My favorite earbuds of the year just got an open-ear makeover, as this top cheap headphone brand debuts 7 new models | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
My favorite earbuds of the year just got an open-ear makeover, as this top cheap headphone brand debuts 7 new models
Soundcore has opened up its catalogue — and then some!
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Anker sub-brand Soundcore unveils 7 new headphones at IFA
New wireless open-ears, over-ears and in-ears, as well as sleep buds
These include Aerofit 2, taking features from some top options released earlier in the year
Released in May, the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro are my favorite earbuds of 2026 so far, leading to a glowing 4.5-star review... and now Soundcore has taken that DNA, and given it a little twist.
I'm talking about the Soundcore Aeroclip 2, which have just been unveiled at IFA 2026. On the surface, they seem like simple successors to the original Aeroclip, and an odd comparison for the aforementioned in-ear buds. But it's all about the feature set.
You see, the Aeroclip 2 come with Anker's Thus chip, the firm's very own internal AI chipset, used in the Liberty 5 Pro. This brings a suite of advantages that other earbuds of this design simply don't have, including clearer call quality, optimized battery life and a listening test. The new buds are due to cost
Another point of comparison is that both the Liberty 5 Pro and Aeroclip 2 also now have an advanced model: the 5 Pro Max and Aeroclip 2 Pro respectively. In the latter case, as in the former, the big upgrade is a control panel on the charging case, as well as a note-taking and transcription tool which uses the actual case to take notes. The advanced model is due to cost
Not all of the Thus chip's features are present: I loved its noise cancellation capabilities, but since clip-style earbuds are designed to not cancel noise, naturally that won't show its face here. But if I want ANC, I have plenty of other options...
The best open earbuds, all real-world tested by our experts
Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro review: feature-packed, great fitting earbuds — highly recommended
Best earbuds: top buys, all Tech Radar-tested and recommended
Anker's Soundcore sub-brand had plenty of other devices at IFA.
First up, there's the Soundcore Space 2 Pro, over-ear headphones which build on the Space 2 we saw earlier this year. Again, the improvement is that they use the Thus chip, with noise cancellation that's apparently 1.5x better than on the original model. There's also a listening test, longer battery life and comfier build, with whatever an "optimized headband" is. These cans are set to cost
Don't want over-ears? Well, Soundcore has standard earbuds too, in the form of the Liberty Buds 2. These are lightweight, without long stems, and weigh 4.7g each. They use 9.2mm wool paper diaphragms, and once again have the Thus chip, for the listening test and clear calling.
You can buy the Liberty Buds 2 on the same day as these other gadgets: September 22. They'll sell for
I've tested headphones full-time since 2019 — here are top models of 2026 so far
The 9 best wireless earbuds for all budgets, all tested by our reviewers
The best noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, all tested by experts
These have build-in photoplethysmography sensors to track your sleep stage, heart rate, heart rate variation and other metrics, with "snore masking" and a redesigned shape so they're even smaller. A neat tool is that they offer dynamic audio: if it notices you waking up, it'll start playing a sleep sound to lull you back to sleep.
The standard buds come in October, and I wasn't provided a price. The Pro models come later, in November, and their main upgrade is that they have a screen on the case, so you don't need to use your phone to manage or monitor them.
Finally, we have the Anker RIC Hearing Aids, which continue a growing trend among audio companies: using their tech to create over-the-counter hearing devices. These use the Thus chip, and therefore the clear-calling and Hear ID tools, to boost sounds you struggle to hear. No word on a price or release date for these.
Phew. Take a breath. That's only the tip of the iceberg for Anker at IFA, with charging devices and home security cameras and more, but luckily for this missive, none of them go on (or near) your ear.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best open earbuds
- Best overall: Shokz Open Fit 2+
- Best cheap around-ear design: Huawei Free Arc
- Best cheap clip design: Shokz Open Dots One
- Best high-end clip design: Bose Ultra Open
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor covering tech, entertainment and gaming. Beyond Tech Radar, he has bylines on sites including Games Radar, Digital Trends, Android Police, Tech Advisor, Whatto Watch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022 he was on the Tech Radar team as the staff writer and then deputy editor for the mobile team.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
The Gentlemen season 2 ending explained and season 3 predictions
The Gentlemen season 2 review: a darker, meaner and more brutal return to Netflix
Go Pro's new merger has made me cancel my Mission 1 pre-order — here's why
Map Quest refused to rename Lake Ontario to appease one person, but I still can't leave Google Maps and Apple Maps behind for this one reason
Skip the new Sonos hardware — these excellent older soundbars and headphones are now up to 20% off
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
