I tested these $5 wired earbuds and they sounded better than expected but I still wouldnt recommend them

Date:
Wed, 13 Aug 2025 21:00:00 +0000

Description:
Sure, wired earbuds for $5 may sound like a good deal, but Id recommend spending a little more for a lot better quality.

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It was just a typical Wednesday. I logged onto my work laptop, threw on my headphones and got typing about the flashy new tech Id been testing. Everything was going great. That was until I received a message from our
Audio Editor Becky, asking if Id like to try some $5 earbudsand a chill ran down my spine.

OK, Im exaggerating (for dramatic effect), but if I told you I was excited to try the sub-$5 / 5 ZJXD wired earbuds, Id be lying to you. See, Ive been
lucky enough to try out some of the best wired earbuds around, as well as
some of the best wireless earbuds and best headphones too.

Testing an almost impossibly cheap pair of wired buds, then, did raise a lot of questions for me. Are they going to sound super-tinny? Will audio just sound super distorted? Will they even work properly? Wanna find out? Well, heres what I made of these mightily cheap in-ears. Functional, yet considerably restricted audio (Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

OK, so do you want to know whats crazy? For less than 7 (around $9.40), we didnt only get one pair of the ZJXD buds we got two. For reference, these were identical, other than the fact that one pair came in black, and the
other in white.

So, after plugging the USB-C connector into my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE , I
think its fair to say I was barely expecting even average audio. And was it good? Absolutely not. But was it the worst Ive heard? Again, absolutely not!

Tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, some serious limitations were obvious.
These buds produce pretty bloated audio, with the lines blurring between mid-range and low-frequency sounds, resulting in a muddy presentation. Meanwhile, higher-pitched percussion in Merci by Ruze got pretty tinny at
high volumes, resulting in a fairly harsh listening experience.

But and theres a big but hey, Im talking about earbuds here(!), you still get decently clear audio when listening at medium volume or lower. Vocals, though not beautifully separated, arent distorted or overly recessed. And bass, though muddy, is actually fairly impactful, providing solid punch for dance and hip-hop tracks, say.

And also, if youre spending around $5 / 5 on some wired buds, I expect youre not looking for and certainly arent expecting great sound quality. This model is functional and doesnt make your music sound as if it's being played underwater or out of your phones built-in speaker. Thats about as much as you could ask for at this price-point! The clues in the build (Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

Some of the biggest sacrifices you make with these unfathomably cheap buds is in the build department. These are essentially replicating the look and feel of the Apple EarPods USB-C, donning a loose-fitting in-ear design, in-line controller, and minimalistic aesthetic.

However, they dont have the same high quality finish youd expect from Apples in-ears. Instead, these wired buds wear their low price on their sleeve, with a plasticky, cheap-looking exterior. The attached controller is also pretty stiff, and the chin slider isnt very effective at keeping the two wires together.

Yep, the bottom line is, I dont see these buds being particularly durable,
and they dont exactly look all too hot either. More of a personal thing, is that Im not huge on the loose-fitting design of these, but if you dont like the feeling of an in-ear seal something you get with models like the Skullcady Set USB-C then that may suit you.

One more thing: the microphone on these buds is, without question, the worst Ive ever used. When taking a voice note, it sounded as if I was giving a speech while deep sea diving without a helmet. So, if you ever plan on taking a phone call, avoid these, believe me.

There you have it, then. These buds may sound better-than-expected for their price, but youre undoubtedly making big sacrifices elsewhere. In my opinion, youre better off spending just a little more to unlock much higher quality not only in terms of design, but also in terms of sound. Want to know what to get instead? Well its your lucky day Ive listed a couple of alternatives below, which Ive personally reviewed. What to get instead (Image credit: Future)

JBL Tune 310C
Given that they only cost around $25 / 15 / AU$30, the JBL Tune 310C are an impressive pair of budget wired earbuds. They plate up warm bass,
surprisingly strong mic quality, and different EQ modes something thats
quite rare for a wired option. They provide an in-ear seal for better noise isolation and more concentrated audio output, but you can grab their sibling, the JBL 305C if you want a looser fit.

Read our full JBL Tune 310C review .

Apple EarPods USB-C
If youre interested in the cheap buds weve been talking about, Id suggest you spend a tiny bit more to get the real deal. Yep, even though these are Apple buds, the EarPods USB-C are actually inexpensive, typically costing $19 / 19
/ AU$29. These buds are sleek, stylish, and support Apple lossless audio. Theyre not the most sonically exciting model Ive tested, but theyre a considerable step-up on the ZJXD alternative. Oh, and the mic is plenty good enough too.

Read our full Apple EarPods USB-C review . You may also like Want to hop on the wired earbuds trend? Here are 4 models Id buy as an audio reviewer Ive tested a ton of wireless earbuds, but I keep coming back to this affordable wired set heres why I switched back to cheap wired headphones after years of working out with wireless: here are 3 things I loved (and 2 I didn't)



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/usd5-challenge-i-tested-these- usd5-wired-earbuds-and-they-sounded-better-than-expected-but-i-still-wouldnt-r ecommend-them


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