🎧 Cheap wireless earbuds died within six months, worth spending more this time?

Bought a pair of wireless earbuds under fifteen hundred rupees about six months back, seemed like a reasonable deal at the time since I mostly just use them for calls and the occasional music during my commute, nothing too demanding. One earbud has now completely stopped charging properly, battery drains within an hour even on a full charge, and the case itself has started rattling slightly like something inside came loose. This is actually the second pair in the same budget range that has died on me within a year, the previous one had a similar battery issue after about eight months, which is starting to make me think the actual problem is the price bracket itself rather than just bad luck with two separate products from two different brands. Have been looking at slightly more expensive options now, somewhere in the three to four thousand range, hoping that jump in price actually reflects better build quality and battery longevity rather than just paying more for a brand name without much real difference underneath. Read a few reviews suggesting some of the well known budget brands cut corners specifically on the battery cells to hit that lower price point, which would explain the pattern I have been seeing myself. My cousin has had the same higher range pair for almost two years now without any issues, which is somewhat reassuring, though I am also aware that individual usage patterns and even just luck can vary a lot between two different units of the exact same product. Not trying to spend unnecessarily if a cheaper option would genuinely last just as long with better care on my end, but at this point replacing a pair every six to eight months feels like it is actually costing more over time than just buying one decent pair upfront would have. Has anyone actually found a sweet spot price range where the earbuds genuinely last more than a year without battery issues creeping in? Would help to know what actually worked for you rather than just going by marketing claims on the box.