Best wireless headphones (2026): Apple, Sony, Bose and more

Other headphones we like

Every month seems to bring new sets of headphones with longer battery life, new features and a more compact design. As such, we can’t list everything we like. But if you’re still on the hunt, here are some other recommendations.

Nothing Ear (a) for $59: It took me a long time to recommend a pair of apparent AirPods Pro clones as the best headphones for most people, but that speaks to how much I actually like the Nothing Ear (a). These stylish little yellow headphones come in a sleek, clear charging case and have excellent sound and decent noise cancellation for under $100 retail. I liked how easily they pair with Android and iOS devices, and that the lightweight, compact design helps them feel comfortable during longer listening sessions. The larger and more expensive Nothing Ears are also good, but don’t quite match the slender figure of the Ear (a).

Status Audio Pro X for $239: The multi-driver array inside these cool-looking headphones from little-known brand Status Audio helps them rise above the rest when it comes to sound quality. A dynamic low-end driver with a set of Knowles balanced armatures for upper mids and highs, providing plenty of musical separation between instruments and offering some of the best low-end detail we’ve heard in a pair of buds to date. The warm EQ works well with both pop and acoustic music, and the Pro X supports Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec for near-lossless streaming quality. We compared them to the best from Sony, Bose, Sennheiser and Technics and found the Pro X to perform valiantly, with only call quality slightly below what others offer.

Technics EAH-AZ80 for $165: Technics’ follow-up to the fantastic EAH-AZ80 provides drive technology from the brand’s hi-fi headphones, the EAH-TZ700. The result for the AZ100 is an even richer and more detailed sound that penetrates deep into instrumental textures to reveal new dimensions in old songs. The Buds add new features like Dolby-supported spatial audio and Bluetooth LE audio support for future proofing, along with old favorites like three-device multi-point pairing and slightly improved noise cancellation. The slimmer design isn’t as ergonomic as the AZ80 to my ears, but they’re still comfortable, and up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge with ANC lets you listen long after Bose and Apple headphones. — Ryan Wania

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 for $150: These premium headphones from Beyerdynamic look bland and sound fantastic, but they lack the superior qualities of the headphones listed above. If you’re looking for a clean-looking pair of headphones with fantastic vocal definition, these are worth considering.

Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 for $159: These headphones from Audio Technica boast 15 hours of battery life with noise canceling on, which is the longest we’ve tested in a pair of headphones. Despite the somewhat bulky appearance, they actually remain very ergonomic, with multiple pairs of included ear cups ensuring a good fit. A cool magnetic feature lets you clip the buds together when they’re not in their wireless charging case to activate standby mode. These aren’t the best-sounding headphones for the money, nor do they have the best noise cancellation, but if you want a pair that will last you through a few workdays (or a really long one), they’re a great option. (Note: They were available and sold out on Amazon.)

Soundcore Space A40 for $45: Although no longer on our main list, the Space A40 are still one of my favorite headphones for the money, delivering good performance, clean sound and excellent noise cancellation for its price range. They also look polished, with only the lack of auto-pause sensors betraying their low price.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $100-$200: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are getting old, but they’re still among the best earbuds to pair with a Samsung phone. They don’t have the multi-device connectivity of our top picks for Android users, and their five-hour battery seems pretty short these days, but they deliver excellent sound quality, IPX7 water resistance, and a distinctive design that doesn’t just mimic AirPods Pro. This makes them well thought out when selling.

Sony Linkbuds Fit for $200: Sony’s Linkbuds Fit offer rich and punchy sound, a naturalistic transparency mode, and a light and comfortable fit that helps them fulfill their intent as a « wear-anywhere » solution. They deliver some solid features, but skimp on battery life at just 5.5 hours per charge, and their noise canceling is okay. Their oddly unresponsive touch controls and reliance on flimsy silicone cases further reduce their value, but they’re still Sony stalwarts and might be worth snapping up on a good sale.

Montblanc MTB 03 for $395: The prices of these headphones are out of reach for most buyers, but if you have the cash, you’ll be rewarded with a luxury experience worthy of the brand. Montblanc has called in some heavy hitters from the audio industry to design and sound these buds. The result is a small, comfortable and rather impressive-looking pair of wireless headphones that sound really impressive.

Raycon Everyday Headphones for $80: These YouTuber-loved headphones are actually a decent cheap pair. They’re small and lightweight and come with an IPX6 rating, making them great for training.

Headphones to avoid

As a general rule, you should avoid headphones that don’t support Bluetooth 5.0 (or higher) or don’t offer at least five hours of battery life – more like six these days. Batteries in wireless headphones degrade over time, so the better your battery life is initially, the more tolerable it will be in two to three years.

Apple AirPods (previous or current generation) for $119–$170: These headphones do some things well, but we don’t like them all that much. (Read our last review.) They have good battery life, come in a compact case, and work well for calls, but they don’t fit all ears well, and since they don’t have tips or wings, you’re out of luck if they’re loose. The most expensive model adds noise cancellation, which works about as well as you’d expect for a pair that doesn’t offer proper sealing. Want clear music, good noise cancellation and advanced features made for iPhone for less than the AirPods Pro 3? Get the AirPods Pro Gen 2, which sometimes cost more (and sometimes less) but are legitimately awesome.

Beats the $70 Solo Buds: They are weak in almost every possible way, especially when it comes to features for the money. Their best features are their micro size and large battery, but that’s about it. It’s weird because we like other headphones from the brand, but these just don’t keep up. The best we can say is that they are cheap.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 for $170: Cybertrucked pair of AirPods clones, the headphones in the new Galaxy Buds line work worse than they look. Since they don’t have earcups, they’re uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, and the noise cancellation is next to useless.

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