Anker Soundcore by Anker Liberty 5 True Wireless Review

The Anker Liberty 5 are a steal at $100. You get LDAC, adaptive ANC, and killer mics for half the price of the big brands. Skip the overpriced flagships.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 are the best $100 noise-canceling earbuds you can buy right now. Seriously. They punch so far above their weight class that it feels like Anker forgot to charge more. The one thing you need to know is this: you're getting flagship-tier features—like LDAC support and adaptive ANC—for half the price of the big names. They're not just good for the money, they're just good.

What surprised us was how complete the package is. The sound quality lands in the 90th percentile in our database, which is wild for this price. The 9.2mm drivers and bass tubes deliver a punchy, fun sound that's great for commutes and workouts. But the real shocker is the mic quality, which is in the 97th percentile. For a product that scores weakest in calls, that's a hilarious contradiction in the data. It means the hardware is fantastic, but the AI call processing might be letting it down a bit.

This is an easy one. The value is exceptional. For $100, you're getting features and performance that compete with earbuds costing twice as much. It's a no-brainer if you want high-end specs on a mid-range budget.

The obvious competitors are the Sony WF-1000XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultras. The Sonys have slightly better ANC and a more refined sound profile, but they cost over $250. The Liberty 5 gets you 80% of the way there for less than half the price. The Bose have legendary comfort and ANC, but they lack LDAC. If you're an Android user who cares about high-res audio, the Liberty 5 is the smarter buy. Against the AirPods Pro, it's simple: if you're in the Apple ecosystem, get the AirPods. If you're not, the Liberty 5 offers better codec support and similar features for less cash.

If you need the absolute best noise cancellation for a cross-country flight, or if you live on conference calls and our data on mic performance gives you pause, look at the Bose QuietComfort Ultras or the Jabra Evolve2 Buds instead. The Liberty 5 are fantastic all-rounders, but they're not the undisputed champs in every single category.

We're giving these a strong recommendation. For anyone who wants great sound, solid ANC, and flagship features without the flagship price tag, the Liberty 5 is the play. They excel at travel and fitness, have great battery life, and are built well. Unless you absolutely need the best noise cancellation on the planet or you're glued to the Apple ecosystem, you should buy these.