The earbuds that make you sound good on a bad subway connection

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro

Name: Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
SKU: PG-HP-LIB5PRO
Price: 169.99 USD
Rating: 8.8 (1 reviews)

8.8/10high confidence

Er

Reviewed by

Eran Yorkovsky · Founder, PickGrade

Anker built these around one trick and nailed it: your voice cuts through subways, wind, and crowds, with a Guinness record to back it up. Add strong ANC, IP55 sweat resistance, and a touchscreen case at $170, no Apple tax. Battery's a modest 6.5 hours with ANC.

If half your earbud time is talking, not listening, these are built for you. Anker's 8-mic array and AI chip earned an actual Guinness record for call clarity, so you sound clear where most earbuds fall apart, and you still get solid ANC, IP55 sweat resistance, and AirPods Pro-style features at $170 on any phone.

$169.99

Buy →

PickGrade may earn a commission from purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This never affects our grades. Full disclosure.

Last reviewed Jun 13, 2026

AI grade·Refined by real owners

What we like

✓Guinness World Records–certified call quality (April 2026)
✓Adaptive ANC 4.0 with 8 mics and Anker's Thus AI chip
✓HearID 5.0 personalized EQ tuned to your hearing
✓Touchscreen charging case for controls without your phone
✓AirPods Pro–class features at $169.99, Android-friendly

Trade-offs

−Battery life is a modest 6.5 hours with ANC on (about 28 with the case), short of several rivals
−Noise cancellation is good but a step below the class leaders
−Apple users still get smoother, more automatic switching from AirPods
−Built around calls first, so dedicated listeners can find better pure-sound earbuds at the price

Best for

Mixed-device or Android buyers who want compact ANC earbuds with strong call focus, flexible controls, and better value than flagship ecosystem earbuds.

Avoid if

you're Apple-first and want the easiest device switching, or you want maximum long-flight isolation from over-ear headphones.

The three lenses

How we grade →

Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
8.7/10
Design & Fit · Michal Zucker
8.3/10
Health & Environment · Dr. Yocheved Yorkovsky
8.2/10

Score breakdown

value9.0/10
mic calls8.7/10
battery features8.5/10
comfort fit8.3/10
noise control8.3/10
sound quality8.2/10

Specs

anc: Adaptive ANC 4.0 with 8-mic array and Anker Thus AI chip
type: In-ear true wireless (ANC)
price: $169.99
battery: 6.5 hours with ANC on; ~28 hours with case; USB-C
features: HearID 5.0 personalized EQ, Guinness-certified call quality, touchscreen charging case
ecosystem: Android-friendly; works across mixed devices
water resistance: IP55 (sweat and splash resistant)

How we know

High confidence

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro is built around one standout claim — call clarity — and it backs it up: Anker's AI chip and an 8-mic array earned a Guinness World Records certification for speech quality in April 2026, and reviewers agree your voice cuts through subways, open offices, and wind better than almost any rival. Beyond calls, you get Adaptive ANC 4.0 that handles everyday commuting noise well, HearID 5.0 personalized EQ, IP55 sweat resistance, and a novel touchscreen charging case that puts the controls on the case itself. At $169.99, it brings AirPods Pro-class features to Android and mixed-device buyers without flagship pricing. The honest trade-offs: battery life is a modest 6.5 hours with ANC on (about 28 with the case), the noise cancellation is good but a step below the class leaders, and Apple users will still get smoother switching from AirPods. For anyone who lives on calls and isn't locked into Apple, it's a lot of earbud for the money.

Compare Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro with the top alternates side-by-side.

Compare picks →