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.
Wired earbuds are making a small comeback, and Bose is capitalizing on it — with ANC this time.
It’s harder to be a perv in these audio-only glasses, but removing the ick does make them less ‘useful.’
Latest In Headphone Reviews
8
Verge Score
With better sound, better ANC, and Wi-Fi audio streaming, the Ace Ultra are finally worthy of the Sonos name.
8
Verge Score
Alongside solid ANC, the Nothing Headphone 1 Pro include a triple-driver design and a unique switch for studio pros.
7
Verge Score
With swappable ear cushions and IPX4 water resistance, the Beats 360 should stand up better to sweat than most headphones.
8
Verge Score
The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case have great ANC and finally add swipe volume controls.
7
Verge Score
There’s nothing really wrong with the QuietComfort Headphones 2nd Gen, but there’s nothing exciting about them, either.
7
Verge Score
The CMF Clip Pro are a very comfortable option for those that hate things in their ears.
7
Verge Score
At $99, Nothing can get away with some minor flaws, especially when the earbuds look this good.
Earbuds come and go in the life of a reviewer, but these three have earned permanent spots in my life.
8
Verge Score
Soundcore earbuds have outperformed their price for years, but now with vastly improved call quality, the Liberty 5 Pro set the bar.
7
Verge Score
The latest headphones from Sony are a more plush take on its flagship series, with a price tag to match.
8
Verge Score
Apple’s over-ear headphones get better sound and new features, but they’re still heavy and expensive.
Sound and ANC performance improve with the Buds 4 Pro, but you still need a Galaxy phone for full functionality.
7
Verge Score
The second over-ear offering from Nothing keeps much of what was great about the Headphone 1 for $100 less.
8
Verge Score
The new flagship earbuds are the best at ANC, if you can get a good seal in your ear.
7
Verge Score
The Sony LinkBuds Clip are comfortable with good sound, but are light on features for the price.
8
Verge Score
While the noise-canceling improvements are great, there’s not much to set them apart from the first gen.
6
Verge Score
Innovative earbuds with a microphone built into the charging case.
7
Verge Score
Good for side-sleepers but ANC kills battery life.
9
Verge Score
Everything you already liked about these earbuds just got better.
7
Verge Score
Bluetooth headphones these days are computers, and Nothing’s over-the-ear headphones will always remind you of that.
0Better sound, better noise cancellation, and some design improvements, but a higher price.
8
Verge Score
The wait was worth it thanks to a host of smart updates to sound and fit. I guess heart rate monitoring is there, too.
8
Verge Score
Three-way multipoint, even better sound, and a more comfortable design make these appealing if you’re willing to splurge.
SteelSeries brings its EQ audio expertise to consoles and mobile devices.
8
Verge Score
The company’s latest flagship earbuds might lack originality, but they nail sound quality, transparency mode, and voice call performance.
9
Verge Score
With a slew of improvements led by a far more comfortable design, Google’s latest earbuds are a compelling upgrade for Pixel owners.
The AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation are worth springing for compared to the regular pair. Both sound good, but the ANC works surprisingly well — most of the time.
The OpenRun Pro 2 add USB-C charging, a dedicated speaker for bass, reduced vibration, and AI noise cancellation.
The bass is pretty good for open-ear fitness buds, but alas, my glasses foiled the ear hook design.
Usually, I’m all about the bass for workout headphones, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Suunto Sonic and Wing.
7
Verge Score
The first headphones from Sonos deliver on comfort, sound, and more — with a unique TV Audio Swap feature that’s very convenient (when it works). But the ongoing app fiasco casts a cloud over the company’s big moment.
7
Verge Score
Beats’ on-ear headphones get an overdue refresh with a more comfortable design, longer battery life, and wired audio over both USB-C and the 3.5mm jack — but no ANC.
7
Verge Score
The Soundcore Sleep A20 are decent passive earbuds that are great for side sleepers, even if Anker overpromises.
For once, I didn’t have to worry about a fiddly fit getting in the way of heart rate tracking.
8
Verge Score
The company has always delivered on audio quality, but after stumbling with some bugs and hardware issues on the Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds, Sennheiser is focusing on the little things — and it shows.
6
Verge Score
With a design that clings to your outer ear, these earbuds are unlike anything the company has made before.