Best backtoschool headphones
Sony WH-1000XM3
The third generation of Sony’s excellent wireless noisecanceling headphones has a more comfortable fit and even better performance than its predecessor. The sound quality is perfect for listening to music. With a strong battery life, these overtheear wireless headphones are toprated for noise cancellation, edging out the more expensive Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. While the headphones list for $350, they are often discounted to $280. And it’s doubly important to seek out that discount: With a nextgen version of this pair of wireless headphones having already been spotted on Twitter, we expect the XM4 successor to arrive later this year.
Jabra Elite 75t
At first glance, the Elite 75t, which was originally supposed to cost $200 but now sells for as low as $150, seemed more like an evolutionary upgrade from the Elite 65t. But the updates turned out to be a little more substantial than we first thought. The earbuds and case are 20% smaller than the Elite 65t, and battery life and USBC charging are significant upgrades. There are also smaller changes, like the new charging case design with magnets that make it easier to open and close and to keep the buds inside. While not quite as comfortable as AirPods Pro and with no active noise canceling, these make music sound better, with clearer overall sound and better bass definition.
Bose Noise Canceling 700
The longawaited successor to the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II, these wireless headphones may not be a quantum leap forward but they offer slightly better sound quality, call and noisecanceling function. These overtheear headphones cost nearly $400, but they’re strong allaround performers with up to 20 hours of battery life for listening to podcasts, music and more. This model works significantly better than the Sony WH1000XM3 as a headset for making calls. For some people that may be worth the extra cost for the wireless earphones.