# Pine64 PineBuds

7 Hacker News commenters recommended Pine64 PineBuds and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Open firmware earbuds that people recommend for software experimentation. Caveats: limited battery life with ANC on and incomplete hardware documentation.

## Why people recommend it

- Open firmware for software experimentation (2 comments): "The PineBuds are designed and sold as an open firmware platform to allow software experimentation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46757244)) "pinebuds-pro-open-firmware-capabl" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47406529))
- Praised as a great device (2 comments): "Mine have been great. Full disclosure, I deliberately don't use ANC" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46757740)) "Great device but battery is quite limited, ~2hrs top with ANC on." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46754428))

## What people warn about

- Battery life short with ANC (1 comments): "Great device but battery is quite limited, ~2hrs top with ANC on." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46754428))
- Hardware not fully documented (1 comments): "The hardware is not 100% documented." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46859996))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Apple AirPods](https://hackerapproved.com/p/airpods.md): 257 recommend
- [Apple AirPods Pro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/airpods-pro.md): 115 recommend
- [Fairphone Fairbuds](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fairbuds.md): 7 recommend
- [Sony WF-1000XM5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sony-wf-1000xm5.md): 5 recommend
- [Anker Soundcore earbuds](https://hackerapproved.com/p/soundcore-earbuds.md): 5 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Pine64+PineBuds+open+source+wireless+earbuds&tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Official site](https://pine64.org/)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Pine64 PineBuds", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pinebuds-pro/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).