We spend all year checking out the latest and greatest pairs of headphones, but it’s rare that we see such a plethora of good deals. This Black Friday, there are discounts on many of the best models on the market, with big-name models from Apple, Sony, and Bose showcasing their cheapest prices yet.
WIRED tests products year-round and handpicked these deals based on the actual discounts, not just the discounts retailers claim to offer. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out. We’ll update this guide through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Be sure to check out our best Black Friday Deals.
WIRED’s Top Deals
Best Earbud Deals
Before you buy, be sure to check out our Best Workout Headphones and Best Wireless Earbuds guides for more.
The latest version of the AirPods Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) was just announced in September at Apple’s hardware event and they’re already on sale. These buds are identical to the old pair on the outside, but they pack some changes internally. In addition to slightly improved sound, there are also new Adaptive Audio features and a new Conversation Awareness mode (that turns audio down and lowers the sound of the background so you can hear someone talking to you). It also has USB-C instead of Lightning embedded into the case.
Google’s Pixel Buds Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) offer everything we liked about the original version with some notable upgrades, including ramped-up bass, smarter features, and solid noise canceling. They’re not as useful for iPhone owners, but Android users will find a nifty and comfortable design and optimized extras at a nice price.
Jabra’s Elite 7 Active have been around for a while now, but there’s no expiration date on sport-ready earbuds with good sound, great features, and solid noise canceling. Sales this good are rare, granting you upper-crest performance at entry-level pricing.
Soundcore’s Space A40 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are fantastic performers, including some of the best noise canceling we’ve heard in their class. This sale makes them a must-have if you’re in the market for new earbuds but don’t want to spend much.
Google’s Pixel Buds A-Series (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are our favorite earbuds for the money thanks to a neat package that fits well, sounds good, and costs less than plenty of competitors. They don’t have noise canceling which we’re starting to see pretty regularly in this price class, but this sale pushes them close to half the original cost for a killer bargain.
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra improve on the brand’s top earbuds with a minor boost in noise canceling and new spatial audio skills, designed to expand the sound for everything you play. These buds were just released late this year and this is the first solid discount we’ve seen.
Sony’s WF-1000XM5 (7/10, WIRED Review) source multiple generations of great sound, top features, and excellent noise canceling, all wrapped into their most compact presentation yet. They’re not cheap, so this discount is key if you’re looking to be an earlier adopter of Sony’s latest flagship buds.
Jabra’s Elite 4 Active are one of the best-kept secrets in earbuds, offering accessible sound, sporty durability, and a solid slab of noise canceling. They can regularly be found at $70 but sometimes jump up to $100, so this is a good deal given all they offer.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are some of our favorite wireless earbuds, particularly for Android users. They work best with Samsung phones, but they pair easily with any Android phone. They have solid noise canceling, up to 7.5 hours of battery life, and a wireless charging case to keep them topped off.
JBL’s Endurance Peak 3 are that rare pair of earbuds you can feel comfortable wearing at the gym, on the trail, or even in the hot tub thanks to their hearty water resistance and sport-ready fit. They’re light on extras like noise canceling but at this price, they’re a great investment as your go-to workout companions.
The Logitech G Fits are a gaming version of Ultimate Ears’ Fits, providing a uniquely customizable earpiece that molds to your ears for supreme comfort and stability. The Logitech model is specifically optimized for gaming with Logitech’s “Lightspeed” connection for PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Android devices over USB-A or USB-C to create a lag-free gaming experience. They’ve also got a traditional Bluetooth connection for versatility across multiple devices.
Over-Ear Headphones
We have more buying advice in our Best Wireless Headphones, Best Noise Canceling Headphones, and Best Wired Headphones guides.
As Sony’s priciest wireless headphones, the WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) had a lot to live up to following the remarkably popular WH-1000XM4. Luckily they deliver the goods with upgraded noise canceling, a posh new design, and a more refined sound signature that adds up to a great package—especially on sale.
The Apple AirPods Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have stood the test of time and, correspondingly, held onto their relatively high price point. This discount isn’t much but it’s still the lowest price we’ve seen for these headphones. They have exceptional build quality, pair and work seamlessly with iOS devices, and last up to 20 hours on a single charge.
Bose’s aptly named QuietComfort Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends) arrived in October with only one notable problem: they’re pricey. Luckily they’ve already gotten a discount, which makes it easier to land their class-leading noise canceling, great sound, and luxuriously comfy design that’s loaded with modern features.
Bose’s QuietComfort 45 headphones have always been a solid option in a competitive class, offering a no-nonsense design highlighted by clear sound and very good noise canceling. This massive price drop changes their designation from also-ran to must-have, especially for anyone spooked by the decadent prices of other top-shelf noise cancellers.
We thought the Beats Studio Pro headphones (7/10, WIRED Review) were good, not great, but that was before they dropped to less than half their normal price. These headphones have excellent noise canceling, solid sound quality, and a USB-C plug for high-resolution audio. They pair easily with Apple and Android devices and even have head tracking for spatial audio.
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones (9/10, WIRED Recommends) have been a stalwart pair of wireless headphones for years now, and there’s no secret to their success. Offering excellent noise canceling, warm and detailed sound, and a ton of modern features in a comfy design, they’re among the best travel headphones you can buy.
The only issues we had with Sennheiser’s HD 660S2 (7/10, WIRED Review) bass-enriched audiophile beauties were their high price and stiff clamping force. At this price, we can live with a tighter fit, especially since the payoff is glorious, clear, and richly detailed sound.
Bass lovers take note as this is about as low as it goes for Sony’s popular, noise-canceling bass bombers. Apart from their hefty sound signature, these headphones have some great features, including available EQ if the low-end gets out of hand.
