Best headphones for the way you use them

At 250 g, this pair suits hopping between a phone and a laptop, and you can still listen over an analog cable when you forget to charge. The earcups swivel flat, but the headband itself does not fold inward.

Best forA light over-ear pair for use with both a phone and a laptop

What you gain over the CH720N is simple: a frame that folds, plus a 50-hour ANC claim. The cost is 15 g of extra weight, so the older model remains the better pick when low weight is the priority.

Best forA folding pair for a full week of commuting

A sensible place to start if you want noise cancellation without a heavy headset. At 192 g it is lighter than the CH730N, but it cannot fold inward to pack down.

Best forNoise-canceling listening in a light pair

Choose it for a folding travel build and a bass control you can adjust without opening an app. The CH720N weighs less and states a longer ANC runtime.

Best forA folding pair that has a hardware bass control

This light on-ear pair handles everyday Bluetooth listening and can switch between two devices. Skip it if you need an airplane cable or noise cancellation.

Best forWireless listening in quiet places with a lightweight pair

This folding pair keeps noise modes simple and has an analog fallback that works even when the battery is flat. If you also want digital audio over USB-C, go with the newer QuietComfort 2.

Best forEasy travel headphones that work on a dead battery

A very flexible travel pick, since it handles USB audio at a desk, Bluetooth on the train and passive analog playback with an empty battery. Ultra 2 is the one with the longer battery claim.

Best forUSB-C audio and an airplane cable that needs no battery

This is the folding first-generation Ultra, with CustomTune and head-tracked Immersive Audio. Weigh it against Ultra 2 based on the actual offer, but note that it has no USB audio like the newer model.

Best forImmersive Audio from Bose, for those who skip USB playback

Ultra 2 beats the original Ultra on USB-C listening and on its longer 30-hour Quiet-mode claim. If analog playback has to keep working with a completely flat battery, pick QuietComfort 2 instead.

Best forDirect USB-C audio and longer playback from Bose

With current firmware, the USB-C first generation still makes sense for switching between Apple devices and for wired lossless playback. Do not mix it up with the older Lightning model, and do not expect Max 2 to stretch the 20-hour battery claim.

Best forApple-device listening, if the first-generation offer suits you

Compared with the USB-C first generation, Max 2 keeps the same weight and the same advertised 20-hour ANC runtime. What it adds is the H2 feature set, including Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness on supported devices.

Best forApple owners who want the adaptive listening features of H2

This folding over-ear pair can be used three useful ways: over Bluetooth, over digital USB-C, or with a battery-free analog cable. Note that its USB sound profiles are a separate mode from noise-canceling Bluetooth listening.

Best forA single pair that covers wireless listening plus two cable types

Solo 4 is the pick for a compact on-ear pair that connects wirelessly, over USB-C and through a battery-free analog cable. If noise cancellation is part of what you need, Studio Pro is the better choice.

Best forA folding on-ear pair that takes either a USB or an analog cable

This older on-ear model still has a cable fallback that needs no battery. If you want USB-C charging or digital USB audio, Solo 4 is the more sensible buy, so compare the whole package before settling on an older offer.

Best forAn older, cheaper offer that keeps an analog backup

If you would rather charge rarely than fold the headphones small, this is a strong fit. It combines a 60-hour ANC claim with USB audio and a passive analog fallback.

Best forWired listening that stays flexible, with long gaps between charges

This ANC headphone runs long, supports USB audio and has a documented battery replacement procedure. Before counting on it, confirm that the BA 500 spare is available in the US. Battery-free AUX is not something to rely on, since current support and the earlier manual disagree.

Best forGoing long between charges, with planned battery service once a spare is confirmed

A lightweight, long-battery pair for Bluetooth and USB audio. With no analog input, it leaves Accentum Plus as the better choice for an airplane seat jack or a flat-battery fallback.

Best forA light pair with a 50-hour ANC claim

Upgrading to Plus gets you travel extras, namely an analog input, a cable and a carry case, but no extra advertised runtime. At 227 g it weighs less than Momentum 4 and still has USB audio.

Best forA lighter pair for travel that offers both USB and passive analog

This older Px7 comes with both a USB cable and an analog-source cable in the box. Judge it on the actual seller and the condition of the package, because the later S2e has the identical 307 g weight and 30-hour playback claim.

Best forAn earlier Px7 offer that includes two audio cables

If USB audio, an analog-source cable and a carry case cover what you need, this is a simple alternative to Px7 S3. The newer S3 saves 7 g, but it does not advertise more playback hours.

Best forPx7 features, minus any need for aptX Lossless

Px7 S3 is the one to get for its 300 g build and updated connection support. Since Px8 S2 has the same 30-hour playback claim and the same included USB and analog-source cables, those features alone are no reason to spend more.

Best forA current Bowers pair that is lighter and offers two wired ways to listen

This leather-and-aluminum model advertises the same playback duration as Px8 S2. At a better offer the older one can deserve a look, though its materials do not prove it sounds better.

Best forAn earlier Px8 offer with leather trim

Go for this one if the leather-and-aluminum build is what you specifically want and you have tried the fit. Px7 S3 offers the same 30-hour playback claim and key cable options in a frame that is 10 g lighter.

Best forA leather-and-aluminum build that comes with current Bowers connections

It pays off most when you already have a compatible Sonos soundbar and want its TV audio sent to headphones. Ordinary Bluetooth, USB-C and the supplied analog-source cable work as well.

Best forListening to TV privately through a compatible Sonos soundbar

An open, wired pair meant for a quiet desk, with a 3.5 mm plug and a cable you can replace. Leave it at home if other people sit nearby.

Best forQuiet-desk listening with nothing to charge

A wired open-back pair for a listening spot that stays put. Its 3 m cable stretches to a nearby hi-fi system, so the amp does not have to sit on your lap.

Best forSitting quietly in a chair close to a headphone amp

This open-back headphone needs no battery, comes with a 3 m lead and has replaceable parts. A quiet home setup is a far better match for it than a commute.

Best forExtended sessions with a hi-fi system at home

This wired open-back pair ships with a 6.3 mm cable and a 4.4 mm cable. It helps if your headphone amp already has a balanced output.

Best forQuiet-desk use with conventional and balanced headphone outputs both available

If you cannot offer open-back headphones a quiet room, this closed wired pair is the alternative. Its 1.8 m lead detaches, and there is no wireless connection.

Best forA wired pair for a home office you share

This studio-focused open-back pair lets you plug the cable into either earcup and includes two sets of pads. Choose whichever side keeps the cable away from your mouse hand.

Best forRecording desks where you care how the cable runs

This foldable wired pair ships with a short cable, a long one and a coiled one, so you can go from a laptop to an audio interface without buying another lead.

Best forA single wired pair that serves a recording desk and a laptop bag

At 240 g, this wired studio model folds to go in a bag and has a replaceable cable. The leads in the box suit an interface or desktop setup better.

Best forWired recording with a lighter closed-back pair

This wired studio model comes with three detachable leads and a carrying case. The cups turn flat, so look at the packed shape before picking it for a small bag.

Best forStudio sessions with a case in the box and a choice of cable lengths

This closed-back folding design gains Bluetooth and phone calls, and keeps a passive cable backup for when the battery dies. The USB-C port only charges.

Best forBluetooth at work, plus wired listening at home that needs no battery

A closed studio pair that includes two locking mini-XLR cables, one shorter for the desk and one longer for the studio.

Best forClosed-back recording where the cables can be swapped out

This open-back studio model comes with two detachable cable lengths. It belongs at a quiet mixing desk, away from any microphone that could pick up the playback.

Best forA quiet studio desk, with long and short cables that can be swapped

This is the classic closed studio model, in the 250-ohm version. Go in knowing the cable is fixed, and look at your interface's headphone output before you buy.

Best forA closed-back monitoring setup that stays in place

This closed recording headphone has a straight 3 m cable that locks into the earcup, which suits an interface sitting across the desk.

Best forCapturing speech or instruments by way of a wired interface

This closed studio pair includes a locking straight lead and a carrying bag. What comes in the box works with a laptop jack and with a conventional headphone interface.

Best forClosed-back monitoring in the studio, with a carrying bag included

This full-size open planar headphone has a detachable 1.5 m cable. Expect to sit somewhere quiet, and try the fit before you commit to a pair that weighs 405 g.

Best forQuiet listening at home, where full-size headphones have space

This open planar headphone has a suspension headband and a detachable cable. Find out which revision is supplied, as the current listing blends older and newer specification figures.

Best forA suspension-style headband for listening in a quiet room

A folding travel pair offering ANC and multipoint, with a 40-hour ANC-on rating. Its 55-hour figure is longer but only holds with noise cancellation off.

Best forTrain commutes and workdays split between laptop and phone

This ANC pair is built for travel, with a segmented headband that folds down smaller. Like Space One, its ANC-on battery rating is 40 hours.

Best forFitting full-size ANC headphones into a bag that is already full

This ANC headphone package includes a separate Smart Tx transmitter for wired audio sources. USB digital audio can also go straight in.

Best forFlights and desks with an audio source that lacks Bluetooth

With a 50-hour ANC-on rating and a Bluetooth link to two devices, this folding ANC pair helps when you want longer gaps between charges in the workweek.

Best forListening with noise cancellation on for an entire workweek

This folding ANC pair weighs 232 g and comes with multipoint and a 1.2 m analog lead. Look at the 44-hour ANC rating rather than only the 70-hour headline.

Best forCommuting with a laptop and phone in a lighter pair

This folding over-ear pair has a 70-hour ANC-on claim and weighs 250 g. It suits long trips where you would rather charge less often.

Best forANC on long travel days, with fewer stops to charge

At 186 g, this compact on-ear pair has a 100-plus-hour wireless claim and a 3.5 mm cable option. Buy it for portability. Noise cancellation is not its strength.

Best forTraveling light without needing ANC

This folding wired studio pair ships with a short lead, a long one and a coiled one. It works at a laptop desk or a standing recording position, and never needs charging.

Best forSwitching from a laptop to a recording interface

This 219 g folding wired pair comes with a 1.2 m straight lead and a 3 m one. Pick it if low weight outranks having a coiled cable in the box.

Best forA lighter wired pair for laptop and studio use

These open-back wired headphones come with 3 m leads for 6.35 mm and balanced 4.4 mm headphone outputs. You will want a quiet room and a suitable analog source.

Best forA quiet place to listen, where you can use either supplied 3 m cable

These open-back wired headphones have a fixed coiled cable and ear and headband pads that you can replace yourself. Before you pick the 250-ohm version, check your headphone output.

Best forA quiet desk where leaking sound is fine and a cable that stays attached and coiled works for your setup

These closed-back wired headphones fold inward and have a coiled cable that is permanently attached. An adapter in the box lets them plug into a larger studio headphone jack.

Best forWired recording that travels between a desk and a bag, as long as a fixed coiled lead fits how you work

This folding ANC pair has a documented analog backup for an empty battery. Its 27-hour headline falls to 20 hours when LDAC and ANC are both used. Run the noise-canceling optimizer again whenever your glasses or fit change.

Best forA packed travel bag, with an analog fallback that needs no battery

A single pair can handle wireless listening and a USB-connected work desk, and a transmitter is included for compatible sources. Keep it charged even with the analog cable, and for USB audio, disconnect Bluetooth.

Best forA laptop setup centered on music that also needs a wired path for the microphone

You can switch between wireless listening and a USB work desk, and decide how two connected devices take priority. The highest-resolution USB mode turns off ANC, EQ and the microphone, so pick the mode that fits the job.

Best forA desk used for both work and music, where you can choose USB modes and device priority on purpose

It covers wireless listening on the road and USB audio at the desk. Even when you pack the analog cable, keep it charged. Check how you will take calls, since jack listening disables the microphone and USB calls do not work with iOS.

Best forListening to music over Bluetooth and at a compatible USB desk, as long as you charge it regularly

The difference is Focal’s magnesium driver and revised noise-cancellation microphones. Travel size and connection limits stay the same as on the original Bathys. Try it out if you have a sound or isolation preference, and do not expect the premium to remove charging or wired-call restrictions.

Best forSomeone who has compared sound and isolation and picks the MG on purpose

Long advertised ANC playback comes together with a battery and pads that the owner can replace. The analog cable takes more care than the USB-C connector implies, because Cambridge specifies a proprietary lead and not an ordinary phone adapter.

Best forDaily listening over the long run, with a battery you can replace yourself and fewer charging stops