Table of Contents
There are hundreds of different headphones and earbuds in varying shapes, sizes, styles, colors, and of course, prices. These days, you can grab a random pair off the digital shelf without too much research and find that they do the job just fine.
However, if you're tired of settling for "just fine" when it comes to the gadgets that you're using for hours every day, then it's worth investing in the best headphones.
How to choose the best headphones for you
We won't beat around the bush: There's no definitive "best" product here. Sure, elite headphones brands like Bose, Sony, and Apple put out high-quality products across the board, but even within each of those brands, you'll find different tiers of products. Some will deliver better value, and some will deliver better hardware and performance.
All this to say, the best pair of earbuds or headphones largely comes down to personal preference and how you plan to use them. Some listeners swear by over-ear headphones while others prefer the minimalism of earbuds — one is not necessarily better than the other. Athletes who like to use headphones at the gym will appreciate waterproof materials and certifications, while frequent fliers will prefer devices with a long battery life, comfort, and portability. Finally, music lovers and audiophiles will want to invest in premium features like a custom equalizer, spatial audio, or best-in-class active noise cancellation.
You can use these factors to guide your purchasing journey, but don't get overwhelmed. To help you pick, we tested all of the headphones in this guide to bring you the best for noise cancellation, music, budget shoppers, and wired connections. So, read on to find the perfect new pair of headphones or earbuds.
Best noise-cancelling headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
Who it's for:
If you're looking for a headphone experience built around top-of-the-line ANC, all-day wear, and premium features, you'll find that in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. Yes, they're an investment — for what it's worth, they're still a good deal less than the AirPods Max on sale — so they might not be for everyone, but for those who wear their headphones more often than not, it could very well be worth it.
And if you need more convincing, we also named these Bose headphones our top pick for the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying.
Why we picked this:
Due to our prior experience with the QuietComfort line, we weren't at all surprised that these QuietComfort headphones delivered all-day wear without issue. What we were impressed with was that they were noticeably even more comfortable than past QuietComfort headphones, never squeezing our ears from the sides, or weighing down on the top of our head even after hours of use. Even with glasses on, they never felt too tight or heavy, despite being over-ear headphones with earcups that sealed out sound. Speaking of sound, it always came out well-rounded and functioned well with the immersive audio (which, by the way, is a new feature for the QuietComfort line). Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino deemed the Ultras "the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn" in her review.
They don't have adjustable ANC like the discontinued Bose-700s, but the one ANC level definitely sits at the higher end of what's available on the market, though it will shine the most with lower-pitched tones (for higher tones, a bit of music or a podcast will go a long way in assisting the built-in noise cancellation). Mangino did find that the slightly looser fit of these headphones means there's less of a tight seal on the earcups — that helps with comfort, but it sacrifices some noise-cancelling efficacy. As for the major downsides, these headphones are expensive at $429 (though you can find them on sale), so we expected a lot out of them. The pairing can be a little touch and go at times and completely fine at others — that definitely dampens the premium feel. A small consolation is that this inconsistency is characteristic of other Bose headphones we've tested, but we wish it was a feature they fixed in the Ultras.
The most baffling flaw of these headphones is the lack of passive playback, meaning you have to turn on the headphones to use the wired connection. Though these are clearly meant to be wireless headphones first and foremost, this feels like a weird oversight (and a deviation from older models). Still, on balance, we think they justify the investment — they're really comfortable.
Battery life: 24 hours | Colors: White, black, sandstone
Best sound-first headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5
Read our full review on the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.
Who it's for:
For music lovers, we have to recommend the latest flagship Sony headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver top-notch ANC and audiophile-level sound quality, with a hefty 30-hour battery life. Their design offers a less expensive alternative to the AirPods Max, for those who like their headphones to sound and look good.
Why we picked this:
Often, people herald Bose as having the superior ANC but Sony as owning the sound space. Our Deputy Shopping and Reviews Editor Miller Kern definitely noticed that these headphones excelled in the latter arena when she tested them out: "[The sound] is full and clear, and feels like surround sound. I’m a big fan of power ballads (I’m not allowed to pick the music at parties), and Brandi Carlile’s 'Right on Time' sounded like it was meant to be listened to on these headphones. The vocals and instruments all got to shine, and the headphones made it feel like I was there in the studio. These are probably the best-sounding headphones I’ve ever tried." The Sony companion app equalizer also allows plenty of fine-tuning, and guides the less-audio savvy among us to figure out the settings they prefer with the "find your equalizer" feature.
The active noise cancellation is also still pretty stellar, despite usually falling second in line to Bose. It'll do a great job of significantly reducing the bulk of noises during a workday, like loud typing or chatty coworkers. The touch controls on the right ear cup can be a bit finicky at first, but once you get the hang of it, are easy to use to start and stop music, as well as adjust the volume. Plus, unlike the Bose Ultras, the Bluetooth connection and multipoint pairing work without a hitch.
We do wish they folded up so they weren't so bulky to take on the go, but it's a relatively small con compared to the pros, especially if you're planning on wearing these headphones all day long. As for buying advice, these headphones do go on sale less often than others on this list like the Bose QC Ultras, but they also cost less at full price than the Ultras.
Battery life: 30 hours | Colors: Black, blue, silver
Best noise-cancelling earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro
Read our full review of the second-generation USB-C AirPods Pro.
Who it's for:
If portability, active noise cancellation, and balanced sound are what you're looking for, your search ends with the AirPods Pro. It's not uncommon for earbuds to have active noise cancellation, but the AirPods Pro deliver an impressive performance. Plus they're versatile — whether you like to wear your headphones around the house, on a run, or as you're falling asleep at night, the AirPods Pro fit the bill. For obvious reasons, they're also the best headphones for iPhone users.
Why we picked this:
Last year, Apple finally gave their AirPods Pro a much-needed upgrade in the form of a USB-C charger. Other than the charging port, they're identical to the second-gen Pros released in 2022, which Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder described as "the first pair of earbuds I'd actually consider taking on an airplane (instead of my much larger and clunkier over-ear headphones)." He went on to say "In some aspects, the active noise cancellation was even better than on my daily drivers: B&W's excellent PX7 over-ear headphones."
Despite their size and enhanced ANC, the Pro's battery still lasts for up to six hours on a single charge and 30 hours overall with the case. However, it is worth noting that the battery life will noticeably decline after a few years.
These earbuds are so frequently on sale that we don't recommend buying them at their full $249 price tag. You can often find them at Amazon (and Walmart) marked down to at least $199. If you want a true sale price, we recommend waiting until they hit $189 or lower.
Battery life: 6 hours per charge (30 hours with case) | Colors: White
Best AirPods alternative: Beats Studio Buds +
Who it's for:
If you're into earbuds with good ANC but less into shelling out $249, you'll find your happy medium in the Beats Studio Buds +. There's a reason we've consistently named them the best AirPods alternative.
Why we picked this:
The AirPods Pro are great, but these popular wireless earbuds aren't in everyone's budget. These Beats will run you about $80 less (or more, if you catch them on sale), give you some more leeway with color options, integrate just as well into an Apple ecosystem as AirPods, have the same battery life as AirPods, and still deliver pretty good ANC. If you're into a more bass-heavy sound, you'll definitely be happy with them. We've seen them drop down to $129.95 regularly at Amazon, making them an even more affordable AirPod alternative.
While we didn't find them to be a one-to-one experience during our testing — you should expect the AirPods to block out more noise, and we missed wireless charging — they were still incredibly comfortable. We also found them to fit better than AirPods, so if those Apple earbuds usually slip out of your ears, you'll want to try these buds instead. And for Android users, Google Fast Pair makes these earbuds a much better option than AirPods.
We do want to mention that if $169.95 is still fairly steep, you can also get ANC through Amazon's Echo Buds for just $119.99. (Echo Buds were our former budget pick, but we found the Beats have more to offer all-around.) For another solid option in the budget wireless earbuds space, try the Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds, which offer ANC and great battery life for under $50. Though, they do lack multipoint pairing and have a less rich sound profile than Beats earbuds.
Battery life: 6 hours with ANC, 9 without (27 hours with charging case) | Colors: Ivory, black, transparent, silver
Best workout headphones: Beats Fit Pro
Read our full review of the Beats Fit Pro.
Who it's for:
When it comes to workout headphones, you need a pair that'll actually stay in your ears. Motivating yourself to get through a set of push-ups is hard enough without an earbud popping out. The Beats Fit Pro earbuds are more than up to the task, and they deliver exceptional battery life, sound quality, and a few extras.
Why we picked this:
Earbuds designed for exercise typically have some sort of wingtip to help hold them in place, but those wingtips can often squeeze uncomfortably on your ears, especially with longer-term use. The small wingtip of these Beats hits the sweet spot — they're large enough to provide hold, and small enough to be undetectable. Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry writes that the wingtips "result [in] a pair of earbuds that never feel like they're going to fall out and, more importantly, never intrude on your comfort. I've worn these bad boys for six straight hours without any problems. It's hard to ask for more than that."
Beyond comfort, these earbuds provide an impressive sound profile, including that deep bass that Beats are known for. And of course, as any workout earbuds should be, these earbuds are sweat and water-resistant with an IPX4 rating. As an added bonus, the Fit Pros also have great active noise cancellation. Although that's by no means essential for a pair of earbuds you'll be wearing while you exercise, it is nice that they have they have fitness-oriented features while being flexible enough to be a great all-around earbud.
All of these features do together factor into these earbuds $200 price tag, but if you're looking to pay a little less, we recommend waiting for them to go on sale — with a little patience, you can grab them at Amazon for $20 or $40 off.
Battery life: 6 hours (24 hours with case) | Colors: Black, white, coral, gray, purple, blue, yellow, tan, brown, beige
Best wired earbuds: Marshall Mode
Who it's for:
There are a lot of good reasons to consider wired earbuds. Some people simply don't want the hassle of constantly charging their headphones. Fair enough. Some people want impressive audio quality without shelling out $100 or more, and some simply aren't buying what Big Bluetooth is selling. For shoppers who fall into any of the above groups, we recommend the affordable Marshall Mode earbuds.
Why we picked this:
Though they're only $60 (and usually on sale for less than $40), Marshall Mode earbuds deliver better sound than most wireless earbuds that are triple the price. The bass is clear but not overpowering, and the highs bright but never too thin or tinny-sounding.
As for how you sound on the headphone's built-in mic, friends we spoke to on the phone said we came through with perfect clarity (the same can't be said for our tester's two-and-a-half year old first-generation AirPods Pro). Lower down on the wire is a separate remote, so you can pause and play your audio or hang up your calls without fiddling around with the mic. If you're sensing a theme, these earbuds are well-designed, and that comes through in how they wear and store.
During our testing, we had no trouble with the wire tangling, and it never felt too long during everyday wear. The buds themselves come with three ear tip sizes and wear comfortably all day. If you're not a fan of the shape of AirPods, then you're likely to find these a better shape for actually keeping your earbuds situated in your ears. There is one major downside with these wired earbuds, however. Unlike their more expensive wired counterparts, Marshall's don't come with a replaceable wire, so you'll want to take extra care to be as gentle as you can with the wire to extend its lifespan.
Battery life: N/A | Colors: Black
How we tested the best headphones
Over the years, we've tested out a lot of headphones and wireless earbuds at Mashable. To determine the best of the best, and not just pick what's trendy at the moment, we went back through our reviews from former and current tech reporters, editors, and shopping reporters. From JBL and Sony to Samsung and Anker Soundcore, we did our research to make sure we left no major headphone stone unturned, and the result is this guide — our favorite vetted and tested headphones of 2024.
All of the headphones in this guide were hands-on tested. In making our selections, we weighed:
Sound: Since headphones are first and foremost a way for you to listen to audio, if a pair of headphones didn't sound good, they didn't make the list — that goes for our budget pick, too.
Noise cancellation: These days, some form of noise cancellation is near-essential for any pair of headphones. We prioritized models that feature solid noise cancellation.
Comfort: What's the point of a great pair of headphones if they're too uncomfortable to wear?
Customization: Whether it be for ANC levels, transparency modes, or touch controls, headphones that allow you to adjust the settings will make them feel like they were made for you.
Battery life: Most wireless headphones on the market rely on Bluetooth connectivity, so having a battery you can rely on for at least a few hours of listening time is key.
Special features: When testing headphones and earbuds, we also take into consideration any other special features they offer. For headphones in the $200-plus price range, we expect at least a few special features.
You might notice that the Apple AirPods Max are missing from our top picks. It's not that we don't like them — in fact, we think they sound and look great. But when we reviewed them, we found that they didn't have a practical storage option, they never really turn off (thus draining the otherwise long battery life), and are just too expensive to justify a wholehearted recommendation. We understand if you like them regardless, but personally, we think there are better options at lower price points.
Recent testing updates
As of Feb. 2024, two of our former recommendations, the Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds and Sennheiser IE 300 have been discontinued. We're in the process of testing new headphones to take their place, and we chose the Marshall Mode earbuds as our new budget pick for earbuds. We also added in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones as an upgrade recommendation in March 2024.
From April to May 2024, we also tested the Marshall Major V headphones and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 headphones, both of which had excellent sound profiles and easy to navigate custom equalizers on their companion apps. Ultimately, they didn't make the cut on our final list for a couple of reasons. With the Major V headphones, we love that their claim of 100+ hours of battery life held up under our testing, but we found them to get uncomfortable after a couple of hours. We also would have appreciated ANC at their $149 price point.
For the B&W headphones, we loved their design and premium feel in addition to their truly impressive sound, but we found that their ANC was only so-so. If you're willing to spend $399, you can find a better balance of sound and ANC in the Sony XM5 headphones.
As of June 2024, we've removed the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones as they're officially discontinued and unavailable online. In Aug. 2024, the Bose 700 headphones met the same fate, so we've removed them as our pick for the best noise-cancelling headphones. In their place, we're recommending the Bose QC Ultra headphones, which were formerly our top pick for best premium noise-cancelling headphones.
