Best wireless headphones (2025): Tested for many hours

Wireless headphones are the default these days, and there are roughly a million of them (and counting). We do our best to test them all, but not everything we test can make the big list. Here are some other great options worth trying.

Soundcore Space A40 for $60: Despite dropping off our main list, the Space A40 are still among the best headphones you’ll find for the money. Their stylish, premium design is enhanced by solid features, clear and detailed sound and excellent noise cancellation for the price.

Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 for $280: These headphones from Jabra (7/10, WIRED review) are too expensive compared to options that sound (and cancel) better. This is Jabra’s latest pair of consumer headsets, so it’s unlikely to have any new features. We love that they have a wireless transmitter box, like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, which provides a lag-free connection to non-Bluetooth sources (I’m looking at you, airplanes).

Sonos Ace for $350-450: The Sonos Ace (8/10, WIRED recommends) are an expensive but impressive first effort from Sonos, with fantastic noise cancellation, great sound and one of the most comfortable designs (if not on most convenient) that you will find in the game. A few initial software bugs hampered their performance at launch, including problems with the TV Swap feature, which allows you to stream audio from Sonos soundbar to the Ace, but that seems to have been fixed, making them an excellent choice – especially for those already invested in the Sonos way.

Beats Solo 4 for $150: We’ve been loving Beats headphones lately, but this pair lacked a few features for its standard $200 price tag (7/10, WIRED recommends). Now that they’re out, we can highly recommend them to people looking for a pair of wireless headphones that don’t have noise cancellation.

Technics EAH-AZ80 for $298: AZ80 (9/10, WIRED recommends) are great headphones. Their most notable feature is the convenient pairing with three devices at once, but they finish strong with good noise-canceling technology, premium sound quality, and seven different eartip options for an extremely comfortable fit.

Beats Studio Pro for $350: Studio Pro (7/10, WIRED recommends) offer quality performance, including surprisingly clear sound, good noise cancellation and a refreshingly natural transparency mode. The design looks a little cheap, and they miss out on features like auto-pause, but extras like Hands-Free Siri and head tracking with spatial audio help increase their value—especially since their retail price sometimes drops to about half of the original $350 MSRP.

Sony WH-CH720N for $150: These Sony boxes may have a silly name, but their sheer value makes up for it. They aren’t as versatile as the top options and don’t come with a case, but their sound quality and noise cancellation are excellent for the money. They’re also built to last and have battery life that goes on and on, making them a great option for cautious shoppers.

Sony WH-1000XM4 for $267: Sony’s XM4 (9/10, WIRED recommends) remain the best headphones even after being supplanted by the more luxurious XM5s. For a pretty significant reduction in price, you’ll still get incredible noise-canceling technology, great sound, and luxurious comfort in a highly portable package.

Master and Dynamic MH40 for $399: M&D’s second generation MH40 (8/10, WIRED recommends) pack gorgeous sound into an equally gorgeous design, with luxurious touches like lambskin and metal parts instead of plastic. Their lack of advanced features, aside from even noise cancellation, makes them an expensive gateway to minimalism, but they have style for days.

Audio Technica ATH-M50xBT for $199: The original ATH-M50X (9/10, WIRED recommends) provide balanced sound and great durability, making them ubiquitous in music and film studios. But what if you want to take them with you between takes? Enter the ATH-M50XBT, which partners a wired studio connection with Bluetooth for wireless freedom. They don’t offer noise cancellation or other advanced features, but they’re great for mixing art and gaming.

Sony Linkbuds for $128: Linkbuds (8/10, WIRED recommends) have a nifty trick: speakers with holes in the middle that let the world around you in for eco-consciousness. They’re not as suited to noisy environments, making them something of a one-trick pony, but they’re among the best options in the growing open-ear trend. They have also been updated in the new Linkbuds Open (7/10, WIRED recommends), which are currently more expensive, but offer several new features and a firmer fit.

JLab Jbuds Mini for $40: These microbuds from JLab offer so much sound, but their delightfully slim design that fits on a keychain makes them a fun accessory for those who need inexpensive headphones to take on the go.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 for $160: Samsung’s best Galaxy headphones (9/10, WIRED recommends) are starting to sell out, but they’re still among the best models for Galaxy phones, offering solid noise cancellation, clear and vibrant sound, and a few Samsung-only features. However, their app won’t work with non-Samsung phones, and their battery life of just five hours is already the bottom of the barrel.