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Headphones

From traveling to commuting to bedtime, the many different ways people use headphones has created a strong market for a variety of headphone products. In such an overwhelming market, we’ve got everything you need to help decide which headphone brand and style is best for you with top headphone guides including best headphones, best earbuds, best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, and more. Explore headphone reviews and deals from popular brands like Bose, Beats, and Sony, and keep up with all the latest headphone news and releases.

Table of Contents

sony xm5 and xm6 headphones held in hand
The 12 best headphones of 2026 — we tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and Beats
Mashable Readers' Choice Award logo against background of audio products
Ending soon: Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card
sony xm6 earbuds in case with red light shining on them
The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested
back view of woman with dark hair wearing Bose over-ear headphones
The 11 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend
Sennheiser headphones in black and white with blue and pink abstract background
Take your pick: Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Accentum headphones are up to 47% off
iClever Q950 Kids Headphones
iClever Q950 Kids Headphones bring ANC to little listeners — buy them for under $70
Mashable 101

Meet Our Experts

Mashable Image
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.

portrait of a woman wearing glasses
Samantha Mangino
Senior Shopping Reporter

Boston-based Senior 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 also covers tablets, smart rings, and headphones. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, willing to dig into what everyone is currently talking about.

woman with short blonde hair smilling
Miller Kern
Deputy Shopping Editor

Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor of Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, deals, and news stories about tech products, including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She's been covering all things shopping and tech, including shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, for Mashable since 2019. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.

Headphones

erling haaland wearing a pair of beat studio pro headphones
Score: Erling Haaland's go-to headphones are on sale for up to 51% off
The Soundcore AeroClip earbuds are $20 off and come with a free Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker
The premium Sony WH-1000X The Collexion headphones get their first real discount at Target — save $50
The gorgeous Sonos Ace noise-cancelling headphones are a steal at $120 off
Soundcore P30i noise cancelling earbuds are under $30 at Amazon — save over $10 on select colors
Soundcore Liberty 5 against a colorful background. Soundcore’s Liberty 5 earbuds are down to $90 at Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins new colors Bowers & Wilkins just dropped some stunning new colorways — here's how to get them
Acer Wireless Gaming Headset on pink and purple abstract background Level up your comms with 60% off the Acer Wireless Gaming Headset
Razer Cinnamoroll headset Razer's new Cinnamoroll headset launches with adorable floppy ears — and it's yours for under $140
AirPods Pro Ultra Could they read lips? The clues to Apple’s AirPods Pro Ultra

Best Products

bowers and wilkins px8 s2 headphones on their side The 6 most comfortable headphones are like small hugs for your ears
open earbuds from anker soundcore, shokz, nothing, and bose on oak tabletop The 6 best open earbuds stay put, sound great, and keep us aware of the world
three pairs of headphones around airpods max on tile outside I've tested dozens of earbuds. I like these 3 AirPods alternatives.
Earbuds on a blue background Go back to basics with the best wired earbuds of 2026
A person holding a pair of Beats Fit Pro against a lawn We tested the 9 best headphones and earbuds for working out
four pairs of earbuds on a table The 5 best noise-cancelling earbuds include the most comfortable buds we've ever tested
A pair of Bose QuietComfort earbuds Don't break the bank: The best budget earbuds, tested by our audio experts
the bose quietcomfort ultra headphones on airplane tray table The best noise-cancelling headphones for flying: 8 picks to improve your travel experience
pairs of headphones piled up on each other The 9 best budget headphones we've tested under $100
Sony XM5 earbuds on record player, sony xm5 headphones on red mat I tested the best Sony headphones and earbuds for ANC, sound, and cool factor: See my top 7 picks

Versus

purple sony linkbuds clip next to blue bose ultra open earbuds on wooden table next to purple and green plant Comparing the Sony LinkBuds Clip to Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Which open earbud is for you?
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Sony WH-1000xM6 headphones on a colorful background Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) vs. Sony WH-1000xM6: Which headphones should you buy?
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 on a colorful background AirPods Pro 3 vs. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Which wireless earbuds should you buy?
bose quietcomfort ultra gen 2 and gen 1 headphones Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones: How the first and second generations compare
A photo of the Apple AirPods Pro 3 sitting on an orange table next to the Sony WF-1000XM5, both in their case Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Sony WF-1000xM5: Which noise-canceling earbuds are better?
airpods pro 3 and bose qc ultra earbuds on abstract background that says "vs" Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2
apple airpods pro 2 vs powerbeats pro 2 AirPods Pro 2 vs. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Which is better?
the sony xm5 headphones next to the sony xm6 headphones Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Sony WH-1000XM5: Is it worth the upgrade?
sony xm6 headphones next to apple airpods max Apple AirPods Max vs. Sony XM6: Which noise-canceling headphones should you buy?
skullcandy earbuds on banner versus bose earbuds Skullcandy Method 360 ANC vs. Bose QuietComfort: Comparing Bose-powered earbuds

Deals

Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless Bluetooth Headphones in "Chill Grey" against a colorful background. Skullcandy's Crusher Evo headphones are down to $99.99 right now
Nothing 3(a) earbuds Nothing Ear (3a) earbuds have dropped to under $100 — what’s new and how to buy
marshall monitor III headphones against a green patterned background Marshall Monitor III headphones have never been cheaper at Amazon — act fast to save $150
Bose QuietComfort headphones Don't wait — Bose QuietComfort headphones are just $179 after Prime Day
bose quietcomfort earbuds against a blue and purple patterned background Act fast: Bose QuietComfort earbuds are still at their lowest-ever price of $129 after Prime Day
blue bose ultra open earbuds with smiley face sticker Prime Day is over, but Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are still $100 off at Amazon
sennheiser and bose headphones with stickers reading 'sale' and 'ending soon' We found 15+ Prime Day headphones deals still available at Amazon: Shop Bose, Sony, and Marshall
airpods pro 3, bose qc ultra 2 earbuds, beats powerbeats pro 2 earbuds, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and green mashable background We found the best Prime Day earbuds deals that are still live: Save on Apple, Bose, and Nothing buds
sony xm5 and xm6 headphones on a couch Sony's newest flagship headphones are still $81.99 off at Amazon
Beats Solo 4, Sony Wireless Headphones, Sennheiser Accentum, Apple AirPods 4 on purple background You can still buy Beats, Sony, and Sennheiser headphones for under $100 before Prime Day ends

News

Mashable Readers Choice logo with headphones and speakers around it The results are in: See the most-loved headphone and speaker brands
person stepping out of plane with two pairs of headphones wrapped around the strap of the carry on bag World Cup players tease mystery Beats headphones with never-before-seen colorways and unique design
white baseus mc2 earbuds on coffee table in front of plant and tray Hands-on with Baseus Bowie MC2 open earbuds: Find out how to get them for $50
two pairs of soundcore earbuds on wooden tabletop Soundcore announces 2 earbuds that lean into AI for better call quality and smart feature performance
person standing in front of sea wearing black sony 1000x the collexion headphones Sony celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 1000X series with a new pair of headphones
person wearing marshall milton a.n.c. in a train station Marshall introduces noise cancellation in a new pair of on-ear headphones
blue soundcore space 2 headphones Soundcore's latest budget headphones are finally here and impressively affordable
actor Damson Idris is seen wearing unknown Sony headphones in new york city on May 3, 2026 Mystery Sony headphones with metal headband and steep price appear in new photos and leaks
three pairs of samsung galaxy buds on display table Samsung leak shows open earbuds are likely in the pipeline
jlab open headphones going into bag What are open-back headphones? Here's what you need to know about the latest headphone trend.

More Headphones

Listen up: Prime Day ends tonight. These noise-cancelling headphone deals won't last much longer.
By Haley Henschel and Bethany Allard
the sony xm5 headphones against an orange and pink background with a prime day sticker
The best Prime Day AirPods deals you can still shop on the final day
By Haley Henschel and Bethany Allard
a close-up of a woman's hand holding the apple airpods 4
Last chance: These Prime Day Sony headphone deals bring high-quality audio for less
By Brittany Vincent
Sony headphones on blue and purple abstract background
Listen up: These Prime Day Sony headphone deals bring high-quality audio for less
By Brittany Vincent
Sony headphones on blue and purple abstract background
The best Prime Day AirPods deals are live — AirPods Max 2 down to best-ever price
By Haley Henschel and Bethany Allard
a close-up of a woman's hand holding the apple airpods 4
We're tracking the best Prime Day headphones deals: Sony XM6 and AirPods Max 2 lead the pack
By Bethany Allard
the xony xm6 and xm5 headphones
The best deals on noise-cancelling headphones for Prime Day — save on Apple, Sony, and Bose
By Bethany Allard
black cmf by nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, and apple airpods pro 3 on blue and green mashable themed background
The best Prime Day deals on noise-cancelling and open earbuds: shop AirPods, Bose, and picks under $100
By Bethany Allard
airpods pro 3, bose qc ultra 2 earbuds, beats powerbeats pro 2 earbuds, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and green mashable background
The best Prime Day AirPods deals — AirPods Max 2 have never been cheaper
By Haley Henschel and Bethany Allard
the apple airpods max 2 with a prime day sticker
The beloved Bose QuietComfort headphones are at an all-time low price for Prime Day
By George Yang
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Mashable Choice Award-winning Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds are $70 off this Prime Day
By George Yang
Soundcore Sleep A30
We're tuned into the best Prime Day headphones deals: Sony XM6 and AirPods Max 2 lead the pack
By Bethany Allard
bose qc ultra 2 case with earbuds, navy sony headphones, and sony open earbuds on pink and purple mashable background
Sony XM5 headphones hit record-low price of $198 on Prime Day — save over $200
By Soumya Kumar
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Canceling Headphones on composite background
Beats Solo 4 are under $100 for Prime Day — act fast to score the best-ever deal
By Hannah Hoolihan
beats solo 4 headphones against a blue and green patterned background
Noise-cancelling and open earbuds are down to record-low prices on Prime Day
By Bethany Allard
airpods pro 3, bose qc ultra 2 earbuds, beats powerbeats pro 2 earbuds, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and green mashable background
The best deals on noise-cancelling headphones for Prime Day — shop Apple, Sony, and Bose
By Bethany Allard
black cmf by nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, and apple airpods pro 3 on blue and green mashable themed background
The best AirPods deals of Prime Day — AirPods Max 2 are down to a new record-low price
By Bethany Allard
airpods 4, airpods pro 3, and blue airpods max 2 on pink and purple mashable background
We're tuned into the best Prime Day headphones deals: Sony XM6 and AirPods Max 2 lead the pack so far
By Bethany Allard
bose qc ultra 2 case with earbuds, navy sony headphones, and sony open earbuds on pink and purple mashable background
Noise-cancelling and open earbuds are down to record-low prices ahead of Prime Day
By Bethany Allard
airpods pro 3, bose qc ultra 2 earbuds, beats powerbeats pro 2 earbuds, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and green mashable background
Prime Day isn't here yet, but these 3 noise-cancelling headphones are already at record prices
By Bethany Allard
black cmf by nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, and apple airpods pro 3 on blue and green mashable themed background
The best AirPods deals ahead of Prime Day — AirPods Pro 3 are at a record-low price
By Bethany Allard
airpods 4, airpods pro 3, and blue airpods max 2 on pink and purple mashable background
The Nothing Headphone (a) hits record-low price ahead of Prime Day — save almost $50 at Amazon
By Hannah Hoolihan
nothing headphone (a) against an orange and blue patterned background
Bose's famously comfortable QuietComfort Ultra headphones are $70 off ahead of Prime Day
By Soumya Kumar
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones on composite background
Listen up: These early Prime Day Sony headphone deals are worth shopping now
By Brittany Vincent
Sony headphones on blue and purple abstract background
Bose Ultra Open earbuds already at lowest-ever prices before Prime Day
By Hannah Hoolihan
bose ultra open earbuds against a pink and purple patterned background
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