Apple's three headphone offerings — its AirPods along with the Beats-branded Beats X and PowerBeats 3 — are separated by a maximum of just $50, but each headphone's feature set ranges depending on your needs.

As a longtime Bluetooth headphones user, I love the simplicity of the W1-chip headphones. Pairing is a snap once you initially connect the headphones to your iPhone, thanks to the iCloud sync technology, and lag is almost always nonexistent. Now that Apple has several in-ear options on the market, however, it's time to pick which one makes the most sense for me (and you). Which one is best for your needs and wallet? Read on.

Apple has now updated its entire wireless headphone line to take advantage of the company's new W1 chip: It simplifies the pairing process between your iPhone, Mac, and your headphones, automatically connecting to your devices when powered up.

One more thing : The AirPods are perhaps the worst of the three for noise cancellation — if you need a set of earbuds to drown out outside noise, consider the Beats X or PowerBeats.

If you need a great wireless option for everyday use, it's hard to say no to Apple's AirPods. They have the best overall battery life of the three W1 headphones thanks to their rechargeable case, and the best features (Auto Pause and beam-forming Siri mics). There's also something to be said for their overall convenience — they pack smallest of the three options, and the lack of wires keep you from a detangling mess before rocking out to your music.

Why the AirPods are the best overall W1 in-ear headphones pick

Apple's AirPods are as popular as they are controversial: If you want a set of these buds, be prepared to wait up to six weeks for them to ship — or you can try to snipe one at an Apple Store after a restock. But because of their limited availability to try out, there have been major concerns about the AirPods's fit: Unlike the Beats X and PowerBeats, the AirPods ship only with their default earbud configuration — there are no silicone sleeves or earwings you can use to augment their fit. They also only currently ship in white — sadly, you can't get black AirPods to go along with your black iPhone.

The good news: Even for people whose ears have never loved the EarPods fit (hi), the AirPods are surprisingly snug. They don't always feel that way because of the way they hang in the ear — the first two weeks I owned the AirPods, I was constantly in fear that they'd fly out while I was doing yardwork or exercising — but I have yet to shake one loose in my adventures. (That includes skating at high speeds.)

I imagine the big fear over "losing" an AirPod comes from their design: The diminutive wireless buds kill wired connections in favor of two tiny earpieces. No strings hold these sound machines down — and while it may make some fear that they'll be prone to loss, in reality the lack of wires keep the AirPods from being accidentally tugged from their perch after an awkward twist of the head. (Or, in my case, ball slam burpees.)

Their wireless nature also makes for a great charging and interactive experience: Each bud sports a 5 hour battery life, but as you get toward the end of that charge, you can pop a single bud back into the rechargeable case to get three more hours in just 15 minutes — all while continuing to groove out to your music in the other bud. When you're finished charging the one bud, just swap them out in the charger. The case supports up to 24 hours of extra charge on top of the initial five hours — enough to get through any lengthy flight, conference, or other activity.

I also love the freedom of offering a friend an earbud if you want to invite them into your music or movie party (though I might use an antibacterial wipe first).

Unlike the PowerBeats 3, the AirPods aren't water- and sweat-resistant. But unless you find yourself regularly shorting out regular headphones while you work out, you shouldn't have anything to worry about when exercising with the AirPods: I've taken them skating and weight lifting, subjected them to rainy runs and high-intensity burpees, and walked through a snowstorm — all with no adverse effects.

This is all personal experience, of course; your mileage may vary depending on your exercise routine, and there's a reason why Apple doesn't advertise the AirPods as water-resistant. But for most everyday workouts and activities, you should be fine.

The other big win for the AirPods is their Apple-specific features. Every Beats and Apple wireless headphone now has the W1 chip, making pairing easier, but only the AirPods offer Auto Pause when you remove an earbud, and that same accelerometer technology lets the AirPods automatically connect when you remove them from their case — both the Beats X and PowerBeats 3 require you to press a button before they'll connect.

Apple's option is also the only one to offer tap-to-call-Siri and beam-forming microphones, which dramatically improve both the Siri experience and phone calls. (I do wish there was some way to change volume without relying on the companion device or telling Siri to lower the volume, however.)

The AirPods aren't perfect: They are dramatically less effective at sealing you inside a music bubble and drowning out surrounding noise than both the Beats X and PowerBeats because of their fit. Depending on your ear shape, this may be a minor problem or a major one, but either way, I wouldn't recommend the AirPods as an airplane companion.

I'd also love some sort of fit adjustment in future models. Because you're limited to one earbud shape, the AirPods can never be the perfect headphone for everyone — and though I've seen them fall out of very few ears, giving their user a perfect sound experience is a harder bar to clear.

But if your ears work with the AirPods, they're the best everyday carry wireless headphones on the market right now — if you can actually snag a pair.