One of our favorite power bank makers just unveiled super-cheap ANC earbuds — and after an early listen, we like 'em | Tech Radar
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One of our favorite power bank makers just unveiled super-cheap ANC earbuds — and after an early listen, we like 'em
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Offer ANC, Multipoint and ear wings for a really low price
You may know Belkin as a company that typically sells power banks, phone cases and charging cables, but its range is diverse and now includes some potential winners in the audio sector.
At IFA 2026, the brand has expanded its fledgling audio family with two new super-affordable pairs of earbuds, each of which offers Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) at a price far below rivals.
There's the Sound Form Isolate Buds, which sell for a very palatable £39.99 (about
Don't confuse the Sound Form Isolate Buds for the Sound Form Isolate; rookie mistake. Those are existing over-ears. Add 'Buds' for the new products.
Also, when it comes to the Dot option, you can select a model with or without ANC, because Belkin wants to give customers the choice. And the set that can't cancel noise can be yours for just £19.99 (around
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As luck would have it, we've got feet on the ground in Berlin at IFA, and my colleague Harry Padoan got a quick listen in with the Sound Form Isolate (main image and below).
His early thoughts? "From my brief time using the earbuds, they sounded very bass-heavy out of the box. The low-end was powerful and fairly regimented too, which is ideal for more energetic tracks," Padoan said. "While this could sometimes mean that vocals and mid-range sounds weren't the clearest in the mix, the audio quality seems relatively solid overall for the price you pay."
These options have been released alongside the Sound Form Play, over-ear headphones which are intended for "older kids".
Both of Belkin's new earbuds are sold on an important promise: ANC for a lot less than Bose, Sony or Apple. But these buds have a few other benefits.
The Isolate offer Multipoint connection, a clear call quality mode, and a 32-hour battery life. They come with a wing-style design, with a ridge that keeps them locked in your ear, which should make them suitable for workouts.
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The slightly cheaper Dots miss out on the wings, and have a slightly lower battery life at 30 hours, but still get Multipoint and clear calling. They also come in both ANC and non-ANC versions. The non-ANC model costs £19.99 (about
Conspicuously absent? Any mention of the buds' audio architecture. It seems, then, that the feature list is the real selling point here; don't expect incredible sound (perhaps you guessed that from the price).
You'd be forgiven for being apprehensive about buying earbuds from a charging bank company, even a well-known one such as Belkin. However, many similar companies have begun making the jump into audio: Anker's Soundcore now makes some of our favorite earbuds, and Baseus is following suit — and both are also showing products at IFA.
This is because, unlike some spaces within tech, the power bank and charging tech sector is growing quickly (maybe people are holding onto their phones longer in these challenging times?), affording these brands some extra cash to put towards designing new affordable wearables.
What I'm saying is, it's well worth paying attention to Belkin's offerings. I'll be very interested to see if the company's affordable buds can rival our go-to best budget earbuds recommendations.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best earbuds
- Best overall: Technics EAH-AZ100
- Best mid-range: Cambridge Audio A100
- Best budget: Nothing Ear (a)
- Best for noise-cancelling: Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen
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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.
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