Have an amazing sound experience no matter where you are with one of the best wireless headphones available right now

Everyone needs a soundtrack to their life and that means being able to listen to music whether you’re at home, on a bus, or in the gym. While the best wireless earbuds may work for on-the-go listening and convenience, for those that want to get fully immersed in their favorite playlists, they'll never stand up to a solid set of over-ear headphones.

There’s a lot to consider when looking for the right headphones. If you don’t want to get tangled up in wires or deal with a cable getting frayed, going wireless is ideal, especially if you’re using them while on the go.

And, of course, they need to sound good. In fact, we’ve considered a number of other factors such as comfort, battery life, and feature set to bring you our top picks of wireless headphones in 2022. No matter if you plan on using it with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or an HP Chromebase, you’ll find something in just about every price range to meet your needs.

The Bose Noise Canceling 700 headphones may be expensive, but they’re an excellent pair of headphones that offer fantastic, balanced sound quality, and the kind of comfort that will have you wearing them for long listening sessions. So, whether you’re flying across the country or listening to those Spotify Fresh Finds from the comfort of your couch, you won't have to worry about your ears getting sore.

They’re also equipped with eight different mics, six of which are for their excellent active noise cancellation. You can fine-tune how much ANC you want via a downloadable app. And, call quality is just as excellent.

Its battery life is adequate but not the best on this list, with 20 hours of juice. But, there’s not much else to fault with these feature-filled pair of cans. Capacitive touch controls, built-in voice control that may or may not make you look like a crazy person, and conversation mode, aka transparency or ambient mode, are just some of those features on offer.

The reigning champ of active noise cancellation is in no hurry to relinquish the crown. Sony’s most recent over-ear headphones, the WH-1000XM5, bring back that top-of-the-line ANC that many have tried, and failed, to match. The headphones also offer fantastic sound quality that, like the Bose, aren’t too hyped or colored, so you can enjoy your favorite concerto or 98 Degrees track the way it was meant to be heard.

Excellent call quality, voice assistant compatibility, and speedy Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity are other features that make these headphones special. But, one other area where these excel is their long battery life, namely 30 hours with ANC on and 40 without. The only drawback here is that they can get a little hot around the ears after long listening sessions, but are fairly comfortable otherwise.

The Sennheiser HD 250BT are not going to be winning any beauty pageants, but for the price, that doesn’t matter. These utility headphones do exactly what they set out to do and offer good sound and wireless connectivity — Bluetooth 5 no less — so that you can listen and enjoy your tunes anywhere, even if you’re on a budget.

Of course, there are some compromises for that low price tag. There’s a little less cushioning here than most headphones; there’s nothing on the headband, for instance. And sadly, they comes sans active noise cancellation or transparency mode. However, they're lightweight, more comfortable than they look, and offer a decent 25 hours of battery life. Most importantly, like most Sennheiser products, they sound open and natural for a sonic quality that punches above its weight.

Razer may be best known for its gaming peripherals and cat-eared gaming headsets, but it offers two sets of headphones that anyone can enjoy, regardless of whether they play: the Razer Opus and its little brother, the Opus X.

The Razer Opus X does miss out on a few extras, such as a less involved form of ANC and doesn't have a cable input, but it is the better buy since it’s half the price. The Razer Opus X, which sits on the high end of the budget range, offers solid low-mid heavy sound quality and a level of active noise cancellation that you generally won’t find for the price. They also come with a low latency mode that can be toggled and a few fun colorways to stand out from the crowd.

The battery life could be a bit better, and it comes with a price tag that puts it out of range for most people, but the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless have a lot going for them. To start, the style might make you feel like you’re about to pilot a jet. Even if these don’t look like the headphone version of a pair of aviators to you, they’re a unique pair of wireless headphones. They’re also very comfortable, even if they’re a bit on the heavier side.

In terms of sound quality, they’re rich and detailed. Depending on your individual preferences, they might be the best-sounding headphones on this list. The Sennheiser’s active noise cancellation is among the best out there, though not quite reaching the heights of the aforementioned Bose or Sony. Unfortunately, you can't enjoy them for too long. Their battery life is only 17 hours of use. If you don't live in your headphones, these might be the right pair for you.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 might be missing a feature most expect to find in any wireless headphones or earbuds (active noise cancellation), but they still have a lot to offer. These are essentially a wireless version of Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X, which are intended for studio use. You don’t have to use them in the studio. Just know that instead of sounding “fun,” like the Grados, you’ll get a less filtered version of your music.

There’s plenty else here to get excited about as well. Their 50-hour battery life is impressive, though the lack of ANC probably helps that length. Their Bluetooth connectivity is speedy enough that you won’t notice much difference between the connection and cable use. If you do, there’s an app you can download to turn on a low latency mode. Plus, you can get access to some EQ and personalization options.

The Jabra Elite 45H may not impress visually. After all, they cost under $100, and they look the part. Like many cheaper headphones, they miss out on certain features like active noise cancellation. But, you shouldn’t write them off just yet. When it comes to their sound quality, they sound very good. While not quite as sophisticated sounding as some of the other, admittedly much more expensive options on this list, they’re punchy, fun, and vibrant. These aren’t for introspective deep dives into soundscapes — they’re for a sonic party.

And, there’s more than just quality sound. Like many other non-ANC headphones, the battery life lasts a phenomenal 50 hours. Plus, it has fast-charging capabilities that will get you a cool 10 hours of use after plugging in for 15 minutes. They’re also comfortable and light, so if you want to wear them for 50 hours straight, you certainly can.

Regardless of what kind of audio equipment you're considering, from the best wireless earbuds to headphones and headsets, you need to look at the whole package to see which one is right for you. It may seem obvious, but sound quality should be the first consideration. If you don't like how they sound, you won't use them and have wasted your money.

That said, there's a certain amount of subjectivity when it comes to audio. Some headphones have a more neutral and accurate sound, while others sound more fun with a boosted bass, treble, or both. Consider it almost like a filter on the music. So, when listening to something, focus on that low end, then the mid-range where guitars and vocals sit, and then the high-end to ensure everything is coming through clearly. This will change slightly from headphone to headphone, so do a little research before pressing that buy button. You might prefer having a big bass or a more present high end. And, though you can EQ the audio to some degree, the tuning of a headphone will still filter all the audio coming through it.

Comfort is just as important. If you have trouble wearing your headphones for long periods of time, they might end up collecting dust. Since most good-quality headphones, including the ones we picked here, come with some cushioning on the ears as well as the headband or at least a way to keep the metal headband off that dome of yours, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding one with a good fit. The one thing to look for is how hard they clamp on your head. If they're too tight, the headphones can actually give you a pressure headache. Of course, you can stretch them out by putting them on a stack of books to loosen that fit.

Active noise cancelation is a feature worth paying for if you're often in crowded or noisy environments and want to drown out all that ambient noise. Just be aware that almost all over-ear headphones have passive noise cancelation created just from the ear pads' seal on your ears, and, sometimes, that will be enough. The final point to consider is battery life. While most headphones these days have more than enough, factor in how often you listen and when you'll be able to charge your headphones back up.

Headphones aren't one-size-fits-all. But, there are some excellent options here to consider. The Bose Noise Canceling 700 may be as close to the full package as you can find, even if they're a bit pricey.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are almost as good with even better active noise cancellation, though they will set you back a little more. If you're on a budget, though, there are still several fantastic choices to pick from, starting with the surprisingly great sounding, if stripped-down, Sennheiser HD 250BT.

James combines his love of music and general tech gadgetry with a passion for writing to not only cover the latest audio equipment but to actually put that English degree to work. From headphones to soundbars and more, he applies his expertise to help guide readers in their online quest for the right piece of tech. When he’s not writing, he’s playing guitar, traveling, or eating. Sometimes, all three at once!