Jaybird’s Vista 2 earbuds offer ANC and better battery life for $200

Jaybird’s Vista true wireless earbuds were one of our favorite options under $200 when they debuted in 2019. However, awkward touch controls, a lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) and other issues kept them from being a true contender for the top spot. Even still, they were some of the company’s best earbuds yet at the time. Today, Jaybird announced a revamped version, the Vista 2, that adds ANC, improved battery life and a host of other upgrades for $200. 

While the overall design is similar to the original Vista, the biggest change here is active noise cancellation. Jaybird says its SurroundSense tech powers both the ANC and ambient sound modes. What’s more, you can switch between the two quickly with a couple of taps. 6mm drivers offer “immersive, premium sound” and a custom EQ inside the Jaybird app can assist with any fine tuning. The app allows you to save presets you like and share them with other users. 

Another key change on the Vista 2 is battery life. Jaybird promises up to eight hours of listening time on a charge — up from five on the previous model. You can also expect two full charges in the included case (16 additional hours). A five-minute quick charge option will give you and hour of playback, so you can top off the earbuds quickly while you stretch and refill your water bottle. 

Speaking of workouts, the Vista 2 is built for athletes — like a lot of Jaybird products. The company claims these earbuds are “Earthproof,” with an IP68 rating that Jaybird says makes them waterproof, sweatproof, crushproof and drop proof. In fact, the company explains the Vista 2 has been through military-grade durability tests. Even the case is IP54 water resistant. 

Jaybird is also promising improvements for call quality. The company says its new WindDefense fabric covers the beamforming microphones on each earbud so that you can be heard clearly in less than ideal outdoor conditions. This setup will also help when you’re speaking to Google Assistant or Siri, which are accessible without reaching for your phone. On-board controls put volume, skipping tracks and other actions a tap or a few taps away. 

All of those upgrades come at a price that’s $20 more than the Vista when it debuted. The Jaybird Vista 2 is available now for $199.99 from the company’s website in black, blue and grey color options.