Wireless earbuds are better than ever in 2025, but there’s no substitute for a pair of big, beefy, wireless over-ear headphones. With over-ear audio, you get (ideally) active and passive noise cancellation, a bigger battery, and added comfort with cushy cups that don’t plug up your ear canal.
Just like wireless earbuds, though, there are lots of different wireless headphones out there, and even the best of the best have different strengths and weaknesses. That’s great in terms of having lots of options, but it can make research tough—especially when you consider that wireless headphones typically cost significantly more than a pair of midrange wireless earbuds.
To make that decision a little less nerve-wracking, we’ve compiled a list of the best headphones for all different occasions, whether you value noise cancellation, hi-fi audio, or just want something all-around solid.
Best wireless headphones all-around: Sony WH-1000XM6
There are hits, and there are hits, and Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are the latter. Sony’s latest pair of class-leading wireless headphones get good marks unanimously, and our thoughts are no different. The WH-1000XM6 aces all of the important stuff in a pair of headphones: the active noise cancellation (ANC) is great as usual, and the sound is characteristically excellent thanks to two 30mm drivers that deliver robust highs, mids, and lows without getting muddied up by distortion.
It’s not just the basics. The WH-1000XM6 are feature-rich thanks to Sony’s companion app, and they also come equipped with spatial audio and several listening modes for any occasion—even a background music mode for when you want to talk but still listen to music quietly. If you never want to take these wireless headphones off, you don’t have to either; a 12-mic array with beamforming delivers your voice with clarity while the headphones also reduce background noise with AI. When you do want to take them off, they fold up nicely thanks to a revamped hardware design. Sure, the battery (rated for 30 hours) could use a bump, but it’s a minor complaint in what are otherwise a near-perfect pair of wireless headphones that justify the premium price. Read More —James Pero
Best wireless headphones for noise cancellation: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) have “quiet†right in the name, so you should already know what they’re about. In case you don’t, though, the answer is simple: these wireless headphones are focused on ANC. And like the previous generation, Bose earns the QuietComfort reputation in its over-ear headphones with ANC unlike anything else we tried in 2025.
If you’re looking for a pair of wireless headphones that can block out even the loudest of environments—not even the cacophony of New York’s subway stands a chance here—then look no further. Like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) wireless earbuds earbuds, these are the only wireless headphones you want on an airplane.
On top of all that ANC, Bose improves on the first-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones by adding the ability to listen to lossless audio via USB-C and upgrading the battery life. If excellent ANC isn’t enough for you, Bose also delivers in the sound department and on the comfort side of things, making for a solid overall pair of wireless headphones that excel in shielding you from the loud, annoying world we live in. Read More —James Pero
See Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen at Amazon
Best wireless headphones for gaming: Sony Inzone H9 II
Can a good gaming headset also be a good all-around pair of headphones? In the Sony Inzone H9 II’s case, the answer is yes. This wireless headset focuses on audio, bringing over a similar regard for high-quality sound as the top-rated Sony WH-1000XM6, and includes gaming-centric features like a 2.4GHz dongle that make it more hi-fi compared to standard Bluetooth competitors, and much lower latency. Like the WH-1000XM6, the Inzone H9 II has similarly top-quality ANC, and unlike some other headsets, Sony keeps the weight manageable at 260g, which is almost the same as the 254g WH-1000XM6.
Along with its minimal design, these are the number one pick if you’re looking for a wireless headset that has one foot in the world of gaming and one foot planted in the world of simple-but-quality personal audio. Read More —James Pero
See Sony Inzone H9 II at Amazon
Best wireless headphones for running: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
The OpenRun Pro wireless headphones launched over four years ago were already a hit, but Shokz upgraded them and released the OpenRun Pro 2 for $180. Designed to be worn when you’re training, running a marathon, hiking, biking, or even during busy commutes, these wireless headphones have one overarching purpose: to keep you in touch with your surroundings.
They utilize Shokz’s new proprietary tech, DualPitch, which uses a pair of separate, dedicated drivers instead of a single driver doing all the work on the company’s past offerings. The two drivers—bone conduction and air conduction—are decoupled, which means they work independently. This offers two major benefits: reduced vibrations and improved bass.
I’m very happy about the switch to USB-C charging on the OpenRun Pro 2. Most Shokz sports wireless headphones have featured magnetic charging so far, including the first-gen OpenRun Pro. Other charging-related upgrades include better battery life (12 hours compared to 10 hours) and a five-minute quick charge, providing an additional hour (a total of 2.5 hours) on the flagship.
The charging time is still one hour, and the dust and water resistance is still IP55. I prefer higher water resistance, at least IP57, for headphones designed for rough adventures. However, I’m glad the USB-C port has a rubberized flap to prevent dust particles or water from getting through. Read More—Dua Rashid
See Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 at Amazon
Best wireless headphones for battery life: JBL Live 770NC
I didn’t get to thoroughly test out the promised 65-hour battery life without ANC activated and 50 hours with it on the JBL Live 770NC, but I didn’t have to reach for the charger even after five days of using them for a few hours every day. Even if the claims are slightly inflated, they’re much longer than the most successful headphones at double the price—Sony WH-1000XM6 with 30 hours of battery life and the AirPods Max at 20 hours. I thought the Cleer Alpha’s 45-hour battery was impressive, but the JBL Live 770NC beats them by a large margin and costs the same price. On top of that, a five-minute charge gives you another four hours.
These wireless headphones are also very comfortable, great for bass, come with intuitive controls that are easy to get used to, and they offer impressive mics for calling. But none of this will matter if you’re an aesthetics-over-performance person since these are far from flashy. Read More —Dua Rashid
Best wireless headphones for style: Nothing Headphone 1
Looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to wireless over-ear headphones, they’re kind of a lot. Unlike wireless earbuds, which are relatively low profile, wireless headphones are more of a fashion statement, and with that bigger footprint on your head comes an increased onus on design. In my opinion, Nothing and its Headphone 1 nail the style side of things. These wireless headphones carry Nothing’s signature transparent design but also bring a distinct retro vibe to the party, especially in the gray colorway that somehow combines the aesthetics of cassette players and the PlayStation 1.
It’s not just looks, either. Nothing’s first pair of wireless headphones, which are tuned in collaboration with the hi-fi audio company KEF, also delivers sound that challenges AirPods Max and comes with lots of buttons for those of us who like tactile controls. The Headphone 1 are a solid pair of wireless headphones all around, especially since it clocks in at a full $250 cheaper than AirPods Max. Read More —James Pero
See Nothing Headphone 1 at Amazon
Best wireless headphones for iPhone: AirPods Max
This one might be a little obvious, but the truth sometimes is. AirPods Max are the best over-ear wireless headphones for anyone in the Apple ecosystem, which could be an annoying fact given they’re the only pair of Apple-branded wireless headphones, but luckily (despite the hefty premium), they still have a lot to offer, lack of options aside.
In addition to rich, nuanced sound, AirPods Max also knock ANC out of the park—these are some of the nicest noise-canceling wireless headphones you can buy—and give you an equally functional transparency mode for when you want to hear the world around you. Naturally, they’re highly compatible with all of your other Apple products and offer seamless switching between devices. And whether you find the look a little boring or not, they’re thoughtfully designed with a head strap that reduces weight and makes the wireless headphones more breathable. Read More —James Pero
Best wireless headphones for Sonos: Sonos Ace
While the Sonos Ace may not be the perfect pair of wireless headphones for everyone, they’re a strong contender if you’re deep in the Sonos ecosystem. One of the shining features, if you do happen to have a Sonos soundbar, is a TV Audio Swap capability that seamlessly switches between the Ace and your soundbar connected to a TV—with the press of a button. Yes, the Sonos Ace takes a lot of cues from Apple’s AirPods Max, including in the actual look of the wireless headphones, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Like the AirPods Max, the Sonos Ace is also comfortable and holds it down in the sound department.
One nice flourish outside of the audio swap feature is the inclusion of magnetic earcups that can be taken off and put back on at will. That’s the type of modularity I’d like to see more of in the audio world, and it’s great for anyone who might wear these wireless headphones out while exercising and getting sweat on them. Unfortunately, they also inherit the same hefty price as AirPods Max, but if you’re a big Sonos head, you may feel like you’ve gotten your money’s worth. Read More —James Pero
Original Source: https://gizmodo.com/the-best-headphones-1851271449
Original Source: https://gizmodo.com/the-best-headphones-1851271449
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