We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
The CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro 2 is my top pick for most people. It's the only set here that combines serious active noise cancellation, a smart charging-case dial, multipoint Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC support and a genuinely long 43-hour total runtime — the closest thing to an all-rounder in this group.
• CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro 2 — best for all-round training and commuting; pick this if you want adaptive noise cancelling, a dial on the case and the longest total battery here.
• Skullcandy Push 720 — best for outdoor runs and rainy sessions; pick this if you need full IP67 waterproofing, an open-ear cuff that lets traffic noise in, and wireless charging.
• mojawa StarClip Open Ear — best for all-day wear and glasses wearers; pick this if you want the lightest clip-on design here with Bluetooth 5.4 and a 32-hour case.
• ASUS ROG Cetra Open — best for gaming plus workouts; pick this if you want dual Bluetooth/2.4GHz connectivity, physical buttons and a detachable reflective neck strap.
This is a sealed in-ear bud built around a hybrid dual-driver setup: an 11mm bass driver paired with a 6mm tweeter, tuned to work with LDAC lossless transmission. In practice that means you get real low-end punch for run playlists and enough separation up top that podcasts and audiobooks don't sound mushy. The 50dB adaptive hybrid ANC is the headline feature, and it's the kind of thing that matters most in a gym with clanging plates or on a noisy commute — the system is designed to detect leakage between the bud and your ear canal and adjust accordingly.
The detail I like most for training is the smart case dial. Instead of fishing for your phone mid-set, you can change volume, skip tracks or flip between noise modes from the case itself. That's a small thing that becomes a big thing once you're mid-workout with sweaty hands. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint means you can be connected to a phone and a laptop at the same time, and 120ms low latency keeps audio synced if you use these for gaming between sessions.
Battery is the other reason this sits at the top of my list. Up to 10 hours in the buds and 43 hours total with the case, plus a 10-minute quick charge that gives roughly 3 hours of playback — enough to rescue you when you realise you forgot to charge before leaving for the gym. Six microphones with Clear Voice Technology 3.0 handle calls, and the IP55 rating covers sweat, rain and a rinse under the tap after a swim.
The trade-off is straightforward. These are in-ear buds with ANC, so you're blocking the world out — if you run on open roads and want to hear traffic, that's a genuine downside. The IP55 rating is also a step below the full IP67 waterproofing on the Skullcandy set, so I'd treat them as sweat- and splash-proof rather than something to submerge.
The Push 720 is a different animal entirely: an open-ear cuff that sits outside your ear canal rather than plugging it. The 12mm drivers fire sound toward your ear while leaving the canal clear, so you hear your music and the world at the same time. For outdoor runners, cyclists and anyone training near traffic, that awareness is the whole point — and it's a safety feature, not a compromise.
The fit is the part I'd pay attention to. The ear-cuff design is described as lightweight and no-slip, and the open form factor is generally more forgiving for people who find sealed tips uncomfortable over long sessions or who get sore ears after an hour. If you've ever ripped out a bud mid-sprint because it started sliding, this style sidesteps that problem.
Where it beats everything else here is durability. IP67 means fully waterproof and sweatproof, so rain, sweat and a rinse all fall inside its comfort zone. Battery is 6 hours in the buds and 30 hours with the case, and a 10-minute rapid charge buys about 2 hours — handy when you're heading out the door and realise you're low. The case charges wirelessly too, which removes one more cable from your gym bag. The Skullcandy app lets you set EQ presets, remap button controls and even trigger your phone camera from the earbud.
The honest trade-off: there's no active noise cancellation on this model. That's inherent to the open design — you bought it for awareness, so you can't expect silence on a plane. If you want to shut the world out, this isn't the one. It's also Bluetooth 5.2 rather than the newer versions on the other two open-ear options.
The StarClip is the lightest thing in this group by a wide margin — the clip-on buds weigh about 5.5g, and the whole package is 5.3g per the item details. That featherweight build is the entire pitch, and it's a meaningful one: silicone-padded ear clips that don't press into the canal and don't fight with glasses or earrings. If you've given up on earbuds because they hurt, this is the design to look at.
Sound comes from a metallic spherical listening unit with 4D stereo panoramic sound, and the description mentions matrix audio processing aimed at reducing leakage by around 90%. In real terms, that's about keeping your music yours on a crowded train. AI ENC handles call clarity when you're taking a meeting mid-walk. Controls are touch-based and simple — tap to play, pause and skip.
Battery is the strongest spec here for this style: up to 32 hours with the charging case, and roughly an hour to a full charge, running on Bluetooth 5.4 for lower power draw. IP54 covers sweat and rain, so gym sessions and outdoor runs are fine as long as you're not dunking them. There's a two-year warranty, and the package includes a rigid cushioned case and cable.
ASUS ROG Cetra Open
This is the pick for people whose workout is a warm-up for their gaming session. The Cetra Open is an open-ear hook design, but its party trick is dual-mode connectivity: standard Bluetooth plus a low-latency 2.4GHz ROG SpeedNova link via the included USB-C dongle. For gaming that means audio that stays in sync with what's on screen, which is exactly the problem Bluetooth usually creates. There's also USB-C passthrough charging, so the dongle can power your phone without cutting the audio.
The 14.2mm DLC-coated diaphragm drivers are the largest here, and the spec sheet promises crisp highs, deep bass and a spacious soundstage. You can run them open-ear for awareness or switch to Immersion Mode for noise reduction, with Phantom Bass boosting the low end when you want more thump. For lifting or running, the tactile physical buttons are a real advantage over touch controls — they work when your fingers are sweaty, and you can find them without looking.
Battery is 16 hours of continuous use, with a 15-minute charge giving about 3 hours. That's less total runtime than the other three, but it's a single figure for the buds themselves rather than a buds-plus-case number, so it's more generous than it first looks. IPX5 handles rain, sweat and everyday abuse. The soft ear hooks are built for a secure all-day fit, and the package includes a detachable reflective neck strap — useful for visibility on evening runs and for keeping the buds from hitting the pavement if one slips.
The compromises: IPX5 is the lowest water resistance rating in this group, so heavy rain and full rinses aren't its thing. And if you never touch a 2.4GHz dongle, you're paying in complexity for a feature you won't use — the Bluetooth-only options here are simpler for pure gym use.
I compared the published specs and feature sets of these four sets side by side, weighing noise control, water resistance, battery figures, fit style and connectivity against how people actually train. The ranking is my independent editorial opinion — no brand paid for placement, and no product was favoured for any reason other than what its data sheet says it does. Where two models were close, I picked based on which design suits the widest range of workouts.
what is the best workout earbuds
There's no single answer, but in my opinion the CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro 2 is the best all-rounder for most people because it pairs 50dB adaptive ANC, a smart case dial, multipoint Bluetooth 5.3 and up to 43 hours total battery. If you run outdoors and want to hear traffic, the open-ear Skullcandy Push 720 or mojawa StarClip make more sense.
how to wear sport earbuds
It depends on the design. Sealed in-ear models like the CMF Buds Pro 2 sit inside the canal with the eartip forming a seal — that seal is what makes the noise cancelling work. Open-ear designs like the Push 720, StarClip and ROG Cetra Open rest outside the canal on an ear cuff or hook, so you push them into place and let the hook hold them rather than inserting anything.
how to workout with wired earbuds
All four sets here are wireless with no headphone jack, connected over Bluetooth. If you're working out with a wired pair instead, the practical approach is to run the cable under your shirt and secure the slack so it can't snag on equipment — but be aware a wired connection won't give you the water resistance ratings these models carry.
how to reset fitness earbuds raycon
That's specific to Raycon's own models — the reset steps live in Raycon's manual and app, and they don't apply to any of the four sets covered here. For these, factory reset and pairing instructions are in each brand's user manual, which is included in the box for all four.
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See also: MOXKING Joymiso vs WUYI Earbuds, SUNJOM Flip vs SGNICS Earbuds, Mochi-Fit Silicone Sleep Earbuds vs NVXMANIYK Headse