You need one of the best wireless headphones as part of your audio arsenal. While you might be happy with one of the best wireless earbuds, sometimes they’re not quite up to the task. Whether it’s from having something physically in your inner ear for hours at a time or the fact that they don’t block out all sound even with active noise cancellation (ANC), earbuds have their limitations.
In those cases, wireless headphones are the logical solution. Not only are they more comfortable for longer listening sessions such as when you’re stuck on a flight, but they are also better at minimizing outside noise when ANC is not on hand. On top of that, since you can use them without a wire, you won’t be tethered to a phone, computer, or stereo system while listening to your favorite tunes or playlist.
Not all headphones are equal. So, to point you in the right direction, we’ve considered factors like sound quality, comfort, feature set, and battery life to distinguish what we think are the best wireless headphones available. Whether connecting them to a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, an HP Chromebase, or something else, you’ll get excellent performance. You’ll also find options for different budgets and needs. No matter what you’re in the market for, there’s something here for you.
The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 headphones may be expensive, but they’re an excellent pair of headphones that offer fantastic, balanced sound quality, and the kind of comfort that will have you wearing them for long listening sessions. Whether you’re flying across the country or listening to those Spotify Fresh Finds from the comfort of your couch, you won’t have to worry about your ears getting sore.
They’re also equipped with eight different mics, six of which are for their excellent active noise cancellation. You can fine-tune how much ANC you want via a downloadable app. And call quality is just as amazing.
Their battery life is adequate but not the best on this list, with 20 hours of juice. But, there’s not much else to fault with these feature-filled pair of cans. Capacitive touch controls, built-in voice control that may or may not make you look like a crazy person, and conversation mode (aka transparency or ambient mode), are just some features on offer.
- Battery Life: 20 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation: Active
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: 8
- Weight: 254 grams
- Folding/Storage: No folding, includes carrying case
- Charging: USB-C
The reigning champ of active noise cancellation is in no hurry to relinquish the crown. Sony’s most recent over-ear headphones, the WH-1000XM5, bring back that top-of-the-line ANC that many have tried, and failed, to match. The headphones also offer fantastic sound quality that, like the Bose, aren’t too hyped or colored, so you can enjoy your favorite concerto or 98 Degrees track the way it was meant to be heard.
Excellent call quality, voice assistant compatibility, and speedy Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity are other features that make these headphones special. But, one other area where these excel is their long battery life, namely 30 hours with ANC on and 40 without. The only drawback here is that they can get a little hot around the ears after long listening sessions, but are fairly comfortable otherwise.
- Battery Life: Up to 40 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2
- Noise Cancellation: Active
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: 8
- Weight: 520 grams
- Folding/Storage: Doesn’t fold, includes carrying case
- Charging: USB-C
The Sennheiser HD 250BT are not going to be winning any beauty pageants, but for the price, that doesn’t matter. These utility headphones do exactly what they set out to do and offer good sound and wireless connectivity — Bluetooth 5 no less — so that you can listen and enjoy your tunes anywhere, even if you’re on a budget.
Of course, there are some compromises for that low price tag. There’s a little less cushioning here than most headphones; there’s nothing on the headband, for instance. And sadly, they comes sans active noise cancellation or transparency mode. However, they’re lightweight, more comfortable than they look, and offer a decent 25 hours of battery life. Most importantly, like most Sennheiser products, they sound open and natural for a sonic quality that punches above its weight.
- Battery Life: 25 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2
- Noise Cancellation: Passive
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: Yes, not specified
- Weight: 125 grams
- Folding/Storage: Doesn’t fold, no carrying case
- Charging: USB-C
Razer may be best known for its gaming peripherals and cat-eared gaming headsets, but it offers two sets of headphones that anyone can enjoy, regardless of whether they play: the Razer Opus and its little brother, the Opus X.
The Razer Opus X does miss out on a few extras, such as a less involved form of ANC and doesn’t have a cable input, but it is the better buy since it’s half the price. The Razer Opus X, which sits on the high end of the budget range, offers solid low-mid heavy sound quality and a level of active noise cancellation that you generally won’t find for the price. They also come with a low latency mode that can be toggled and a few fun colorways to stand out from the crowd.
- Battery Life: Up to 40 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation: Active
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: 4
- Weight: 270 g
- Folding/Storage: No folding, no carrying case
- Charging: USB-C
This update to Sennheiser’s Momentum line, the Momentum 4 Wireless, might look a bit more restrained compared to the Momentum 3 Wireless, but they’re a pair of premium headphones. And, while they’re in stark competition with the Sony WH-1000XM5 and similar headphones in terms of price, features, and performance, they don’t quite deliver when it comes to active noise cancellation.
Luckily, they make up for it with stunning sound quality, an amazingly long 60 hours of use, and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity. In particular, the sound quality is hard to beat, as is typical with Sennheiser. Better yet, you don’t hear that ANC hiss that you often do.
- Battery Life: Up to 60 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2
- Noise Cancellation: Yes
- Waterproof: No
- Microphones: 4
- Weight: 10.3 oz
- Colors: Black, White
- Supported codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive
- Folding/Storage: Comes with case
- Charging: USB-C
- Multipoint: Yes
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 might be missing a feature most expect to find in any wireless headphones or earbuds (active noise cancellation), but they still have a lot to offer. These are essentially a wireless version of Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X, which are intended for studio use. You don’t have to use them in the studio. Just know that instead of sounding “fun,” like the Grados, you’ll get a less filtered version of your music.
There’s plenty else here to get excited about as well. Their 50-hour battery life is impressive, though the lack of ANC probably helps that length. Their Bluetooth connectivity is speedy enough that you won’t notice much difference between the connection and cable use. If you do, there’s an app you can download to turn on a low latency mode. Plus, you can get access to some EQ and personalization options.
- Battery Life: 50 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation: Passive
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: Yes, not specified
- Weight: 307 grams
- Folding/Storage: Folds, includes pouch
- Charging: USB-C
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2
This might have been our top pick if it weren’t for the price. The Master & Dynamic MW75 is a premium pair of headphones with a balanced and engaging sound, an expansive soundstage that will transport you into whatever sonic soundscape you’re listening to, and just about all the features you could want out of wireless headphones. You can make calls, turn on active noise cancellation and ambient mode, and adjust EQ on the fly using the M&D Connect app.
It’s made of premium materials such as anodized aluminum, tempered glass, and lambskin-covered memory foam. And, of course, it comes with a premium price to match.
- Battery Life: Up to 32 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.1
- Noise Cancellation: Active
- Microphones: 8 microphones, 4 for talk, 4 for ANC
- Weight: 338g
- Folding/Storage: Earcups swivel, includes carrying case
- Charging: USB-C
The Jabra Elite 45H may not impress visually. After all, they cost under $100, and they look the part. Like many cheaper headphones, they miss out on certain features like active noise cancellation. But, you shouldn’t write them off just yet. When it comes to their sound quality, they sound very good. While not quite as sophisticated sounding as some of the other, admittedly much more expensive options on this list, they’re punchy, fun, and vibrant. These aren’t for introspective deep dives into soundscapes — they’re for a sonic party.
And, there’s more than just quality sound. Like many other non-ANC headphones, the battery life lasts a phenomenal 50 hours. Plus, it has fast-charging capabilities that will get you a cool 10 hours of use after plugging in for 15 minutes. They’re also comfortable and light, so if you want to wear them for 50 hours straight, you certainly can.
- Battery Life: 50 hours
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
- Noise Cancellation: Passive
- Waterproof: N/A
- Microphones: 2
- Weight: 160 grams
- Folding/Storage: Folds, includes pouch
- Charging: USB-C
What to look for in wireless headphones
No matter what audio product you’re in the market for, there are a number of factors to consider when searching for the right ones. Whether you’re looking at wireless headsets, earbuds, or even speakers, sound quality is just part of the equation. That said, sound quality is also the most important part and the first thing to consider. After all, if you don’t like how they sound, they’ll end up collecting dust.
Sound quality is a hard thing to gauge as it’s a very subjective thing. Are there audio products that sound bad? Sure. But most decent headphones deliver at least a certain amount of quality, and the difference will depend on how you like your headphones to sound.
Some headphones, for instance, have a fairly neutral frequency range, like the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 that provide a relatively accurate representation of whatever you’re listening to. Others are intentionally tuned to sound a little more fun with a boosted bass or treble (or both) to make that playlist a little more exciting. You can EQ somewhat, but a headphone’s tuning will still affect what you’re listening to. So, figure out if you want something that sounds more accurate, has big bass, or sounds a little brighter (aka has more treble response) before buying a pair.
Almost as important is comfort. Unless you plan on only listening in short bursts, you want something that won’t hurt your ears after an hour. Most headphones have some cushioning on the ear pads and headband (or are designed to keep the headband off your head). However, some cushioning is better than others, as many of the better picks use memory foam for a more plush experience.
Also, you need to pay attention to the clamping force. Some headphones come with such a tight clamping force that they can give you a pressure headache. If that’s the case, you can always stretch them out. For example, you can put them on a short stack of books as wide as your head overnight — just don’t overstretch them because you can’t tighten headphones.
After sound quality and comfort, you should figure out what other features are important to you. Plenty of people are happy with the passive noise cancellation provided by all over-ear headphones. But if you really want to block out unwanted ambient noise, investing in a pair with ANC is worth it.
Don’t forget battery life. Most wireless headphones come with adequate battery life. The longer, the better, especially if you plan on using yours regularly and have a habit of forgetting to charge (like me) or don’t always have the opportunity to charge.
Which headphones are the best for you?
Headphones aren’t one-size-fits-all. But there are some excellent options here to consider. For example, the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 may be as close to the full package as you can find, even if they’re a bit pricey.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are almost as good with even better ANC, though they will set you back a little more. If you’re on a budget, there are still several fantastic choices, starting with the surprisingly great sounding, if stripped-down, Sennheiser HD 250BT.
