Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

 The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are an upgraded version of the very decent Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless, and pack a few moderate upgrades. While the older model had a large headband that made them feel loose for people with smaller heads, the Q20 are a bit smaller and should fit most people slightly better. They also have a moderately improved ANC feature which performs much better at blocking out speech, and are slightly better at isolating out the low rumble of bus or plane engines, though they still aren't very good in this regard. Their V-shaped sound profile is quite excited-sounding, making them a good choice for pop or rock music. Unfortunately, instead of having a nice hard case like the Life 2, the Q20 now come bundled with a simpler carrying pouch. On the upside, their battery is slightly improved, and now charges quite a bit quicker, which is nice.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are mediocre headphones for neutral sound listening. While their mid-range is very well-balanced, their treble range has several peaks, and their bass-range is very over-emphasized. Fans of neutral and balanced sound profiles will likely find their V-shaped sound profile too excited and unnatural sounding.

PROS

• Improved ANC performance over previous model.
• Great battery life.
• Comfortable design.

CONS

• Sound profile isn't as balanced as previous version.
• ANC is still lacking at blocking out engine rumbles.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are decent headphones for commuting or travel. They're quite comfortable, and they come with a basic pouch to give them some light protection when you toss them into a bag. While their ANC should help block out your chatty seatmate on a plane, it won't help to block out the rumble of the engine. On the bright side, their long battery life should last even the longest of travel days, and they can be used passively if the battery does run dry.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are the upgraded version of the Anker SoundCore Life 2. They're almost the exact same headphones, but are slightly smaller and have slightly improved ANC and battery life, as well as even more emphasized bass and treble ranges. They're a decent overall pair of budget headphones for the price, and have one of the better ANC features available at this price point. See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones under $100, and the best wireless headphones.

Anker Soundcore Life Q20

This is the headset to get if you want barebones, no-nonsense active noise cancelling (ANC) on a budget. Sure, the lack of bleeding-edge features and outdated USB port may be a drag, but this headset does very well for the price.