Whether you’re listening to the latest episode of the Gadget Lab podcast or hitting the trail with Taylor Swift’s album on repeat, the right pair of wireless headphones can make or break your day. The only problem is that there are so many to choose from. WIRED’s Gear team is constantly testing new models, and these are the very best we’ve found.
Be sure to check out all our audio buying guides, like the Best Wirefree Earbuds, Best Workout Earbuds, Best Smart Speakers, and Best Bluetooth Speakers, for more music nirvana.
Updated March 2022: We’ve added the Sony LinkBuds, Jabra Elite 7 Active, and Beats Fit Pro.
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Photograph: Sony
Best Overall Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4
Sony’s flagship noise-canceling headphones are now in their fourth generation, and it shows. The WH-1000XM4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) offer 30 hours of battery life, an ergonomic design, and some of the best sound quality you’ll find, thanks to Sony’s DSEE Extreme upscaling engine. They cancel out the world better than nearly all competitors, and they can even sense when you talk and pause your music—you’ll rarely reach for the pause button. Sony has also addressed the one thing we hated about the previous model: call quality. New microphones combined with better processing make these great for Zoom meetings and phone calls alike.
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Photograph: Beats
Best Earbuds
Beats Fit Pro
The Beats Fit Pro are our favorite wireless earbuds right now, thanks to their excellent integration with both iOS and Android, comfortable fit, and great sound. These Apple-made buds feature the company’s proprietary H1 headphone chip, which means they work like AirPods with an iPhone, but they also function great on Android, with an app that allows you to customize the controls and perform a fit test to ensure you’re getting proper bass. They also have active noise canceling and decent mics—and (most importantly!) they come in colors besides Cupertino white.
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Photograph: 1More
Runner-Up Earbuds
1More ColorBuds
The 1More ColorBuds are some of the most universally comfortable headphones you can buy. Three sizes of silicone ear tips and small ear fins help them stay secure, and a slightly slimmed-down design from the previous 1More Stylish ($60) model helps them fit well even in smaller ears. The ColorBuds are IPX5 water-resistant, and they sound great. They’re aptX-enabled for higher-quality Bluetooth audio (with aptX devices) and have punchy bass that’s impressive for headphones this size, but they never get too boomy. Such comfort, sound quality, and an AirPods-beating six hours of battery life at a price tag that’s much less make them among the best wirefree earbuds you can buy.
