The best wireless headphones for 2022: Which should you buy? | Tech Reader

From following your favorite podcasts and listening to the next hit from your favorite band to checking out the latest TV shows and movies on your commute, great-sounding headphones are a must-have. At Tech Reader, we’re always looking for the best wireless headphones when it comes to comfort, audio quality, battery life, and important features like noise cancellation.

First, Sony’s latest WH-1000XM5 are so good that they currently take the top spot on not just this list, but also our picks for the best noise-canceling headphones and the best headphones, period. They’re light, very comfortable, have excellent noise cancellation and sound quality, and are packed with premium features.

But if you have something else in mind, like a set of earbuds or something a little more affordable, we have you covered with a variety of additional wireless headphones to compare.

Sony WH-1000XM5

The best wireless headphones overall

Why you should buy them: They’re comfortable, have the best sound in the business, and have amazing noise-canceling, making the Sony WH-1000XM5s the best overall wireless headphones you can buy.

Who they’re for: Those who have the money but not the time to mess around and just want to get straight to the best.

Why we picked the Sony WH-1000XM5:

The previous leader of this list was Sony’s WH-1000XM4, and the WH-1000XM5 have everything that made those headphones amazing, plus a bit more.

Let’s break them down. shall we? The design has gotten an update with smaller drivers and a slimmer, more elegant shape that also makes the headphones a little lighter to wear. The battery life of these new cans is almost unchanged, providing 30 hours with active noise cancellation (ANC) on and 40 hours without (the XM4s were just a tad behind that last number with 38 hours). And while Sony says it has improved its software algorithms and hardware when it comes to active noise cancellation, the 1000XM5 are basically the same as the XM4 — excellent.

Like the XM4s, Sony’s WH-1000XM5s include Bluetooth multipoint connection, allowing them to be connected to two different devices at the same time. The wear sensor continues to be a handy addition, automatically pausing content when you remove the headphones. Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) Extreme tech that upscales compressed digital sound sources using artificial intelligence continues to get the most out of your audio files, too.

In addition to the updated design and improved ANC, the headset now includes more mics to bump up the call and chat accuracy. Are they worth an extra $50 for the upgrades? Absolutely: We still haven’t seen a contender that can beat this headset line.

Sony WH-1000XM5

The best wireless headphones overall

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Best for comfort and conference calls

Why you should buy them: The Bose Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 shine for indoor voice calls, making them an excellent business companion.

Who they’re for: Those who need excellent call quality without sacrificing musical fidelity

Why we picked the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700:

While the Sony WH-1000XM5s are our favorite pair of full-sized wireless cans overall, Bose steps in for calls with its Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 — which we’ll just call the Bose 700 from here on out. In testing, we found that the microphone on the Bose 700 consistently matched, and sometimes outclassed, the one built into the phone. Get ready for productive calls, as those on the other end won’t have to devote precious brainpower to deciphering garbled dialog.

Perfect for business users and those on frequent team calls, the Bose 700 has sufficient noise cancellation for perfect indoor conversations. They aren’t exactly as good for conference calls on the go or outside, but if you’re in an office you’ll love their performance when communicating with others and hearing responses clearly.

The Bose 700’s controls are convenient, with three tactile buttons combined with a touch interface to give you one-touch access to volume and playback functions (another benefit during conference call management). One of those buttons allows you to adjust the noise-canceling intensity on a scale from zero to 10 or outright disable the feature altogether. There’s also a button dedicated to calling up your favorite virtual assistant.

The Bose 700s have the power to go as long as 20 hours when noise cancelation is engaged, and that runtime doubles to 40 hours with it off. Even if you’re an unusually heavy listener, a 15-minute charge with the included USB-C cable can get you two extra hours, so you should never feel the need to stay tethered.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Best for comfort and conference calls

Apple AirPods Max

Best for iPhone users

Why you should buy them: They’re superb in almost every way and the perfect headphones for iPhone owners.

Who they’re for: Apple users who want the best wireless headphones and aren’t put off by high prices.

Why we picked the Apple AirPods Max:

Yes, their price is high. In fact, at $549, they’re the most expensive headphones on this list by a mile. But if you’re willing to make that investment, Apple rewards you with a beautiful design, high-quality materials, and a feature set that will please the most discerning listener.

Where the AirPods Max truly shine is their ANC, transparency, and call quality, each of which is best-in-class for wireless headphones. That’s saying something considering just how good the competition (Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700) is. The noise-canceling is sublime, and our reviewer believes their transparency mode is the closest thing you can get to not wearing headphones at all.

Apple has also done its usual “it just works” magic with the AirPods Max’s controls. The digital crown knob may look a little unusual perched on top of the right earcup, but it’s intuitive and even a little addictive. The dedicated button for ANC/transparency is also perfectly positioned and works like a charm.

The innovative mesh materials used on the headband and ear cushions are comfortable, but they can’t quite make up for the AirPods Max’s one major drawback: Their weight. Considerably heavier than any other models on this list, you may find that they’re simply too weighty for long listening sessions.

Battery life is on the low end at 20 hours, but this number might be conservative. At lower volume levels, it could easily extend to 25. Pairing with and switching between Apple devices is a snap. The only thing we think Apple has to rethink with the AirPods Max is the protective travel case, which is neither very protective nor very useful for travelers. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of AirPods Max accessories to remedy that fact.

Apple AirPods Max

Best for iPhone users

Urbanista Los Angeles

Best for the eco-minded music fan

Why you should buy them: They run off solar energy and have amazing battery life.

Who they’re for: People who like over-ear headphones and care about eco-friendly energy; those who know they’ll be out in the sun a lot.

Why we picked the Urbanista Los Angeles:

This Urbanista headset offers a fascinating proposition: Wear them out in the sun, and they’ll recharge automatically thanks to the solar cells in the headband. Leave them out long enough, and they’ll fill up an enormous 80-hour battery reserve you can use for days. While that’s a very climate-dependent benefit (they’re called “Los Angeles” for a reason), those in the right areas have plenty to benefit from.

Solar power is far from the only thing the Los Angeles offer. The headset also delivers competent ANC, with an ambient sound mode (aka transparency mode) so you can hear the outside world while you’re moving around, plus complete app controls that allow you to monitor operation, adjust volume, and check on the solar sensor.

The headset supports Google Assistant, Siri, and Bluetooth 5.0 connections. The ear shell design uses vegan leather for sound-canceling foam for a comfortable (if simple) design. Of course, outdoor users will get a lot more out of the headset than others, but it’s still an ambitious — and clever — result from Urbanista.

Urbanista Los Angeles

Best for the eco-minded music fan

1More SonoFlow

Best budget wireless headphones

Why you should buy them: Noise cancellation, transparency mode, slick design, and pleasing sound — for much cheaper than the big brands.

Who they’re for: Those who want a full-featured set of noise-canceling headphones without spending over $100.

Why we picked the 1More SonoFlow:

When we list the best features of the SonoFlow, we know it sounds like a headset well over $100, especially with ANC and a transparency mode included. But no, these wireless headphones are incredibly affordable compared to other options and come packed with desirable features – including especially good sound quality at this price.

1More has also done miracles with the SonoFlow’s battery, which can last up to 50 hours with ANC turned on, making these headphones one of the best picks for those who want to go wireless for as long as possible before plugging in. We’re also impressed with the detailed app options included here, with a variety of different modes to choose from and plenty of EQ adjustments. Plus, the design is simple and comfortable to wear even for long periods.

The minor issues with SonoFlow don’t have a lot of impact on your listening experience: You lose some features when in wired mode, and there’s no wear sensor to automatically pause when you take the headphones up. That’s a small price to pay for, well, such a small price on these excellent headphones.

1More SonoFlow

Best budget wireless headphones

Sennheiser Momentum 4

Best for sound quality

Why you should buy them: For the money, there are no better-sounding wireless headphones out there.

Who they’re for: Avid audiophiles who want to go wireless.

Why we picked the Sennheiser Momentum 4:

We were amazed at the audio quality with the Momentum 3, but somehow Sennheiser found multiple ways to upgrade it with the 4. This is still the best wireless sound you can get for the money, suitable for every kind of audio but shining especially well when it comes to strong, accurate bass and detailed treble.

The Momentum 4 also comes with ANC that features specific modes to combat wind interference or switch to transparency options. And while the new over-ear design is undeniably large, Sennheiser has enough experience to make sure they’re comfortable for long periods of listening as well. Battery life is also excellent – in fact, our review found it lasted up to 60 hours with ANC on, something that no other headphones can manage yet (and far, far better than the Momentum 3 managed).

Some things are missing here, though, such as an automatic off function (although wear sensors are included), but you aren’t giving up much at all for the huge sound upgrade that undoubtedly makes these headphones worth it.

Sennheiser Momentum 4

Best for sound quality

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro

Best for gaming

Why you should buy them: SteelSeries combines incredible audio quality with its expert gaming design.

Who they’re for: Gamers after the best wireless headset available.

Why we picked the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro:

SteelSeries has long known how to make a high-quality gaming headset, but the Arctis Nova Pro takes gaming audio to another level with its incredible redesign. The Sonar software allows for deep customization (and even title-specific suggestions), including a parametric EQ, but these headphones are tuned for accurate audio right of the box, so you don’t have to worry about the details if you don’t want to.

Other important features also make these headphones usable around the home, including great ANC, and a fit that’s lightweight without feeling cheap, plus plenty of physical adjustments you can make. The retractable mic also works well (we found it sometimes picks up ambient noise, though) and won’t ever get in the way.

The Arctis Nova Pros have a swappable battery design that’s made for switching the actual battery on the fly — so you have one on deck charging at all times. But a USB-C port does allow for on-ear charging, albeit a bit awkwardly, as noted by our senior gaming writer, Jacob Roach, in his full review. Two battery packs are included with the headset — which is good, because battery life is lower than past SteelSeries headsets at 22 hours with only 2.4Ghz wireless and 18 hours when using 2.4GHz and Bluetooth at the same time, with with ANC on.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro

Best for gaming

Puro PuroQuiet

Best for kids

Why you should buy them: The PuroQuiet are designed to keep children’s ears happy and safe.

Who they’re for: Parents who want the peace of mind of knowing their children’s hearing is protected.

Why we picked the PuroQuiet:

When we say “best wireless headphones for kids,” we aren’t talking about the cutest or most colorful — though we could see a case being made for the PuroQuiet being referred to as such. Instead, what we mean are the safest headphones for kids. As reviewers of audio equipment, hearing damage and loss rank pretty high on our list of fears, so we can empathize with parents looking for the safest pair for their kids. In this department, the PuroQuiet can’t be beaten.

The PuroQuiet are noise-canceling headphones designed for kids that come with a hard volume limit to prevent your child’s tiny ears from getting damaged.

Despite children’s products being stereotyped as low-quality (rightfully so, in many cases), Puro hasn’t cut corners on the PuroQuiet, which punch well above their weight when it comes to looks and build quality. The headphones feature rectangular-shaped earcups that are made out of robust metal and come in vibrant colors like electric blue or bright pink. They’re blocky and colorful, as kid stuff often is, but don’t look or feel childish, if that makes sense.

They also strike a balance between comfort and design, with a plush, round headband coated in soft imitation leather. Even the adjustment section of the headband, which is also metal, feels solid and strong, and the headphones are durable enough to take a beating, too.

However, the standout feature here is the Puro PuroQuiet headphones’ custom, built-in software limiter. It’s designed to keep music below 85 decibels while maintaining a balanced sound signature. This means that your budding audiophile can crank them all the way up, and you’ll still never have to worry about them blasting their ears out. And thanks to 16 hours of battery life, your kids can listen for as long as they (by which we mean you) want.

Puro PuroQuiet

Best for kids

Mark Levinson No. 5909

Best price-is-no-object wireless headphones

Why you should buy them: If you’re not worried about cost at all, these headphones offer the best style, design, and some of the best audio around.

Who they’re for: People with deep pockets and spoiled ears who will pay for the best experience (and a little showing off).

Why we picked the Mark Levinson No. 5909:

In Simon Cohen’s review, he called these Mark Levinson headphones “hard to recommend,” not because they are bad – they’re incredibly high-quality headphones – but because they’re just too expensive for the average buyer, even those willing to dish out hundreds of dollars for amazing audio. But if price really is no object and you want headphones that can dish out awesome sound while looking incredible, these $1,000 cans will be everything you desire.

Their features include some of the best wireless sound we have ever heard, paired with a comfortable, elite design that features thick padding and earcups to both optimize audio and let others know that listening to music is serious business for you: It has a classy automobile vibe complete with chrome accents and auto-inspired paint job.

The headphones also include important features like good ANC with a transparency mode included, automatic ear detection for pausing, and easy onboard buttons for playback, answering calls, and bringing up your voice assistant. In-app controls allow for a number of different customizations, but it’s the Bluetooth support that really impresses us: As you’d expect from highest-end wireless headphones, it supports codecs including aptX Adaptative, LDAC, and SBC, and AAC. That’s excellent for streaming high-resolution sound from devices like Android phones, although the best support hasn’t come to iPhone yet, so Apple users may want to stay away for now.

Mark Levinson No. 5909

Best price-is-no-object wireless headphones

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