The Best Wireless Headphones of 2026

• Battery life: ~30 hours
• Ambient sound modes: ANC via QN1 chip, Transparency mode
• Dust/water resistance: No IP rating

When it comes to wireless headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are our top choice. You're not just getting freedom from wires here, but amazing noise cancelation, sound, comfort, and features too. Multiple Reviewed staff used these Bluetooth headphones over a period of months, and all of us absolutely loved them.

The WH-1000XM4 are light and comfortable enough that you might just forget they're on your head. You can tweak their noise canceling and sound profile to compensate for elements like barometric pressure, or just to add extra bass. Even without all of the next-gen tech, the XM4 could take our top spot for the robust audio alone. These headphones sound amazing.

While they do cost a bit of money, they're constantly on sale and we found that they offer the best combination of price, performance, comfort, and features. They also fold up nicely in their carrying case for frequent flyers who want to bring along a set of cans with excellent noise canceling and sound to match.

Not only is this our favorite wireless set, they’re our favorite headphones overall. If you want the best headphones for the price, look no further.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review.

• Battery life: 30 hours
• Ambient sound modes: ANC via QN1 and V1 chips, Transparency mode
• Dust/water resistance: No IP rating

The incredibly comfortable Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are the next evolution in Sony’s 1000XM series. Their most notable improvement is their top-notch noise canceling. (They’re our pick for best noise canceling headphones overall.)

With dual ANC chips and eight dedicated microphones, the XM5 headphones go a step beyond the competition. They adeptly react to your environment, blocking out droning airplane engines and fans. They even filter our nearby conversations to an impressive degree.

Even right out of the box, this stellar pair of wireless headphones delivers a detailed soundscape with punchy bass and a crisp midrange. Well-balanced mixes shine, with instruments filling their own space and coming through clearly. You may even notice new details in familiar tracks.

If the pre-tuned EQ isn’t to your liking, the Sony Headphones app allows for custom adjustments to tweak the sound for your ears. The app’s 5-band EQ includes saveable presets so you can have different EQ settings for different content. You can also measure your ears for Sony’s spatial audio system, called 3D Reality Audio, adjust the transparency level, engage multipoint pairing, and more.

The XM5 have a couple downsides. Their design doesn’t allow them to fold inward, which leads to a bulkier case than their predecessor. They also don’t have any water resistance. While comparably-priced ANC headphones lack it, it would still be nice to see for the money.

Still, if you want lush-sounding headphones with incredible noise canceling, comfort, and features, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are the headphones to get.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review.

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, adaptive transparency mode
• Dust and water resistance: IPX4
• Battery life: 8 hours with ANC; up to 24 hours with the case

The Apple bumped Sony and its WF-1000XM4 from the top of our best earbuds list when the AirPods Pro 2 came out in September 2022. But Sony has now responded to reclaim the throne with the WF-1000XM5.

The WF-1000XM5's noise-canceling performance slightly exceeds the both the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. While the XM5 let in a little more of a low-frequency airplane drone, they don’t have the added high-end hiss found on the Bose and Apple. Plus, they do a better job attenuating troublesome midrange frequencies like coffeehouse chatter.

The ANC improvements might be incremental rather than a leap in performance, but the WF-1000XM5 do beat the QCEII and AirPods Pro 2 in two important ways. The sound quality for both music and calls far exceeds the performance of the Bose, and unlike the AirPods, the XM5 function just as well with Apple products as they do with Android. Getting a solid fit can take some effort, but overall there isn’t a better pair of earbuds available.

Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review.

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, Adaptive Transparency mode
• Dust and water resistance: IPX4
• Battery life: 6 hours with ANC (up to 7 without), up to 31 hours with the case

The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) more than lives up to the standard Apple set with the original. They may look similar, but the noise canceling, sound, and battery are all markedly improved.

The noise canceling pushes far beyond “better than the last AirPods pro” and very close to “best overall.” They beat out over-ear options like Sony’s WH-1000XM5 (although the Sony still hold the top spot for their comfort, customizable EQ, and broad compatibility). Only Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds 2 deliver better noise canceling. Apple’s Adaptive Transparency mode is also much-improved, and can help limit sudden loud external sounds (even so, we do not recommend using them in lieu of proper hearing protection).

The core sound is also fantastic. There’s better bass response, clearer audio overall, and incredible phone call quality. It’s a lot of great tech crammed into a 5.4-gram package.

The peripherals are great, too. The case cleverly features a speaker that can sound, helping you find your earbuds. It can also be tracked via the Find My App. There's also a handy new volume control feature. In September 2023, Apple released a new version that comes with a USB-C charging case instead of one with the aging Lightning connector (although both are still available for purchase).

There are a handful of drawbacks. The battery life is alright, but not exceptional. We also wish there was more control over audio facets like EQ and ANC. Finally, there’s no separate app or settings menu for Android users.

Otherwise, the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro are remarkable. As long as you have an iPhone and can spend the money, they’re easily the best option out there.

Read our full AirPods Pro (2nd generation) review.

• Battery life: 10 hours, up to 50 with the case
• Ambient sound modes: Adaptive ANC, Transparency mode
• Dust/water resistance: IPX4 rating

Traditionally, headphones under $100 are nice “for the money,” but can’t really compete with more expensive sets. Anker has changed the game. Thanks to high-performing noise canceling, nice app customizability, and full touch controls, the Space A40 punches above their price point.

The adaptive active noise canceling ably handles low drones, such as airplane cabin noise or HVAC units. It even takes the edge off of midrange conversation at the local coffee shop. Add in quiet music and it diminishes nearby conversation enough to keep you focused in your own world. The Soundcore app lets you choose between two Transparency modes, one full range and one that puts the focus on letting voices through if you need to have a quick conversation.

The A40 earbuds have a nice sound profile, although their treble is a bit intense and the midrange can get lost under the low end. Thankfully, the app includes an 8-band EQ to address these issues.

The HearID Sound feature profiles your hearing perception in each ear and creates a unique EQ curve tailored for you. It winds up creating a solid improvement over the default sound profile. Hi-res audio and LDAC are both supported.

Touch controls are fully customizable. You can assign track controls and volume to single tap, double tap, and a two-second hold. The hold can also be assigned to Ambient Sound Mode select, Voice Assistant activation, and Game Mode toggle. You can also turn them off.

Add in wireless case charging, and the Anker Space A40 is a great set of earbuds. They deliver competitive performance at a sub-$100 price range.

• Battery life: ~8 hours
• Ambient sound modes: ANC, Transparency mode
• Dust/water resistance: IP57

Thanks to their impressive water and dust resistance, nimble design, and comfortable fit, the Jabra Elite 7 Active make fantastic workout earbuds. Their IP57 rating means they can stand up to even the toughest workouts (and heaviest sweaters), and keep both dust and water away from the important internal electronics.

The Jabra Elite 7 Active earbuds include all the features you could want while working out. They have solid noise canceling and a transparency mode that lets you hear the environment around you (especially useful when you’re out on a run). The finder function helps keep you from losing them, and they even have multipoint pairing so you can easily switch from a video conference call on your computer to your phone as you head out to run.

Their sound is a bit on the bright side and could use some EQ tweaking in the app, but overall the audio performance is solid. There’s also an audio personalization sound test in the app to help tune them to your ears.

The Jabra Elite 7 Active earbuds offer a great overall user experience, superb protection from the elements, and great sound, making them the best workout headphones you can buy.

Read more about the Jabra Elite 7 Active.

• Connection type: USB, Bluetooth
• Noise canceling: Microphone and headset
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Mobile; PlayStation 4 and 5 and Xbox One and Series S|X versions exist

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro features new, custom drivers that fully immerse you in incredible sound for gaming or just about anything else. Sound is spacious and clear, whether you’re hunting for enemies or simply enjoying the soundtrack. The microphone, which retracts fully into the left ear cup, offers similarly impressive clarity.

Crucially, this headset is comfortable enough to wear for marathon gaming sessions. The cushy leatherette pads are soft. Thanks in part to the adjustable headband, the headset is tight enough to stay secure but not to cause headaches, regardless of head size.

Top-tier features include hot-swappable batteries so you don’t miss anything if you need to change them out while playing. The Sonar app for PC offers powerful customization options like a 10-band EQ, noise canceling for sound going in and out, custom sound profiles for 20 specific games, and a mixer for game and chat volumes.

There are wired and wireless options available for several platforms, depending on what you need. This may not be the most cost-conscious headset, but it’s the best wireless (and our “best upgrade” pick overall) for gaming headsets.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro review.