Best wireless headphones 2023: Top Bluetooth options from Sony, Bowers and Wilkins, Bose and more

While many people are turning to the best true wireless earbuds for their audio needs on the go, there are still those people who prefer to lose themselves in their music using a pair of proper over-ear cans.

Choosing the best wireless headphones for the job will depend on how you’re most likely to use them – whether you are thinking about trips to the gym, to while away time on your commute or for frequent travel abroad, there will be a pair of headphones here that will suit you.

Read on to discover which you should pick, but if noise cancellation is top of your priorities, our best ANC headphones and earbuds piece will give you a much broader view of what’s available across over-ears, on-ears and in-ears.

Sony’s noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones are an extraordinary all-rounder, providing a sound experience that we’d class as among the best we’ve ever tested – now with a fresh new design.

The WH-1000XM5 are particularly clever with noise-cancelling, offering various modes to allow your voice to pass through (or not), and more effective than ever. Hi-res music support is offered by LDAC.

Sound great, great to wear and outstanding on noise reduction – you get 30 hours of playback (ANC on) and the option for a wired connection when the battery runs flat.

The WH-1000XM4 that they replace are still worth considering – as they’ll be a little cheaper – but this latest pair of Sony headphones is a masterclass.

These over-ears don’t just improve on the original Px7s, they match their peers expertly – and, in many cases, they better them.

Audio performance is throaty and robust, with there’s fine control over clarity, too. You’ll get as much enjoyment from a bass-heavy Stormzy session as you will an episode of The Umbrella Academy on a packed train – they’re a commuter’s dream.

That’s helped because noise cancellation has been enhanced, too, with better blocking of unwanted ambience without impacting sound quality.

Perhaps what elevates them to compete more readily with the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the like, though, is the design. Not only do the Px7 S2s look incredibly slick, but they are also by far the most comfortable Bowers & Wilkins wireless headphones yet.

Bose’s QC45 wireless headphones are another triumph, bringing users top-tier noise-cancelling, thumping bass and a design that’s suited to life on the road.

Physical buttons return to the outer shell, while the folding design makes it ideal for throwing into bags and the likes. The 24-hour battery life, as well, while not being class-leading, is still very good.

The only real downside to the package is that it isn’t quite as premium in looks or feel as the NC Headphones 700 from Bose, and, like some of Sony’s options, the upgrades are relatively mild in comparison to previous generations.

That aside, though, the latest QuietComfort model is still very easy to recommend over rivals

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 are a predictably gorgeous pair of headphones built with refined styling and luxurious materials that’ll please those with the fussiest of tastes. They take the design up a notch from the Px7 S2, and the audio performance gets some improvement too – but you will need to feed them the very best source material to get the most from them.

In terms of specs, you get top features like aptX Adaptive, quality ANC, transparency mode, Bluetooth 5.2 and support for wireless codecs up to 24-bit/48kHz, which B&W calls “better than CD” quality.

There’s no denying that it’s an expensive pair of headphones though. At £599 / €699 / $699, this is a pair that’s a lot more expensive than most others on the list, but for those who want that ultra-premium feel and incredible sound quality, these are among the best on the market.

The Grado GW100X are undoubtedly a niche set of headphones, designed primarily for home listening, but with the wireless connectivity normally associated with portable products.

However, if you hate being tethered down by wires, and want to experience uncompromising spacious sound, these are just the ticket.

The battery life is incredible and multipoint connectivity makes them more convenient than ever before. The sound is absolutely stellar, with a wide soundstage, sparkling detail and a suprising amount of low end response.

We only wished that they felt a little more premium, but in some ways, the rudimentary retro constuction just adds to the charm.

If you’re on the hunt for Bluetooth open back headphones, these are likely the best sounding option on the market.

The Bose NC 700 over-ears really step things up a gear from models that came before it, offering a really premium-feeling design.

There’s superb noise-cancelling to cut out external sound, and loud and proud sound quality without the need for wires (a backup 2.5-3.5mm cable is included in the carry case, though).

The battery life lasts for about 18 hours, too, making these good over-ear headphones for travelling – providing you can manage the design, obviously.

Despite their age, these headphones still look, feel and sound better than many rivals – including alternatives from Bose itself. It’s been overtaken in some regards, sure, but this is still an outstanding pair to invest in.

For Master & Dynamic, making just another pair of wireless headphones was never going to be enough. The Master & Dynamic MW75 are a very unique pair that combine ultra-premium materials with out-of-this-world sound.

The ANC offered is effective at cutting out most noise, while the audio quality and sound profile mean you’ll enjoy your music to the fullest.

Sure, M&D could have gone with a more feature-rich approach like Sony, but, by focusing on the design and core sound experience, the New York-based company has built a stunning pair of headphones.

If you need wireless headphones with serious battery life, the 60 hours available from the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless – with noise cancelling activated – may well appeal. But that’s not the end of their charm.

These redesigned headphones have a more understated design than their predecessors, and are hugely comfortable to accommodate these mammoth listening sessions, with big earcups that are pillow-soft against your head. Sound quality is outstanding, of course, offering a rich balance that works across genres, and support for aptX Adaptive for higher bitrate music with compatible devices.

The ANC here is good but not outstanding – you can find the very best elsewhere. But as an all-round package, these are fantastic.

You don’t often come across noise-cancelling headphones that sound as good as Sony’s WH-CH720N, and cost this little – particularly when sales will regularly bring them under the $100 mark.

The shortcuts to get to that price are fairly obvious, particularly where build quality and materials come into it, but the fact is that you still get extremely solid ANC for journeys, a fit that’s more than comfortable enough to last you hours, and extremely decent battery life.

We think these headphones would be a massive hit with teenagers lucky enough to get their hands on them, but anyone looking for a solid affordable pick would do well to consider them, too.

How did I choose the best wireless headphones?

Having tested many of these headphones myself, I considered some of the most important things that someone should consider when choosing wireless headphones – sound quality, features, battery life and fit. All of the above sound great, without exception, but they also surpass themselves in areas that their competitors may fall down in, whether that’s the level of their noise cancellation, or how comfortable they are to wear for long periods.

I was aware of adding a range of price points and use cases, and also checked in with real-life user reviews to ensure my experiences, and those of the Pocket-lint team, were along the same lines, and that long-term use stacked up from a reliability perspective too.

FAQ

Q: How much should I spend on wireless headphones?

The first big question for many people shopping around for quality headphones is how much they should spend. It’s not one with an easy answer, although you’ll see from browsing our favourites that quality does come at a price right now.

Many of the best and most fully-featured models sit between $200 and $400, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get excellent cans for less than $100 – you’ll just need to shop around a bit more. We think setting your budget is a sensible first step, either way.

Q: How much battery life do wireless headphones need?

Another big variable when you’re sizing up headphones to buy comes in the form of battery life. This can vary by quite big amounts, but we’d say that much less than 10 hours from a single charge is a little disappointing.

Many of the most popular models now offer over 20 hours of playback before a charge is needed, but if battery life is a top priority there are superb options that can give you closer to 30 hours or even more – so be sure to work out how much of an issue longevity is for you.

Q: Should wireless headphones have active noise cancellation?

One of the biggest technologies to hit headphones in recent years has been active noise cancellation (ANC). It dulls the background noise around you using microphones and feedback, to make sure that you hear your music or audio clearly.

When done well, it can be transformative and make loud journeys relaxing. However, it also tends to bump up the price of headphones, so if you want to do most of your listening at home, you could think about ditching it to save some cash.

That said, the best headphones are increasingly including it as a matter of course.