

This list focuses on the overall best wireless earbuds. This also helps if the earbuds don't meet your expectations when it comes to anything from noise cancellation (and reduction of ambient noise during calls) to how well the touch controls work or how long the buds last on a single charge. If you can't get a snug fit with in-ear headphones, you'll likely feel disappointed and ripped off, which is why I suggest buying your wireless earbuds from a vendor with a decent return policy, such as Amazon. A tight seal against the ear canal is also crucial for optimizing sound quality and noise-canceling performance if you're using noise-isolating earbuds with ear tips like the AirPods Pro (the standard Apple AirPod has an open design). The best wireless earbuds have an ergonomic design that not only creates a secure fit but also makes the buds comfortable to wear over long periods. And some of these buds are more suited for Android users who can't take advantage of the AirPods' and AirPods Pro's Apple-only features such as hands-free Siri and spatial audio with head-tracking, in the case of the AirPods Pro. Sure, Apple's AirPods and AirPods Pro remain bestsellers in the category, but plenty of excellent competitors are available, several of which are new for 2021 and offer superior audio quality, battery life and performance. Also make sure you have the ‘seperate all input jacks as independent devices’ option ticked.The market for a true wireless earbud has exploded over the last few years.

If your Realtek microphone is still too quiet, you may want to uninstall your current drivers and install generic ones instead. Increase it in increments of 10, up to a total of 30, until you reach an acceptable volume. Here you can increase Windows 10’s volume, but you’ll find the microphone boost option. Press the “Additional device properties” button and switch to the “Levels” tab. If it still isn’t loud enough, proceed to the next step. Increase it to your preferences and click the “Test” button to ensure it’s working.

You’ll now see a slider for your microphone, which may be below 100.

In the input section of the sound window, click “Device properties”. Somewhat unexpectedly, Windows 10’s boost microphone volume is hidden under a separate device properties menu. Make sure you have the correct one selected under the “Input” heading before you begin. PC and laptops quite often have multiple microphones, with sources coming from in-built devices and webcams. Right-click the speaker icon on your taskbar and click “Open Sound settings”. Even so, you can increase microphone volume without the need for any dedicated boost software. The microphone settings menu is a little harder to get to than in older versions of Windows 10.
