These open-ear earbuds provide satisfactory noise cancellation.

My primary complaint about open-ear earbuds is that they’re terrible for noisy city commutes. Cue a nitpicking audiophile who insists that the entire idea of open-ear earbuds is to not block out sound. Okay, fine. But the unfortunate reality is that often means you’ll need to procure a second pair for when the subway train is screeching on its tracks while the local mariachi band starts performing in your car.

So when Shokz reached out to announce at CES 2026 that their new $249.95 OpenFit Pro earbuds would feature “noise cancellation,” I was intrigued.

Technically, the correct terminology is noise reduction. Active noise cancellation necessitates a sealed ear canal, which the OpenFit Pro does not provide. Rather, the earbuds are equipped with a triple microphone setup, an updated speaker design, and an adaptive algorithm to lessen unwanted ambient noise. Two microphones track external sounds, while a third microphone adjacent to your ear monitors what’s entering the ear canal.

Initially, I was highly skeptical when Shokz briefed me about this product. I have tried several of Shokz’s open-ear earbuds (not to be confused with their bone conduction headphones). They are excellent for maintaining awareness at home or in quiet environments, but they are less than ideal for commuting. Often, I struggle to hear my music—even at maximum volume—and audiobooks or podcasts are completely out of the question!

To my surprise, whatever secret technology Shokz is employing in these earbuds works quite effectively. The difference is very pronounced, especially if you max out the reduction setting in the Shokz app.

Don’t misunderstand me. True active noise cancellation is still superior. It’s always going to be challenging to enjoy audiobooks with a live mariachi band playing in my train car. (In fairness, ANC headphones also have difficulty combating the power of mariachi music.) But during less chaotic commutes, I found it easy to listen to music and could enjoy my audiobooks in more situations. I’d suggest these are optimal for moderately noisy environments. Consider cafes rather than bars.

At home, I was impressed by how well the earbuds masked the low hum of my air purifier and fridge. Naturally, they can’t compete with the television if there’s a show playing in the background, but that’s not the main objective. These are essentially the kind of earbuds that allow you to focus on your content while still being aware when your partner calls out from another room asking if you’ve seen their keys.

Additionally, the quality of bass—an area where open-ear earbuds typically falter—has seen improvement. This version of the OpenFit Pro now features a frequency range of up to 40kHz and reduces distortion below 100Hz. There’s also Dolby Atmos support with head tracking, although that seemed a bit gimmicky when activated. It’s nice if you enjoy it, but it isn’t essential with open-ear earbuds.

The main concerns I experienced during the past few weeks of testing are, once more, fit and design. The hooks still feel bulky behind the ear, especially when worn with glasses. Frequently, I don’t feel they rest on my ears as securely as I would prefer. The case is also quite large, though I do appreciate the additional 50 hours of battery life it offers. (The earbuds themselves last for 12 hours; that reduces to six with noise reduction activated.)

This is undoubtedly a specialized type of earbud. Only a select few individuals would be able to completely replace their AirPods Pro (or any other ANC-enabled earbuds) with these. However, as someone who prefers to stay alert while walking, commuting, or moving around the house, they prove to be significantly more beneficial than previous versions of the product.