Not too long ago, if you wanted wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling (ANC), or even just a good battery life, neckband headphones were the way to go. However, companies have been getting better and better at cramming these powerful features into ultra-compact truly wireless earbuds.

While neckband headphones might seem a bit outdated in comparison – after all, their core design hasn’t changed much from the very first Bluetooth earphones – they’re still very popular. Many people prefer how you can just put them around your neck and forget about them. You can enjoy having your music at arm’s reach all day long without needing to worry about dropping your earbuds if you take them out to chat with a friend. Even though truly wireless technology is catching up, neckband headphones still generally have better ANC, microphone, and battery performance.