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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple Earpods offer a budget-friendly option with good overall sound quality, a comfortable fit for calls, and excellent portability, best suited for music and calls rather than gaming or TV. The Turtle Beach Recon 70 comes with better sound quality, superior mic performance, and better noise isolation, making them ideal for gaming and calls. However, they are bulkier and usually pricier than the Earpods. If portability and price are your primary concerns, opt for the Earpods. Choose the Recon 70 if you want better sound and mic quality for gaming and are okay with a higher price and reduced portability. 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
The Apple Earpods has no clear advantages over the Turtle Beach Recon 70.
Advantages of the Turtle Beach Recon 70
Best in class for phone calls
Key differences
Music
7.8/10
7.1/10
The Apple Earpods and Turtle Beach Recon 70 are both good for music, though the Apple Earpods is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
8.0/10
9.6/10
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 is best in class for phone calls, while the Apple Earpods is very good.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
5.6/10
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 and Apple Earpods are both poor for noise reduction, though the Turtle Beach Recon 70 is somewhat better.
Cost
$20
$40
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Apple Earpods has a price of $20 and the Turtle Beach Recon 70 costs $40.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The Turtle Beach Recon 70 has very good build quality, while the Apple Earpods has good build quality.
"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."
"There aren’t many considerations to make here. The Turtle Beach Recon 70 sounds decent, offers solid chat audio, feels good to wear over long periods, and it works everywhere. If you’re in the market for a simple plug-and-play option, you could do a whole lot worse (and spend a whole lot more money). Regardless, if getting something cheap that works well is the only thing you care about, this is a great option."
Get a great deal on the Apple Earpods or the Turtle Beach Recon 70
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.
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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.