Every month seems to bring new sets of headphones with longer battery life and more compact designs. As such, we can’t list everything we like. But if you’re still looking, here are some other recommendations.
Soundpeats Air4 for $80: Soundpeats’ Air4 (7/10, WIRED recommends) may be obvious AirPods Pro knockoffs, but they’re pretty good knockoffs considering their price. You won’t get top-notch performance, let alone Apple exclusives like Find My support or iCloud sharing, but you will get good sound and features, including decent noise cancellation, at a big discount. While these aren’t the best option, they are a great budget-friendly buy, especially on sale.
Bose Ultra Open Headphones for $299: The Bose Ultra Open headphones (6/10, WIRED Reviewed) deliver the newest design in the space thanks to their extendable coil that adheres to your ears like high-tech jewelry. Their sound is as polished as any “open” headphones we’ve tested, delivering audio to your eardrums while keeping your ear canals open for environmental awareness. Some connection glitches and a very high price prevent them from being among our top picks, but if your budget is flexible, these are among the best of their kind.
Montblanc MTB 03 for $395: These headphones are priced out of reach for most buyers, but if you have the cash, you’ll be rewarded with a luxury experience worthy of the brand. Montblanc has called in some audio industry heavyweights to design and voice these headphones. The result is a pair of small, comfortable and quite striking wireless headphones that sound really impressive.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 for $100: Even after several years, Samsung’s Buds2 (9/10, WIRED recommended) are a great value. For less money than a pair of AirPods, you get noise cancellation, transparency mode, and some of the lightest, most comfortable headphones out there. Frustratingly, the companion app only works for Android, so iPhone users will miss out on most of the features. Some people have also had problems with These headphones cause irritation to your ears.. We didn’t experience this, but if you do, be sure to return the buds immediately.
Apple/Beats Powerbeats Pro for $180: Apple’s beefy Powerbeats Pro (8/10, WIRED recommended) provide a super secure fit, sound much better than previous pairs of standard Apple AirPods or Beats, and squeeze an impressive nine hours of battery life out of a charge. They’re becoming outdated and giving up now-standard extras like transparency mode and ANC, but they could still be worth considering for those looking for serious stability.
OnePlus Buds Pro for $140: These AirPods-type headphones sound great, look great, and work almost the same as the Apple product, although they are designed for Android. If you want that, go ahead. I just think some of the older designs are much more elegant.
JBL Tour Pro 2 for $250: When I first saw photos of these headphones at CES 2023, I thought a screen on a pair of wireless headphones (to see how much battery is left, play and pause music, etc.) would be awesome. It turns out that while the headphones are totally fine and have totally decent sound, I don’t need a screen in the case. Absolutely. I don’t think I’ve seen it once, beyond testing, while wearing the headphones. Too much for that.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 for $179: Sennheiser’s old Momentum True Wireless 2 are still available and now at a much lower price. In addition to the fantastic sound, Sennheiser also fixed the bug on the first Momentum pair that drained the battery after about a week, even if you weren’t wearing them.
Raycon headphones for everyday use for $80: These YouTuber-loved headphones are actually a decent, affordable pair (7/10, wired review). They are small and lightweight and come with an IPX6 rating, making them ideal for exercising.
Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport for $299: The Sport are a great option that come with active noise cancellation and an eye-catching design, but the high price keeps them out of reach for most people.