This article is part of our series Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.
The EarFun Air Pro 3 are a CNN Underscored favorite and the best sub-$80 true wireless model we’ve tested, rightfully earning a spot on our best budget earbuds list. They face a worthy competitor in the newly released third-generation Amazon Echo Buds, which have impressed critics with strong intelligible performance at a low price. Plus, $49 is a steal for prime Alexa functionality.
Both sets of buds share similar traits, such as multi-device pairing, companion app support, dynamic sound and quick charging. However, playtimes, special features and other hallmarks differentiate the two.
After two weeks of thorough testing, we broke down the Amazon Echo Buds (2023) and EarFun Air Pro 3 to determine the better bargain.
Amazon Echo Buds (2023) vs. EarFun Air Pro 3 at a glance
The Amazon Echo Buds are a good pick for folks deep in the Amazon ecosystem and are the cheaper option of the two.
The EarFun Air Pro 3 are the better overall budget earbuds, offering great sound quality and tons of premium features for a low price. You can currently get these great buds for as low as $50 using the code CNNDEALS through Aug. 17.
Quick comparison
| Active noise cancellation | No |
|---|---|
| Ambient noise | No |
| Battery life (rated) | 5 hours (earbuds only); 20 hours (with case) |
| Wireless charging | No |
| Sweat and water resistance | IPX2 (earbuds only) |
| Ear tip sizes | None |
| Software support | iOS, Android |
| Special features | Amazon Echo integration, hands-free Alexa, quick charging, seamless switching |
| Colors | Black, white |
| Weight | 0.17 ounces (per bud) |
| Active noise cancellation | Yes |
|---|---|
| Ambient noise | Yes (transparency mode) |
| Battery life (rated) | 9 hours (earbuds); 45 hours (with case) |
| Wireless charging | Yes |
| Sweat and water resistance | IPX5 (earbuds only) |
| Ear tip sizes | XS, S, M, L |
| Software support | iOS, Android |
| Special features | Active noise cancellation, ambient-listening mode, aptX Adaptive, EQ, wireless charging |
| Colors | Black, white |
| Weight | 0.18 ounces (per bud) |
The Echo Buds sound impressive but fall short of their rival
The Echo Buds come with 12mm dynamic drivers that produce bright sound with an emphasis on bass. Expect a pleasant mix of impactful lows and crisp mids. AptX codec support grants smooth streaming on your music service of choice. Amazon’s three-band EQ is basic and only allows customization for bass, midrange and treble.
Sound on the Air Pro 3 is more proficient. Customized 11mm wool composite drivers dish out boom-filled bass and extend high frequencies; your ears will pick up distinctive details on complex recordings. Technologies like aptX Adaptive, Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) Audio and the LC3 codec deliver high-quality sound at low bit rates. Streaming music on Spotify and lossless music platforms (like Deezer and Tidal) is satisfying, especially on the latter, where certain effects and instruments are more nuanced.
Active noise cancellation also plays a pivotal role in audio performance. The Air Pro 3 eliminates ambient noise at a sufficient level to hear music clearly in rowdy environments. Enabling the feature gives the low end a minor boost as well. The Echo Buds lack ANC.
TL;DR: The EarFun Air Pro 3 offer richer sound quality and are the only buds of the two with active noise cancellation.
Voice assistance goes to Amazon, whereas connectivity favors EarFun
Comparing voice assistant functionality seems unfair, especially when the Echo Buds are 100% optimized for Alexa use. Still, it would be a disservice not to inform you of how well the feature works on Amazon’s latest buds. Limitless voice commands are at your disposal. Just say the wake-word phrase (surprise, it’s “Alexa”) and the AI bot turns on automatically. Alexa recognizes every word and command with precision, thanks to superb speech recognition, and executes tasks in prompt fashion.
Google Assistant and Siri run smoothly on the Air Pro 3. Unfortunately, these voice assistants aren’t fully optimized on these buds, meaning you’re stuck with vanilla versions that don’t let you access iOS or Android’s full feature set.
EarFun makes up for the basic digital assistance with terrific connectivity. The Air Pro 3 pair to compatible devices instantly and reconnect to them within a second. Amazon’s buds do the same. Both models also have Bluetooth multipoint to pair with two devices simultaneously. What gives EarFun the wireless advantage is Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Adaptive for refined sound performance over a fast and steady connection.
TL;DR: The Echo Buds have better virtual assistant support — as long as you’re an Alexa fan — while the EarFun have better wireless connectivity.
The Echo Buds are more thoughtfully designed
The build quality on these two models is substandard, made mostly from plastic that can only withstand a limited amount of damage. Only the Air Pro 3 come waterproof (IPX5). The Echo Buds have IPX2 certification, which barely handles sweat and hard splashing. EarFun has the flashier design, highlighted by indented touch panels at the top and a sleek, slate-gray finish.
The charging cases are also mediocre. Each version is a plastic block with a flimsy lid and poorly implemented pairing button that is so flush, you must press hard to enable the feature. This hurts your fingers after several attempts. I do love their compactness; however, it always comes down to protection for me, and neither case does the best job of safeguarding the buds.
Amazon put all their effort into creating an ergonomic open-ear design that enhances sound quality through stabler fit. The bundled silicone casings wrap around the cavity and reduce slippage, while also increasing comfort. I would wear the Echo Buds for 4 hours straight before fatigue set in. Using the Air Pro 3 for 2.5 hours resulted in soreness around the concha.
TL;DR: Amazon’s Echo Buds have the edge in terms of comfort and build quality.
The Air Pro 3’s battery life trumps the Echo Buds’
The Air Pro 3’s battery life is rated at 6 hours with ANC on and 9 hours with ANC off. No matter how you measure it, this beats the Echo Buds’ 5 hours per charge. There’s a noticeable difference in playtimes between the charging cases: The Air Pro 3’s version holds up to 36 hours, and the Echo Buds’ version maxes out at 25 hours.
The Air Pro 3 also promotes stronger quick charging (10 minutes gets you 2 hours of listening time) and wireless charging. As for the Echo Buds, they come with less powerful quick charging (15 minutes for 2 hours) and no wireless charging.
TL;DR: The Air Pro 3 offer better battery life, faster charging and the unique advantage of wireless charger support.
Bottom line
As much as I like both models, the Air Pro 3 have more firepower underneath their hood. Dynamic and customizable sound, effective noise cancellation and lengthy battery life make them well worth the investment, especially since they’re frequently on sale for less than $60.
That’s not to say that the Amazon Echo Buds (2023) aren’t worth a look. They mostly cater to Amazon shoppers that have Echo devices set up throughout their smart home. Excellent hands-free voice activation is enticing for those who love Alexa over Google Assistant or Siri. Sound is better than what the price tag suggests while Bluetooth 5.2 ensures a carefree user experience on all platforms.
In the end, the Air Pro 3 offer more bang for the buck and are still the earbuds to beat at under $100.