Top 5 compared
The best wireless headphones
Music on the walk to work or around the house, with no cord to catch on a coat zipper.
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The top 5 at a glance
Wireless headphones connect to a phone, tablet or laptop over Bluetooth, with the battery and controls built into the ear cups. Over-ear pairs surround the ear with cushions and shut out more of the world; on-ear pairs rest on the ear itself, weigh less and fold smaller. Active noise cancelling goes further, using microphones to quiet the steady drone of an engine or an office.
Battery figures are the makers’ own and often run to days of listening, though noise cancelling uses up some of it. A pair with a headphone jack keeps playing on a cable once the battery runs out, and plugs into a plane’s seat screen; Bluetooth-only pairs can’t.
What matters
- A quick charge, where minutes plugged in buy hours of play.
- Weight, if they’ll be worn for hours at a stretch.
- Two-device pairing, for hopping between a phone and a laptop.
- A 3.5mm cable in the box, for a plane seat or a dead battery.
#1soundcore by Anker Q20i Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black)
$75–$100
Hybrid noise cancelling: four mics tune out the hum of a bus, a plane or an open-plan office, and with the cancelling on, a charge lasts 40 hours. Transparency mode lets announcements through without taking them off, on a platform or at the gate.
What owners say: Owners rate the sound and how well the noise cancelling quiets a commute, and they’re happy with how long a charge lasts; how well they hold up over time is where opinions split.
A closer look: Twenty-two EQ presets and a HearID test in the soundcore app shape the sound to your ears, worth a few minutes on day one. The AUX cable carries Hi-Res audio from a laptop, and the app’s white noise helps with a nap on the train.
- Hybrid noise cancelling, 4 mics
- Lets announcements through
- Sound tuned to your ears
- 22 sound presets in app
- Hi-Res audio over the cable
Best for: Quieter bus rides and plane trips
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 40 hrs NC on, 60 off
- Quick charge
- 5 min = 4 hrs
- Weight
- 259 g (9.1 oz)
- Two devices at once
- Yes
- In the box
- 3.5mm cable; no case
#2JBL Tune 520BT Wireless On-Ear Headphones
$50–$75
Light on-ears for everyday listening: at 157 g (5.5 oz) they’re easy to forget about on a walk or in a gym bag, with JBL’s Pure Bass sound and up to 57 hours between charges. They connect to two devices at once, so a call on the phone can break into music from the laptop.
What owners say: The sound and the days of listening between charges please owners most, and they say these connect easily and keep working day after day; comfort, fit and the small size of the cups get mixed reviews.
A closer look: It’s a Bluetooth-only pair, with no headphone cable in the box: fine for phones and laptops, less handy for a plane’s seat screen. Voice Aware lets you hear your own voice on calls, and the app’s EQ can rein in the bass for podcasts and audiobooks.
- JBL Pure Bass sound
- Hear yourself on calls
- Folds flat
- App can tone down bass
Best for: Light everyday listening
- Fit
- On-ear
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 57 hrs
- Quick charge
- 5 min = 3 hrs
- Weight
- 157 g (5.5 oz)
- Two devices at once
- Yes
- In the box
- USB-C cable only; no jack
#3BERIBES 65H Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
$20–$30
Soft over-ear cushions, 65 hours on a charge and six EQ modes to choose between bass-heavy and brighter sound. They weigh only 172 g (6.1 oz), fold for a bag, and pair with a phone and a tablet at once.
What owners say: Comfortable enough to wear all afternoon, owners say, with a battery that seems to last forever and pairing that just works, and the sound takes many by surprise.
Heads up: They block sound with their cushions only, with no active noise cancelling, so they suit a quiet office better than a jet engine.
A closer look: Plug in the 3.5mm cable once the battery runs out and they carry on as wired headphones, so they never leave you without music. A full charge takes about two and a half hours, and the band folds to pack them into a school or gym bag.
- Six bass-to-bright sound modes
- Plays wired when battery dies
- Folds for a bag
Best for: Students and gym-goers
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 65 hrs
- Quick charge
- 5 min = 5 hrs
- Weight
- 172 g (6.1 oz)
- Two devices at once
- Yes
- In the box
- 3.5mm cable; no case
#4Marshall Major V Wireless On-Ear Headphones
$200–$300
Over 100 hours of playtime makes charging a rare job, and when it’s needed they charge on a wireless charging pad like a phone. Marshall, the amplifier maker, began in 1962 in Hanwell, west London.
What owners say: That Marshall sound and the classic look win owners over, and the battery seems to go on for days between charges; comfort and how well they last get mixed reports.
A closer look: A 15-minute charge over the USB-C cable gives about 15 hours of play, plenty on the rare day the battery does run low. There’s no case in the box, so a soft pouch keeps them from getting scuffed in a bag.
- Charges on a wireless pad
- Button can start Spotify
- Foldable
Best for: Long stretches between charges
- Fit
- On-ear
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 100+ hrs
- Quick charge
- 15 min = 15 hrs
- Weight
- 186 g (6.6 oz)
- Two devices at once
- Yes
- In the box
- 3.5mm cable; no case
#5Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Sandstone)
Over $300
Bose’s noise cancelling works in two modes: Quiet mode shuts out engine drone and office chatter, Aware mode lets the world back in at a button press, and Wind Block steadies it outdoors. Plush cushions make them easy to wear for hours.
What owners say: Owners rave about the sound and how completely Quiet mode shuts out a cabin or an office; value, reliability, the Bluetooth connection, battery life and fit all divide them.
Heads up: Bose also makes the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), with lossless audio over USB-C; this first version is still sold new and still runs 24 hours a charge.
A closer look: The Bose app sets the EQ and lets the multipoint toggle hop between a phone and a laptop, and Spotify Tap starts the music from a button on the side. On the cable, its in-line mic still takes calls, handy when the battery runs low.
- Button lets the world in
- Wind Block for outdoors
- Side button starts Spotify
- Tune the sound in app
Best for: Loud offices and long-haul flights
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Battery (maker’s figure)
- 24 hrs
- Quick charge
- 15 min = 2.5 hrs
- Weight
- 236 g (8.3 oz)
- Two devices at once
- Yes
- In the box
- Cable with mic, case
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1soundcore Q20i | #2JBL Tune 520BT | #3BERIBES 65H | #4Marshall Major V | #5Bose QuietComfort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Longest battery | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $50–$75 | $20–$30 | $200–$300 | Over $300 |
| Fit | Over-ear | On-ear | Over-ear | On-ear | Over-ear |
| Noise cancelling | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Battery (maker’s figure) | 40 hrs NC on, 60 off | 57 hrs | 65 hrs | 100+ hrs | 24 hrs |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 4 hrs | 5 min = 3 hrs | 5 min = 5 hrs | 15 min = 15 hrs | 15 min = 2.5 hrs |
| Weight | 259 g (9.1 oz) | 157 g (5.5 oz) | 172 g (6.1 oz) | 186 g (6.6 oz) | 236 g (8.3 oz) |
| Two devices at once | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In the box | 3.5mm cable; no case | USB-C cable only; no jack | 3.5mm cable; no case | 3.5mm cable; no case | Cable with mic, case |
| Best for | Quieter bus rides and plane trips | Light everyday listening | Students and gym-goers | Long stretches between charges | Loud offices and long-haul flights |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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