The 12 Best Wireless Headphones in 2023, According to Experts and Audiophiles

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The world is a noisy place, but you can tune it out wherever you go with a good pair of wireless headphones. Whether you’re on a busy street, in a crowded office, or packed into a train or plane–even sitting at home–they let you enjoy your music, podcasts, or streaming video without running a cord to your device. You can also make and receive calls through them, or simply use active noise canceling to enjoy some peace and quiet.

While several of the best we’ve selected work great as daily drivers, suitable for any kind of listening, we also tested task- and sport-specific headphones with features like full waterproofing, which one-size-fits-all headphones can’t match. If you need a new pair of over-ear headphones for your commute or fresh earbuds for the gym, read on for our reviews of the best wireless headphones.

The Best Wireless Headphones

What to Consider When Buying Wireless Headphones

While there are empirical elements to judging audio, like whether a speaker sounds clear at high volume, picking the right headphones for yourself is largely a matter of taste. Ultimately, only your own ears can gauge what qualifies as great sound. Beyond finding something that sounds great, which should be a top priority, look for a pair that feels good to wear and has all the features that will maximize your listening experience, whether you’re playing music or watching TV.

Look And Feel

Fit and comfort are paramount. Depending on how you plan to use them, you may need to wear your headphones all day. With over-the-ear headphones, make sure they’re comfortable—especially if you wear glasses—and have adequate padding.

With earbuds, check that they fit properly and don’t feel loose, like they may fall out. Many earbuds come with interchangeable tips to fit a variety of ear shapes and sizes, so there may be some wiggle room in those cases. Even then, the relationship between the human ear and headphone is very personal. It’s important to gauge the fit of headphones before you buy them.

Style is also important. Even if you’re not fashion-conscious, think of headphones as part of your overall appearance if you’re going to wear them for hours at a time, especially in a professional setting such as an office.

Price

Of course, price is always a consideration. With audio gear, you typically get what you pay for: More expensive headphones usually sound better and come with useful quality-of-life features. The headphones on our list range from $30 to $700, so there’s a wide range for you to find a pair of headphones to fit your budget, ears, and needs.

Active Noise Canceling

Increasingly standard among premium headphones and earbuds, active noise cancellation (ANC) allows your headphones to block out ambient noise like traffic and heavy machinery, so you can focus on whatever’s playing. To filter out the outside noise, your headphones use an array of built-in microphones that listen for certain frequencies, then create an opposing tone that cancels it them out so you can listen in peace and quiet.

Ambient Modes

Ambient or “transparency” mode allows headphones with ANC to detect and, in some cases, amplify certain sounds, such as voices and PA announcements, so you can hear them even while they’re blocking the ambient sounds that you’d think of as interference.

It’s very useful when someone or something wants to get your attention, whether it’s a coworker in the office or a bus driver on a busy street. Some high-end headphones let you fine-tune the level of ambient noise that passes through using a dedicated button or an app.

Ingress Protection

Ingress Protection is a standardized rating system for electronics to indicate a device’s dust and water resistance. The IP rating consists of two numbers: The first rates dust protection on a scale from 1-9, the second does the same for water resistance. If any number is replaced with an “X,” the device hasn’t been rated for that type of resistance. (Headphones typically only have a water protection rating, so you’ll see IPX5, for example.)

The higher the numbers, the better the protection. A score of 1 or 2 means the device can withstand light rain, 3-6 suggests it can endure heavier moisture for longer periods, and 7-9 means the device can withstand being completely submerged in varying depths of water without damage. Keep in mind: Water resistance, as measured by IP ratings, does not apply to immersion in salt water.

Battery Life

With wireless gear, longer battery life is always better. The wireless earbuds and headphones we tested offer battery life ranging from six to 60 hours, but we generally expect most headphones to last between six and eight hours of playtime on a single charge. Wireless earbuds that come in a case often last longer, as the case will charge your headphones between uses, extending their effective battery life over the span of a day or two.

In modern earbuds and headphones, we also look for quick-charging features, which often allow you to quickly top off the headphone’s battery, supplying a few hours of playtime after plugging in for only a few minutes.

Controls

In addition to controlling volume and settings with your device, many wireless headphones feature onboard controls around the ear cups or on the stalks of an earbud. There’s always a bit of a learning curve when using a new pair, but you want to find headphones with intuitive controls that make sense when you try to use them, since you won’t be able to see what you’re doing.

Voice Assistant

Many headphones will work with a connected device’s voice assistance, making using them truly hands-free.

How We Evaluated The Best Wireless Headphones

To gauge the sound quality and noise-canceling capabilities of each set of headphones, I listened to a variety of content and made phone calls, both indoors and out, including while surfing, kiteboarding, and standup paddleboarding.

I streamed a wide variety of music from my iPhone 13 Pro Max, including live hi-res recordings of Latin jazz that’s multi-layered and rich in brass and percussion, hip-hop with deep bass, acoustic music and rock with treble-y guitars, and immersive video game soundtracks.

I also used Spotify’s “Songs to Test Headphone With” playlist, which contains songs I’m intimately familiar with, such as Lyle Lovett’s “North Dakota,” Jeff Buckley’s “Last Goodbye,” and Khruangbin’s “People Everywhere (Still Alive).” I also listened to various audiobooks, streaming video, and made video calls.

We tested the WH-1000XM3 years ago, and after listening to other models on this list, their sound was clearly superior. Today, Sony continues to push the limits of noise-canceling perfection with its latest entry, the WH-1000XM5, which is undoubtedly the industry's best pair.

These wireless headphones clearly distinguish between vocals, highs, and lows, with pleasant bass depth. Sony built what it calls “360 Reality Audio,” akin to surround sound in a theater. When you listen to 360-compatible audio tracks through these headphones, the 360 audio works to pump sound from different angles and distances within each cup, as if the user is in the room with the instrument producing the music. It's a fully immersive experience.

The cups form a comfortable seal and block out most sounds even without noise canceling turned on. Connecting is simple, and the WH-1000XM5s can link with multiple devices. The companion Sony Headphones Connect app is also robust. We find it a bit overwhelming with all the settings for tweaks and functions, like taking pictures of our ears to fine-tune the 360 Reality and how the headphones tune themselves to the atmospheric pressure.

But those who like to take the wheel with their audio will appreciate the ability to mess with the equalization profiles or set their own. It's also impressive how, with help from the app and your phone’s location, the pair can tell when users are sitting or walking and automatically switch between noise-canceling and ambient modes depending on needs. (It can also tell when you’re running or using public transportation.)

For sheer audio chops and putting the controls at your fingertips, the WH-1000XM5 can’t be beat.

The closest contender to the Sony WH-1000XM5s, Bose’s 700s stand out for their ease of use and superior noise cancellation. The touch controls on the right ear cup let you tap, swipe, and hold down to change the volume, pause and resume music, skip tracks, answer calls, and check the battery level.

While there’s no audible feedback to confirm commands like with the Sony cans, the response from the 700s was consistent and reliable. With refined controls and sound second only to WH-1000XM5s, the noise cancellation on the Bose 700s leads our testing pool.

Unlike the other wireless headphones on the list, it’s easier to unintentionally press the buttons on the 700. At least once, we switched them off by accidentally hitting the power button on the right cup as we picked them up. In addition to the power button, the voice assistant button lives on the right cup.

On the left cup sits the lone noise-cancellation button. Tapping it cycles through preset levels of ANC. Holding this button down activates Conversation Mode, pausing your music and setting noise cancellation to the lowest level

Vocals in songs were clear and distinct, and while we had noise cancelation on and music playing, one of our testers’ roommates moved around the apartment without them even noticing or hearing a peep. On calls, we could hear the person on the other end clearly, but they reported that our voice sounded a bit muffled compared to other headphones.

Since operating these wireless headphones is so easy from the headset, we didn’t find ourselves needing to use the app that often outside of setting the occasional auto-off timer, but it didn’t noticeably affect battery life during our testing.

Pairing is reliable and easy, and on startup, the headphones tell you the names of the devices they’re connected to and how much battery life is left in hours and minutes (a bit more helpful than a percentage). If you find yourself out of battery or on a flight looking to plug in, the 700s come with a standard audio cable.

The Beats Studio Buds produced a rich sound, and are compatible with parent company Apple’s spatial audio. Their active noise canceling works well in most noisy environments, except in very windy conditions.

They’re comfortable, and the ear tip I used provided a good fit, making the buds ideal for working out without fear of losing them. An IPX4 rating means they’re resistant to water and sweat seeping in, and the controls are also easy to find by touch. For their price and performance, it’s hard to beat these Beats.

These low-cost, over-the-ear headphones produce high-quality sound and powerful bass for a much lower price than that of many competitors. The sound may distort at higher volumes, but I was able to balance it out using the equalizer in the Soundcore app. The Life Q20 are lightweight, with cushioned memory-foam earcups, though they didn’t pair well with my thick-framed glasses.

The best feature by far, though, is the battery life: a whopping 40 hours with ANC on and 60 hours with it turned off, which blows away any other headphone we tested. The quick-charging feature works as advertised, providing 4 hours of playtime from only five minutes of charging. While these don’t have a voice assistant (or an ambient mode), they do feature a microphone for hands-free calling. At this price and with their performance, these headphones are an exceptional value.

Bose’s QuietComfort II buds produce full, rich sound, with robust bass and no discernible distortion, even at high volumes. Their impressive noise canceling makes you feel like you are inside your own (mostly silent) bubble, although some wind noise gets through. The companion app has an equalizer so you can tweak the sound to your liking, and there’s an extensive menu of noise-cancellation levels.

They feel a bit heavy and bulky for in-ear headphones, but an included “fit kit” with three pairs of ear tips and unique stability bands provide extra padding, making the buds stable while you’re running and moving around. While they have a comparatively weak battery life, the quick charging supplies two hours of playtime off of 20 minutes on the charger.

The Soundcore Life P2-L offer surprisingly good sound for a pair of earbuds under $50. The music was light on the bass, and I detected some distortion at high volumes, but the live music recordings and voice calls were clear. They’re also comfortable and feature strong water resistance–IPX7 protection–which allows them to keep performing when wet (but not submerged).

A healthy seven hours of playtime on a single charge and the ability to get up to one hour of playtime after a 10-minute recharge round out the impressive stats of these cheap buds. You don’t get luxury features like active noise-canceling, but that’s to be expected at this price.

Thanks to Bose’s OpenAudio technology, these audio glasses have crisp, tight sound, albeit without the tight bass you’ll find in most conventional headphones and earbuds. They’re great to wear on a walk, on a run, or while biking, so you can be fully aware of traffic and potentially dangerous situations, even when listening at loud volume.

The Bose Frames are made from high-quality materials, with shatter- and scratch-resistant polarized lenses, which you can swap for different colors including silver and mirrored-blue, or prescription lenses. If you don’t like the shape, Bose makes another style, the Soprano, with round lenses.

The touch controls on the frame are easy and intuitive to use, but with only IPX2 protection, these aren’t waterproof. And while their 5.5 hours of continuous-listening battery life is low, they fully charge in an hour via a USB cable. Audio glasses are a great alternative to earbuds for casual listening on a day out.

If you’re looking for the absolute best sound, look, and comfort, with no budget holding you back, the Px8 won’t disappoint. They create dynamic, accurate sound that’s stable even at high volume, with a rich range that easily rivals Sony’s WH-1000XM series, a perennial top performer.

The 30-hour battery life is impressive, as is the quick-charge, which delivers seven hours of playtime in 15 minutes. The earcups are cushioned and comfortable; I wore them on a two-hour flight over my glasses without any issue.

They’re also stylish: The tan or black leather and cast-aluminum construction feels like a fashion statement. Even with the confounding caveat that you need to use the B&W app to pair the headphones, the design and sound are undeniable.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 earbuds delivers precise sound, with deep bass, punchy but tight midrange, and crystal-clear highs. You can fine-tune the audio using the Bowers & Wilkins Music app, which offers a range of adjustments to fine tune the earbuds to personal preferences as well as in-app connection to several streaming-music services. The onboard controls are also intuitive. And the ANC blocks wind better than any other earbuds we tested.

All that said, they aren’t perfect. The buds are a bit heavy and often feel like they might fall out, especially during a workout. Plus, they require an app to pair. The five-hour listening time is also among the shortest battery lifespans we’ve seen, though a 15-minute quick-charge will get you two hours of playtime. As with the over-ear Px8 above, these are all quality-of-life sacrifices you make for the sake of amazing sound, which audiophiles will make gladly but others may find harder to take.

Jabra nailed the shape on the Elite Active 75t—these true wireless buds fit our tester better than any others he’s tried. Credit that to the angular build that nests snugly in the outer ear canal, without giving you that tightly sealed, high-pressure “thud” with each foot strike during your run.

The sound quality is crisp, dynamic, and full, rivaling Apple’s AirPods Pros—but these Jabras cost less and offer about 90 more minutes of battery on a single charge. (However, the hear-through mode isn’t quite as impressive.) For dust and water protection, they’re rated IP57, meaning they should withstand a sandstorm or a monsoon; that’s especially good news for our tester, who killed a pair of AirPods in six short months with his sweaty ears.

Competing earbuds from Apple, Bose, Jaybird, and others may offer even better sound or superior comfort or exceptional ambient awareness modes, but none do all of those things better than the 75t.

The Powerbeats Pro earphones are the complete package as wireless sport headphones, with a large charging box that holds the earbuds and adds 15 hours of juice. Not that you’re likely to need it—the buds last for nine hours on a single charge. “The sound you get from the Powerbeats Pro is really expansive,” said our tester. “Every song sounds like you’re listening in a larger room, with speakers positioned away from you.”

Ambient noise starts out minimal but increases as sweat causes the earbuds to lose some of their seal. The music gets a little hollower when this happens, but the awareness means you’ll pick up loud environmental noises like sirens and horns. Bluetooth pairing is immediate with an iPhone, and a five-minute quick charge delivers 90 minutes worth of playback. The Powerbeats are rated IPX4 so they’ll withstand a rainstorm (but not submersion). And despite their large size, the buds keep a low enough profile to be comfortable with a hat and sunglasses.

If you like to take your tunes on or even under the water, these waterproof open-ear bone-conduction headphones are the ones to dive in with. They perform perfectly when submerged thanks to a built-in 8-gigabyte MP3 player.

The catch is that they’re made primarily for listening underwater. They play music and let you take calls from your phone, but only if the device is about 4 inches away. The sound quality is disappointing compared to the other options here, with distortion at high volumes and thin bass. The sound quality and features are a small price to pay for a pair of truly amphibious headphones, though, if you love to surf, swim, or otherwise hang out in the water.

Q+A

PM: How can I tell if a pair of headphones sounds good?

DN: Trust your ears. I tested these headphones based on audiophile standards, with clarity and precise “audio reproduction” in mind, but your goal should be to find a pair of headphones that makes your favorite music sound perfect in your head. If you listen to and like music with lots of boomy bass, make sure your headphones deliver a strong, satisfying thud. Try a wide variety of songs to see what sticks out, but stick to your favorites. You’ll notice more details in the songs you know best.

Beyond music, make sure to try other kinds of content you enjoy, including audiobooks, podcasts, and streaming video. I listened to streaming video on Netflix, HBO Max, and YouTube, plus a variety of podcasts. One last step: Don’t forget to check if your phone and video calls sound clear.

PM: Do more expensive headphones always sound better?

DN: For the most part, yes. There’s a deep, niche audiophile community that’s willing to pay thousands of dollars for the best, most “accurate” sound possible, so there’s a pretty strong correlation between sound quality and price among headphones made for everyday listeners.

That said, sound quality is a matter of taste, so use your own ears to judge whether you think a more expensive pair of headphones is worth it. Most people find that, at some point, spending more and more starts to deliver diminishing returns.

PM: What is the biggest mistake people make when buying wireless headphones?

DN: It’s always worth it to try a pair of headphones before you buy, especially if there’s an electronics store nearby. In addition to hearing how they sound, you’ll get a feel for the fit and how the controls work.

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