Headphone Reviews
After the smartphone, headphones are the gadget we reach for most often in our daily lives. Here, The Verge tracks the best headphones for every budget and purpose, whether they be wireless, noise cancelling, in-ear, or over-ear. With all the big brands — from Bose and Beats to Sony and Sennheiser — and a few of the over-performing smaller ones, there’s a perfect pair of headphones out there for everyone, and we’ll have it covered.
The standard Nova Pro is a compelling wired option, too
These budget earbuds don’t disappoint for their under $40 price
An airy fit, ANC, and LDAC all in one pricey package
8
Verge Score
Sony’s latest noise-canceling headphones have a fresh look and iterative improvements
New design, more features, and the same signature sound
Anker continues to impress on value
They’re weird, refreshing, and fantastic at voice calls
Sony’s entry-level buds stick to the fundamentals
Jabra’s latest earbuds impress on voice quality but arrive without the company’s signature feature
The latest Beats earbuds are the company’s best product since the Powerbeats Pro
The new regular AirPods get a lot right even before the gimmicky spatial audio part
Almost infinite listening, so long as the weather’s kind
A masterclass in going back to what works
They’re consistent, they’re reliable, and they sound quite good for the price
The company’s most refined earbuds yet
Razer did the Razer thing and put RGB lighting on its latest earbuds
When the entry-level earbuds are this good, why go Pro?
Standout design, noise cancellation, and wireless charging for $99
Beats tried to do a lot at once — probably too much — with its new earbuds
Sony’s new earbuds deliver on sound, battery life, and beat all comers at noise cancellation
7.5
Verge Score
The $99 Pixel Buds are a better buy than their pricier predecessors
Amazon’s second-gen earbuds are improved in almost every way
Bose’s sporty shades offer good sound, a steady fit, and total awareness
A supremely comfortable fit, decent noise cancellation, and good sound for $100
V-Moda’s first noise-canceling headphones are built well and have balanced sound, but they fall short on features
The Marshall signature style and good sound don’t quite justify the cost
Razer’s second set of true wireless earbuds nail fit and audio but fall flat elsewhere
They don’t win at any one thing, but they strike a great mix in terms of sound quality, ANC, and comfort
Great in concept, but there’s a limit to what Alexa can do on a phone
Apple’s over-ear headphones have tremendous build quality and sound, but there’s no denying they’re expensive
Good sound quality and best-in-class noise cancellation come in an awkwardly big case
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