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Best fake AirPods in Australia

If you’re searching for fake AirPods in Australia, our discerning audiophiles have carefully identified the top 6 for a variety of uses and budgets.

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Adam Mathew
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The best fake AirPods in Australia

While some folks balk at the idea of purchasing such an expensive, diminutive and easy-to-lose product like Apple's AirPods, it's not hard to see why they're still such a best-selling accessory. The dual conveniences of having that wireless charging case and hands-free access to a Siri assistant are compelling reasons to make the purchase plunge. So too is the exceptional battery life these little beauties provide. That said, surely there's a cheaper option?

There are many reasons for not wanting to pay through the nose (or ear canals) for some decent wireless earbuds. Perhaps you're a rough and tumble, outdoorsy type whose battered gadgets frequently need replacing. Alternatively, you might just be a forgetful soul with a tendency to lose any item not stapled to your hand.

Officially-branded Apple gear sure doesn't come cheap. Having to make the somewhat ironic trip to your local Genius Bar to do yet another "repurchase of shame" gets old pretty quick.

A proactive solution would be to source yourself some cheap pseudo AirPods to use while you're doing activities or anything more physical with increased movement. In this guide, we've listed some cheaper alternatives to Apple's AirPods that are at the very least within striking distance of their performance. They'll also be much easier on your wallet – and your emotional state should they decide to go missing. We've also got different shape and fit alternatives to perhaps better suit the earholes of anybody who finds that they have some canal incompatibility with AirPods.

Basically, no matter what your needs might be for some alternative AirPods, we've got your inner ears covered.

How did we pick this list?

Our editorial team selected the products on this list based on extensive research, real customer reviews and personal experience. For each category, we carefully selected parameters based on our research and identified the products with the highest review score within those parameters.

Read more about our methodology below.

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Best fake AirPods overall: Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo Wireless Earbuds

Pros

  • Fantastic isolation
  • Water resistance

Cons

  • Isolated earbud failures reported
  • Scattered reports of crackly audio in one or both earbuds

Price (RRP): $69.99
Amazon pricing: From $59.99

Buy at Amazon
Buy at eBay

Why we chose it

If you're after some happy middle ground AirPods that provide impressive performance without wading into the deep end of price, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Neos come with a 4.4/5 star rating from 29,000 Amazon reviews. While we can't vouch for all of their products, Anker has garnered a reputation for earbuds that are widely considered to be reliable. Basically, these Soundcore Liberty Neos deliver clean sound and comfort at a dirt-cheap price.

When these AirPods were released to market in 2019, they benefited from a relatively new-at-the-time tech known as graphene drivers. In layman's terms, using a new breed of highly tuned driver diaphragm allowed for greater precision and sharper clarity of sound, delivered across a wider range of frequency. Couple that with Anker's "BassUp" technology – essentially a clever thump-boosting algorithm – and the sound quality produced is some remarkably decent ear candy. Especially considering the modest asking price.

When it comes to keeping you wirelessly connected, Anker has gone with the always appreciated and reliable Bluetooth 5.0 standard. While obviously no communications tech can provide a 100% fully unbreakable signal, you'd have to be in a remarkably high traffic environment to experience any kind of audio hitches or full-on cut-outs. Anker's choice of LDS antenna makes de-synching with these even less likely.

Are these the AirPods for you? That all depends on how well you can manage your expectations. Obviously you won't be getting Apple-level results from these in terms of sound, but every other consideration is more or less up to the expected par. For a fraction of The Big A's RRP, Anker provides quite comparable battery life, comfort, build quality and connection reliability.

Best cheap fake AirPods: AUKEY True Wireless Earbuds

Pros

  • An absolute steal for what they can do
  • Surprisingly decent volume levels

Cons

  • The odd bad review for short-life battery charge
  • Minor reports of Bluetooth disconnection issues

Price (RRP): $49.32

Buy at Kogan

Why we chose it

If you're short on funds or you simply want some utilitarian AirPods that get the job done, AUKEY True Wireless Earbuds come highly recommended with a 4.4/5 star rating after 2,800 Amazon reviews. Founded in 2010 and based in Shenzen, AUKEY certainly isn't some fly-by-night accessories manufacturer. Generally speaking, the company is held in reasonably high regard by online reviewers and professional tech critics, more or less in line with its closest competitor, Anker.

One quick warning for those of you buying these as a gift: do expect these impressively valued goods to be delivered in a rather unimpressive brown box. That said, don't judge a pod by its cover – what AUKEY doesn't spend on glitzy packaging clearly gets redirected into designing low-cost, value-minded hardware.

Sound-wise, Bluetooth 5.0 will provide you with a quick, convenient pairing followed by a no-fuss wireless connection that won't be prone to hitching or audio cut-outs. The mid and treble range of the audio experience of these is most aptly described as crisp and solid – not amazing, yet pretty remarkable for AirPods at this price point. The volume levels are decent, however, the amount of bass you're getting is less impressive. If your ears crave thumps above all else, best stick with Apple.

Lastly, when it comes to comfort and design, AUKEY nails the basics but obviously doesn't rise to the premium feel that you get from higher-priced pods. Extras aren't skimped on. You get a micro USB charge cable and three sizes of silicone earbuds to appease anybody's ear canals. The build quality of the touch controls and microphones are perfectly fine as well, with the latter providing decent call quality.

Best mid-range fake AirPods: Urbanista Stockholm True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

Pros

  • Stylish looks
  • Easy to setup and use

Cons

  • The odd reviewer received a DOA earbud
  • Isolated reports of synching issues

Price (RRP): $59.99
Amazon pricing: From $266.99

Buy at Amazon
Buy at Catch

Why we chose it

Though they're not as low as you can go, Urbanista's Stockholm True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds have a 3.5/5 star rating from 2,000 Amazon reviews and deliver a more respectable audio experience than most cheaper options. Something of an oddity in the typically Chinese dominated accessories market, Urbanista is a Swedish company whose stated passions are colour, mobility and Scandinavian style. Generally speaking, its products receive middling to good critical and user reviews.

It's worth mentioning that Urbanista provides more style/colour options than its AirPod competitors – usually it's black, white or nothing. The Stockholms offer a relative rainbow in comparison (including fashion statement choices like olive green and rose gold). In terms of footprint, you're getting a solidly built bud piece that's slightly more generously sized than Apple's official option. An overwhelming number of users report that this design decision produces a better fit. However, ears are subjective, and Urbanista hasn't gone with a swappable silicone bud design.

Urbanista provides crisp sounds for the price that you're paying. Unfortunately, you'll be going without any sort of Active Noise Cancellation if you buy these AirPods. A decent chunk of critics and user reviewers suggest that this isn't too big a drawback if you're operating in common, everyday sound spaces. That said, expect the need to pump up the volume a tad every now and then if you wish to enjoy audio that, generally, performs well across the mid, treble and high ranges. The bass on offer isn't going to blow your mind, but that really is an expected shortcoming in any AirPod that's shy of premium.

Last but not least, you can couple all the above with easy set-up, an intuitive control system and quite respectable battery life. Everything you'll want to pay a little extra for, basically.

Best fake AirPods for sound: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Pros

  • Impressive, polished sound performance
  • Some cool extra features accessed via app

Cons

  • Steep asking price
  • Configuring in the app is a bit clunky

Price (RRP): $428
Amazon pricing: From $339.50

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

Audio aficionados searching for a superior soundscape will find Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2 headphones are on their particular wavelength, thanks to a 4.4/5 star rating from 2,000 Amazon reviews. If you're new to audio tech, Sennheiser is a Germany-based company that is held in particularly high regard by audiophiles. By overwhelming account, these Momentum 2 headphones reap the benefits of more than half a century's worth of audio engineering experience.

What's here is also the product of iteration and careful consideration. As the name would suggest, this is Sennheiser's second run at premium AirPods. These "sequel" AirPods come in a tidier, more streamlined footprint that keeps the all-important weight factor down while also reportedly fitting more ears better. There's largely been an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach to the V1's aesthetics. You're still getting that stylish matte finish plus grooved metal plate flourishes on the back. In short, a premium look for a premium product.

As you'd expect, where the Momentum 2s impress the most is in their auditory output. Provided that your ears are the right fit and a decent seal can be achieved, you can expect impeccable isolation and ANC performance. The pleasing thumps in the basement level bass can also be felt a little higher up the steps into your mid-range. Everything higher still comes out as crisp and clean as you please.

Do these rise above the current zenith that are the Apple AirPod Pros? The overwhelming consensus is that the official variants still sound superior, but that Sennheiser is within striking distance. Being able to equalise your sound signature while getting more effective active noise cancelling from these is still seen as a step above Apple's offerings.

Best fake AirPods for comfort: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Pros

  • Truly exceptional noise cancelling
  • Secure fit that’s still quite comfortable

Cons

  • Noise reduction during calls is not as good
  • Pricey for what they are

Price (RRP): $399
Amazon pricing: From $317.00

Buy at Amazon
Buy at Myer

Why we chose it

Anybody looking to have comfy ears above all else ought to wrap their cartilage around these Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, a product that boasts a 4.5/5 star rating from 3,300 Amazon reviews. For the uninitiated, Bose is one of the big deal producers in this industry. It's a US-based company that's been going since 1962 and it's a company known for innovation and high-quality products. These QuietComfort Earbuds are no exception to the rule.

What did Bose prioritise in the design of these AirPods? Well, it's all in the name there. In a sea of uncomfortable, ill-fitting in-ear headphones, the QuietComforts champion wearability above all else. We're talking a comfortable, secure fit that's a touch larger than Apple's AirPod Pros (which quite a number of critics and Amazon reviewers feel are slightly too diminutive). Most of the increased comfort-factor can be laid at the feet of Bose's StayHear Max tips, a sort of integrated silicone wing system that provides exceptional stability, even when you're out doing intense exercise.

Just as important, these QuietComfort earbuds deliver on the sound and noise-cancelling fronts as well. Users and critics alike laud these for providing a punchy, rich bass that's quite comparable with the AirPod Pros and other third-party premium competitors. That said, and though these deliver high-quality results all the way up through the range, Bose's dedicated app doesn't provide much in the way of EQ adjustment (something Sennheiser Momentum 2 owners can currently enjoy). We're hoping that changes in a future update, but if you're an audiophile who values tweaking above excellent sound wrapped in a lovely snug fit, perhaps head in another direction.

Best fake AirPods for battery: Sony WF-1000XM3

Pros

  • Exceptional battery life
  • Top-notch sound

Cons

  • No water resistance
  • Charging case is a touch too big

Price (RRP): $233
Amazon pricing: From $193.77

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

Anybody who has to do any sort of long-haul trip that will leave them off the grid for an extended period of time should check out Sony's long-lasting WF-1000XM3 headphones, a product with 4.1/5 stars after 161 Amazon reviews. Sony is, of course, still one of the major players in the audio accessory industry. While Apple may hold a commanding monopoly on handheld devices like tablets and phones, this Japanese company still produces absolute top-notch AirPod alternatives that rival (and in some instances exceed) the quality of the big A's best efforts.

Obviously, sound performance and comfort are big factors in any purchase decision, but let's get to what you care about most: how long these are going to function at a time. Sony delivers truly exceptional battery life here, mostly thanks to a rethink in the chips it's decided to use. In layman's terms, over-ear models use 32-bit processing, whereas the WF-1000XM3s leverage a much more energy-efficient 24-bit variant. The great news here is that this design decision has very, very little impact on both sound quality and noise-cancelling performance.

Sony's offering delivers 7 hours of battery life, however, you can bump that to 9-10 if you disable noise cancelling. Furthermore, if you have the recharge case handy, you can bump that total time up to 32 hours. In comparison, Apple's AirPods are in the range of 9ish operational hours. It's also worth mentioning that Sony's headphones recharge remarkable quickly. 15 minutes will replenish a good 100 minutes of power.

You can also couple that impressive on-the-go freedom with snug fitting and stylish design, plus sound performance that rivals even the AirPod Pros. Other bells and whistles include seamless Bluetooth NFC pairing, Google Assistant support and patented Sony audio processing tech such as the lossy-correcting voodoo that is DSEE HX.

Amazon prices last updated on 21 June, 2021 at 09:01 am

Methodology

15+
Brands considered
60+
Products compared
6
Best products chosen

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