Headphones
Find the best headphones — compared on specs, scores and value.
Headphones buying guide
Headphones are deeply personal, but they're still comparable on the things that objectively matter — sound quality, noise cancelling, wireless stability, battery life and comfort. Our headphone comparisons score audio, noise cancelling, wireless, battery, comfort and build, and connectivity together, so you can narrow the field by what actually differs before you ever put them on.
What matters most when comparing headphones
Audio
Sound quality is the most heavily weighted factor — driver quality, tuning and codec support shape what you actually hear, and it's where premium and budget models genuinely separate.
Noise cancelling
For travel and commuting, active noise cancelling is often the deciding feature. Its effectiveness varies widely between models even at similar prices, so we score it distinctly.
Battery and wireless
Battery life and a stable wireless connection (codec support, Bluetooth version) decide how usable wireless headphones are day to day — a great-sounding pair that dies mid-flight or drops connection isn't much use.
Comfort and build
Weight, clamping force and materials decide whether you can wear them for hours. It's subjective, but build quality and design choices are comparable and matter for long sessions.
Common questions
- What matters most when comparing headphones?
- Sound quality carries the most weight, but noise cancelling, battery life and comfort all shape the real experience. Our scoring reflects all of these rather than ranking by a single spec.
- Does a higher price mean better sound?
- Not reliably. Tuning and driver quality matter more than price, and features like noise cancelling can inflate cost without improving pure audio. Our comparisons score audio separately so you can see where the money actually goes.
- How often is headphone comparison data updated?
- Specs and scores are reviewed as new models are added and pricing changes; each comparison page shows when its underlying data was last touched.
Filters
Sort By
Brand
Battery (ANC)
29 products
92
87
87
86
84
84
84
83
83
82
82
82
76
76
76
73
72
72
72
63
42
39
38
38
About Headphones Comparisons
We compare 29 pairs of headphones side by side — scoring each 0–100 on the specs that matter, then weighing performance, features and value for money so you can decide with confidence. Browse Sennheiser, Sony and Apple and more.
The top-rated pair of headphones right now is Marshall Monitor III ANC (92/100), and prices across the range run from $99 to $3,499. For the best score per dollar, Nothing Headphone (a) stands out as the value pick. Pick any two above to see a full head-to-head.