Apple has a talent for removing the annoyances from our everyday routines and replacing them with a refined sense of style. Consider earbuds: for years, you had to select whether you wanted them to be incredibly comfortable or super quiet. You choose open designs that allowed the world in, or sealed tips that kept you completely out of touch, even in a packed subway. With the AirPods 4, which have active noise cancellation, now available for $99 (was $179), all of that sounds like old history.
Apple’s AirPods Max have always been pricey, but at $399 (down from $599) ahead of Cyber Monday for the USB-C version, that hesitation goes away fast. These over-ear headphones deliver a full experience from the very first listen. The design wraps around your head with a breathable knit mesh canopy and anodized aluminum cups that feel substantial without weighing you down. Weighing under a pound, they fold flat for easy storage in the included slim case which now has a better magnetic closure to keep everything secure.
In a world where premium headphones often demand a premium paycheck, the Beats Studio Pro steps in with a quiet confidence. This over-ear model, priced at $139 on sale (down from $350), promise the kind of active noise cancellation and audio punch that echoes Apple’s AirPods Max, yet they arrive at a fraction of that model’s $549 tag.
Amazon is known for sneaking everyday essentials into its lineup that end up exceeding expectations, and their Basics range of over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation is a prime example. Right now you can pick them up for just $24.99, down from $79.99, and you get a seriously impressive 20 hours of entertainment out of them if you turn on the noise cancellation. That jumps to 35 hours if you don’t bother with the cancellation.
Apple offers AirPods 4 in two versions. The low-end one has come down to $89 (from $129), and gives up on active noise cancellation. The more expensive one is $179 and includes that feature. Lots of reviewers make a strong case for the pricier model. They point to noise blocking and wireless charging as the key things you can’t live without – fair enough if you’re stuck in a noisy city or always on the move. But after living with both models for a while now, the base model is still the smarter choice for everyday life.
Bose has spent years perfecting the art of quieting the world down and the QuietComfort Headphones, priced at $199 (was $349), are the latest result of that effort with an almost blissfully personal focus on comfort. These over-ear headphones arrive in a slim black box with a USB-C plug, a good old fashioned audio cable for when you need to go wired, and a compact travel case that’ll slip easily into your hand luggage. And the best bit is they weigh less than half a pound, fold up neatly when you need to stash them away and have earcups that swivel to fit snugly round your head – no more bulky gear here.
Beats Flex Wireless earbuds don’t just put up a fight against Apple’s AirPods – they make you seriously wonder if it’s even worth splurging on a set of those pricey, completely wireless ones. At $30.01 (down from $65.99) these earbuds serve up a winning combination of ease of use, decent sound quality and comfort that you can’t ignore, especially if you’ve spent all your time fiddling with tiny lost earbuds or wincing at the price tag.
Apple’s AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation (ANC) offer a refined take on the classic open design, with features that make daily listening easier and more immersive without the bulk or pressure of in-ear sealing. At $139.99 (was $179), they fall somewhere between the basic AirPods 4 and the more expensive Pro models.
For $149.99 with a free Galaxy SmartTag2, the Galaxy Buds3 FE are a great deal for anyone outside the Apple ecosystem. At $100 cheaper than the AirPods Pro 3, these earbuds combine smart design, great sound and clever features that make them a great choice for Android users, especially those already using Samsung devices.
AirPods Pro 3 just launched this week and have already been discounted to $239 (down from $249). These wireless earbuds are a game-changer, with unmatched noise cancellation, comfort and sound in a package that feels effortless.