If You Think AirPods Are Too Expensive and Weird-Looking, Give These Wireless Earphones a Shot

Like it or not, wired headphones are going away—or at least the headphone jacks on our phones are.

If you've already upgraded to the iPhone 7, you know what it's like to go totally wireless with your headphones. Maybe you've invested in a set of AirPods, or maybe you're like us and didn't because you found them a little pricey and silly-looking.

Treblab's X11 earphones aim to do the same thing with a more streamlined design and a reasonable price point. Treblab calls them "true wireless earphones," meaning that they don't only plug into your device, but also aren't connected to one another.

In the past, we've tried different varieties of connected Bluetooth headphones, which have their upsides and downsides. On one hand, it's convenient to only charge one gadget and pair it with your phone or computer. On the other, earphones connected by a big wire are bulkier and less convenient to carry around, and if you're doing a rigorous activity like jogging, the movement of this wire can affect the sound piping into your ears.

The X11 earphones address both of those issues by being super user-friendly. Each earphone has a little built-in port for charging, which is accessible by removing a small plastic plug. The two earphones charge at the same time via a special Y-shaped USB cable. With this method, they both charge at once in about two hours. In our experience, this charge can last more than five hours, giving you plenty of listening time.

Turning the earphones on and off and pairing them with devices is also pretty easy. You just have to hold the button on each earphone down for a few seconds to turn it on or off, and hold down the button on both headphones together to pair them with your devices. Any time an earphone powers on or off or connects to your phone, you'll know because it'll be announced in your ear. You'll even know when the battery is getting low because it'll tell you. If you're not wearing them at the moment, you'll notice a flashing LED light on the side of each earphone.

Of course, the most important aspect of a pair of headphones is the sound, and these deliver. The sound quality is great, and it never seems to cut out at higher or lower frequencies. You'll never have issues listening to your favorite music on them.

There's no way to directly control the volume from the earphones, so you'll have to use your device to do that. These earphones manage volume pretty well. They're nice and loud even at a low setting, but they won't blow out your ears at the highest setting.

They also have quite a reach, so if you're doing chores around the house, you should be able to move all around a room without losing connection to your device. However, like with any Bluetooth headphones, you may find that there's a delay in the sound if you're watching along with something on a screen.

Comfort is also key, particularly when it comes to wireless earphones, and you'll barely notice that you're wearing these.

Once they're in your ears, they don't really move around, making them great for workouts and activities. They're also sweat-proof, so don't be afraid to push yourself.

These lightweight headphones also come with pink silicone ear tips as well as black foam ones in three sizes each, so you can use the ones that are a comfortable size and fit for you. Conveniently, the default silicon tips were just right for us.

Each earphone also has a little wing that tucks into your ear canal to keep it in place. They're typically secure enough that you don't actually need to use it, but it's always nice to have some added security.

When it comes to style, we also think these look a lot better than AirPods, which weirdly look like someone just cut the wires off traditional Apple headphones. The X11 earphones also come in pink, seafoam green and black with red accents, so there's a style for anyone.

And if for whatever reason you don't love the way they look in your ears, you can easily hide them if you have long hair.

Their little carrying case also makes them incredibly convenient to take with you wherever you go. Just pop them in your backpack or your purse and you'll always have them when you need them.

They're currently available on Amazon for less than $40 a pair, making them one of the cheaper options available.

If you'd find it a pain to be charging two separate earphones at once, or to have to pair a set of earphones via Bluetooth rather than just one, you may not love these. But if you've always wanted earphones like AirPods but didn't find them worth the price, we think these are worth the investment.

Need more options? Click HERE to find out which pair of unique headphones is just right for you.