When people find out I've written more than 1,000 audio reviews for PCMag, the first thing they usually want to know is which headphones are the best. But, to me, that's like asking what type of music is best. Sure, we all have favorites, but the category is too broad to break down so simply. The real question is, what are the right headphones for you? And to answer this, you have to consider your sound preferences, desire for extra features, and, of course, budget.
With that in mind, we've gathered the absolute best headphones (and earphones) we've tested here, for a range of users and budgets. Read on for our top picks, followed by everything you need to know to find the perfect pair.
Buying Guide: The Best Headphones for 2023 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
When people find out I've written more than 1,000 audio reviews for PCMag over the last 13 years, the first thing they usually want to know is which headphones are the best. But, to me, that's like asking what type of music is best. Sure, we all have favorites, but the category is too broad to break down so simply. The real question is, what are the right headphones for you? And to answer this, you have to consider your sound preferences, desire for extra features, and, of course, budget.
With that in mind, we've gathered the absolute best headphones (and earphones) we've tested here, for a range of users and budgets. Read on for our top picks, followed by everything you need to know to find the perfect pair.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Rich, well-balanced audio performance | - No hi-res codec support |
| + Excellent active noise cancellation | - Offers only non-adjustable EQ presets |
| + Adaptive Transparency mode is geninuely impressive | |
| + Charging case has a useful built-in speaker | |
| + Seamless integration with Apple devices |
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)
Why We Picked It
Apple joins the true wireless noise-cancelling elite with the second-generation AirPods Pro—they are second only to Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II in this regard. Beyond this, they offer a rich audio experience, an innovative adaptive transparency mode, and excellent compatibility with Apple devices.
Who It’s For
First and foremost, the AirPods Pro are the best earphones for brand-loyal Apple users. No third-party competitor works as seamlessly across iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Bose QuietComfort 45
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Best-in-class noise cancellation | - ANC can't be adjusted |
| + Sculpted audio with rich bass and crisp highs | - Sound signature isn't accurate for true audiophiles |
| + Exceptionally comfortable |
Bose QuietComfort 45
Why We Picked It
The competition might be slowly catching up, but every new iteration in the Bose QC lineup, including the QuietComfort 45 headphones, manages to leap ahead of the crowd. In addition, we're big fans of this model's crisp, bass-forward sound and highly comfortable design.
Who It’s For
You can comfortably wear these headphones for long flights or other travel they pack away neatly into a suitcase or bag for storage. If you prefer something more compact, the Bose QC Earbuds II are an excellent alternative as long as you don't mind an in-ear design.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Engaging audio performance with deep lows and bright highs | - No way to turn off noise cancellation altogether |
| + Fantastic low- and high-frequency noise cancellation | - Case doesn't support wireless charging |
| + Useful Active Aware mode | |
| + Water-resistant build |
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Why We Picked It
Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II are at the top of the active noise cancellation class. They almost eliminate deep lows, plus they dial back mids and highs better than any other earphones we've tested. Additionally, they deliver an articulate, bass-forward sound that should please most listeners.
Who It’s For
If active noise cancellation in a true wireless design is your primary consideration, these Bose earbuds are unbeatable. Just keep in mind that the second-gen AirPods Pro make more sense for iPhone users.
Jabra Elite 45h
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Powerful, bass-forward audio performance | - Combined volume/track navigation controls make it easy to accidentally skip to a track |
| + Useful app with adjustable EQ | |
| + Comfortable on-ear fit | |
| + Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant | |
| + Strong mic clarity |
Jabra Elite 45h
Why We Picked It
The on-ear Jabra Elite 45h headphones aren't new to the scene, but they are still relevant in a segment with dwindling choices. Highlights include a robust sound signature with deep bass, an exceptionally comfortable design, and a full-featured companion app with an EQ.
Who It’s For
If you prefer on-ear (or supra-aural) headphones, you don't have many new choices. Thankfully, Jabra's Elite 45h headphones succeed in all the most important categories we evaluate. They're also quite affordable.
Sony WH-1000XM5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Excellent audio performance with robust bass depth and crisp highs | - Expensive |
| + Top-notch active noise cancellation | |
| + Intuitive on-ear controls | |
| + App offers on adjustable EQ and other customization settings | |
| + Comfortable, stylish design |
Sony WH-1000XM5
Why We Picked It
Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones keep the lineup's streak of excellence alive. They offer top-notch noise cancellation, a sophisticated look, a comfy fit, and among the best audio quality in the wireless realm. The capacitive touch panels on the outside of each earcup work intuitively, as well.
Who It’s For
Any Android users who want to take advantage of the hi-res-capable LDAC codec should put this Sony pair at the top of their list. They don't cancel distracting noise quite as effectively as the Bose QC 45 headphones, but that's a fair compromise if you care most about sound quality.
Anker Soundcore Space A40
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Rich, detailed audio performance | - Light on sub-bass |
| + Quality active noise cancellation for the price | - Noise cancellation mode slightly affects sound signature |
| + App includes customizable EQ and controls | |
| + Strong battery life | |
| + Water-resistant build |
Anker Soundcore Space A40
Why We Picked It
Anker's Soundcore Space A40 earphones prove that you don't need to pay several hundred dollars for a quality experience. We're particularly fond of their detailed sound presentation, commendable noise cancellation, and secure fit. The companion app is another strong point because of its adjustable EQ.
Who It’s For
If you’re on a budget but don’t want to settle for subpar audio or noise cancellation, the Soundcore Space A40 earphones pack a lot of features for a sub-$100 price.
Urbanista Los Angeles
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Solar-powered charging | - No in-app EQ |
| + Impressive audio performance with rich, deep bass and crisp highs | - Noise cancellation slightly impacts sound signature |
| + Quality noise cancellation for the price | |
| + Stylish design |
Urbanista Los Angeles
Why We Picked It
The Urbanista Los Angeles headphones aren't quite competitive with class leaders in the audio or active noise cancellation departments, but they stand out for their ability to recharge via any light source. They represent a huge step forward for sustainability and we hope more products integrate this charging technology going forward.
Who It’s For
Charging your headphones doesn't significantly increase your carbon footprint, but these headphones can still help you make a small impact. And the convenience of not needing to ever recharge your headphones (if you expose them to light every other day or so) should surely appeal to people who aren't always near an outlet.
JBL Reflect Aero
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Powerful audio performance with deep lows and bright highs | - Avg noise cancellation |
| + Multi-band in-app EQ | - Sculpted, bass-forward sound signature won't appeal to everyone |
| + Supports hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant | |
| + Fully waterproof and dustproof design |
JBL Reflect Aero
Why We Picked It
In a segment that seems content with underwhelming IPX4 ratings, the JBL Reflect Aero noise-cancelling earphones impress with a top-notch IP68 rating, meaning they are fully dustproof and waterproof. They also offer a powerful sound signature and a quality companion app with a customizable EQ.
Who It’s For
If you want to listen to music on the beach or at the gym, the Reflect Aero earphones are up to the challenge. Feel free to get them dirty and then rinse them off as you see fit.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Excellent audio performance with rich bass and detailed highs | - Sculpted default sound signature |
| + Solid active noise cancellation | - Limited EQ settings |
| + App features adjustable EQ and control customizations | |
| + Case supports wireless charging |
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
Why We Picked It
The Momentum True Wireless 3 earphones look, feel, and sound like a luxury product. They don't cut back outside noise as effectively as top-end models from Apple and Bose, but their excellent audio experience makes them worth considering.
Who It’s For
Sennheiser has always put sound quality above all else in its products and these earbuds are no different. Furthermore, if you like to customize your listening experience, you should appreciate the ability to tweak the sound and on-ear controls to your preference.
Should You Pick Earphones or Headphones?
Earbuds do not seal off the ear canal and typically offer the worst audio performance of the bunch. Earphones seal off the ear canal and therefore offer better bass response, a more balanced stereo mix, and a more secure fit.
On-ear headphones (which are also called supra-aural headphones) typically have smaller earcups that rest on the ear. Over-ear headphones (aka circumaural headphones) have larger earcups that rest around the ear.
Over-ear headphones typically provide a more immersive experience than on-ear headphones, but this isn't a rule—plenty of on-ear models sound amazing, and can even offer a little bit of passive noise isolation with the use of well-cushioned earpads. The main reasons to consider one over the other are comfort (this varies from person to person) and portability (on-ear pairs are often smaller and more travel-friendly).
Are Wired or Wireless Headphones Better?
Ever since Apple eliminated the headphone jack on the iPhone, wired headphones and earphones have faded from the forefront of this category in favor of Bluetooth models that require no cable at all. And true wireless headphones don't even have a wire connecting the two earpieces.
Audiophiles probably still prefer a cable, particularly for home listening (and small cable adapters are available for iOS and Android devices with no headphone jack). If you prefer wired headphones, there are still lots of options available, but it's also worth noting that plenty of wireless headphones come with a cable that lets you use them in a passive mode. That use case doesn't drain the battery and gives you the best of both worlds.
The sonic advantage of wired headphones is still quite significant, even if Bluetooth audio has improved dramatically in recent years. No matter how much better Bluetooth has gotten, it is still based on a lossy codec stream, making it inherently inferior to a wired audio connection. If sonics are important to you and you want to go wireless, make sure your headphones have the right high-end Bluetooth codecs that work with your phone, like LDAC and AAC, and don't simply use the lower-quality SBC codec. Our guide to Bluetooth codecs explains everything you need to know.
Bose QuietComfort 45
What Are the Different Types of Headphone Drivers?
Headphones most typically have dynamic drivers, whereas earphones might have dynamic drivers or balanced armature drivers. Especially in headphones, dynamic drivers are the most common, because a larger dynamic driver—which the ear enclosure for a pair of headphones can accommodate—can get louder and produce more bass depth. In earphones, the dynamic drivers have to be much smaller; this can often affect bass response.
Many manufacturers, especially those in the business of making custom-molded in-ear monitors for musicians and engineers, turn to balanced armature drivers instead. Balanced armatures have the advantage of being tiny, which allows the earpieces to be smaller. Or, in the case of the aforementioned custom in-ear monitors, the earpieces can be quite large—freeing up room internally for several balanced armatures per ear, with each driver handling a specific frequency range. Generally speaking, it's possible to get excellent audio—or poor audio—from both dynamic and balanced armature drivers, although the two styles have dedicated fan bases.
In both headphones and earphones, a somewhat new type is emerging, the planar magnetic driver. Pairs with those drivers are typically (much) more expensive. But the advantage of planar magnetic drivers is that they, ostensibly, produce a more precise sound because of the flat, larger-than-a-dynamic-driver film that vibrates between two magnets to create sound.
Electrostatic speakers and headphones are similar to planar magnetic headphones in that they use a large, thin surface area to deliver the audio. But we see far fewer electrostatic headphones than any other type—they are typically through-the-roof expensive and best for home use.
What Is Active Noise Cancellation?
Noise cancellation used to be one of the most expensive features you could find in headphones, but we are seeing more and more (relatively) affordable options with this feature in both the headphone and earphone realms. Not only that, but the shift from wired to wireless headphones in terms of popularity has meant that most of the active noise cancellation (ANC) pairs we see are now wireless.
That's excellent for convenience, but never assume that all ANC is the same. Simply put, the best of the ANC realm is quite effective, with Bose leading the category, but plenty of other manufacturers from Apple to Sony offer top-notch options. See how we test noise cancellation to understand how it works and how we test this feature.
When ANC goes wrong, and it often does when you spend less than $200, there are three common characteristics. One, it's just not very effective—it doesn't tamp down low-frequency rumble like it should, or the overall reduction in surrounding noise isn't profound enough to make it compelling. Two, the ANC circuitry creates a faint hiss—not necessarily unpleasant, but certainly audible (similar to white noise or tape hiss). This is often to mask the fact that the ANC circuitry can't effectively tamp down some higher-frequency sounds. Third, lower-quality, wireless headphones often have ANC modes that unfortunately affect the sound signature.
Sony WH-1000XM5
When we describe headphones with excellent noise cancellation, it's more or less the opposite—they squash the low frequencies effectively, tamp down surrounding chatter and typical environmental noises, and don't produce much of a high-frequency hiss (if any). The sound signature also shouldn't sound wildly different when this mode is active. Beyond that, several manufacturers, like Bose, offer apps that let you adjust the intensity of the noise cancellation mode or even which frequency range it should try to tackle.
An increasing number of noise-cancelling headphones now include mics that power ambient listening modes. The point is to allow you to hear your surroundings as if you didn't have your headphones on, so you can talk to others without removing them. It's become a popular-enough feature that plenty of non-ANC pairs now have this feature too. Apple's adaptive transparency mode is one of the best implementations.
For more, see the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds and the best headphones for your home office.
What Are the Best Headphones for Exercise?
Aside from sometimes offering ambient mics for hearing your surroundings, exercise-focused headphones and earphones typically offer water-resistant builds, extra in-ear fit security accessories, and, in some cases, apps that help you monitor your workout.
The most important feature of any exercise-focused headphones remains the IP rating. IP stands for ingress protection, and you often see ratings such as IPX7 or IP65. The first number represents protection against solids like dust (X acts as a placeholder, usually because the manufacturer didn't officially test against dust or solids), while the second number describes protection against fluids like water and sweat. For more, see our guide to IP ratings.
As mentioned, another consideration is in-ear fit. We all have different ears, and some earphones fit better than others. If you've had trouble getting in-ears to stay in place in the past, consider a pair that comes with multiple eartips or earfins that sit against the ear to help add stability. It's also worth considering foam eartips (which sometimes ship with in-ears, but are less common than silicone) because they expand in the canal to create a stronger seal, much like earplugs. They also often have the benefit of increasing bass response.
For more, see our picks for the best Bluetooth headphones for running and the best true wireless earbuds for running.
Do Headphones Work With Voice Assistants?
Most wireless headphones now include a button that summons your phone's built-in voice assistant. But the next frontier is headphones that are always listening, like smart speakers. We've only tested a few thus far that can summon a voice assistant with a wake word or phrase (like "Hey Siri" or "Alexa"), but it seems the trend is likely to gain steam.
How Much Should You Spend on Headphones?
Quality and performance can certainly cost money, though that isn't always the case and they aren't the only factors that dictate the price of headphones. Currently, certain technologies—true wireless and active noise cancellation are the two most obvious examples—tend to drive up the price. That doesn't mean you can't find affordable true wireless in-ears, but the higher-quality options tend to kick in around $150, while most excellent noise-canceling headphones start around $300. Iconic branding—think Apple, Beats, and Bose, to name a few—also impact pricing.
In short, you can pay as little as $50 for good earphones or headphones and far more than $1,000 for audiophile models. Generally speaking, the range we see most quality options fall in is from $100 to $400. Plenty of strong in-ear, over-ear, and on-ear models are available in the $100 to $200 bracket, however.
Once you find the pair that's right for you, make sure to take good care of them with our five easy tips to extend the life of your headphones. We also have an article on the eight ways you're using your headphones wrong.