Buying new headphones isn’t a one-size (or sound) fits-all purchase. When testing headphones (be they on-ear or in-ear) with our team of experts at PC Labs and in real-world settings, we consider important aspects like fit, features, connectivity, sound quality, and even style. The last thing we want anyone to do is spend their hard-earned money on a set of headphones that don’t live up to their expectations. Even more so, we want to save you money on that purchase, and these deals below do just that!
What to Keep in Mind When Buying Earbuds
Like with any other electronic device purchase, there are several things to consider when buying wireless earbuds: Your budget, the brand, and its compatibility with your other devices, and, of course, the features. Ask yourself what’s important to you. Do you need a wireless charger to extend battery life? Would active noise cancelling and/or ambient noise help you stay focused? Are you an audiophile or do you mainly listen to podcasts? Keep these in mind while you browse the selection of sales below…
Best Earbud Deals
Best Active Noise Cancellation
4.5
Outstanding
What Our Ratings Mean
- 5.0 – Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 – Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 – Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 – Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 – Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 – Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 – Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 – Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 – Dismal: Don’t even think about buying this product
Read Our
Editorial Mission Statement
and
Testing Methodologies.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case
Lightweight and comfortable, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 includes four eartips to customize your fit. They pair easily with all of your existing Apple devices, including the Apple TV, and allow up to 6 hours of listening time — 33% more than the previous generation. The upgrade to an H2 chip adds additional options when utilizing the Active Noise Cancellation, which will be handy to those who find themselves in crowded or loud environments and want to block out outside noises to boost focus. They were named PCMag’s Editors’ Choice by our audio expert, Tim Gideon, thanks to exceptional noise cancellation, excellent sound quality, and the addition of a USB-C port to the MagSafe charging case. Our expert called them, “the best noise-cancelling true wireless earphones for iPhone owners,” and you can experience robust audio and top-notch noise cancellation for $50 off retail.
Best for Android Users
![SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, Noise Cancelling, Sound Optimization, Real-Time Interpreter, Redesigned Comfort Fit, Silver [US Version, Amazon Exclusive 2Yr Warranty]](https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/products/04HuhX5TDbLFCNKwDSSoOm8.jpg "Listen Up for These Headphone & Earbud Deals From Apple, Beats, Bose, and More 3")
This one’s for the Android users. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro received an “Excellent” rating from our expert for their audio quality, comfortable fit, and above-average noise cancellation. Top sound and a comfortable fit make these a great choice for commuters who want to block out the usual travel noises, and the charging case gives you an extra 20 hours of battery life should you need to recharge. You can also use gestures to switch tracks and play or pause audio, so you don’t have to fish your phone out of your pocket or bag. Those with a Samsung phone will get the most value out of these earbuds, as they feature high-resolution playback and some AI-centric features via the Wear App that you can’t get on non-Samsung Android devices. They’re 24% off, an enticing reason to buy right now.
Best In-Ear Budget
4.0
Excellent
What Our Ratings Mean
- 5.0 – Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 – Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 – Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 – Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 – Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 – Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 – Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 – Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 – Dismal: Don’t even think about buying this product
Read Our
Editorial Mission Statement
and
Testing Methodologies.
Anker Soundcore Space A40 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds
These highly-rated noise-cancelling earbuds offer strong audio performance without breaking the bank. Our reviewer praised the Anker Soundcore Space A40 for its battery life and quality of ANC for the price range, ultimately awarding it the Editors’ Choice award. With a water-resistant build, comfortable, customizable fit, and Soundcore app features, these earbuds will be your go-to for exercising, listening to music or podcasts, or just plain canceling out noises so you can focus.
More Wireless Earbud Deals That Sound Great
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
What to Keep in Mind When Buying Headphones
Headphones aren’t a one-size-fits-all type of purchase — there are so many other factors that go into choosing the perfect pair, including fit, features, and perhaps most importantly, sound quality. That’s where the PC Labs come in.
Over-ear options have significantly longer run times and are generally more comfortable for extended use than in-ear headphones, though the latter have the advantage of a rechargeable case. We also like to see headphones that have an app for tuning the EQ to your preference and making adjustments based on what you’re listening to.
If you listen mostly to music, headphones with a bass boost are nice to have. Active noise canceling is extra important in loud environments like a shared work space, a public-transit commute, or an airplane trip; a “transparency mode” is crucial for those who need to let the sounds of the outside world in for a brief conversation. And on that note, on-ear headphones are an easy way to tell others that you want to be left in peace with your music.
Recommended by Our Editors
Best Headphone Deals
Best-in-class Noise Cancellation
Our reviewer praised the Bose QuietComfort for its “top-tier active noise cancellation” and “rich, crisp audio.” Comfortable and lightweight, they have excellent sound quality that can be tailored via an in-app EQ. They also feature on-ear cuff controls for volume and pausing as well as Bose SimpleSync, a connectivity feature that allows you to pair your QuietComfort Headphones with specific Bose soundbars and speakers to play audio from both sources simultaneously. While they don’t have the same levels of Bluetooth codecs as the higher-end QuietComfort 45 headphones, they’re still a fantastic value for the price. At this $50 discount, you’re getting best-in-class noise cancellation in an over-ear format that will block out all unwanted disturbances so you can focus on what’s important.
Best AirPods Max Alternative
3.5
Good
What Our Ratings Mean
- 5.0 – Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 – Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 – Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 – Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 – Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 – Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 – Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 – Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 – Dismal: Don’t even think about buying this product
Read Our
Editorial Mission Statement
and
Testing Methodologies.
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black)
Beats is an Apple-owned company, so connectivity and functionality with iOS devices and a premium build quality are a given. Comfortable, with punchy bass and bright highs, these headphones support spatial audio with head tracking to personalize Dolby Atmos audio. The Beats Studio Pro ships with a 3.5mm aux cable for wired listening as well as a USB-C cable, which supports hi-res audio playback, all of which comes in a cloth zip-up case. Our expert reviewer noted that the Beat Studio Pro’s noise cancellation performance is just average and that the EQ isn’t adjustable, so keep that in mind if those are deal breakers for your purposes. These will serve Apple users well as a more affordable AirPods Max alternative, especially on sale for $180 less.
Best Over-Ear Budget
These Anker Soundcore Q20i over-ear headphones ring in at just $50, and they’re available in black, blue, and white. Their sleek looks aside, they offer 40 hours of battery life, dual connections to two devices simultaneously, and a customizable EQ via the companion app. Those who don’t want to spend a lot of money on headphones, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort or sound quality, should give these a look, especially at 29% off the retail price. The 20,000+ user reviews on Amazon with an overall rating of 4.6 speak volumes about how much users enjoy the sound quality and comfortable fit.
More Over-Ear Headphone That Sound Great
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
What Are the Best Wireless Earbuds?
Among our experts’ top-rated picks are the Apple Airpods Pro, the Sony WF-1000XM5, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. These are the market-leading in-ear, noise-cancelling earphones.
Why Do My Headphones/Earbuds Keep Breaking?
There are a few best practices for headphone care, including regular cleaning, heeding IP ratings, using the case, and avoiding high volumes for extended periods. Treat your headphones right, and they’ll last you a long time. Earbuds need love, too, and you can find helpful tips in our article.
How Do You Test Headphones/Earbuds?
Both headphones and earbuds are evaluated on fit, comfort, design, features, and, of course, sound quality. The same selection of songs, which is familiar to our reviewers, is played to measure the punchiness of the bass and the clarity of the vocals. You can read more information here.
What Are the Best Headphones?
That depends on your usage case and your budget. We have a few categories, including the best overall, best cheap headphones, and best for exercising. The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are names that top our reviewers’ charts. These options are great at cancelling noise and more faithfully reproducing the source material. The songs we play are ones our reviewers have listened to hundreds of times across dozens of different speakers and headphones, including high-end models, so we know exactly how they should sound and exactly what is being reproduced well or poorly.
Do Expensive Headsets Make a Difference?
Generally, more expensive headphones do a better job of reproducing the source sound exactly as it was passed to them. What makes high-end headphones pricier often involves the materials, accessories, codec support, ANC circuitry, and attention paid to detail. Those who put audio quality above all else will appreciate the improved experience.
Does Active Noise Canceling (ANC) Actually Work?
You’ve probably seen the term “ANC” more often in recent years. Active Noise Canceling utilizes your headphone’s built-in mics to capture environmental sounds (people, traffic, airplane engines) and then uses the audio processing circuitry to generate the inverse wave of those sounds in real time to cancel them out. The process only takes a split second, and it can be very effective, but not every pair of headphones is the same.
What Is a Good Cheap Headphone Brand?
Tribit, JVC, and JLab are your best bets for affordable earphone brands. Our experts favorably reviewed the Tribit FlyBuds 3, the JVC HA-A9T earbuds, and the JLab JBuds Mini. Also, don’t count out Anker Soundcore, which makes one of our favorites, the Liberty 4 Pro.
Is $400 Too Much for Headphones?
Many audiophile-quality headphones cost more than $1,000. Though not everyone can afford $400, many of today’s best consumer headphones are priced at this level. Prime examples include the Bose QuietComfort Ultra ($429) and Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399). The benefit of buying headphones above $500 falls prey to the law of diminishing returns unless you’re a true audiophile.
How Do We Test Headphones?
First and foremost, when we test headphones, we start with fit. Many headphones come with additional tips or earpads so that users can choose what is most comfortable for them. We also wear them for long periods to see how they feel over time. Then, we test features and connectivity. Not all headphones are made equally; some come with more nice-to-have features than others. If there’s a wired option in addition to wireless, we test that as well. And, of course, we test the sound. We sample a variety of musical genres in order to determine strengths and weaknesses.
Do AirPods and Premium Headphones Go on Sale During Prime Day or Black Friday?
They sure do! Black Friday and Prime Day are (pardon the pun) prime times to buy AirPods and other high-priced headphones. Retailers often offer the best discounts on products priced between $200 and $400, so you have a great chance to save some green.
When do Premium Headphones Like Beats, Samsung, and Sony Go on Sale?
Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy don’t need many reasons to offer sales. As noted, Black Friday and Prime Day are your best bets for the deepest discounts, but don’t ignore holidays like Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, all of which are target dates for sales.
Where Can I Find the Cheapest Wireless Earbuds?
Low-cost earphones are often available from discount retailers. These include Amazon and Best Buy, but others like FYE, Fry’s, Target, and Walmart are better bets. That said, it’s best to stick to products from brands you recognize.
About Jade Chung-Lee
Merchandising Associate
