No one wants to deal with tangled cables anymore. Thats one of the reasons why wireless headphones have taken over as the go-to choice for music lovers, gamers and anyone who just wants a little more freedom. No more fighting with wires in your bag or accidentally yanking your headphones out mid-song. With Bluetooth connections now more reliable than ever, wireless headphones have become a no-brainer for most people.But its not just about cutting the cord. The best wireless headphones pack some serious tech, offering fantastic sound quality that can rival their wired counterparts. Many even come with advanced features like active noise cancellation (ANC), so you can block out distractions and fully immerse yourself in your tunes, podcasts or calls. Whether youre looking for something lightweight and portable or over-ear headphones with killer battery life, theres a wireless option for everyone and every budget. Table of contents Best wireless headphones for 2025 How to choose the best wireless headphones for you How we test over-ear headphones Other wireless headphones we tested Wireless headphones FAQs Best wireless headphones for 2025 How to choose the best wireless headphones for you When it comes to shopping for a good pair of wireless headphones, the first thing youll need to decide on is wear style. Do you prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones? For the purposes of our buyers guide, we focus on the over-ear style as thats what most noise-canceling headphones are nowadays. Sure, you can find on-ear models with ANC, but over-ear designs are much more effective at blocking sound. Speaking of noise cancellation, youll want to determine early on if you even want that. If you frequently crank up the beats in noisy environments, youll want to not only make sure its there, but also make sure its good, preferably with adaptive ANC. If you plan to use your new headphones in quieter spaces, skipping ANC can save you some money. The next area to consider is features. We recommend trying to get the most bang for your buck, but as youre shopping around you should determine which items are must-haves and what you can live without. And dont take basic things like automatic pausing and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity for granted, as not all companies include them. We also suggest reading reviews to see how well a companys more advanced features work. This will help you decide if those are something youre willing to (likely) pay extra for. Keep an eye on better battery life estimates to avoid disappointment, as some manufacturers promise more hours than real-world testing delivers. And dont be easily swayed by lofty promises about call quality without verifying them. Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. We understand this isnt easy at a time when were doing most of our shopping online. But trying on a set of headphones and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyers remorse. We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all headphones support them, so youll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you. If you plan to use your headphones for other media besides music, checking for latency is also a must some delay can impact playback for things like movies or games, even if most true wireless headphones now offer minimal lag. How we test over-ear headphones The primary way we test wireless headphones is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes dont allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for headphones can be 30 hours or more, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). Due to the longer battery estimates, well typically power the headphones off several times and leave them during a review. This simulates real-world use and keeps us from having to constantly monitor the process for over 24 straight hours. To judge the best Bluetooth headphones, we focus on higher-quality audio by listening to a variety of genres and paying close attention to how each style sounds. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess the quality of phone calls, well record audio samples with the headphones microphones as well as have third parties call us. When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the headphones were testing are an updated version of a previous model, well spend time getting reacquainted with the older set. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of headphones that we review. Other wireless headphones we tested AirPods Max Apples AirPods Max are premium, well-designed over-ear headphones that incorporate all of the best features you find on standard AirPods: solid noise cancelation, spatial audio and easy Siri access. However, their $550 starting price makes them almost prohibitively expensive, even for Apple users. There are better options available at lower prices, but if you can pick up the AirPods Max at a steep discount, they might be worthwhile for the biggest Apple fans among us. Dyson On-Trac The On-Trac headphones have an almost infinitely customizable design, and thats whats most unique about them. The sound profile offers some nice detail, but lacks dynamic range overall. ANC is average at best and there arent any advanced features that will make your life easier. Well, except for the hearing health monitor which is actually handy. All told, thats not a lot in a set of $500 headphones. Sonos Ace The Sonos Ace is an excellent debut for the companys first headphones. The combination of refined design, great sound quality and home theater tricks creates a unique formula. However, ANC performance is just okay and key functionality is still in the works for many users. Sony ULT Wear If most headphones dont have the level of bass you desire, the ULT Wear is an option to consider. The low-end thump isnt for everyone, but there are also plenty of handy features and a refined look to make the $200 set more compelling than many in this price range. Sony WH-CH720N While the WH-CH720N are a great affordable option, we prefer the Audio-Technica in the budget category. Sonys cans are lightweight with good sound quality, but ANC struggles at times and theyre made with a lot of plastic. Beats Studio Pro The Studio Pro lacks basic features like automatic pausing, and multipoint connectivity is only available on Android. Moreover, theyre not very comfortable for people with larger heads. Overall sound quality is improved, though, and voice performance on calls is well above average. Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones Boses latest flagship model has a lot to offer, but its trademark Immersive Audio feature can be inconsistent across different types of music. Theres still world-class ANC, excellent comfort and a clearer transparency mode, but for the price, the non-Ultra model is a better choice right now. Master & Dynamic MH40 (2nd gen) The MH40 are a great set of headphones if you favor crisp, clear and natural sound that isnt overly tuned. This pair showcases the companys affinity for leather and metal too, but limited customization and short battery life for non-ANC cans kept this set from making the cut. Bowers & Wilkins Px8 The companys trademark pristine sound is on display here, but the Px8 are more expensive and not nearly as comfortable as the Px7 S2. Wireless headphones FAQs How can you tell the quality of wireless headphones? I typically look at three factors: design, sound quality and features. In terms of design, Im usually looking to see if the build quality of the headphones feels cheap and plasticky. Plenty of companies use plastic, but they can do so in a way that doesnt look or feel like budget models. For sound quality, I want to hear a nice, even tuning where highs, mids and lows are all well represented. No overly boomy bass or scooped out mids. I also want good clarity where you can pick up fine details and an open, immersive soundstage. Features is typically a distant third, but if a company doesnt cover basic functionality (automatic pausing, transparency mode, multipoint Bluetooth, etc.) it can be an indication of overall quality. How do I choose the best quality wireless headphones? Best can be pretty subjective, but I always recommend going to a place where you can listen to the headphones youre thinking about buying before you commit. Sometimes this isnt possible, so youll want to check return policies. I also recommend doing some research to determine what your priorities are in a new set. Are you an audiophile who wants the best sound quality? Is powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) the most important? Would you rather have conveniences like automatic pausing? Which brand has the best wireless headphones? Sony consistently tops our list with its 1000X line. This is mostly due to the combination of sound quality, ANC performance and the truckload of features these headphones pack in. Ill be the first to tell you that there are better sounding options and other companies, like Bose, offer more effective noise cancellation. But when you add everything up, no one comes close to the full slate of tools Sony puts in its premium headphone line. Do expensive wireless headphones sound better? Exorbitant price tags dont mean better audio quality. Bowers & Wilkins headphones are on the high end for wireless noise-canceling models and they sound amazing. However, Audio-Technicas M50xBT2 is much more affordable and doesnt have ANC, but these headphones have a warm, natural sound profile that I find very inviting. At the end of the day, it will come down to personal preference, but you dont need to spend a lot to find great headphones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-headphones-wireless-bluetooth-120543205.html?src=rss