We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want serious all-day music and noise-cancelling power for the home office, choose ANKER Soundcore; if you need a dedicated call headset that keeps your voice crystal clear on Zoom and Teams, choose awatrue Headset. I'll be honest up front: neither of these is built for running, so if you're shopping for a bluetooth headset for running, treat both as desk-first tools that can only moonlight outdoors. This comparison is for the work-from-home crowd who lives in meetings all day.
• ANKER Soundcore's biggest strength: hybrid active noise cancelling that cuts up to 90% of ambient noise, plus a huge 40-hour ANC battery (60 hours in normal mode) and oversized 40mm drivers with BassUp.
• ANKER Soundcore's biggest trade-off: it's over-ear and bulky at 8.64 ounces, with no boom microphone, so call clarity depends on the built-in mics rather than a dedicated voice pickup.
• awatrue Headset's biggest strength: an AI noise-reduction microphone that removes up to 99% of background noise, plus a 2.4G dongle for a lag-free PC connection and a charging base.
• awatrue Headset's biggest trade-off: on-ear (not over-ear) fit and a shorter 30-hour talk-time battery, so long-haul listening is less of a focus than long meetings.
• Pick ANKER Soundcore if you want immersive sound, deep noise cancelling and marathon battery for focus work, music and commute-style listening.
• Pick awatrue Headset if you spend your day on calls and need your voice — not the office hum — to be what the other side hears.
The Soundcore Q20i is a listening-first pair of headphones that happens to be excellent for working from home. Its hybrid ANC uses two internal and two external mics to knock down up to 90% of steady noise like planes and car engines — and in a home office, that same tech is what buries a neighbour's leaf blower or a partner's conference call in the next room. When you need to hear the doorbell or a delivery, Transparency mode flips you back into the world instantly.
Sound quality is the headline here. The 40mm dynamic drivers reach from 20Hz to 40kHz and lean on BassUp for thumping low end, and over the included AUX cable you can run Hi-Res certified audio for more detail. Battery is genuinely generous: 40 hours with ANC on, 60 in normal mode, and a 5-minute fast charge buys you roughly 4 more hours. Bluetooth 5.0 dual-connection lets you stay linked to your laptop and phone at once and auto-switch to whichever one is actually making sound.
So who should buy it? Anyone whose workday is a mix of deep-focus tasks, music and the occasional call, and who wants one pair of over-ear headphones to cover all of it. The memory-foam over-ear fit and 90° rotating ear cups make it comfortable for long stretches. Who should skip it? If your job is back-to-back client calls where your voice quality is the deliverable, the lack of a boom mic is a real limitation — and if you were hoping for a sweat resistant over ear headphones for running option, the 8.64-ounce build and over-ear design aren't the natural fit for a jog.
The awatrue EH11 is the opposite philosophy: it's built for talking, not for losing yourself in an album. The AI noise-reduction microphone eliminates up to 99% of background noise, so on the other end of a Zoom, Teams, Skype or Webex call you sound like you're in a quiet room even when you're not. There's also a mic mute for privacy during calls, and a call reminder so you don't miss an incoming one mid-meeting.
Connectivity is where it earns its keep for remote workers. Bluetooth 5.3 handles a faster, more stable link, and the bundled 2.4G USB dongle gives you a low-latency wireless path to a PC — handy if your laptop's Bluetooth is flaky. Dual connection lets it hold your computer and phone at once, and the 49ft/15m range means you can stand up, stretch or grab coffee without dropping the call. You also get a voice assistant that can create calendar events, pause music, generate real-time memos or pull up files.
Comfort and battery are aimed squarely at all-day use: super soft breathable leather earmuffs, an adjustable padded headband, 30 hours of continuous talk time and 300 hours of standby, with a 2.5-hour charge or a plug-and-play charging base. Who should skip it? If music fidelity and deep active noise cancelling for your own ears are the priority, the on-ear design and 3000Hz frequency response won't satisfy an audiophile. And like the Soundcore, it's a desk tool — not a best earphones for running candidate.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life → ANKER Soundcore. 40 hours with ANC on and 60 in normal mode dwarfs the awatrue's 30-hour talk time.
• Best for clear calls from your end → awatrue Headset. The AI mic removes up to 99% of background noise so callers hear you, not your room.
• Best for PC/laptop reliability → awatrue Headset. The 2.4G dongle sidesteps Bluetooth hiccups; Soundcore relies on Bluetooth 5.0 only.
• Best for music and audio detail → ANKER Soundcore. 40mm drivers, BassUp, Hi-Res over AUX and a 22-preset EQ app.
• Best for meeting-platform integration → awatrue Headset. Explicitly compatible with Zoom, Skype, Webex and MS Teams, with call reminder and voice assistant.
• Best for long-session comfort → a toss-up. Soundcore's over-ear memory foam suits music marathons; awatrue's breathable on-ear pads suit call marathons.
• Best for travel and commutes → ANKER Soundcore. Rotating ear cups, a 3.5mm jack and fold-friendly over-ear design make it the more portable listener.
In my opinion, most work-from-home people should buy the ANKER Soundcore — the combination of up to 90% noise reduction, 40 to 60 hours of battery and genuinely good sound covers the widest range of a home workday. I'd only switch to the awatrue Headset if your calendar is wall-to-wall calls and your voice quality is what actually matters to your job. For running, honestly, neither is ideal — reach for true running earphones instead — but between these two, the Soundcore is the better all-rounder and the awatrue is the better call specialist.
what are the best work from home headphones
In my opinion the answer depends on your day, not a single "best." For focus work, music and noise cancelling, the ANKER Soundcore's hybrid ANC and 40-hour battery fit best. For call-heavy roles, the awatrue Headset's AI noise-reduction mic is the smarter pick.
what are the best headphones for working from home
Look at what your day is mostly made of. If it's listening, choose the Soundcore Q20i with its 40mm drivers, BassUp and Transparency mode. If it's talking, choose the awatrue EH11 with its 99% background-noise reduction and Zoom/Teams compatibility.
Neither is designed as a running headset, and the data sheets list no water or sweat resistance. The Soundcore is over-ear and 8.64 ounces; the awatrue is on-ear with no jack. If running is your goal, a dedicated pair of running earphones is the better choice.
Yes. The ANKER Soundcore uses Bluetooth 5.0 dual-connection to link a laptop and phone and auto-switches between them. The awatrue Headset also supports dual connection, and adds a 2.4G USB dongle plus a 49ft/15m wireless range for extra flexibility on a PC.
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