It has been almost eight years since Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. Yes, you can get great wireless headphones these days, but maybe you prefer to plug them in or don’t want to think about charging them. The nice thing about the 3.5mm headphone jack is that it’s one of the few universal standards left.
You can use any pair of wired headphones, without needing to worry about whether they’re Lightning or USB-C or whether the connectivity will be turned on or off. No batteries to charge, no keys to plug in, and no headphones to lose (or headphone cases to put through the washing machine). There are times when Bluetooth is preferable, but it’s nice to have the option. As WIRED’s smartphone reviewer, I review phones big and small, cheap and expensive—these are the best with the venerable port. Read our guides to The Best Android Phones, The Best iPhones, and The Best Budget Phones to learn more.
Updated May 2024: We added Moto G Play 2024, Moto G Power 2024, Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, Asus ROG Phone 8, Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and Scosche FM transmitter.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get CABLING for only $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, complete Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
