The Absolutely Best Headphones in 2023

Are you looking for the best your money can buy? Here are the absolute best headphones in 2023 from different categories.

Take a look at the quick round-up:

Get the latest best headphones for your needs that will satisfy your every need.

This is a list of headphones that are absolute winners in their category because of their latest technology, useful features, fantastic sound and comfort, and overall great performance.

These are the best for different needs. Some people want high-end, some affordable, some mid-range and some cheap. We’re sure you can find something for you as well.

And, since we have limited space on the list, we focused on the best headphone picks for most people.

You can probably find better, higher-end models out there for more money. We tried staying under $300 and in most cases recommend more affordable headphones.

So, if you want something more specific, you can find a way to get to the related guides from here, so you get exactly what you want.

The Best Headphones for 2023

1. Sony WH-1000XM5

Hear the Sony WH-1000XM5 A/B Sound Test:

Expect an enjoyable sound signature out of these, with a good bass slam and sparkly treble. The DSEE HX audio processing boosts the quality of lossy audio files.

The soundstage is reasonably wide, so you can use them for watching movies or playing games.

Sony WH-1000XM5 are the successor to Sony WH-1000XM4, already the best wireless headphones right now. They’re comfortable, lightweight, and can colapse to save space in your bag.

With a top-tier active noise-cancellation, they’re an excellent pick for frequent commuters. You can also tweak the intensity of the ANC inside the app.

Additionally, they boast impressive battery life and tons of features that can make your life easier. Like calling voice assistants for help.

Since they share many similarities in features, you can check our Sony WH-1000XM4 review and how the latter compared to Sony WH-1000XM3.

Related: Best noise cancelling headphones

2. Apple AirPods Max

Hear the Apple AirPods Max A/B Sound Test:

AirPods Max have a U-shaped sound signature, boosting the sub-bass and upper treble. That results in audio performance that works very well with modern music genres.

Like other Apple audio products, the AirPods Max sport a unique design that is quickly recognizable. 

Aluminum ear cups scream luxury, with carefully engineered hinges for increased comfort.

The best is stored under the hood. You can enjoy one of the best active noise cancellation performances out there, with exceptional Ambient Mode to go with it.

Fabric earpads are quickly replaceable and come in various color options, so you can fully personalize your headphones.

Of course, they have a built-in H1 chip for quick pairing with Apple devices. The voice assistant support can be quickly accessed by saying, “Hey, Siri”.

3. Sony WF-1000XM4

Hear the Sony WF-1000XM4 A/B Sound Test:

Excellent sounding Bluetooth earbuds with a refined frequency response that you can further tweak the audio in a companion app. Despite their “age”, they still offer the best sound quality among TWS earbuds.

Earbuds themselves are rather bulky but sit comfortably in your ears for extended periods. You get 3 pairs of hybrid silicone/foam ear tips to find the best seal.

Both noise cancellation and ambient sound mode work very well, especially with constant humming noises.

Touch controls are intuitive to use and customizable. But you can’t customize them for each command, so you’ll still need to use your smartphone to raise volume or change songs.

Eight hours of battery life per charge is more than enough for a long walk or exercise. They’re IPX4 protected so that you can use them in a gym, too.

Find the best noise cancelling earbuds.

4. Apple AirPods Pro 2

Wireless earbuds with well-balanced sound have a slight emphasis on treble, which makes the vocals cleaner. They’re great for all genres, rendering instruments naturally and with great details.

Iconic Apple AirPods Pro are the most famous true wireless earbuds in the world, and the second-gen improves in pretty much every way.

AirPods Pro 2 now support even stronger wireless connection with their H2 chip, which also handles better processing for Spatial Audio support.

Not only that, but it ensures best-in-class active noise cancellation and an outstanding Transparency mode performance. Not to mention crystal clear call quality.

Their form factor is small, with proprietary ear tips that barely go into ear canals—the latter results in a very comfortable fit.

If you pair them with one of Apple devices, you can make them measure your hearing or use Dolby Atmos for more immersive listening sessions.

Want to check out more options? See the best Bluetooth headphones.

5. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Similar to the Sport Earbuds, these are also very fun-sounding earbuds with excellent control in the bass. The soundstage is also quite big, albeit at the expense of slightly worse imaging.

Don’t let the size fool you; these are very comfortable. Big StayHear Max ear tips rest in front of the ear canal, which prevents annoying pressure.

Also, larger ear fins latch to your ears, preventing earbuds from moving too much. You can easily work out with them without worrying about stability.

Of course, these are excellent for removing ambient noise. Active noise cancellation performance is one of the best in true wireless category.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II exist and offer superb active noise canceling performance, but they’re somehow worse in other areas like audio quality.

6. Jabra Elite 7 Active

Unlike many sports earbuds, Elite 7 Active display a somewhat balanced sound signature without sibilance. You can add more bass in the app’s EQ, ensuring a more fun response for workouts.

Earbuds have an ergonomic design that makes them comfortable and stable at the same time. That’s why they don’t require ear fins or hooks to grab your ears securely.

The Active model boasts a higher water resistance rating, protecting from both dust and water (IP57).

With a companion app, you can customize controls, play with EQ, and find your lost earbuds.

They offer respectable battery life, with up to 8 hours per charge and additional 22 hours in the case.

You can check our review of the almost identical Jabra Elite 7 Pro.

Check the best workout headphones

7. Edifier WH950NB

Hear the Edifier WH950NB A/B Sound Test:

Sound quality-wise, the Edifier WH950NB have a relatively balanced sound signature, although audiophiles will still find them a bit uneven in the mids.

Nonetheless, their clear and controlled presentation works well with all music genres, from metal to hip-hop.

Headphones are built from quality plastic and use metal hinges and an aluminum headband to provide extended longevity. You can even replace worn-out earpads.

The latter are exquisitely plush, packed with memory foam, and dressed in soft pleather. Even the headband is well-padded.

Lastly, WH950NB are the best Bluetooth headphones with microphone for making phone calls and can effectively reduce outside noise with 2 active noise cancellation modes.

Compare with best bass earbuds and best bass headphones.

8. Sennheiser HD 800 S

These massive audiophile headphones are a staple of excellent sound quality. They have overall balanced sound, with great resolution and clarity.

Surprisingly, they sport both big soundstage and accurate imaging. Their sound can truly lift music lovers into audio heaven.

Despite their chunky build, they’re fairly lightweight. HD 800 S are made of a mixture of plastic and aluminum.

Ear pads are uniquely shaped to contour human ears. The gentle fabric feels soft on your skin, and you can wear them for hours on end.

You can replace an analog cable if you want to try out a balanced connection. They’re overall very durable, lasting for many years.

Note that due to the open-back design with sound leakage, they’re better for home use in a quiet listening room.

More: Best audiophile headphones

9. SteelSeries Arctis 7

These well-balanced gaming headsets are great for both music playback and gaming. Although, the latter does sound the best. It can boost up the soundstage with DTS Headphone:X to better immerse into action.

Headsets carry the same design as other Arctis headphones. However, they’re made of more premium materials, like more plush foam earpads and a steel alloy frame.

Speaking of pads, they use special AirWeave fabric that ensures comfort and breathability. And you don’t want to sweat during intense gameplay.

A retractable microphone does a good job for voice calls. Your teammates will have no problem understanding your orders.

Twenty-four hours of battery life is long enough for a lengthy gaming session. Otherwise, you can plug them via a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Choose from the best gaming headphones.

More: Best wireless gaming headsets.

10. Anker Soundcore Life Q30

Hear the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 A/B Sound Test:

The bass can be a bit too edgy out of the box. Thankfully, you can play with the EQ inside the app to bring them to almost neutral levels.

Soundcore Life Q30 are a bit big, which doesn’t hurt overall comfort. Thick memory foam earpads sit comfortably on your head without creating too strong of a clamp.

The headphone’s best feature is active noise cancellation. It’s genuinely excellent, competing in some areas with the big boys such as WH-1000XM5 and AirPods Max.

While you can’t tweak the intensity, the app lets you choose between 3 modes: Outdoor, Indoor, and Transport.

The massive battery keeps them alive for 60 hours (40 hours if you enable noise cancelation).

Check more best headphones under $100.

Find the best Bluetooth headphones under $100.

11. EarFun Air Pro 3

Hear the EarFun Air Pro 3 A/B Sound Test:

The sound of these earbuds is relatively bassy but not that far off from sounding natural. With a few EQ tweaks, they start sounding much cleaner and more controlled.

Earbuds support a ton of useful features. Starting with active noise cancellation, it even outperforms the more expensive Sony WF-1000XM4 is bass frequencies while still doing great in higher frequencies.

Furthermore, they support Bluetooth 5.3 and even the latest LC3 Bluetooth codec, promising less bandwidth and better audio quality.

They’re also comfortable to wear, support multipoint for connecting them to 2 devices simultaneously, and are fully customizable inside the EarFun app.

You can use them for a light workout, with an IPX5 IP rating protecting their internals from water damage. Just keep in mind their stability isn’t rock steady.

More: Best wireless earbuds under $100

12. SoundPEATS Sonic

Hear the SoundPEATS Sonic A/B Sound Test:

SoundPEATS Sonic are loud true wireless earbuds with a reasonably balanced audio performance. They’re a bit more powerful in the sub-bass, which creates a pleasant rumble when the song asks for it.

Earbuds feel cheap but should survive everyday use. They’re made of hard plastic that doesn’t scratch that easily. They’re water but not dust-resistant, offering an IPX5 rating.

They fit quite well inside your ears, offering good enough stability for light workouts. Comfort is also a non-issue, even when pressing the physical controls.

Passive noise isolation is as good as in any earbuds. With a bit of music, you shouldn’t be bothered by ambient sound.

The biggest highlight is the playback time, with SoundPEATS Sonic lasting up to 14 hours and more on a single charge.

Best Bluetooth earbuds under $50

Honorable Mentions

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Sennheiser HD 600

Jaybird Vista 2

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2

EarFun Free Pro 2

CCA LYRA

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Shokz OpenRun (rebranded AfterShokz Aeropex)

How We Pick the Best Headphones?

It’s true “best headphones” is a very general term, and you might want to dig deeper to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Now, what we did is pick the best headphones we think are suitable for most people.

This is a general guide (but you can find links to more specific headphones), so if you already know what kind of headphones you need, you can see the related guides here.

We took into account:

• The price
• What are the most popular types of headphones
• What kind of technology do they have

Obviously, we also considered their sound quality, durability, comfort, and other features.

Take a good look, and you will find something that suits your needs and wants.

Are expensive headphones worth it?

In many cases, buying more expensive headphones is a good idea. Especially since it means better comfort and build, which increases the longevity of the product.

We all strive to get the best deal at the lowest price tag possible. However, almost every cheap product uses cheaper materials for its construction.

If budget headphones are handled with care they easily break or simply stop working.

Comfort is also something that usually suffers in cheap headphones. To cut the cost down, manufacturers pick lower grade material list stiff plastic to make earpads from.

In the end, you have to calculate the cost. Either you constantly buy new cheap headphones and see them breaking after a few months, or save a little bit more and buy a better-made pair that will last you many years.

Buy the best headphones you can get in your budget. We can help you find the best pair with our headphone guides.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)