Best wireless headphones
Wireless over-ear headphones are the everyday pick for music, commutes and calls: no cable, a battery that lasts days and, on most good pairs, noise cancelling. Comfort over hours, battery life and how smoothly they switch between a phone and a laptop separate them more than sound alone. For earbuds, see the wireless earbuds guide.
Quick answer The Sony WH-1000XM6 is our top pick, followed by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) and Sennheiser HDB 630.
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Top pick
Sony WH-1000XM6
Wireless over-ear with adaptive noise cancelling
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)
Wireless over-ear with noise cancelling
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Sennheiser HDB 630
Wireless audiophile headphones with hi-res dongle
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
Wireless over-ear noise cancelling headphones
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Budget pick
Soundcore Space One
Budget wireless over-ear with noise cancelling
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2
Premium wireless over-ear noise cancelling
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Hi-res wireless gaming headset with ANC
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Gaming
- Microphone
- Boom mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Audeze Maxwell 2
Wireless planar gaming headset, 80-hour battery
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Best for
- Gaming
- Microphone
- Boom mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Sony WH-CH730N
Wireless over-ear noise cancelling headphones
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Apple AirPods Max 2
Wireless over-ear with noise cancelling
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
- Fit
- Over-ear
- Connection
- Wireless
- Noise cancelling
- Yes
- Best for
- Music, Travel, Work & calls
- Microphone
- Built-in mic
- Ear cups
- Closed-back
PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon
Compare the top picks
| Model | Fit | Connection | Noise cancelling | Best for | Microphone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Sennheiser HDB 630 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Soundcore Space One | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Gaming | Boom mic |
| Audeze Maxwell 2 | Over-ear | Wireless | No | Gaming | Boom mic |
| Sony WH-CH730N | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
| Apple AirPods Max 2 | Over-ear | Wireless | Yes | Music, Travel, Work & calls | Built-in mic |
What to look for
Noise cancelling, battery and multipoint first
Most good wireless headphones now include active noise cancelling, so compare how well it works rather than whether it's there. Battery life of 30 hours or more is common, and quick charging helps if you forget to plug in. Multipoint keeps one pair connected to a phone and a laptop at once, so you don't re-pair every time you switch.
Codecs matter less than fit
Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC and aptX can carry more detail, but only if your phone supports the same one, and iPhones use AAC. A comfortable fit and a good seal around your ears change the sound far more than the codec, and they decide whether you can wear the headphones all day.
Gaming and calls
Ordinary Bluetooth adds a noticeable delay in fast games, and sound quality drops when the mic is in use. For gaming, look for a model with a 2.4 GHz USB dongle; for calls, read reviewers' mic results rather than the spec sheet.
How we picked
We compared 292 headphones with real Amazon listings and kept the 76 that meet all of this:
- Over-ear cups for long sessions
- Wireless
Every pick fits, so the order is about what to look at first. Models that independent reviewers recommend come first, the most often recommended at the top. The rest follow, best known and best liked first, with the newest model of a line ahead of older ones. No brand pays to be listed or placed higher. Prices change daily, so we never print one; Amazon shows today's price.
Reviews we drew on
We don't test products ourselves. These published roundups recommend picks on this list:
- soundguys.com The best wireless headphones in 2026
- whathifi.com I've heard every major pair of premium wireless headphones – and one set reigns sonically supreme
- nytimes.com The 4 Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones of 2026
- techradar.com The best wireless headphones, chosen by our experts for all budgets
- rtings.com The 4 Best On-Ear Headphones of 2026
- whathifi.com Best wireless headphones 2026
- engadget.com Best Wireless Headphones For 2026
- wired.com Best Wireless Headphones (2026): I Compare Bose, Apple, Sony, and More
- tomsguide.com I spent two months testing the best wireless headphones for your commute
Questions
Are wireless headphones better than wired?
They're more convenient, and the best ones sound excellent, but wired headphones still give more sound for the money, never need charging and add no delay. For commuting, travel and the office, wireless wins; for critical listening at a desk, wired keeps the edge.
Are wireless headphones safe to use?
Bluetooth headphones use very low radio power, far below the limits regulators set, and no health risk from them has been established. Volume is the real risk: long sessions at high volume can damage hearing, so keep it low enough to hear someone next to you.
Do wireless headphones need Wi-Fi?
No. They connect over Bluetooth, or a USB radio dongle on gaming models, and work without any internet connection. The maker's app may need one to download firmware updates.
Can you use wireless headphones on a plane?
Most airlines allow Bluetooth headphones during the flight with your phone in flight mode, and some seatback screens now pair with them. For screens that don't, a pair with a 3.5 mm cable input or a small Bluetooth transmitter lets you plug in.
How long do wireless headphones last?
Most last several years. The battery usually wears first, slowly losing capacity after a few hundred full charges, and ear pads wear too. Models with replaceable pads and long battery ratings tend to age best.
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