Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC wishlist: All the features I want to see

It’s easy to get swept up in the glamor of big brands like Apple, Sony, and Bose. After all, we see their commercials everywhere we go, and they collectively manufacture some of the best earbuds on the market. However, those willing to stray off the beaten track may have already stumbled upon the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. These earbuds are among our favorites at the office and come packed with a comprehensive list of high-end features. They also cost significantly less than the competition and champion an OS-agnostic design for Android and iOS users. Given their popularity among price-savvy consumers, it is little wonder fans are excited about the next-gen Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC.

To many people’s dismay, the company has not announced any details regarding its highly anticipated flagship earbuds. While we wait for confirmation, here are all the features I want to see in the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC.

A more robust IP rating

Gym enthusiasts and those prone to working up a sweat should purchase workout-friendly earbuds. These typically wear a robust IP rating to protect against water splashes and small solid particles. Some of the best in town, like the JBL Endurance Peak 3 ($99 at Amazon) sport an IP68 build. This accommodates complete submersion in up to 3 meters of water for up to 30 minutes and is completely dust-tight.

Like many true wireless earbuds, Anker’s Liberty 4 NC wear an IPX4 water-resistant exterior. While this is fine for strolls in drizzly weather and gentle workouts at the gym, it does little to appease climbers and those in harsher climates. Unlike some top-end workout buds, the Liberty 4 NC case does not enjoy an IP rating. Subsequently, fans must store the charging case away from moisture and dust to prevent damage. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC would benefit from a more robust IP rating and an IP-protected charging case.

An improved design

ANC technology requires a robust seal to work optimally. As such, the best noise canceling earbuds on the market ship with different-sized ear tips to achieve a secure fit. They also sit further inside the ear canal and, unlike open-ear buds, wear an occluding form factor. The now-discontinued Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 ($279.99 at Amazon) are the best ANC earbuds we have tested, quelling ambient noise by over 85%. This is largely thanks to their silicone-wrapped ovoid nozzles, anatomically pleasing earbud design, and powerful noise canceling system.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC have impressive noise canceling that dampens ambient sounds by as much as 38dB. Unfortunately, the earbuds don’t sit far enough inside the ear canal to isolate against incidental high-pitched noises such as passing chatter. The AirPods Pro-style design delivers average comfort, but you wouldn’t want to wear these earbuds for more than two hours. Likewise, the charging case is chunky, making it difficult to store in trouser pockets. Anker should implement an improved design with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC.

Improved sound quality

Our music tastes and listening habits often dictate the sound profile we enjoy most. For example, bass heads and EDM fans will most likely prefer earbuds with plentiful bass and sub-bass reproduction. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are a shining example, boosting low-end frequencies by a staggering 20dB. Conversely, podcast enthusiasts and those who listen to music with wide dynamic ranges will likely prefer earbuds with a neutral response. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 follow our target curve and are revered for their superior sound quality.

Don’t get me wrong — the Liberty 4 NC have excellent default sound quality. Specifically, our testing revealed they enjoy an overall MDAQS score of 4.9, securing them as some of the best-sounding earbuds on the market. However, the over-emphasized low-end below 200Hz can make vocals sound comparatively quiet in the mix. Similarly, the 10dB boost around 5.8kHz can become grating when listening to tracks with a lot of high-frequency content. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC should have more tempered bass and treble reproduction.

Less bassy EQ presets

Headphone companion apps come bundled with handy features. However, equalizers are by far the most important customization tool for tinkerers. These allow music fans to hone their sound or select from presets to complement their media on the fly. For example, the JBL Tour Pro 3 use the JBL Headphones app and provides a 10-band custom EQ and several equalizer presets. These include Jazz, Vocal, Bass, and Studio, each owning a frequency curve tailored to their specific use case.

Anker’s Liberty 4 NC offer a whopping 22 EQ presets that can be accessed via the Soundcore app. These include Spoken Word, Flat, Bass Boost, and Treble Boost. Unfortunately, each one over-emphasizes bass and sub-bass frequencies. For example, the Spoken Word preset boosts sub-bass frequencies by over 8dB, while the Flat EQ boosts the lows by nearly 11dB. This seems like a missed opportunity and does little to appease listeners who prefer a less bass-heavy mix. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC must have fewer EQ presets that boost bass to appeal to a wider audience.

Better microphone quality

Whether for work or casual conversations with friends, earbuds are increasingly important for calls on the move. Better still, they can block out distracting environmental noise, allowing the receiver to hear you more clearly on the other end of the line. To achieve this, companies employ sophisticated microphone arrays and noise reduction algorithms. The Sony WF-1000XM5 ($298 at Amazon) are a prime example, using dual feedback mesh-covered microphones to deliver low-frequency noise monitoring and wind noise reduction.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC enjoy decent call quality, particularly for lower-pitched voices. They also reduce ambient street noise, wind, and general office chatter fairly well, although keystrokes may overwhelm your speech. Unfortunately, the earbuds are less well-suited for those with higher-pitched voices. In ideal conditions, the resolution doesn’t impress either and fails to stand tall against industry leaders like the Sony WF-1000XM5. Anker must improve the Soundcore Liberty 5 NC’s microphone and noise rejection algorithm to compete with the best work-oriented earbuds.

Will there be an Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC?

Anker remains committed to its earbuds category. For example, the latest Liberty 5 were released on May 7, 2025, and bring many flagship features. These include a comfortable design, Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC, and a comprehensive companion app. They also cost significantly less than the competition. However, their mediocre ANC and emphasis on the bass and treble make them a less appealing choice than flagship brands.

Anker has provided no details of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC. However, the company usually refreshes its earbuds every year. Based on Anker’s previous release schedule, the Liberty 5 NC will likely launch later this year.

• Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC — June 20, 2023
• Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro — October 3, 2024
• Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 — May 7, 2025

As shown above, the Liberty 4 NC launched on June 20, 2023. Their successor, the Liberty 4 Pro, launched one year and four months afterward on October 3, 2024. The upgraded Liberty 5 launched seven months later on May 7, 2025. By that metric, we should expect the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC to hit shelves by spring 2026. However, with no official confirmation from Anker, we must wait for concrete details.

Should you wait for the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 NC?

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are among the best budget wireless earbuds on the market. Fans can grab them from the company’s website or major retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy. However, with the upgraded Liberty 5 NC potentially releasing soon, it may be worth holding off for a few months.

Price-conscious consumers will enjoy the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ($99.99 at Amazon). Despite their loose-fitting design, the earbuds deliver decent noise canceling for the price. Sound quality is also excellent, and many people will enjoy the over-emphasized bass response. Battery life lasts a staggering nine hours and 53 minutes with ANC enabled, and fast charging yields four hours of listening time from a 10-minute top-up. The case supports wireless charging with a Qi pad and supplies 50 hours of extra playtime. Fans can connect with Bluetooth 5.3 over the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs, and the earbuds’ gaming mode optimizes any latency. The Soundcore app is comprehensive, delivering a Fit Test, 22 EQ presets, an 8-band custom EQ, Adaptive Noise Canceling, and many more flagship features.

Those who desire the best earbuds in Anker’s arsenal should nab the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($129.99 at Amazon). An upgrade to the Liberty 4 NC, the earbuds dampen low-frequency drones from airplane engines by approximately 30dB. The transparency mode is also excellent, and the maximum setting amplifies external noise louder than when the earbuds are not inserted. Most people will enjoy the Liberty 4 Pro’s sound, emphasizing bass less than the Liberty 4 NC. The Soundcore app begets the same handy features for the Liberty 4 Pro as for the Liberty 4 NC, albeit with poor-quality spatial audio. The main attraction of Anker’s newest buds is their smart charging case. This adorns a small display that controls many of the earbuds’ best features, including ANC, spatial audio, and Find My. The battery life lasts nearly six hours, and the case provides 30 hours of charge.

Workout enthusiasts and loyal Android fans willing to scour the market will likely enjoy the Jabra Elite 4 ($79 at Amazon). These earbuds feature a robust IP55 water- and dust-resistant rating. They also support the aptX Bluetooth codec. This is superior to SBC and provides 352kbps, 48kHz/16-bit LPCM audio sampling. The earbuds fit more securely than the Liberty 4 NC and ship with three ear tip sizes to achieve a robust fit. The sound quality is pleasing out of the box and closely follows our target preference curve. Unfortunately, the Elite 4’s noise canceling does just an average job of attenuating distracting frequencies below 800Hz. Battery life fares better, with the earbuds offering over five hours on a single charge. Similarly, a 10-minute top-up provides one hour of listening time. The Sound+ app delivers the earbuds’ best features, including a five-band custom EQ, Personalized ANC, and control customizations.

City dwellers and audio tinkerers should consider the Anker Soundcore Space A40 ($79 at Amazon). These buds excel at dampening low-frequency drones from car engines below 110Hz. They also enjoy decent sound quality with bass and treble under-emphasized compared to most of the competition. If this isn’t to your liking, the Soundcore app provides many presets and an 8-band custom EQ. The buds are IPX4-rated to protect against workouts and come packaged with five ear tips to attain a comfortable fit. You can connect to the Space A40 with Bluetooth 5.2 over the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. The buds also support Bluetooth Multipoint and provide nearly eight hours of listening time. A 10-minute top-up yields four hours of juice, and the USB-C powered case provides four additional charge cycles.

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