The 8 best headphones of 2026: We tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and Beats

Our best headphones picks of 2026, all in one place. By Bethany Allard Bethany Allard Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable. Read Full Bio and Samantha Mangino Samantha Mangino Lead Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino, is an e-reader expert. She's tested all the Kindle and Kobo e-readers, diving into the buzziest models. Her love of reading extends beyond the e-reader beat, covering books and authors, too. In the tech space, she covers tablets, smart rings, and headphones. Read Full Bio on November 3, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Flipboard All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. The Sony XM6 headphones are our pick for the best sounding option. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable In 2026, a pair of headphones or earbuds is pretty much non-optional. That's why there are hundreds of different headphones shapes, sizes, styles, colors, and, of course, prices. These days, you can grab a random pair off the digital shelf without too much research and find that they do the job just fine. However, if you're tired of settling for "just fine," then it's worth investing in the best headphones available. But be warned: The latest generation of flagship noise-cancelling headphones from the likes of Apple, Sony, and Bose will set you back $450 or more, though we have options to recommend for every price range. Overview These are the tech, tools, and products — from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more — that Mashable ranks best in class. Table of Contents To help you find the best pair of headphones possible, our experts test headphones year-round, from popular models to new releases to budget picks (you can learn more about our detailed testing standards below). The result of that vetting is this guide, which we keep updated regularly to give you the most accurate and current purchasing information possible. The best tech deal this week The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is free right now with T-Mobile The Good & The Bad Improved audio quality, particularly with vocals Phenomenal active noise cancellation Comfortable headband and earcups for long-term wear Headphones fold and come with travel-friendly storage case Support for LDAC high-resolution audio More microphones for improved ANC and call quality More expensive than previous model Improvements are more iterative than innovative No improvements to battery life Our review Read our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. Who it's for Audiophiles and custom equalizer fans: After three years, Sony's flagship wireless headphones finally got an update. If you love Sony headphones and have an old pair of XM4s, then we can definitely recommend an upgrade. However, if you just purchased a pair of XM5s, then it might be harder to justify an instant upgrade. That said, the active noise cancellation is better than ever, and there are noticeable improvements to audio quality (even if they lose out by a smidge to the latest Technics AZ100 earbuds). Besides music lovers, travelers will also appreciate the new Sony cans, as they fold up and come with an improved travel case. Why we picked this Mashable's Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth reviewed the XM6 headphones ahead of their launch, and he was impressed with the overall quality. As Werth wrote in his review, "The new Sony headphones offer impressive audio quality, and they definitely improve on the XM5 models. The active noise cancellation is particularly phenomenal...I really appreciated the overall balance, depth, and quality of the audio. For the XM6, Sony audio engineers worked with music mastering engineers here in the United States, and the results are clear when you listen to music. Like all headphone reviewers, I have a dedicated playlist for testing new audio products, and I found that vocal-heavy tracks sound particularly great, with noticeable improvements over the XM5s."Sony introduced (or, rather, brought back) a major design change for the XM6 headphones — they fold up for easier storage. They're definitely more compact and easier to travel with compared to the previous-gen model. The overall design looks similar, so if you're a fan of the Sony aesthetic, you'll still appreciate how they look.We do wish there had been slightly bigger improvements after a three-year wait, and the battery life (30 hours with ANC engaged) is the same as the XM5 model, which we also loved. These headphones did arrive with a higher sticker price, so if you can't quite swing the $448 price tag, look for the excellent XM5 headphones on sale. Details The Good & The Bad Extremely comfortable Audio settings include Quiet, Immersive, and Aware Easy to connect with Bluetooth All-day battery life even with ANC engaged Great adjustable ANC Wired playback with USB-C cable and auxiliary cables Sound quality isn't quite as dynamic as competition Spatial audio isn't the most impressive Not too different from previous generation Our review Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd gen). Who it's for Those who want the best of the best: For anyone who's yet to buy into the Bose QuietComfort Ultra line, but wants noise-cancelling headphones that can easily handle long hours of wear, there's no better choice than the second generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. Why we picked this The best noise-cancelling headphones aren't much use if they squeeze your head too tight or prevent you from wearing accessories like earrings or glasses comfortably. In other words, comfort is key — we were big fans of Bose's first gen QC Ultra headphones for exactly this reason.With the second generation of the headphones, Bose makes minor improvements to the soundscape, noise-cancelling, and somehow the wear. They also fixed other bugs that detracted from the otherwise premium experience of using the QC Ultras.As a first step, Bose upped the battery life from 24 to 30 hours per charge with ANC. They also added options for wired playback with the USB-C cable (which can simultaneously charge the headphones) or the auxiliary cable for passive playback (which wasn't available on the first gen headphones). In tandem with the battery life, these headphones become much stronger contenders for travel.For day-to-day use, Bose's noise cancelling remains as solid as ever (though Sony's XM6s are ever so slightly more adept at handling high pitched frequencies), while offering an easy adjustment on 10 different levels of ANC via the companion app. As for the listening experience, the immersive audio remains as lackluster as it did on the first gen, but the overall sound profile came through richer and more robust when we compared the headphones side by side. Bose also added quality of life adjustments like better wear detection, and a lay flat mode that puts the headphones into a low power mode when they're placed face down. Overall, it's hard to beat this blend of sound quality, ANC, and comfort, making the second iteration of the QC Ultras one of our top picks for headphones. Details The Good & The Bad Great value and frequently on sale around $50 Decent ANC that's adjustable with the app Excellent battery life Button controls are customizable via the app Well-balanced sound, especially for the price point Might be uncomfortable with long wear time for some users Some creaking with head movement (though less noticeable with music playing) The app can be incredibly laggy Might have to play with the equalizer to get the best sound possible Who it's for Value fiends: If you don't particularly care to have the most premium pair of headphones on the market (or care to spend several hundred dollars on them), the JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones are the best budget headphones available. They have functional ANC, decent comfort, great sound balance, and a killer battery life, all with a design that doesn't feel cheap. At their regular sale price of around $50, these are about a ninth the price of the latest Sony headphones, and a seventh of the price of the Bose QuietComfort headphones, which feel like these headphones' premium analogue. Why we picked this With budget headphones, it's good to understand what you're trading off from the jump. In the case of these JLab headphones, the ANC will dampen a good amount of environmental sound, from talking coworkers to loud fans, but it won't completely silence the world around you. The app can lag some (we had to exit out of it a few times during testing when it froze), and the fit of these headphones might not be for everyone. For one of our testers, these headphones squeezed their head more than usual (though some users on Reddit called these the most comfortable headphones they've tried). Regardless of the fit, you're likely to hear some creaking from time to time when you move your head around.At $80, these are all cons that may not be ideal, but are fair for the price point. At these headphones' frequent sale prices that hover in the $50 to $55 range, these cons are even easier to swallow, especially when you consider how these headphones actually sound.To be clear, you'll likely need to play around with the EQ some to find your perfect settings — we found the first preset to be on the bass-heavy end. Once you do, it's impressive the way these headphones can balance a song. Every part of Panic! At The Disco's "Northern Downpour" shone through, from the vocals, lead guitar, bass, and piano. For budget headphones, we might expect some muddying through these elements, but the JLab JBuds held up great. If we're being nitpicky, The Beatles' "In My Life" came through somewhat dimmer sounding than expected, but not necessarily muddy.Beyond the sound signature, these headphones have a reasonable amount of customization with the app, especially for their price point. You can adjust the button commands on one of the three on-ear buttons, adjust the ANC intensity with a slider in the app, and create your own custom EQ settings. Multipoint pairing is available, as are spatial audio, music, and movie modes. Details The Good & The Bad Almost always on sale for under $100 Surprisingly good ANC and sound for the money Sony app makes it easy to adjust EQ settings 50+ hours of battery life Easy and reliable connectivity Multiple colorways available Some signature Sony audio technologies are missing Mediocre build quality Microphones could be better Read our review Check out our full guide to the best Sony headphones. Who it's for Students, casual users, and anyone looking for great sound on the cheap: The new price of entry for flagship noise-cancelling headphones? A cool $450, at least. So, if you're looking for wireless headphones with true active noise cancellation but don't want to spend more than $100, then go with Sony's mid-range noise-cancellers. They have Sony's signature sound (and signature all-plastic design, sadly), and you can almost always find them on sale for under $100 at Amazon and other retailers. Why we picked this These headphones perform much better than you'd expect a pair of $100 cans to perform. They have surprisingly impressive ANC and multipoint pairing, as well as impressive sound — hardly a surprise with a pair of Sony headphones.As our reviewer Alex Bracetti wrote, "The WH-CH720 employs 30mm drivers and exclusive brand technologies to broaden sound performance. Expect a vibrant mix of impactful bass with striking mids and highs. Turning on DSEE raises fidelity on poor-quality recordings, which many luxury headphones can’t do. You can tweak the sound to your liking via the EQ, though the headphones sound great on their default setting." Details The Good & The Bad The best battery life you can find on noise-cancelling headphones Excellent on-ear tactile controls Unique design in four different colorways Sound quality is great out of the box, but even better with equalizer Companion app offers a nice degree of customization, especially for the price point Style won't be for everyone ANC is decent, but nothing to write home about Firmer wear that may be uncomfortable for some after longer periods Carrying case is just a pouch and ear cups don't fold Our review Read our full review of the Nothing Headphone (a). Who it's for Folks too busy to charge their devices: If you're just a little too familiar with the low battery sound on your headphones, the absurdly long battery life on the Nothing Headphone (a) gets you as close as you can to a guarantee that you'll hear it as little as possible. Plus, it has a standout retro design. Why we picked this Picking the headphones with the best battery life isn't a terribly complex process. That said, it isn't just about picking the pair that can pack the most hours — it's about finding the headphones with the best combination of value, overall performance, and, of course, battery life.Our standard before was set at 60 hours, which is a great deal higher than the 30 hours you'll find on the Bose and Sony headphones on this list. The Nothing Headphone (a) absolutely blows that standard out of the water, offering 75 hours per charge with ANC on, and 135 hours without. They check the remaining boxes at $199, which, while not dirt cheap, is a fair deal cheaper than most $400+ flagship models. The sound quality is clear and robust, the noise cancellation will get the job done (if not flawlessly), and the on-ear controls are truly a thing of perfection. During testing, we almost never reached for our devices when adjusting settings because the on-ear controls made it so easy not to. Rounding out the experience is a companion app that's easy to navigate, with features like an eight-band equalizer designed to make your music sound just to your liking. Details The Good & The Bad Cheaper than the QC Ultras without too much of a performance gap Easily comfortable enough for all day wear Great ANC and sound quality Immersive Audio feature adds more listening modes to the QuietComfort line Replaceable ear cushions help for future proofing Ear cups fold in for a compact fit in a purse or bag Fun and unique colorways Battery life could be better No true passive playback Noise cancellation can get staticky during sudden spikes of noise Our review Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort headphones (2nd gen). Who it's for Travelers, students, and anyone blending comfort and value: A lot about our most comfortable headphones pick sounds great, but you're caught up on the price point — understandable. Though a truly excellent, well-rounded headphones experience often comes with a higher price point, Bose's latest headphones — the second generation QuietComforts — prove that investment doesn't need to exceed $400 (for now). If you're looking for extreme comfort, quality ANC, warm and balanced sound, and a few extras without totally breaking the bank, these are your headphones. Why we picked this These aren't perfect headphones. The sound profile isn't the most customizable with a three-band equalizer, there's no truly passive playback with the wired connections, the noise cancellation will get staticky during a plane takeoff, and the battery life leans on the low side at 24 hours (finding 30 hours or up isn't too hard these days on a pair of over-ear headphones). All this to say, these aren't technically perfect headphones, but those cons pale in comparison to their pros. At $359, these headphones are nearly $100 cheaper than the Bose QC Ultra 2 headphones, but offer many of the same features. For starters, the comfort and noise cancellation are nearly on par with the significantly more expensive headphones, which is to say it's very, very good — like easily wearable for a full day of travel. The tactile controls are intuitive and functional, the colorways are varied and unique while remaining appealing, and there's an Immersive Audio listening mode for changing up how you hear your music. In a time when most tech prices are rising, it's refreshing to see a brand release a pair of headphones that strive for ultra-premium performance, while sticking to a more mildly premium price point. Details The Good & The Bad Mashable Choice product with stellar reputation Frequently on sale for under $300 Legendary ANC and sound that still holds up Attractive design Customizable sound Good call quality All-plastic construction Have since been replaced by XM6 model Don't fold, which is tricky for travel Our review Read our original review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, or see how they compare to the new XM6 headphones. Who it's for Last-gen lovers: If you want a premium pair of Sony noise-cancelling headphones but refuse to pay more than $400 for a pair of headphones, we feel you. We also have good news: The XM5 headphones hold up well in 2026, and they're still worth the investment, especially when they're on sale. Why we picked this Originally released in 2022, the Sony XM5 headphones are still legendary. They had unbeatable ANC and sound for the money, and even in 2026, they sound shockingly good. That's because the new flagship XM6 model only made iterative improvements over these cans. So, now that they go on sale for as little as $248, you just can't write off the older XM5s.This Mashable Choice product received a 4.7 out of 5 stars in our original review, and even when we recently compared them head-to-head with their successors, they performed incredibly well. Details How to choose the best headphonesWe won't beat around the bush: There's no definitive "best" product here. Sure, elite audio brands put out high-quality products across the board, but even within each of those brands, you'll find different tiers of products. Some will deliver better value, and some will deliver better hardware and active noise cancellation.All this to say, the best pair of earbuds or headphones largely comes down to personal preference and how you plan to use them. Some listeners swear by over-ear headphones, while others prefer the minimalism of earbuds — one is not necessarily better than the other. Athletes who like to use headphones at the gym will appreciate waterproof materials and the best open earbuds, while frequent fliers will prefer devices with long battery life, comfort, and portability. Finally, music lovers and audiophiles will want to invest in premium features like a custom equalizer, spatial audio, or best-in-class active noise cancellation.To help you pick your pair, we tested all of the headphones in this guide (and a lot that didn't make the cut). Here, you'll find the top headphones of 2026 for noise cancellation, music, price, and wired connections. What about wired headphones?We focused primarily on the best wireless headphones for this guide. While wired headphones have their fans, wireless headphones are just more convenient for most of us, though some of us are also fans of Apple's EarPods. With the release of the new noise-cancelling wired earbuds from Bose, we will be keeping our testing pool open to more wired models and will update this guide accordingly, should any earn a spot. Other headphones we've testedMost recently, we tested the Marshall Monitor III, JBL Tour One M3 headphones, and the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC, and though they had their merits, they fell short of winning the best of the best spot on this guide. We've also tested the Sonos Ace headphones and Dyson OnTrac headphones. And while we loved them both for sound quality and noise cancellation, they fare in the way of AirPods Max — left out of our recommendations for their high price points.Recent updates to this guideAugust 2026: Following the release of the second generation Bose QuietComfort headphones, we've added them to our list as the best budget pick from Bose for headphones.March 2025: We've designated the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds as the most comfortable ANC earbuds and crowned the Sony XM6 earbuds as the new best noise-cancelling earbuds.December 2025: We replaced the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, which are no longer available, with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 sports earbuds.December 2025: We removed the Marshall Mode wired earbuds, as they're frequently out of stock.December 2025: We added the Sony WH-CH720N Noise-Canceling Headphones as the best headphones under $100.December 2025: We added the Sony XM5 headphones, originally released in 2022, as our new honorable mention pick.August 2026: We replaced the Sennheiser Momentum 4 with the Nothing Headphone (a) as our best battery life pick.Latest headphones newsA few major headphone releases happened in September: Sony's mid-range WH-10000XM4C headphones, Sony's budget WH-CH730N headphones, and the Beats 360, the first pair of over-ear headphones from the brand in three years. From Bose, we've also recently seen new wired noise-cancelling earbuds, as well as two new pairs of open earbuds. We'll be comparing them against our current picks to see if they have a spot among our favorites. Frequently Asked Questions No, we didn't forget to include the iconic Apple AirPods Max in our guide to the best headphones. It's not that we don't like them — in fact, we think they sound and look great (emphasis on look). However, after testing and re-testing them, we think they're just too expensive to justify a wholehearted recommendation. While we appreciate that they now (finally) come with lossless audio, they're still behind on features like battery life.While they're still a smart choice for style-conscious Apple fans, we can no longer include them among the elite. We thought they were way too expensive upon their initial release, and we only feel more firm in this position six years later. While the long-anticipated AirPods Max 2 are finally out, our reviewer found the upgrades to be minimal. At the same $549 the original Maxes were released at, these headphones are just too expensive and underperforming for us to recommend them. Like with most products, this comes down to personal preference, but there are a few brands known for making really solid headphones. For those who appreciate quality ANC above all else, Bose headphones will be the best brand. Enjoy a rich and balanced sound profile? You'll want to check out Sony. In the budget space, Anker Soundcore products have impressed us lately. Still, we recommend reading each of our above picks to see which speaks most to you. If you're wondering what headphones you've been seeing all over your For You page, it's likely a pair of Sonys, either the older WH-1000XM5s or the brand new Sony WH-1000XM6s. The former two used to be our top picks, but the XM6s now take the crown. Beats headphones are also incredibly popular, especially as brands like Marshall and Jabra fall out of favor.Other than those, the Bose QuietComfort line is a popular pick, especially for those who wear their headphones for long periods of time. And of course, Apple AirPods are a popular pick for iPhone users who prefer earbuds over headphones. We're not huge fans of the AirPods Max, though, as we think they're too overpriced for what they offer. However, with Apple's recent updates to the AirPods line, we know they are top of mind. Every single pair of headphones we included in this guide was hands-on tested by a Mashable reporter, editor, or contributor. You can learn about our in-depth process by taking a look at the standardized testing guide we developed for this category.Below, you'll find our condensed testing criteria for headphones: We listened to a wide variety of genres of music, podcasts, and other forms of media. If a pair didn't at least sound solid across the board, they didn't make our list. In this category, we also considered the quality (and existence) of any equalizers. We'll test ANC power around our homes as we work, with and without an audio assist, and outdoors. If headphones have customizable ANC levels, or automatic switching between noise-cancelling modes, we make sure that they actually provide noticeable differences in performance. Everything from comfort to touch controls fall under this category. We look at what headphones offer to provide the best wear for the greatest amount of people, whether that be a strong selection of earbud tip sizes or particularly soft padding. Whenever possible, we test and re-test headphones over longer periods of time to see how they hold up. We evaluate how headphones perform in all of the above categories, and if that performance matches their price point. Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable. Samantha Mangino, is an e-reader expert. She's tested all the Kindle and Kobo e-readers, diving into the buzziest models. Her love of reading extends beyond the e-reader beat, covering books and authors, too. In the tech space, she covers tablets, smart rings, and headphones.