bluetooth 5.0 and charge via a USB-C cable. Not only is the neckband lightweight, but it is also flexible, making it even more comfortable around your neck and shoulders. It has an all-black sleek design that gives it a premium look and feel.
DeWALT 2-in-1 Neckband Bluetooth Headphones w/Built-in Speakers
Best Neckband Headphones for Battery Life
These DeWALT neckband headphones are geared towards construction workers. They carry the DeWALT colors and aesthetic, and they bring impressive features like 60 hours of battery life, built-in speakers, vibration call alerts, and four EQ modes. They are also IP56 dust and water-resistant.
- Battery Life
- 60 hours with earbuds, 7.5 hours on speaker
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- DeWALT
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- IP rating
- IP56
- Wireless?
- Yes
- Incredible battery life
- Built-in speakers for added versatility
- IP56 dust and water resistance
- On the bulkier side
- Industrial aesthetic may not be for everyone
If you are looking for versatile neckband headphones with incredible battery life, the DeWalt 2-in-1 Neckband Bluetooth Headphones have you covered. Right off the bat, these are bulkier than the other options on the market, but that’s because of the large battery and, more importantly, the speaker. These headphones also have a speaker for when you need music but also need to hear things around you.
Designed for use at construction sites, these rugged neckband headphones feature IP56 water resistance, solid and easily accessible buttons, and overall heavy-duty construction. They boast an incredible 60 hours of battery life on a single charge, making them the longest-lasting neckband headphones on the market. When using the speaker, the battery life becomes much shorter at 7.5 hours.
To get the best out of your music, the DeWALT 2-in-1 Neckband Bluetooth Headphones have four EQ modes dedicated to music, movies, podcasts, and enhanced bass. These not only let you take calls but also feature vibration alerts for incoming calls. The earbuds are not retractable but are magnetic and stick together when not being used. Also, it should be noted that the earbuds are wing-style, which may not be preferred by everyone.
Factors to Consider when Looking for the Best Neckband Headphones
Here are some things you should consider when looking at neckband headphones.
Neckband style: While most neckband headphones have a similar design to the neckband itself, some are bulkier than others, while some are just two earbuds connected via a thin cable. Some options also allow the earbuds to retract inside the neckband, making them easier to travel with and just have around your neck when not listening to music.
Battery life: Battery life is one of the most important factors when it comes to neckband headphones or any wireless peripheral for that matter. Given that all neckband headphones are wireless, you should make sure to check out the advertised battery life as well as the charging experience. The bulkier neckband headphones tend to offer better battery life.
Controls: Some neckband headphones come with physical or touch controls on the headphones themselves, while others require you to use your phone for those controls. While physical buttons are a bit more cumbersome to use, they offer instant and better feedback than touch buttons. Touch controls are easier to use, but there are often issues with registering touch input or registering the wrong input.
Features: While some of the features like water resistance and good battery life are common across most neckband headphones, some manufacturers implement quirky features to set their products apart. Some of these features could be in-ear detection, noise isolation, quick charging, retractable earbuds, easy access to voice assistants, and more.
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FAQ
Q: Is neckband better than true wireless?
In some areas, the neckband headphones outperform the true wireless options. They generally offer better battery life and cannot be dropped or misplaced since the earbuds are connected. However, true wireless options offer complete freedom of movement and allow for using a single earbud without having any contraption around your neck.
Q: Which neckband earbuds have the longest battery life?
The DeWALT 2-in-1 neckband headphones have the longest battery life at 60 hours on a single charge. They also support fast charging.
Q: How to choose the best neckband?
To find the best neckband headphones, consider factors like battery life, controls, the style of neckband, and the additional features that they offer.
