7 Best Bluetooth Headphones in 2024
If you’re looking to buy some Bluetooth headphones, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are so many choices and most of them are on the spendy side, so making the right purchase is important. We’ve selected our favorite Bluetooth headphones for 2024. We’ll cover their pros, cons, and other factors that can help you pick the best fit for your needs.
The Top Bluetooth Headphones for 2024
Here are our top 7 picks for best Bluetooth headphones, along with a breakdown of our favorite features.
Best Overall: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones
Price: $429.00
Bose is one of the top brands in the speaker/headphone industry. Period. If it has to do with audio, Bose knows their stuff. Not only do these speakers sound amazing, they are supremely comfortable and have impressive noise-canceling capabilities. They’re perfect for work, noisy airplanes, or just enjoying whatever audio you want to stream to them. If you want a solid set of Bluetooth headphones and don’t want to dig through a million choices, you really can’t go wrong with Bose.
Pros:
- Spatial audio immerses your listening experience
- Noise canceling includes different modes, including immersion, aware, and quiet modes
- Built-in microphone so you can use with your phone or PC calls and meetings
- 30 feet connectivity range
- Can be controlled from your device or via the buttons on the headphone itself
Cons:
- While 24-hour battery life is good, other options on our list have longer charges
- The bass levels are on the heavier side, which is great for many listeners but some may find it overwhelming
- Customer service can be difficult to deal with if there are malfunctions
Best For Smart Features: Sony WH-1000XM5
Price: $398.00
Sony has been in the electronics game a long time. They know what they’re doing. These headphones have some of the highest ratings of any on our list for good reason. They have crisp, excellent sound quality, great battery life, and intuitive noise-canceling functions. What really sets these apart are their smart features, such as speak-to-chat, which automatically pauses your music when you talk so you can hear your conversation.
Pros:
- Instant pause feature means when you take the headphones off, music is automatically paused, restarting where it left off when you put them back on again
- 30-hour battery life. Quick charge feature gives you two hours of charge in only three minutes
- Automatic noise canceling optimization which adjusts depending on your surroundings
- Earcup microphones calibrated to emphasize your voice on phone calls and diminish other sounds
Cons:
- External headphone controls are not as responsive as they could be
- Build quality isn’t as sturdy as other brands
- Mediocre app
Best For Build Quality And Apple Users: Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
Price: $549.00
You certainly don’t need to only use these headphones with other Apple products, but they pair particularly seamlessly if you do. These AirPods are widely loved for all the usual features you’re looking for in Bluetooth headphones, such as sound quality, noise canceling, etc. That said, the solid, metal construction makes these substantially sturdier and more rugged than other brands. Plus, they come in snazzy colors for anyone wanting to combine aesthetics with function.
Pros:
- Active noise cancellation
- Transparency mode lets you hear your surroundings
- Extremely easy to pair with Apple devices
- Great quality audio capabilities
- Sturdy, well-crafted build
Cons:
- Battery life is only 20 hours
- More expensive than many other brands
- May feel heavy for some people
Best For Mid-Range Budgets: Technics Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
Price: $347.99
If you want great quality headphones for less, Technics makes a solid offering. Besides the baseline features most Bluetooth headphones come standard with, there are some valuable extras that set Technics apart from the rest of our list. For starters? A whopping fifty hour battery life. There are also several customizable settings and earpiece sizes (seven of them), so you can adjust the features and fit exactly how you like.
Pros:
- Extended battery life
- Top of the line noise-canceling functionality
- Advanced wind noise reduction
- Multi-point connectivity to switch between Bluetooth devices
- Adjustable ambient options to control how much you hear in your environment
Cons:
- Not comfortable when exercising as you hear it wobble with movement
- Sound quality is slightly less than expensive brands
Best For Low Budget Options: Soundcore by Anker Space Q45
Price: $149.99
Soundcore headphones are the rare intersection of affordability and quality. They have even longer battery life than Technics (65 hours), and still have noise canceling capabilities and high-res audio. Another bonus is five levels of transparency mode customizations, so you can fine-tune how much environmental noise you let in. Lastly, it is one of the few brands that prioritizes responsible sustainability, including energy efficiency, worker well-being, and climate friendly manufacturing.
Pros:
- Dual connections
- Wide range of connectivity (50 feet)
- Adaptive noise canceling to match your surroundings
- Double-layer diaphragm drivers for better sound and bass
- Customizable controls via the app
Cons:
- Can be a little uncomfortable and heavy
- Audio quality not quite as high as other brands
Best For High-End And Audio Quality: Focal Bathys Over Ear HiFi Bluetooth Wireless Headphones
Price: $693.99
Not gonna lie. These are expensive. In this case, however, you get what you pay for. The materials are quality. Leather, aluminum, magnesium, and M-dome speaker drivers made in France. It also has multiple connectivity options, such as Bluetooth and USB or even 3.5mm jack. Buyers appreciate Focal not only due to the superior build, but also the well-balanced audio with clear highs and bass that isn’t overemphasized. It does have some typical Bluetooth headphone functions, like some noise canceling and calling features, but the biggest reason to buy these, maybe the only reason that matters, is the next-level sound quality.
Pros:
- Unbeatable hi-fidelity sound
- Strong, high-quality materials
- Multiple connectivity options, including wired choices
Cons:
- Battery life is 30 hours. Decent but not great
- Noise canceling capabilities are not as good as other brands because the focus is on audio quality
- Expensive
Best For Long Wearing Comfort: Master And Dynamic MW75
Price: $599.00
These headphones are well loved and considered luxurious not only because of their lambskin leather earpads, but also their top tier audio quality as well. Other materials used besides leather include tempered glass and aluminum, crafted with the wearer’s comfort in mind. Users can wear them for hours with ease, the only problem is they can be a little heavy so people with neck problems may experience fatigue. Otherwise, your ears will not get aggravated, sore, or sweaty like many other headphones. Besides all this, the level of sound and noise canceling rivals most other options on our list.
Pros:
- Adaptive noise cancellation
- 100 feet of Bluetooth range
- 40mm Beryllium coated drivers for quality sound
- Clarity features for talking and taking calls
- Voice assistant function
Cons:
- Ear pads have been known to rip after prolonged usage. You can replace them, but they can be expensive
- Setting customizations available via the app, but not as many as other brands
Conclusion
Hopefully with all these choices, you’ll find Bluetooth headphones that meet your budget, needs, and priorities. Whether you only care about stellar audio quality or you want something well rounded with all the bells and whistles, you have a good list to get you started.
I’ve been unable to get the Sony WH-CH510 to pair with Ubuntu 22.04.
Hello,
I have done an acquisition for Anker Soundcore Life P2 and using them with Linux Ubuntu 18.04.
The microphone is not working for this headphone, event they are paired as Headset, in fact they are pairing only as Headset.
BR