The best headphones and earbuds of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

A good pair of headphones can be your best friend, but choosing the right one depends heavily on your needs. Whether you want noise-canceling headphones for travel and long listening sessions, or open-ear earbuds that go with you from the office to your evening run, we’ve tested products from brands like Apple, Sony, Bose, and Beats to help you find the best ones.

Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers

Best headphone deals of the week

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

What are the best headphones right now?

After extensively testing all the top headphones available today, the best headphones overall are the Sony WH-1000XM6 for their impressive sound profile, exceptional noise cancellation, and outstanding phone call mic quality. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are great for travel and laidback users, thanks to their relaxed fit and sound profile ideal for extended listening sessions. Additionally, their USB-C and AptX support make them suitable for casual gaming.

The Sonos Ace headphones are still my favorite headphones, due to their integration with Sonos soundbars, warm sound profile, and all-day comfort. The AirPods Pro 3 are the best earbuds for iPhone users if you value great sound, integration with your iOS devices, and in-ear heart rate monitoring. Finally, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a solid premium earbud option for Android users if Pixel-specific features, extended battery life, and a rounded bud design are important to you.

Also: The best earbuds you can buy

In our February update, we added the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 as our pick for best stylish headphones.

Sort by

All Design Comfort Noise-canceling Sound Battery life Durability

The best headphones of 2026

Why we like them: The Sony WH-1000XM6 are a safe choice for everyday use due to their exceptional noise-cancelation, great sound, reliable microphone performance, spatial audio compatibility, customizable in-app audio features, and Auracast support.

Review: Sony WH-1000XM6

Who these are for: The XM6 are ideal for people who value sound and noise-cancelation performance over style. Sony’s headphones are wonderfully practical for commuting and traveling, and they effectively block external noise. If you’re looking for everyday headphones that sound great, offer intuitive features, and provide the best noise-cancelation, the XM6 are for you.

Who should look elsewhere: If you’re looking for premium headphones with USB-C support, the XM6 headphones aren’t it. In addition, the XM6 are all about practicality, favoring sound, software features, and noise-cancelation over style. If you prefer headphones that make a stronger fashion statement, consider the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 or the Sonos Ace.

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (second-gen) feature Bose’s exceptional noise-cancelation, USB-C audio support, AptX Adaptive and Lossless support — though you likely won’t notice a difference in sound quality — and intuitive power consumption features.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)

Who these are for: Bose’s headphones excel for people who often wear headphones for hours, whether that be traveling, working, studying, or lounging. They have a lightweight build with a relaxed clamping force for comfort, smooth, almost unnoticeable ANC deployment, and a sound profile that’s easy on the ears.

All of these features create a listening experience well-suited to long-wearing sessions, making Bose the best for fighting ear fatigue.

Who should look elsewhere: If you value more detailed sound clarity, such as clearer mids and highs, you should consider Sony or Bowers & Wilkins. If you want the most aggressive noise-cancelation on the market, even if it can be fatiguing after some time, go for Sony’s WH-1000XM6.

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 have effective noise-cancelation, great sound, hearing health features, Gemini integration, and a list of Google-specific features that are available to most Android users, not just Pixel fans.

Review: Google Pixel Buds Pro 2

Who these are for: If you want earbuds with deep integration with your Android phone, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a great choice. Unlike other Android-compatible earbuds, the Pixel Buds app offers access to assistants, audio customization features, and integration with your Android phone via your Google account.

If you value everyday Android-friendly earbuds that can accompany you in most environments, consider the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Who should look elsewhere: Like AirPods, which are strictly compatible with Apple devices, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are designed for Android users, so if you have Apple devices, skip these. Also, if you prefer a traditional bud-and-stem earbud design, you may not like the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 tech specs: Form factor: In-ear | Bluetooth: Yes (5.4) | Battery life: 8 hours and an additional 30 hours with charging case (ANC on) | IP rating: IP54 (sweatproof) | Driver size: 11mm dynamic | Noise-cancelation: Yes | Charging option(s): USB-C, wireless

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The Sonos Ace have a sleek design, a highly comfortable fit, integration with Sonos soundbars, Dolby Atmos support, and USB-C audio compatibility.

Also: Here’s how a free software upgrade made the Sonos Ace worth their price tag

Who these are for: The Sonos Ace are a solid premium headphone option for Sonos fans, due to their integration with the Sonos app and select Sonos soundbars for private TV watching. Like Bose, the Sonos Ace have a sound profile that’s easy on the ears and ideal for dialogue on TV and podcasts.

If you value headphones with a modern design, Sonos integration, and an easygoing sound and fit, consider the Sonos Ace.

Who should look elsewhere: You should consider another pair of headphones if noise-cancelation is your highest priority. The Ace have good noise-canceling properties, but options from Sony, Bose, or Apple perform at a higher level.

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The Shokz OpenFit 2 offer an exceptional open-ear listening experience, defined by great sound, an elevated design, and a lengthy battery life. They have a sweatproof design and feature design elements suitable for exercise and daily, casual use.

Review: Shokz OpenFit 2

These earbuds are highly comfortable, as their soft coating doesn’t pressure the bony part behind your ears. It’s easy to put them on and forget you’re wearing them. The updated design also makes them more stylish, phasing out previous generations’ sporty look. The OpenFit 2 have an IP55 rating, making them durable enough for sweaty workouts and runs in light rain. Also, their improved Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity ensures stable connections and efficient power consumption.

Who they’re for: Although the OpenFit 2 excel in active scenarios like running or hiking, their design is elevated enough to act as casual open-ear earbuds. I recommend them most to people with active lifestyles searching for a casual open-ear earbud they can take from the office to their evening jog.

Who should look elsewhere: You shouldn’t expect the OpenFit 2 to perform in noisy environments like a crowded gym, a busy train, or a grocery store. You’ll hear too much of your surroundings and not enough of your music. If you want earbuds that can handle sweaty workouts but have noise-cancelation and transparency mode options, consider the AirPods pro 2 for iOS or the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for Android.

Shokz OpenFit 2 tech specs: Form factor: Open-ear | Bluetooth: Yes (5.4) | Battery life: 11 hours and an additional 37 hours with charging case | IP rating: IP55 (sweatproof) | Charging option(s): USB-C

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The AirPods Pro 3 are the best earbuds for Apple users due to their native integration with iOS devices. Aside from that, the Pro 3 earbuds have exceptional noise-cancelation, a waterproof design, great sound, and in-ear heart rate monitoring. They are a wonderful pair of everyday earbuds, offering everything you need in a pocketable size.

Also: I’ve used my AirPods Pro 2 since they first launched. Here’s my buying advice for 2026

Who these are for: The AirPods Pro 3 are best for Apple users who need a well-rounded pair of earbuds to take with them everywhere. If you don’t prefer wearing over-ear headphones for most of the day, the AirPods Pro 3 are a great choice. If you value seamless interoperability with your iPhone and high performance in most environments, consider the AirPods Pro 3.

Who should look elsewhere: If you don’t have Apple devices, and if you especially don’t have an iPhone, consider other options. Since you’re more likely to carry your smartphone with you daily, you’re more likely to use AirPods with it. If you don’t have Apple devices, you’ll pay a premium price for limited features.

Show Expert Take Show less

Why we like them: The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 offer a high-end audio experience and design in a convenient form factor. These headphones feature full-range carbon drivers, USB-C audio support, and a host of ApX codecs.

Review: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2

Who these are for: The Px8 S2 are a great option for people who want to level up their headphones’ sound, look, and feel without sacrificing modern luxuries, such as in-app music streaming, EQ settings, noise-cancelation, and wireless listening.

Who should look elsewhere: If you value headphones with more aggressive noise-cancelation, consider other options. The Px8 S2 don’t excel at noise-cancelation like they do in sound and style. Additionally, if audio features such as spatial audio and Auracast are on your wish list, look elsewhere.

Show Expert Take Show less

The best headphones for you are the ones that serve their intended purpose best. If you’re looking for headphones for your daily commute that don’t need frequent charging, consider the Sony WH-1000XM6. I

f you like listening to music and watching TV with high-quality, immersive audio, consider the Sonos Ace. If durability during exercise is at the forefront of your mind, the Shokz OpenFit 2 is a good fit, and if you want a pair of earbuds that perform best with an iPhone, consider the AirPods Pro 3.

Headphones	Price	Battery life	Standout feature
Sony WH-1000XM6	$460	40 hours (ANC off)	Auracast; LC3 Bluetooth codec
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Second-Gen)	$449	30 hours (ANC off)	Auto-standby battery conservation
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2	$229	12 hours (ANC off); additional 30 hours with case	Full compatibility with almost any Android device
Sonos Ace	$319	40 hours (ANC off)	Integration with Sonos soundbars
Shokz OpenFit 2	$180	11 hours	Open-ear form factor with sweatproof design
AirPods Pro 3	$250	10 hours (ANC off); additional 24 hours with case	In-ear heart rate monitoring
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2	$799	30 hours	Carbon cone drivers; genuine leather

Prices reflect the manufacturer’s recommended price. However, most of these headphones are often on sale at select retailers.

While all of these headphones are excellent picks, the choice ultimately depends on how much battery life you prefer, whether strong noise cancellation is important to you, your use cases, and how much you’re willing to spend.

Choose these headphones	If you want …
Sony WH-1000XM6	Headphones fit for power users with exceptional performance and granular controls.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Second-Gen)	Headphones ideal for casual, laidback users that don’t sacrifice audio or noise-canceling performance.
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2	Everyday earbuds that offer a list of features to nearly every Android user.
Sonos Ace	Headphones with native integration with your Sonos soundbars.
Shokz OpenFit 2	Bone conduction earbuds that are perfect for running and working out.
AirPods Pro 3	Apple’s best features, plus in-ear heart rate monitoring.
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2	A stylish, well-made pair of headphones with incredible sound.

There’s no perfect pair of headphones that receives 10s all-around. Some are better at noise-cancelation, while others sound better or have more stylistic flair. The headphones your best friend loves and recommends you try might be the worst headphones you’ve ever worn, which is why it’s essential to consider these factors before you buy:

Use cases: There are many types of headphones, so you must ensure you’re buying the right kind that matches your specific use cases. Perhaps your equally Sonos-addicted friend recommended the Sonos Ace headphones for their great sound, but you expected stronger noise-canceling — a feature you anticipated, especially for the amount of money you spent. If you want headphones for commuting, make sure the ones you’re eyeing are suitable. If you prefer to wear headphones in more active situations, consider earbuds rather than over-ear headphones.
Lifestyle headphones vs. audio-focused headphones: Headphones fall into two categories. Lifestyle (consumer) headphones are the headphones you see from brands like Bose, Apple, and Sony. However, brands like Sony and Sennheiser manufacture both lifestyle and audio-focused headphones. Lifestyle headphones can accompany you on your daily commute, to the office, and to the gym — all on the same day. On the other hand, audio-focused headphones, like the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, may lack the comfort, noise-canceling tech, and portability that lifestyle headphones offer, since their primary use case is to critically evaluate audio.
Operating system: Some headphones and earbuds are meant to work best with devices within that manufacturer’s device ecosystem. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are examples. If you have mostly Apple devices, AirPods may be your best option. If you have a mixed-device ecosystem, consider headphones from Bose, Sony, or JBL.

The ZDNET team spends weeks with a pair of headphones to give you an informed opinion before you make a purchase. Here are the benchmarks we use to test headphones.

Comfort and design: We wear headphones for hours at a time to determine how long we can wear them before they become uncomfortable. We also test headphones across all budgets, meaning we test headphones made from inexpensive and more expensive materials to test durability.
Noise-cancelation: We wear noise-canceling headphones in various environments to test how well the technology performs in quieter and louder settings.
Sound quality: Sound quality and sound profiles are highly subjective, as some people prefer heavier bass, while others prefer more pronounced treble. To give you the best idea about a pair of headphones’ sound profile, we listen to them with different audio modes enabled. We also listen to headphones on various devices, like iPhones, Macs, Windows computers, tablets, and TVs, to listen for sound distinctions.
Battery life: In rare cases, battery life deviates from a manufacturer’s claim, and battery life varies depending on how you use a pair of headphones. To ensure a pair of headphones offers as much battery as advertised, we integrate the review unit into our daily lives by listening to music, taking calls, and enabling features like spatial audio.
Use cases: No pair of headphones is a one-size-fits-all affair. Usually, headphones have a specific use case, whether for critical listening, watching TV, exercising, or canceling environmental noises. To determine which group of consumers will benefit the most from a pair of headphones, we test headphones in various use cases to specify their purpose.

Latest headphones news and tips

In February, Sony released the WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds. Check out our review here.
LG’s Xboom Buds Plus release with a built-in Bluetooth transmitter and a germ-killing charging case. Read more here.
Heard about Bluetooth 6, but still don’t get it. We explain what it means for your headphones and earbuds here.
Check out the most exciting audio products we saw and tried out at CES 2026.

Before you buy a pair of headphones, you should consider a few things besides price. A pair of headphones’ form factor, connectivity, and features are equally important. Here are some other things to consider before making a purchase.

Earbuds or headphones? Earbuds are smaller, more portable, and often protected against sweat and exposure to rain, but they have a shorter battery life. Headphones are larger and sometimes less portable but typically offer more immersive audio and noise-canceling experiences.
Wired or wireless (Bluetooth)?: I recommend wired headphones for people who want to occasionally listen to music critically. Over a wired connection, you can access high-resolution music playback. If that doesn’t matter to you and you’d rather have portable and wire-free headphones, you want wireless headphones. Fortunately, many consumer headphones can be wired or wireless, and many wireless headphones in this list can achieve high-resolution audio playback via a wired connection.

Both Sony and Bose make some of the best consumer headphones on the market. Both companies have a history of innovation and research, but each brand’s headphones shine in different categories. Sony is better at producing headphones for power users, fitted with the latest technologies and granular customization options. On the other hand, Bose’s headphones are ideal for laidback users, thanks to their simple user interface and limited controls.

You should choose Sony’s XM6 headphones if you want reliable, everyday headphones with a durable build, rich sound, recent Bluetooth audio technologies, intuitive noise-cancelation, and in-depth controls. Sony’s headphones are ideal for people who will use and explore these features, as the more you tweak the XM6, the better they get.

You should choose the Bose QC Ultra Headphones 2 if you want headphones with stellar audio and noise-canceling performance, but don’t require lots of tinkering to get the ideal fit, sound, and performance.

I prefer over-ear headphones over on-ear headphones. On-ear headphones, like the Beats Solo 4, sit on your ears, while over-ear headphones, like the AirPods Max, cover your entire ear. Over-ear headphones create a better seal between your ears and the outside world, allowing for increased noise-canceling performance and a more immersive audio experience.

However, you may like on-ear headphones if you want headphones with a more compact shape. If you don’t like noise-canceling or prefer to hear your surroundings better, you should consider on-ear headphones.

A solid pair of headphones should last you five years, if not more. You can get great mileage on your headphones by taking care of them. To make the most of yours, here are some tips I use myself:

Avoid exposing your over-ear headphones to excessive moisture or rain; do not submerge them in water. I don’t recommend working out in over-ear headphones because sweat can degrade the ear pad materials. However, if you work out in your over-ear headphones, wipe the ear pads with a cloth after your workout to remove sweat. Or, you can purchase sweat covers for your ear pads. Earbuds and bone conduction headphones are better equipped for exposure to sweat and rain.
Store your headphones in their case when not in use for long periods. Most headphones come with a protective hardshell carrying case or pouch. The case protects your headphones from dust, moisture, scratches, or scrapes.
Never spray your headphones or earbuds with chemicals or solvents.
Regularly check your headphones’ companion app for software updates. Many headphones receive about five years of software updates, and keeping your headphones updated ensures optimal performance.

Latest updates

Feburary 2026: We added the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 as the best stylish headphones based on our hands-on testing. We also added the latest news on headphones, earbuds, and audio.

Are there alternative headphones worth considering?

The Soundcore Space One Pro headphones are a solid budget option. They have a 40-hour battery life, decent noise-canceling capabilities, and great sound. We recommend these headphones to people looking for a budget option that can keep up with their commuting, working, or traveling headphone needs.

Show Expert Take Show less

These midrange Bose headphones provide everything there is to love about Bose — all-day comfort, great sound, and exceptional noise-cancelation — without anything extra. The QuietComfort Headphones offer users a simple and reliable headphone experience. The QuietComfort Headphones aren’t the most expensive on our list, but it’s always worth waiting for a sale.

Show Expert Take Show less

Looking to get the most out of your audio experience? Check out how to properly clean your headphones and earbuds, and how to use Live Translation on your AirPods.

Headphones & Earbuds Roundups

Headphones & Earbuds Reviewed & Compared

Headphones & Earbuds Explained

ZDNET Recommends

Editorial standards