Headphones and earbuds: repairability, battery life, and what they collect
Headphones wear out in predictable places. iFixit names cables and earpads as the usual trouble on over-ear models, and every wireless pair adds a battery, which some makers let you replace and others glue in. How a pair handles those parts has a lot to do with how long it lasts.
The short answer. The pair you already own, with a new cable, earpads or battery, is often the best next pair. When you do buy, check two things before sound: can the battery be replaced, and does the maker sell parts? Wired pairs like the ones below have no battery to wear out and no companion app. There is no single best pair, but iFixit's repair scores for the wireless models here run from 0 to 10, so the choice matters.
Repair first
iFixit's headphone repair hub says the most common problems with over-ear headphones come from the cables and earpads. It sells batteries, earpads and cables, and advises: "look for headphones with replaceable cables and earpads." A worn earpad or frayed cable is usually a small part, not a reason to replace the pair.
What the repair scores show
iFixit scores teardowns from 0 (hardest to repair) to 10 (easiest), in its headphone and earbud tables.
| Model | iFixit score | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Fairphone Fairbuds XL | 10 | Nine replaceable parts, no glue, simple screws |
| Fairphone Fairbuds | 8 | Coin-cell batteries that are very easy to replace; tied with Samsung Galaxy Buds Live |
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | 6 | Battery held by two screws instead of the XM5's adhesive; no repair manual when iFixit looked |
| Apple AirPods Max 2 | 4 | Same score as the 2020 original |
| JBL Tune 520BT | 4 | Same score as the AirPods Max 2 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro | 3 | Easy case battery, but soldered earbud batteries and drivers that are practically inaccessible |
| Beats Studio Pro, Soundcore Q20i, Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 | 2 | The lowest score in iFixit's headphone table |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | 0 | A battery glued so firmly that only heat, tweezers and luck free it |
Long battery life is not the same as a long life
A big number on the box describes a new battery. The Soundcore Q20i lists 60 hours with noise cancelling off for €52.99, yet scores 2 for repair. The Fairbuds XL list 30 hours, or 26 with noise cancelling, for €249, with a battery you swap yourself and three years of warranty. The Fairbuds earbuds cost €99 and have replaceable batteries in each bud and the case.
Warranty can bridge the gap. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones cost $449 with a one-year warranty covering battery failure, and a $59.95 plan extends that cover for two more years.
Wired pairs skip the problem. Sennheiser's HD 600 costs $499.95, with a detachable cable, $54.95 replacement earpads and a two-year warranty. Shure's SE215 in-ear monitors use a detachable cable that Shure sells separately. Apple's wired EarPods with USB-C are $19.99 at Target.
What the device and its app collect
Many wireless models pair with a companion app, and the app has its own privacy policy. Bose's policy lists sensor data such as head orientation and movement, fit, volume levels, and "noise levels and audio frequencies of sounds around you." Read the policy for the app you would install, and skip the app if the headphones work without it.
Buying secondhand, and the charger you already have
Back Market's promise includes a one-year warranty and free 30-day returns, though its inspection checklist names phones, tablets, smartwatches, laptops and consoles, not headphones. Check the exact model's repair score before you buy.
In the EU, the common charger rules have covered headphones, headsets and earbuds since 28 December 2024, so rechargeable models sold there charge over USB-C, and you can buy new devices without a charger. A USB-C cable you already own can charge them.
If you care most about...
There is no single best pair. Match the choice to what you weigh most.
| If you care most about | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping one pair for years | Wired, or a wireless model scoring high with iFixit | Nothing sealed that wears out |
| Lowest price | Wired earbuds, or repairing what you have | The cheapest pair in our data is $19.99 |
| Noise cancelling that lasts | An over-ear model with a screwed or swappable battery | The battery is the part that ages |
| Privacy | Wired headphones | No radio, no app, no account |
| Less new manufacturing | Repair, or a refurbished pair with a return window | Uses what already exists |
What we are not telling you
We do not score sound. It is a matter of taste, and we have no independent way to test it. Some models have no score for some measures because the maker's page did not state a figure. Prices were checked in September 2026 and change often. If you have concerns about your hearing, or want to use earbuds as a hearing aid, talk to an audiologist or your doctor; we do not assess hearing features.
How we made this
Nobody paid to appear here. The facts come from this site's headphones data and the pages below, each opened for this guide in September 2026. Found something wrong? Corrections are welcome and get applied with their source.
Sources
- iFixit, headphone repair hub (checked 2026-09)
- iFixit, wireless headphones repairability scores (checked 2026-09)
- iFixit, wireless earbud repairability scores (checked 2026-09)
- iFixit, Sony WH-1000XM6 teardown (checked 2026-09)
- iFixit, Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro teardown (checked 2026-09)
- iFixit, AirPods Pro 3 teardown (checked 2026-09)
- Fairphone Fairbuds XL (checked 2026-09)
- Fairphone Fairbuds (checked 2026-09)
- Soundcore Q20i (checked 2026-09)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) (checked 2026-09)
- Bose privacy policy (checked 2026-09)
- Sennheiser HD 600 (checked 2026-09)
- Shure SE215 (checked 2026-09)
- Apple EarPods (USB-C) at Target (checked 2026-09)
- Back Market, quality promise (checked 2026-09)
- European Commission, common charger rules (checked 2026-09)