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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple Earpods are more budget-friendly and highly portable, making them a good choice if you're looking for something less expensive and easy to carry around. They are wired earbuds with a decent sound quality for music and calls, but they offer minimal noise isolation and are not the best choice for noisy environments or exercise. On the other hand, the Sennheiser HD 250BT headphones are more expensive but provide better overall sound quality, including for gaming and TV, with strong battery life. They are also equipped with a reliable microphone, customizable app controls, and offer better noise isolation, but they are less portable and not optimized for exercise, being more suited for home or studio listening. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Earpods
- Good for music
- Very good for phone calls
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 250BT
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.8
6.5
The Apple Earpods is good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 250BT is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.0
7.2
The Apple Earpods is very good for phone calls, while the Sennheiser HD 250BT is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.4
8.1
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Apple Earpods is good.
TV and Video
7.4
8.4
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is very good for TV and video, while the Apple Earpods is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
6.0
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is only fair for noise reduction, while the Apple Earpods is poor.
Battery
N/A
25.0 Hours
The Apple Earpods does not have a battery. The Sennheiser HD 250BT has 25 hours of battery life.
Cost
$20
$113
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Apple Earpods has a price of $20 and the Sennheiser HD 250BT costs $113.
Build Quality
7.6
9.0
The Sennheiser HD 250BT has excellent build quality, while the Apple Earpods has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
8.3
8.8
The Sennheiser HD 250BT and Apple Earpods are both very good for gaming.
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How the Apple Earpods and the Sennheiser HD 250BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Earpods | Sennheiser HD 250BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$20 | $113 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2012 | May 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.9/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 25 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 7.6/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6.5 Grams | 125 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | In-Line | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Earpods
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Dig into reviews and images
CNN Underscored
Michael Andronico | May 2023
"Apple’s wired buds sound just fine for the price, and their handy inline controls and clear microphone give them an edge on wireless earbuds that are much more expensive. Plus, you never have to worry about running out of battery — or worse, a stray earbud going missing."
Sennheiser HD 250BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Check
Pete Scholßnagel | 2020
"As a lightweight, robust audio provider with a long battery life, the Sennheiser HD 250BT offer a lot for their price: very good Bluetooth codecs, an app connection and an extremely understated design. These headphones may not be among the most comfortable, but they deliver adequate sound – without overdriving or distortion."
Get a great deal on the Apple Earpods or the Sennheiser HD 250BT
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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