Apple’s new AirPods cost €250, but shoppers switch to €18 alternative that ‘basically sound the same’

'Head and shoulders above Apple'

Apple recently unveiled the latest edition of its AirPods, the Pro 3 buds, but shoppers are ditching them for cheaper alternatives.

They bring improved noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring functions - as well as an eye-watering price.

If you want the seamless pairing functionality, and all the other features of the premium buds then you'll need to pay €250.98.

But shoppers at Amazon are praising a pair of earbuds that cost just €18.31, and sound 'basically the same'.

The popular earphones are the soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds, which are more than £200 cheaper than Apple's most expensive AirPods.

They're available in five different colours, including blue, pink, and white, with the black ones being the cheapest option at €18.31.

Unlike the AirPods Pro 3, the earbuds haven't been designed with active noise cancelling in mind, but the oversized 10mm drivers deliver powerful sound with boosted bass to block out noise.

You can also connect them to the soundcore app to customise the sound, connect to phone calls, and it's 'Find My Earbuds' function help you locate a lost earbud.

While the battery lasts up to 30 hours when topped up regularly from the charging case, and 10 hours on a single charge.

The Anker earbuds have been tried and tested by thousands of customers, who have given them a rating of 4.4 stars on Amazon.

One reviewer said: "Fits in ear comfortably, quick charge time, and easy to connect. My relative has AirPods and we compared the sound and it's basically the same. And for the price, honestly it's incredible all round."

Another wrote: "The sound quality on these is excellent, I listen to a lot of heavy metal music which can sound muddy through poor quality speakers. Not these though, the app allows you to choose settings most appropriate for the genre."

"The battery life is very good, and holds well even when the buds aren't used for a while. Really comfy in the ear too," they added.

While a third said: "The sound quality is fantastic, the bass I believe is better than the Apple product. There is also an app which allows you to personalise the sound and features of the ear buds which is actually better than the Apple equivalent."

Others compared them to AirPods, saying "they fit better and are more comfortable" and "these are without doubt head and shoulders above Apple".

To shop the soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds for £15.98 head to Amazon here.