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.
Soundcore Space A40 for $60: While they’re no longer on our top list, the Space A40 are still some of my favorite headphones for the price, offering good features, clear sound, and excellent noise cancellation for their price class. They also look polished, and only the lack of auto-pause sensors gives away their low price.
Eligible Sony Linkbuds for $200: Sony’s Linkbuds Fit offer rich, punchy sound, a naturalistic transparency mode, and a lightweight, comfortable fit, helping them fulfill their intent as a “wear anywhere” solution. They offer some solid features, but skimp on battery life at just 5.5 hours per charge and their noise cancellation is fine. Their reliance on flimsy silicone cases and strangely unresponsive touch controls further diminishes their value, but they’re still Sony headphones and might be worth picking up on sale.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $100-200: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are getting older, but they’re still among the best earbuds to pair with a Samsung phone. They don’t have the multi-device connectivity of our top pick for Android users, and their five-hour battery seems pretty short these days, but they deliver excellent sound quality, IPX7 waterproofing, and a distinctive design that doesn’t just mimic the AirPods Pro. makes them worth considering for sale.
Pixel Buds A Series for $99: These used to be our top pick for most people, but they’re now overshadowed by other affordable options that also include things like noise cancellation. If you can find a pair on sale, they’re still worth picking up, especially if you have an Android phone.
Oneplus Nord Buds 3 Pro for $150: These comfortable, lightweight headphones have multipoint pairing, making them ideal for people who like to work on a laptop and cell phone at the same time (7/10, WIRED recommended). We didn’t like the layout of its controls and thought the noise cancellation was okay. Plus, they’re just another pair of AirPods clones, design-wise.
Soundpeats Air4 for $80: Soundpeats’ Air4 (7/10, WIRED recommends) may be obvious AirPods Pro knockoffs, but they’re very good knockoffs for 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 buy, especially on sale.
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.
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 might still be worth considering for those looking for a truly stable fit.
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 $254: 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.
