We’ve got a wide range of prices here so you could spend under $50/£50 or over $500/£500 depending on what you’re looking for. You might want a pair for commuting every day so it could be worth investing more, or you might just want a cheap pair for occasional use.
Bear in mind that in general, spending more on audio really does mean getting better quality as well as features.
Best headphones 2023
Your buying guide to the best headphones
One of the main things you need to do, apart from deciding how much to spend, is choose the type of headphones right for you.
Phenomenal audio quality Great noise cancellation Serious smarts
No longer fold Expensive
However, the price can largely be put down to inflation and if the non-folding design doesn’t bother you then these headphones are essentially flawless starting with the kinds of high-end sound and noise cancelling you’d expect from Sony, despite smaller drivers.
Elsewhere, the improved headband allows smooth adjustment and there’s an unrivalled selection of smart features from Adaptive Sound Control to Speak-to-Chat. It’s a small step forward but they remain the best over-ear headphones you can buy.
The caveat, as usual, is that considering this is refinement and not reinvention, you can buy previous generations, even the WH-1000XM4, for much lower prices providing a better value option.
Class leading ANC Incredible sound Smart features
More expensive than some Bulky for small ears
They also have strong battery life so they are the best package on the market if you can afford them.
There’s very little to be disappointed with here, perhaps only that the earbuds themselves are still bigger than some rivals so aren’t well-suited to smaller ears.
Epic battery life Great sound Useful app Comfortable
No ANC Slow to switch modes Slightly awkward case
As long as ANC isn’t a must-have feature, they offer excellent sound quality and a comfortable design with changeable fins.
The standout here is unrivalled battery life with the ability to go for a whopping total of 50 hours if you use them in low power mode. They can still last an awesome 44 hours in high performance mode.
Superb personalised sound Excellent ANC Good value
Proprietary eartips and adapter No digital assistant support Bulky case
Better yet, at this price, they undercut Apple’s AirPods Pro while delivering a better audio experience overall. Just be aware that they lack virtual assistant support and relies on some proprietary components that might cost a little extra to replace.
They are now cheaper due to the introduction of the NuraTrue earbuds.
Light and comfortable Effective noise cancelling Solid battery life
No ANC adjustment Lacking smart features Plasticky build
With cloud-like cushions and a lightweight design, they are the best choice for long listening sessions – whether you’re simply at your desk or on a long haul flight.
Noise cancelling performance is top-notch as you’d expect from Bose and battery life is solid – with wired mode still an option.
Things are surprisingly simple though with just two ANC modes – Quiet and Aware – missing the 11 levels of adjustment found on the QC Earbuds. They also lack smart features such as ear detection.
Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation Powerful bass Great battery life
No auto-pause Case feels a little cheap No auto-switching of ANC profiles
They might have a slightly cheap-feeling case and no auto-pausing tech (aka wear detection) but those downsides are massively overshadowed by great performance and a surprisingly comprehensive feature set.
As well as powerful bass, the A2 buds have excellent noise cancelling with three presets for different environments and the app offers EQ sound customisation. Throw in touch controls and solid battery life and there’s very little to dislike.
And you can easily find them at prices lower than the RRP.
Impressive fit Great audio quality Budget friendly
Slow charging Middling battery life Awkward media controls
They don’t charge very fast and the controls are tricky to master but they get a lot of more important stuff starting with a range of tips and wings to ensure a secure fit.
They are also lightweight and have an IPX4 splash resistant. Sound quality is great, particularly the bass, and the price is rather agreeable. If you need longer battery life look to the more premium Adidas FWD-01.
Build quality Comfortable & compact Good battery life
Middling ANC Joystick control won't suit everyone
For starters, they have a more affordable price (RRP) and offer one of the most compact and comfortable designs for a pair of over-ear headphones. They also sound very good, too.
We also like the useful buttons, long battery life and the way the app allows you to customise various elements.
Cheap Great sound Interchangeable filters
No mic as standard
They’re excellent in-ear headphones for this price providing good build quality but more importantly, great sound quality. This is largely due to the interchangeable filters.
It might sound like a gimmick but they mean you can change the audio profile depending on your personal taste and/or what you’re using them for at any given moment.
Incredible sound quality Premium build Great ANC Impressive smarts
Limited Android support No power button Silly Smart Case No Lossless support
The design and build are among the most luxurious we’ve ever seen (ignoring the ridiculous Smart Case) and they sound great too, even without Lossless playback support.
You also get active noise cancelling with an excellent transparency mode along with smart features like Hey Siri and Spatial Audio with head-tracking for a more immersive listening experience, whether that’s music or movies.
In the grand scheme, there are three types but there are also sub-categories within those, often with a bit of crossover. Here’s what you need to know:
In-ear – Small, lightweight and generally inexpensiveOver-ear – Comfortable and space to house larger driversOn-ear – A good balance of the above
Now take a look at the below options for more types:
Earbuds – Another way of saying in-ear headphonesNeckbuds – Wireless headphones connected together with a section designed to sit around the neckTrue wireless earbuds – Earbuds that are not connected to each other with a wire
Find out how we test audio.
Features to look out for
A lot of people buying headphones will want them to be wireless. It’s not just more convenient but many smartphones don’t come with a physical headphone jack so plug a cable in anymore.
For many, wireless will never reach the quality of a trusty wire, although some pairs may offer both options. Read our reviews to see how good they sound over the air and look out for the latest versions of Bluetooth as well as codecs like aptX for better audio.
We have a chart just for the best wireless earbuds and best budget wireless earbuds.
The other modern feature to look out for is noise cancelling. Beware that many sets will try to promote this despite it being ‘passive’, which simply means the headphones are physically blocking sound like earplugs.
What you really want is ‘active noise cancelling’ (ANC) which means the headphones are listening to the outside world with microphones, then getting rid of that sound. This is done by cleverly playing you an inverted version of the signal.
Not all noise cancelling is equal though, so read our reviews to see how good it is. Some also have various levels of the feature as well as additional modes that let some outside sound in to keep you safe or so you hear important announcements. They go by various names like ‘aware’ or ‘social’.
We have a dedicated round-up for the best noise cancelling headphones.
Tech Advisor’s Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more.
