The best wireless headphones from all the top brands

Check out our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.

Who it's for:

If you want good ANC, but especially value clear and well-rounded sound, these are your headphones. Whether you really like to blast your music, or just want to hear the lows, highs, and mids of a song, the WH-1000XM5s are the headphones on our list most likely to deliver.

During July's Prime Day, these headphones dropped $100 in price. For Prime Big Deal Days, we're expecting to see at least the same discount.

Why we picked this:

Sony's flagship noise-cancelling headphones produce a balanced sound that let your music shine, while giving you enough ANC to block ambient noise.

Here's what Mashable Deputy Reviews Editor Miller Kern had to say about listening to Brandi Carlile’s “Right on Time” on the XM5 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." That audio quality, combined with their comfort and effective noise cancelling are what earned them a Mashable Choice Award. And if you're intimidated by messing around with an equalizer, the app presets along with the "Find Your Equalizer" feature make it easy to find the sound settings that hit just right.

Their portability factor could be a little better — the ear cups don't fold in — but chances are, you'll want to be listening to them most of the time, anyway. When you are on the go, the microphone is another standout feature. Kern relayed that even on a walk home in New York City, she could hear who she was calling perfectly, and be heard herself without any background noise getting in the way. As an added bonus, they have a battery life that beats the Bose QC Ultras by a good six hours, offering some of the best battery we've seen from premium over-ear headphones.

If you want headphones with reliable sound, ANC, and connectivity — and you don’t need the latest tech — check out the JBL Tune 660NC. These mid-level favourites are made from premium, hard-wearing plastic, with a sound that's robust and bass-heavy. Large, over-ear cups block out external sound, which combines with highly efficient ANC tech to keep out any unwanted ambient noise. The noise cancellation is as good as it gets at this low price.

They have multi-point pairing, which means they can hook up to two devices at once. It's a very handy addition to the overall package. They’re very portable too, with ear cups that fold and turn inwards. Just throw them in your bag and off you go. They're certainly tough enough to handle being bashed about.

JBL has upgraded to Bluetooth 5.0, meaning that connection problems reported on older models are no longer a problem. The controls — placed on the right ear cup — are tricky at first but you soon get used to them. You’ll get up to 50 hours of battery life, depending on which features are switched on.

If classic-style headphones are more your thing, Apple has your ears covered. Quite literally in the case of the Apple AirPods Max, with their comfy, memory foam ear pads. They’re feature-packed too, with Apple-built dynamic drivers, top-of-the-range ANC, and iOS extras. And — thanks to Apple’s increasingly broad palette — there are good colour options too, something that can be frustratingly unusual in high-end, high-price headphones.

The AirPods Max have just two physical controls — one for controlling the ANC (including a transparency mode) and a multi-functional dial to cycle through the volume and playback options. The ANC operates via an eight-microphone system. The ear cups are stacked with sensors, plus an accelerometer and gyroscope. They also boast spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.

Less impressive is the battery life of just 20 hours. Other headphones in this price range (or lower) offer much more. But the Apple AirPods Max do go into a low power mode when you put them in the carry case. Be warned that they will need to be charged even when you have them wired to your device. Those small quibbles aside, headphones for the iPhone don't get much better.

There’s more to headphones than getting some good tunes banging in your ears. To some, they’re an essential modern accessory — a style statement and lifestyle choice. If that rings true to you — and your headphones are more than some audio tech to wrap around your head — Bowers and Wilkins PX7 Wireless are the pair for you.

The style is pure premium: A contemporary but timeless frame with a soft fabric finish. There’s also pleather-covered memory foam on both ear cups, ensuring that they’re extremely comfortable.

The ear cups swivel flat but like other high-end styled headphones, they don’t fold inwards for added portability. You’re better off keeping these around your head and neck at all times.

The style is matched by audio quality. They sound amazing, thanks to 4mm full-range drivers and the aptX Adaptive which allows glitch-free listening. The aptX Adaptive codec makes them especially good for perfectly-synced, lag-free video streaming. And for the first time ever, Bowers and Wilkins have added EQ adjusting via the app.

The noise cancellation is also customisable. It has three modes, including a transparency mode for letting in ambient sounds. Other features include automatic pause (which stops music as soon as you take the headset off,) and a reassuring 30 hours of battery. They charge quickly, too. Just 15-minutes of charging gives you an impressive five hours of runtime. 

If there’s one audio brand synonymous with big, bold sound, it’s Marshall — instantly recognisable as the most rock 'n' roll amplifier in musical history, usually seen stacked high on the stage of epic concerts. As Marshall says itself, the sound is “iconic.” Marshall has packed that signature sound into these highly-rated headphones, the Marshall Monitor II ANC.

The sound comes via custom-tuned 40mm drivers, while the Marshall Bluetooth app allows you to adjust levels and customise the sound to your preference. If you’ve got a good ear for nuance, you’ll find this app is seriously impressive — adjustments can be subtle and detailed, with modes for all kinds of different musical genres and frequencies.

It offers good sounds all round, in fact, with fantastic (not to mention adjustable) noise cancellation. They’re sound-leak proof too, keeping the sound in as well as out. Noise cancellation is controlled by a physical button on the headphones, which sits alongside a button for controlling volume, playback, and calls. And if you’re on a long commute, or just like indulging in hours’ worth of music, they’re comfortable — perfect for long sessions.

If we’ve got a complaint it's that they are a bit on the plasticky side. Something more robust wouldn’t go amiss at this price. But that’s not a deal-breaker.

The Brooklyn-based Grado might be under the radar for casual listeners, but fans know them for their open-backed wired designs — often the mark of a true audiophile brand — and detailed sound. The Grado GW100x are a step forward for the manufacturer's first wireless model. They’re also a rare example of an open-backed Bluetooth headset. 

The Bluetooth-powered Grado GW100x are recommended almost exclusively for home use as the open-backed ear cups will leak sound both ways. These won’t block out external noise and people around you will be able to hear what sounds you’re a-rocking. 

But these days everyone needs a pair of headphones for around the house. And these will not disappoint. The sound is rich and spacious and when hooked up to your TV, they deliver a more naturalistic cinema soundstage — a different experience to being locked in with a pair of closed back, surround sound headphones. Sound quality and performance is further boosted by aptX codecs.

They're plasticky, so feel cheaper in the hand. But it’s all part of the headset’s stripped-back design, and ensures they’re comfortably lightweight. Other features include a built-in mic, voice control, and a button panel on the ear cup.

Lots of budget headphones look the same: black, plastic, and nondescript. But the Riwbox XBT-80 headphones stand out from the crowd. The black style with gold trim might look a bit bling for some tastes — we love it, mind you — though there’s a selection of others to choose from.

Besides the style, you get decent quality sound, a built-in mic, hands-free calling, and a whole lot more. There’s a row of buttons on the left earcup for full control — volume, playback, answering calls, and more.

As always, manage your expectations with anything at this budget level. But they do have some advantages over much fancier options. You can switch between wireless and wires easily, and you don’t need to have any battery charge for wired mode — even the Apple AirPod Max can’t do that. Some headphones are too worried about being fancy to do the basics. Well, the Riwbox XBT-80 does the basics. And it does them pretty well, we must say.

The battery could be a little better, but it's difficult to find fault in a set of headphones that are this much fun and this affordable.