Bluetooth Earbuds (TWS) Vs Neckbands: Which Is Better For You?

Need help choosing between Bluetooth Earbuds and Neckbands? You’ve come to the right place.

Some of us prefer neckbands, while others go for Truly Wireless Earbuds. Although rare, there’s also a portion of the population that prefers none but wired earphones. Yes, this portion of the population has me included. So, you never know who prefers what.

In this article, I’ll help you understand which one you should choose and what best suits your needs.

What Are Neckbands?

Neckband headphones, also known as ‘Collar headphones,’ are the ones you drooled over once upon a time, but then True Wireless Stereo Earbuds happened, and you drooled again. This way, manufacturers keep adding to already awesome tech and perplexing consumers about what we should go for.

So neckbands are earphones that sit around your neck and easily insert into your ears.

Although they are known to have eliminated those wires, they still have some. Neckbands have a band attached to them that rests on your neck and simultaneously supports the earbuds to stay in your ears and not fall off accidentally.

If you’re wondering if the bands placed over the neck are uncomfortable, let me tell you they aren’t. It’s all comfy and good to go.

Features of Neckbands

The neckband that has been ignored over time has many more features than you can imagine.

Let us know about neckbands in detail:

Convenient

Neckbands are highly convenient. They do not even need to be held or supported. They sit on your neck and do the much-needed work.

You can even wear them while you’re wearing a helmet.

Easy To Operate

Neck Bands are easy to operate. They have buttons to increase or decrease audio volume, change tracks, and pause or unpause the audio.

Longer Battery Life

The neckbands are known for their long battery life. They last longer with a single charge, so it does not need to be charged often.

Hassle-Free

While wired earbuds have wires that get tangled, and it takes forever to detangle them, these neck bands wires are short, and there is no hassle of detangling them.

Comfortable

These are very comfortable to wear. You might think it’s uncomfortable since it lies on your neck, but it’s pretty comfortable and does not pose any discomfort.

Portability

These Neckbands are highly portable, with a low possibility of dropping. Even if you’re not using them, they cling to your neck instead of being removed and put into a box.

Suitable For Workout

These are best suited for workout sessions. Your wireless earbuds might drop because of the intense workout, but these neckbands, even if they drop, are still supported by the neckband.

Water And Sweat Resistant

Most of these neckbands are water and sweat resistant, again best suited for workout sessions.

Easy to Handle in a Busy Environment

In a busy environment, neckbands are easier to carry because even if they fall, you’ll be able to find them without much ado because of the wires.

Easy to Locate

As is evident, neckbands are super easy to locate because of their size and wired connection. Their convenient design makes them less likely to be lost under the bed or sofa.

Design

The neckband is convenient and durable, and its design is also quite appealing. When it was first introduced, people were impressed by the design and look of it.

Sound Quality

An important consideration while purchasing audio products is the sound quality which neckbands are at par with. They give you an immersive sound experience along with everything else.

Budget-Friendly

Neckbands these days are pretty budget-friendly compared to other wireless headphones like wireless earbuds.

What Are True Wireless Earbuds (TWS)

True wireless earbuds, as the name suggests, are true wireless earbuds. By this, I mean that neckbands are also called wireless earbuds, but you see, there’s still a wire attached to it. But since it omitted the long wires that once connected your phone and you, it came to be known as wireless. 

However, in the years following, the tech advanced, and brands came up with actual Truly Wireless earbuds eliminating the little wire that connected your earbuds in the neckbands. 

True wireless earbuds do not have any wire attached to them. It’s completely wireless, as is clearly stated, and connects via Bluetooth.

Features of True Wireless Earbuds (TWS)

There are innumerable features of True Wireless Earbuds. Let’s figure out which ones.

Chargeable On The Go

As we all should agree, the best feature about these true wireless earbuds is that they can be charged by just placing them in the case. It doesn’t let you down in the middle of the street by running out of charge. The case that holds the earbuds together can also charge them to a certain limit.

Sound Quality

True wireless earbuds also have an immersive sound quality. The bass boost and active noise cancellation gives you an excellent music experience.

Active Noise Cancellation

Most True Wireless earbuds come with active noise cancellation, canceling the ambient noise surrounding you.

Convenient

True Wireless earbuds are convenient as they should be. Easy to handle, easy to carry, easy to charge, and much more.

Hassle-Free

These are completely hassle-free. It just takes the space of a pinch of your fingers and a bit of space in your pocket, leaving room for other things.

Time Efficient

These earbuds do not require you to sit before your gaming session and detangle those wires. You simply take it out of the box, pair it and enjoy.

Sweat And Water Resistant

Most true wireless earbuds are sweat and water-resistant, ideal for workouts. However, it depends on the brand, so check the specifications for in-depth details.

Design

True Wireless Earbuds have a relaxed look and eye-appealing design that is sure to catch your eye.

Which One Is Better, Neckband Or True Wireless Earbuds?

Just knowing the advantages won’t help your decision. Although both the neckbands and True Wireless Earbuds are almost close to perfection, we are humans, reputed for spotting the weaknesses in things and in people.

Let us compare which one’s better for you.

Which Is More Convenient?

These wireless neckbands and True wireless earbuds are designed for convenience and serve their purpose.

Neck Bands help your earbuds from accidentally falling down and catching unwanted germs. They stay on your neck and support those tiny earbuds, so they stay where they are meant to be.

Moreover, when you want to pull them out of your ears for a minute or two, you don’t have to keep them in the designated box and then take it out again after a minute. Just pull them out, and they’ll stay there waiting for you, near your neck.

It’s not that truly wireless earbuds aren’t convenient; they definitely are. For people who do not like anything clinging to their neck, this is the best possible option. Though they are easy to fall, they’re even easier to hold, taking up less space than neckbands.

Which Has Longer Battery Life?

Too much of anything is often harmful. True Wireless earbuds need to be kept in the case when you’re not using them. Since the case is also responsible for charging these buds when the buds are kept in the case, they are either charging or are at 100% capacity.

Neckbands, as mentioned earlier, do not need to be charged very often. These are less likely to get overcharged until you do it and last longer in one charge. However, this feature depends a lot on the brand of the neckbands.

Which Is More Hassle-Free?

Whilst rare, there are chances that the neckbands might still get tangled in each other. True Wireless earbuds do not have the slightest chance of getting tangled.

True Wireless Earbuds are more likely to be lost when you’re not using them, whereas neck bands, because of their size and the band that is attached to the earbuds, are difficult to lose no matter where you keep them.

Charging both these devices, too, isn’t much of a headache. You need to plug the cable into the power source and the other end of it into the neckband. For True Wireless Earbuds, you’ll only need to keep the buds in the case. That alone charges the bud and the case. The case later helps you charge your buds when you’ve run out of charge in the middle of your journey, which happens to be a plus point in the case of earbuds.

Better Call Quality?

The microphone in neck bands is located close to your chin and neck. You get the option to move it closer to your mouth if the other person can not hear you. On the contrary, microphones in True Wireless Earbuds are located on the earbuds themselves, so there’s no way you can bring the mic closer to your mouth.

However, the overall call quality is said to be better in True wireless earbuds than in neck bands.

Easy To Handle In A Busy Environment?

As is evident, neckbands are easy to handle in a busy environment. They, in fact, do not need to be handled. The band on the neck bears the load of supporting both earbuds.

True Wireless Earbuds are easy to handle, too, but you can’t just hold them in your hands while you’re listening to the other person for a minute or two. You’ll need to keep them in the case immediately to avoid losing them in the crowd.

Easier To Locate?

Neckbands, because of their design, are easy to locate even if you throw them on the bed or the sofa. Conversely, True wireless earbuds are easier to lose because of their size and design.

You won’t need to look for neckbands under the bed, sofa, or behind the door, but truly wireless earbuds can make you look beneath everything.

Active Noise Cancellation

Active noise cancellation is not the universal feature that all neckbands or TWS earbuds have. Although most truly wireless earbuds are known to have Active Noise cancellation tech in them, the same can not be said for the neck bands, as it totally depends upon the brand. It is essential to check the specifications while shopping for either of the earbuds.

Touch Functions

True Wireless Earbuds have touch functions, about which the users have complained to be not working effectively after a period of time. Neckbands, on the other hand, have button functions that are said to last longer than the touch functions. 

Sound Quality (Big Drivers)

It is said the bigger the drivers, the better the sound quality. The drivers in neck bands range from 10-14 mm, while in True Wireless Earbuds, they range from 6-8 mm.

True Wireless Earbuds are said to have excellent sound quality, but the same is said about the nack bands too. Therefore, there is little to no difference in the sound quality of both the neckbands and earbuds.

Conclusion

Somewhere somehow, it seems to be a tie between these two. To be honest, when the neckbands were launched, they looked cool. Now that the True Wireless earbuds are launched, they look even cooler than neckbands. Who knows what else the brands are about to come up with to amuse the audiophiles?

The final verdict has to be yours; there are comparisons, merits, and demerits to everything. It depends on what your preferences are. However, sometimes even our preferences are influenced by what’s in trend.

Neck Bands are cost-effective, have longer battery lives, and are more convenient than True Wireless Earbuds. The fact that they offer to share your load by supporting the earbuds to your ears is commendable.

Be sure to spend your money for your own good and not based on people’s judgments.

Happy listening!