Independent TV and headphone buying advice

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Which TV Should I Buy?

Headphones · 13 models · 7 guides

Which headphones should you buy?

Your phone, your budget, and what you do with them matter more than any spec sheet. Start with our four picks, or answer four questions and get a shortlist with reasons.

Start the finderOr read the headphone guides

Quick picks

If you just want the answer

  1. Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless noise-cancelling headphones in black, three-quarter view

    Best overall

    Sony WH-1000XM6

    ~$378 (approx., Oct 2026)

    Wirecutter's top noise-cancelling pick and SoundGuys' best for most people: 30 h with ANC, 12 mics for calls, and ~$378 against a $459.99 list price.

    Check price
  2. Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless noise-cancelling earbuds in black with charging case

    Best earbuds

    Sony WF-1000XM6

    ~$258 (approx., Oct 2026)

    SoundGuys' best earbuds overall, with LDAC, multipoint and a Qi case. The pick for Android, and still a strong one on iPhone, at ~$258.

    Check price
  3. Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds with their charging case

    Best for iPhone

    Apple AirPods Pro 3

    ~$179 (approx., Oct 2026)

    SoundGuys measured its ANC among the best of any earbud, it's IP57, and it tracks heart rate. At ~$179 it's the easy iPhone call.

    Check price
  4. Soundcore Space One noise-cancelling headphones in sky blue

    Best budget

    Soundcore Space One

    ~$84.99 (approx., Oct 2026)

    Wirecutter's budget pick: 40 h with ANC, LDAC and multipoint for ~$84.99. Sound and calls trail the flagships; the price gap is far bigger.

    Check price

Disclosure: “Check price” buttons are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you; it never changes our picks, which come from published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own testing. Product images: official manufacturer photos (Apple, Sony, Soundcore).

The headphone finder

Tell us how you listen

01Headphones or earbuds?
02What will you use them for most?
03What phone do you use?
04What's your budget?

Picks update live as you choose. No email, no sign-up.

Your shortlist

Top picks for how you listen

Headphones or earbuds for travel, with an iPhone, under $300: here are your top 3 picks.

  1. Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds with their charging case
    Image: Apple (official product page, opens in a new tab)
    01

    Top pick

    Apple AirPods Pro 3

    Type
    Earbuds ANC
    Approx. price
    ~$179
    Released
    Sep 2025
    Best with
    iPhone

    The default earbuds for iPhone owners, with ANC SoundGuys ranks among the best of any earbud.

    • 5/5 for travel and commuting, the top score here. Battery: Up to 8 h with ANC.
    • Built around the iPhone, so the Apple-only features just work.
    • ~$179 (approx.), inside your $300 budget.

    Top fit scores

    Travel
    5 out of 5
    Value
    5 out of 5
    Calls
    4 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the review: Apple AirPods Pro 3
  2. Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless noise-cancelling earbuds in black with charging case
    Image: Sony (official product page, opens in a new tab)
    02

    Sony WF-1000XM6

    Type
    Earbuds ANC
    Approx. price
    ~$258
    Released
    Feb 2026
    Best with
    Android

    SoundGuys' best earbuds overall, and the pick for Android owners who want LDAC and EQ.

    • 5/5 for travel and commuting, the top score here. Battery: 8 h with ANC, 12 h without.
    • Fine on an iPhone, though its LDAC support goes unused there.
    • ~$258 (approx.), inside your $300 budget.

    Top fit scores

    Travel
    5 out of 5
    Calls
    5 out of 5
    Music
    4 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the review: Sony WF-1000XM6
  3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) in black with charging case
    Image: Bose (official product page, opens in a new tab)
    03

    Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

    Type
    Earbuds ANC
    Approx. price
    ~$299
    Released
    2025
    Best with
    Any phone

    The noise-cancelling earbuds to buy when silence matters more than price or battery life.

    • 5/5 for travel and commuting, the top score here. Battery: 6 h (4 h with Immersive Audio).
    • Fine on an iPhone, though its aptX Adaptive support goes unused there.
    • ~$299 (approx.), inside your $300 budget.

    Top fit scores

    Travel
    5 out of 5
    Calls
    4 out of 5
    Workouts
    3 out of 5

    Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.

    Check price

    Affiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.

    Read the review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

Ranked on our editorial fit scores (from published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own tests) and approximate Amazon prices seen Oct 5, 2026. Check price links are affiliate links.

The lineup

Every pair we cover

13 models from Sony, Bose, Apple, Sennheiser, Sonos, Samsung, Beats and Soundcore. Each one has a full review page with specs, sources, and who should skip it.

Over-ear and on-ear · 07

Earbuds · 06

Go deeper

Headphone buying guides

  1. 01

    The Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones of 2026

    Our 2026 over-ear noise-cancelling picks: Sony's WH-1000XM6 for most people, Bose's QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) as runner-up, and AirPods Max 2 for iPhone.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    6 picks

    Read the guide →

  2. 02

    The Best Wireless Earbuds of 2026

    Our 2026 earbud picks: Sony's WF-1000XM6 overall, AirPods Pro 3 for iPhone, Galaxy Buds4 Pro for Samsung phones, and Soundcore's Liberty 5 on a budget.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    6 picks

    Read the guide →

  3. 03

    The Best Headphones Under $100

    The best headphones under $100 on Amazon: Soundcore's Space One over-ears and Liberty 5 earbuds, plus the Beats Solo 4, which is only under $100 on sale.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    3 picks

    Read the guide →

  4. 04

    The Best Headphones Under $200

    Under $200 on Amazon: AirPods Pro 3 for iPhone, Powerbeats Pro 2 for workouts, Soundcore's Space One and Liberty 5 for value, and the Beats Solo 4 on sale.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    5 picks

    Read the guide →

  5. 05

    The Best Travel Headphones of 2026

    For flights and commutes: Sony's WH-1000XM6 over-ears and WF-1000XM6 earbuds, Bose's QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), and the 57-hour Sennheiser Momentum 5.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    6 picks

    Read the guide →

  6. 06

    The Best Headphones for iPhone in 2026

    AirPods Pro 3 are the best headphones for most iPhone owners. AirPods Max 2, Powerbeats Pro 2, Beats Solo 4, and Sony's WH-1000XM6 cover everyone else.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    5 picks

    Read the guide →

  7. 07

    The Best Headphones for Android in 2026

    Sony's WF-1000XM6 earbuds and WH-1000XM6 over-ears lead for Android. Galaxy Buds4 Pro are for Galaxy owners only, and Soundcore covers tight budgets.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    6 picks

    Read the guide →

Head to head

Headphone comparisons

  1. 01

    Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

    Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), SoundGuys' top two noise cancellers, compared on battery, codecs, mics and price, with a clear pick.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    Edge: WH-1000XM6

    Read the comparison →

  2. 02

    AirPods Pro 3 vs Galaxy Buds4 Pro

    Apple's AirPods Pro 3 vs Samsung's Galaxy Buds4 Pro: ANC, battery, codecs, health features and price. Your phone decides this one, and here's why.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    Verdict: depends on your phone

    Read the comparison →

  3. 03

    Sony WF-1000XM6 vs AirPods Pro 3

    SoundGuys' best earbuds overall vs its best for iPhone. We compare the WF-1000XM6 and AirPods Pro 3 on codecs, EQ, water resistance, battery and price.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    Verdict: depends on your phone

    Read the comparison →

  4. 04

    Sennheiser Momentum 5 vs Sony WH-1000XM6

    Sennheiser's music-first Momentum 5 vs Sony's noise-cancelling WH-1000XM6: sound, ANC, battery, codecs and price, and which one suits how you listen.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    Edge: WH-1000XM6

    Read the comparison →

  5. 05

    AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

    AirPods Pro 3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): ANC, battery, water resistance, codecs and a $120 price gap. Here's which to buy.

    Updated Oct 5, 2026

    Edge: AirPods Pro 3

    Read the comparison →

Methodology

How we score headphones

Every model gets six editorial fit scores from 1 to 5. They're our synthesis of published reviews (Wirecutter, SoundGuys, PCMag, The Verge and others, credited on each page) and manufacturer specs. We don't run a test bench, and we never claim measurements we didn't take.

Value is judged at the approximate Amazon price we saw on October 5, 2026, so it moves when prices do. No brand pays for placement.

Read the full methodology
01Travel / commute
ANC strength, battery, comfort, and portability for commutes and flights.
02Office calls
Mic quality, multipoint, and comfort over long meeting days.
03Workouts
Fit security, water and sweat resistance, and weight.
04Music listening
Tuning, codecs, and EQ for critical listening.
05Gaming / latency
Latency, plus wired or low-latency options.
06Value
What you get at the approximate street price.