Amazon Prime Day headphones deals are here at last – I've picked the 11 best deals from $44.99

The Sony WH-1000MX4 are still some of the best over-ear headphones and are now down to a terrific low price in Amazon's Prime Day sale. These wireless headphones combine top-notch audio, comfortable fit, and effective noise cancellation at a reasonable price point. Plus, they're $100 less than the newer Sony XM5 and even cheaper than the latest XM6, which are both only minor upgrades.

If you would prefer newer tech, then you can get the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5 for over $100 off at Amazon. The older XM4s are outstanding, so it'll come as little surprise to know that these are also incredibly hard to beat – even if they don't quite offer the same value for money. They also don't fold up like the XM4, but they're still a comfortable, smart, great-sounding pair of headphones that are highly effective at blocking outside noise. Still, saving some cash by getting the XM4 is a viable option if you aren't fussed about the latest tech.

Want a good pair of super-cheap headphones? There isn't a better option than these Sony WH-CH520, which are down to a great low price in the Amazon Memorial Day sale. They offer high-quality sound for the cost and a comfortable fit for all-day use. Of course, they lack some premium features found in more expensive cans, but these are an excellent buy if you're on a tight budget.

The Sony WH-CH720 are already a very affordable pair of headphones, but they're now down to a record-low price for Amazon Prime Day. As we said in our four-star Sony WH-CH720 review, these cheaper Sony cans pack in a lot of audio finesse and smart features for the price. They're a comfortable, enjoyable listen, and the ANC does a good job of lowering outside noise given the budget-friendly price.

If you want to get your hands on Apple's all-new AirPods 4, you can find them on sale for a record-low price of $99 at Amazon. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and pack Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for USB-C for wireless charging. The version with active noise cancellation is also reduced to $148.99 – just $10 more than the lowest-ever price.

The latest generation Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C support have been slashed to a great low price for Prime Day – but they have been down to $153.99 on Black Friday. As well as that more universal connection option, Apple's newest premium earbuds come with sought-after improvements to audio quality and noise cancellation. In our AirPods Pro 2 review, we said that these upgrades ensured they were a big step up compared to the originals and helped them truly compete with other high-end buds.

The Apple AirPods Max are seriously expensive, but that's because they're as much of a fashion icon as a pair of over-ear headphones. Still, they do offer excellent sound with Spatial Audio features, a premium design with physical controls, strong active noise cancellation, and a transparency mode that brings environmental noise into the mix. Just like AirPods or AirPods Pro, these fast pair with Apple devices and sync across all of them for easy switching if you're fully locked-in to that ecosystem.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus are our pick for the best Beats earbuds. These earbuds build on the standard Studio Buds with better active noise cancellation, larger mics for clear, crisp calls, and longer battery life up to 36 hours with the charging case. It also lets you customize the fit with four pairs of silicone tips. All that, plus the stylish good looks, make it a great deal for mid-range buds under $100.

The Beats Solo 4 are a much more affordable option at 50% off and better priced in line with the level of audio quality and performance you can expect from these cans. The lightweight build, ergonomic design, and 50-hour battery life make them a convenient pick for commutes for most casual listeners. It might not be the most advanced set of headphones out there, but they are great value for some good-looking cans with lossless audio capabilities and plenty of utility.

This saving brings the popular over-ears from Beats down to within $20 of the lowest-ever price. As you'd expect, the design is gorgeous, but they're also easy to use and offer good overall sound quality, according to our Beats Studio Pro review. So, if the lack of multipoint pairing (they do auto-switch with Apple devices, though) and wearer detection don't bother you, this is a very solid deal on some mid-range headphones. A word of warning, though, they might be back to the record-low price once Prime Day starts proper, so it's worth waiting if you can.

The fantastic Echo Buds have an impressive discount that brings them down to a super-low price in Amazon's early Prime Day sale. The earbuds feature active noise cancellation and long-lasting battery life, and the integration with Alexa is another big win, guaranteeing a pleasant, hands-free operation.