Best wireless headphones in 2024

Wireless headphones are one of the best ways to listen to your favorite music and podcasts without worrying about wires coming loose or earbuds falling out. And with things like Bluetooth, noise-canceling, and sound codec support only improving from one brand to the next, it can be difficult to pick out any pair of cans, because most of them are at least good.

But here at Android Police, “good” just isn’t good enough. We expect the best wireless headphones to sound great, and offer a comfortable fit, strong battery life, and solid noise-canceling. An incredible price never hurt anyone either. With all that being said, we went ahead and created this roundup of the best wireless headphones to help you pick out your next pair.

The reigning champ of active noise cancellation is in no hurry to relinquish the crown. Sony’s most recent over-ear headphones, the WH-1000XM5, bring back that top-of-the-line ANC that many have tried to match — and failed. The headphones also offer fantastic sound quality that isn’t too exaggerated, so you can enjoy your favorite concerto or 98 Degrees track the way it was meant to be heard. However, while we found the mids and highs to be remarkably clear and crisp, they don’t deliver the bass-heavy listening that some folks prefer — at least not right out of the box — so you may have to play with the EQ settings a bit.

While the new XM5s aren’t as portable as their predecessors since they lack the inward-folding earcups, that’s a small price to pay for the great sound quality, and we found them to be a generally comfortable fit, thanks to the pleather padding and lightweight construction. Depending on your head, you may have to fiddle with them a bit, but it’s not hard to get a pleasant fit.

Excellent call quality, voice assistant compatibility, and speedy Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity are other features that make these headphones special. But, one other area where they excel is their long battery life, namely 30 hours with ANC on and 40 without. The only drawback here is that they can get a little hot around the ears after long listening sessions, but they are fairly comfortable otherwise.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones could be the new favorites around here if it weren’t for their hefty price tag. However, Bose’s latest premium headphones are worth the investment if you’re willing to pay the asking price. The headphones are true to their name, offering both quiet and comfort. Plus, as one might expect from Bose, the ANC is the best of any headphones on this list, easily quieting obnoxious and loud environmental sounds.

These headphones build on previous Bose models by making everything more plush, for a more comfortable fit. However, we found they they could use a little more padding on the headband for those with smaller heads. The overall sound quality is rich and crisp with ample low-end that isn’t overwhelming. In short, it’s the kind of well-balanced sound that Bose is known for.

Bose also has another trick up its sleeve called Immersive Audio, a spatial audio mode that makes media sound like it’s coming from in front of you rather than right in your ears, regardless of what device the headphones are paired to. It’s fun, and the best part of it is that it works regardless of whether the content you’re listening to has been mastered for spatial audio. In reviewing the QuietComfort Ultras, it became obvious that Bose’s secret sauce here was that it doesn’t try to do too much with the audio, preferred instead to just settle for an expansive stereo sound stage.

Sennheiser headphones are usually pricey, and the HD 250BTs are one of the most affordable options in the company’s lineup. These wireless headphones connect through Bluetooth 5.0 and have a reasonable 25-hour battery life. The 32-millimeter drivers are a bit small but don’t affect the sound quality, and the AAC and AptX codec compatibility ensures that they sound great on Apple or Android devices. For affordable, no-frills headphones, the HD 250BTs still work with Sennheiser’s Smart Control app to customize the sound to your individual taste.

Considering their low price, the HD 250BTs have decent construction with ample padding on the earcups for long listening sessions. The lack of padding on the headband is a bit underwhelming, but fits the minimalist style and probably won’t be an issue for most buyers. The only polarizing feature is the earcups that slide up and down the headband and don’t have much flexibility to adjust to the shape of the user’s head. It’s still a minor drawback, and most buyers won’t care because they’re still getting outstanding value.

The Master & Dynamic MH40 might offer the worst performance-to-price ratio on this list. They’re fairly stripped down in terms of features — the lack of ANC is especially felt — yet they’re as expensive as anything else on this list. You may wonder why they’re included, then. The answer is because what the MH40 can do, they do very well.

To start with, the sound quality is superb, with warm and balanced audio that will make you feel like you’re listening live. From progressive rock and metal to classical and jazz, we found the MH40s rendered everything we threw at them remarkably well, making them a great choice for folks with more eclectic musical tastes. The true-to-life sound signature lacks the bass-heaviness of many more popular cans, but it’s ideal for those who prize accuracy in their listening. Think of these in terms of a warmer and richer set of studio monitors.

The style is also elegant and unique, making more of a visual statement than anything else with a classic retro-style aviator look. That design isn’t skin deep, either, as the materials and construction are next-level for a pair of headphones that you will want to buy just for the aesthetic, yet despite being less bulky than most of the competition, they deliver solid battery life, with up to 30 hours of listening on a single charge. They’re available in seven color schemes, from basic black to two-tone finishes with navy or brown accents, but keep in mind that, no matter the colorway you choose, there’s no way to opt out of the lambskin leather, so you’ll have to be comfortable with that.

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are a premium pair of headphones with a price tag that will match many of the flagship offerings of other companies. Finding out that the ANC is a letdown — especially compared to similarly priced options from Bose or Sony — or that the call quality could be better keeps these headphones from being perfect. But that shouldn’t necessarily dissuade you.

What these headphones do offer is Sennheiser’s marquee sound signature, which gives you a balanced and more neutral sound than most of the more bass-heavy cans, reproducing your music close to the way the artist and audio engineers intended. That’s not to say the bass is weak; we found the low-end response to be surprisingly impressive — EDM and hip hop shine through — but it’s not there at the expense of the mids and highs. This means you’ll have a hard time finding a genre of music that doesn’t sound good on them, making the Momentum 4 Wireless another great choice for those with varied musical tastes.

The Momentum 4 Wireless deliver the best ANC you’ll find in any of Sennheiser’s headphones, but that’s not saying very much. They’re not even in the same league as Sony and Bose, with ANC that can be generously described as competent, but nothing to write home about. We found that they’ll filter out the usual rumbling background noises when you’re in transit, but barely make a dent in sharper sounds that quickly peak and diminish, whether that’s a barking dog, crying baby, or just the regular cabin noise of people moving around on an airplane. The upside is that they offer exceptional battery life — up to 60 hours on a single charge, even with ANC on — double that of most of the competition, which would make them ideal for travel if it weren’t for the middling ANC. Nevertheless, they’re a solid pick for home listening.

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus isn’t the cheapest pair of headphones you’re going to find, but they sound fantastic. For just shy of $250, the Accentum Plus supports SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive codecs. While the latter formats are only available to those of us using Android phones or tablets (Apple still supports lossless audio formats), experiencing these sound profiles through the Accentum Plus is an experience like you’ve never heard before.

Another thing we were super-impressed by was the hours upon hours of battery life the Accentum Plus can dish out. You should get up to 50 hours on a full charge, and charging for just 10 minutes (via USB-C) should get you an extra 5 hours of play time. Sennheiser was also nice enough to provide a carrying case.

As for active noise-canceling, we found ourselves wishing for a little more. We also thought some of the controls were a bit complicated. Still, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus are pretty remarkable, and wouldn’t be on this list if we didn’t believe you’d think the same.

Anker is one of those companies where the product and the price tag just don’t seem to match, meaning that they’re often a steal. The Soundcore Life Q35 by Anker follows tradition with its just-above $100 price tag. While the plasticky design is unremarkable and lacks the premium feel of higher-end cans, it doesn’t feel cheap either.

However, it’s what’s under the hood that counts here, and the Q35s deliver a full package of features including ANC, multi-point connectivity, LDAC support for Hi-Res audio files, and even fast charging. Of course, there are always compromises when you start pinching pennies. The ANC won’t hold a candle to what more expensive headphones offer, but it’s also surprisingly good for something in this price range.

The sound stage is also a bit opinionated, leaning even more heavily into the bass than most headphones we’ve tested. It’s a popular sound profile, to be sure, so it’s likely many folks will enjoy it, but if you prefer more nuance in your sound, you’re going to want to go straight for the EQ settings to tone it down a bit. Thankfully, the headphones offer plenty of EQ presets and the ability to save your own settings, plus an impressive 40-hour battery life.

Marshall has garnered quite a reputation over the years as a standout brand in the world of music, and we’ve been so excited to see the company bring its guitar-amp stylings to products like the Marshall Major V headphones. At first glance, you might expect these to be powerful ANC cans, but they’re actually not. Don’t let that deter you though, as the ear cups form a pretty decent seal, which helps to cut down on environmental noise.

In our listening tests, we found the Marshall Major V cans to produce high-quality low-end and crisp-clear highs. As far as sound signatures go, Marshall products tend to sound best when listening to rock tracks, and the Major V is no exception here. You’ll also be able to take advantage of a few connectivity methods, including Bluetooth and 3.5mm wired listening.

We were also floored by the battery life these pups delivered, which makes us feel less bad about the loss of ANC. On a full charge, you can expect up to 100 playback hours.

Wireless music has always been Sonos’ forte, so it makes sense that the renowned speaker company would end up making its own wireless headphones.

Billed as the Sonos Ace, we had the opportunity to test Sonos’ first foray into earbud audio. We expected big things, and Sonos defied our projections; the Ace headphones not only sound great, but they provide the kind of immersive audio that’s hard to capture through just a pair of cans.

Part of why the Ace’s sound quality stands out is because of its powerful ANC capabilities. We have no hesitation in saying this is some of the best noise-canceling we’ve heard from any headset, and the transparent listening is equally effective. You can also expect up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC enabled, and support for SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless audio formats.

While the price is a little high, it’s hard to deny the power, performance, and cool Sonos features you’ll get with the Sonos Ace. As for the latter, our favorite is wireless audio handoff between the Sonos Ace and the Sonos Arc soundbar.

You’ve probably never heard of the Sonic Lamb headset before. You’re not alone, and we weren’t sure how to feel about them until we heard them. If you’re looking for a set of cans that go toe-to-toe with the likes of Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser, but you’re more about the underdog, the Sonic Lamb headphones were made for you.

In our tests, we found the Lamb headphones to be terrific at all things music. Thanks to excellent hi-res support, you can listen to aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive tracks when using a compatible Android device. We also appreciate the choice of multiple colors (black, white, and gray).

And while 20 hours of battery life isn’t leap-off-the-page-great for a pair of headphones without ANC, the fact that it last as long as it does with the bass cranked all the way up is quite a marvel.

They are expensive though, and for almost $250, you could probably buy two pairs of headphones with ANC capabilities. Still, when it comes to audio fidelity and hi-res support, it’s hard to beat the Sonic Lamb.

What to look for in wireless headphones

There’s a longer list of things to consider than you might think when considering headphones, especially if you’re looking to invest in a premium set. While the first and most obvious would seem to be audio quality, it’s actually just the tip of the iceberg. The type of sound signature is also important, along with things like comfort, battery life, and feature set, all of which will depend on how you plan on using them. Of course, you also need to consider what’s within your price range and what you’re willing to trade off to get there.

As far as sound quality goes, it’s important to know what you like, as two equally good headphones can sound radically different. Do you like bright highs or big bass? What kind of music do you most often listen to? Are you looking for a set of cans that plays nice with everything from classical to EDM and hip hop or are you primarily a jazz aficionado? Many consumer headphones are tuned primarily for today’s rock, pop, and electronic audiences, while others are designed to deliver balanced sound that plays nice across a wide variety of genres.

Beyond personal taste, you also need to make sure that whatever you’re considering isn’t too focused on one area, while under-delivering in another. For example, many headphones deliver the big and bold low-end that’s popular among today’s consumers, but too much bass can drown everything else out.

Comfort is almost as important since you could be wearing these for hours at a time. No one wants something that hurts their face or head, so it’s crucial to look at things like clamping force, which indicates how tight or loose these headphones are. Too tight and they’ll give you a pressure headache. Too loose and they’ll continually slip off during use. Add to that the cushioning on the headband and earpads and the weight of the headphones, which may not seem like much when you first put them on but can lead to fatigue during long listening sessions. Look for lightweight headphones that use memory foam for a softer, pillow-like fit.

If you care about other features, like active noise cancellation, be aware that not all ANC is equal. Some companies, like Bose, Sony, and even Apple, have nailed it, while others are still hit-or-miss. However, it’s also good to temper your expectations, as the ANC on a sub-$100 set of headphones may be very good for the price, even though it can’t possibly match Sony or Bose’s premium $400. Bear in mind that all headphones offer passive noise cancellation by design since they cover your ears, so they will block out some environmental noise.

Lastly, battery life is important, too. Most of the good options have more than enough on tap. However, if you’re not in the practice of regularly charging your devices, then you’ll want to make sure you have more than enough with whichever model you go with.

Which headphones are the best for you?

There are many different types of wireless headphones to choose from, but the toughest competition comes from the models that rise to the top.

In this case, we think most folks will love our best overall pick, the Sony WH-1000XM5. These premium Sony cans deliver cutting-edge audio, thanks to some exceptional engineering and support for premium codecs, including Sony’s signature LDAC profile. The XM5 headphones are also very comfortable, offer terrific noise-canceling, and can last up to 30 hours on a full charge.

If you want to crank things up a few more notches, we recommend our premium pick, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. A successor to the popular QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the Bose QC Ultra are some of the coziest headphones we’ve ever worn. We were also impressed by its sound quality, and we thought Bose’s foray into head-tracking sound (billed as Immersive Audio) offered a really fun experience.

But not everyone can afford a splurge, which is why we also made sure to include a value pick on our list. That’s the Sennheiser HD 250BT, which you can usually find for less than $70. They look cool, sound great, and are manufactured by one of the most trusted audio brands in the world.