The best Black Friday headphones deals still available 2023

black friday headphones deals
(Image credit: TechRadar)

Black Friday 2022 is officially over, but some of the best deals are still running, including great Black Friday headphones deals. The official Black Friday deals season continues even after th, people, so get ready to level up your portable audio game – and save some dollars (or pounds) in the process! 

The category of best headphones is always a huge one for sales season. Great extra discounts happen – and headphones are always among the most popular products, especially the options from big names such as Sony, Bose, Beats and Apple. 

This year has been a great one for music lovers, because there have been so many great deals, including half price Sony headphones at Best Buy. In the UK, you can get the Sony WH-1000XM4 for £250, or noise-cancelling JBL headphones for well under £100. 

In this guide, we're chiefly looking at over-ear headphones (although we may include a few of the best earbuds discounts too) – but we've got a guide to the best Black Friday wireless earbuds deals still live if you want to hone in on those, or check our guide to the best Black Friday AirPods deals still live.

Black Friday headphones deals (US): Quick links

$329

Bose QuietComfort 45 wireless headphones: was $329 now $229 at Best Buy
Bose’s QuietComfort range has been a byword for quality noise canceling audio hardware for years now, so you won’t want to sleep on this discount over at Best Buy. You can expect brilliant audio quality, 24 hours battery life, and quick boost feature that offers 3 hours of use after just 15 minutes of charging.

Sony WH-XB910N wireless headphones: $249

Sony WH-XB910N wireless headphones: $249 $124 at Best Buy
These mid-range Sony headphones offer active noise cancellation and a 30-hour battery life at a very reasonable price. While you won’t get all the snazzy features as more high-end models, it should do just fine for the average commute, especially at this price.

$49

JBL Tune 510BT on-ear headphones: was $49 now $24.99 at Best Buy
These on-ear JBL headphones are a true bargain, at just $29.99 over at Best Buy. You’ll also get access to an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription for free, for the first four months after your purchase. With Bluetooth connectivity, 40 hours of battery life, and a built-in microphone, all your basic needs should be met – just don’t expect world-beating audio at this price, but they sound good for the price.

$249

Bose Frames Soprano audio sunglasses: was $249 now $124.50 at Best Buy
Why wear boring old headphones when these Bose sunglasses will do the job – especially when they're 50% off?! Joining the ranks of audio-capable smart glasses, the Bose Frames Soprano offer open-air sound through slim built-in speakers, for up to 5.5 hours of use, alongside a microphone array for calls, wireless Bluetooth capability, and anti-glare, UV-protective lenses. Now half price at Best Buy!

$549

Apple AirPods Max: was $549 now $469 at Amazon
You can now save $100 on the original MSRP Apple’s high-end over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. We've seen them drop lower than this price in the past, but when it comes to Apple products, we don't look a discount gift horse in the mouth. With the active noise cancellation, 20-hour battery life, Spatial Audio support, and months of free access to a host of Apple services (Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple News+) we think this a bargain. 

$349

Beats Studio3 over-ear headphones: was $349 now $169.99 at Best Buy
You can get Apple’s stylish Beats headphones at an awesome $200 discount at Best Buy, packing in Apple’s W1 processor, active noise canceling, and a 22-hour battery life. Available in Midnight Black, Matte Black, Midnight Blue, or Shadow Gray. We prefer Sony and Bose's offering, but for some, only Beats will do.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro true wireless earbuds: was

Jabra Elite 7 Pro true wireless earbuds: was $199 now $99 at Best Buy
These Jabra earbuds have got a massive 50% price cut, making this an amazing time to buy these in-ear headphones, which boast 30 hours battery life, decent water resistance and some basic ANC support. In our review, we called the Elite 7 Pro buds “terrific value”, and this additional discount makes that truer than ever.

Bose QuietComfort 45: was

Bose QuietComfort 45: was $329 now $249 at Amazon
Weighing in at just 238g and able to fold in on themselves (unlike some of the competition), the QC 45 are a compelling proposition for the frequent flyer. A solid competitor to the likes of Sony when it comes to comfort, stability, noise cancellation and durability – and look at that discount! While we've seen them dip to $279 recently, this price equals the cheapest they've ever been (and it's a deal that's also live at Best Buy, above, if you prefer to shop there). If you want ANC from the company that invented it, here you go – and our in-depth review is the place to go if you want more info before clicking 'buy now'. 

Black Friday headphones deals (UK): Quick links

£250

Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds: was £250 now £159, Amazon
Woohoo! Black Friday offers like this don't come along very often. Although we briefly saw them dip to £169, this is a whole £10 cheaper than we've ever seen them, and if you don't want to be left feeling sad (like some of the TechRadar team during Black Friday) strike now, friend! Sony's immersive LDAC, excellent ANC, eight hours on battery life from just the earbuds and stunning five-star sound quality all for £91 off the RRP? Yes please.

Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears: was £380

Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears: was £380 now £299 at Amazon
Quite simply the newest and best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 were outstanding, the XM3 before it were excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's latest XM5 proposition are also incredibly hard to beat.

£20

JLab Go Air Pop earbuds: was £20 now £17.99 at John Lewis
These fantastic little true wireless earbuds were a stone cold steal when we first reviewed them, but thanks to John Lewis' early Black Friday deals, you can now save an extra 10% on these excellent affordable and comfortable buds, which boast Bluetooth 5.1, wearer-detection, three effective EQ profiles, on-ear volume control and a whopping 32-hour battery life. Bargain!

Image

JBL Tune 760NC wireless headphones: was £100 now £49.99 Argos
Admit it, you came to Black Friday for a 50% off deal, didn't you? And here's a half-price saving to shout about! Argos' pre Black Friday sale is so good, we cannot imagine the price dropping any further, especially when you consider that these attractive wireless on-ears offer active noise cancellation, dual device pairing and up to 35 hours of playtime with ANC on, or a whopping 50 hours without it! Our advice? If you want on-ears, this is an unbeatable deal. 

Sony WH-1000MX4 over-ear headphones: was £350

Sony WH-1000MX4 over-ear headphones: was £350 now £219 at Amazon
The best over-ear headphones ever? These wireless Sony cans package together top-notch audio, excellent comfort, and effective noise cancellation all at a reasonable price point – and they’re over £100 off at Amazon. We still rate these as the best headphones for most people, exactly because you can often find them at a price like this.

£320

Bose QuietComfort 45 wireless headphones: was £320 now £233 at Amazon
Bose’s QuietComfort range has been a byword for quality noise canceling audio hardware for years now, so you won’t want to sleep on this discount over at Amazon, especially on such a new model. We're surprised to see this much off them! You can expect brilliant audio quality, 24 hours battery life, and quick boost feature that offers 3 hours of use after just 15 minutes of charging. The price cut is only on the Triple Black model, rather than the White Smoke and Midnight Blue colors, mind.

£50

Sony WH-CH510 wireless headphones: was £50 now £29.99 at Amazon
These inexpensive on-ear headphones from Sony come with a whopping 35 hours battery life, as well as voice assistant functionality and a handy, foldable design. As a cheaper model you won’t get noise cancellation here, but this model comes in both black and white at a discounted price.

£350

Bose 700 Luxe Silver headphones: was £350 now £250 at AO.com
These premium Bose headphones offer quality sound in a sleek, wireless package, and are fitted out with active noise cancellation to help drown out background sound. The battery life caps out at 20 hours, but for a long-haul flight or couple of days in a busy office, the Bose 700 should absolutely deliver. This Luxe Silver edition is a little more eye-catching than the base model, but even cheaper – going for just £250 over at AO.com.

£149

JBL Live 660NC over-ear headphones: was £149 now £99 at AO.com
These cushioned JBL cans offer an impressive 50-hour battery life as well as a handily foldable design, and the noise-cancellation is good enough to help elevate your music above traffic or the office hubbub. A built-in microphone lets you take calls on the go, too.

The Sony WH-1000XM4

Did someone say Sony over-ears for Black Friday?  (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Black Friday headphones deals: our predictions

When will the best Black Friday headphones deals start in 2022?

Black Friday is over! But we'll be keeping an eye on all the lowest prices around over at our best headphones deals guide.

Where will the best headphones deals be?

We'll bring you all the best Black Friday headphones deals when the time comes, finding the lowest prices from all the top retailers.

In the US, third-party sites such as Amazon and Walmart are likely to offer the best discounts – both have a stellar track record when it comes to the lowest prices on headphones. It's a similar situation in the UK too – sites such as Amazon and Currys are bringing the best headphones deals for Black Friday.

What about going direct to Apple or Bose? We wouldn't. Neither is a firm supporter of Black Friday traditionally. The Apple store, for example, doesn't offer direct Apple Black Friday deals, although the tech giant is known to offer free trials of Apple Music or gift cards when you purchase select devices. 

US Black Friday headphones deals
Amazon: 
some of the biggest discounts on headphones across all price ranges
Best Buy: AirPods for as low as $129 and up to $100 off select true wireless earbuds
Walmart: lowest prices on budget earbuds can be found right here
Best Buy: JBL, Bose and Soundcore earbuds deals live right now
Crutchfield: early Sennheiser discounts live now

UK Black Friday wireless earbuds deals
Amazon:
 a wide range of headphones at the lowest available prices
Argos: same-day click and collect available on many budget headphones
Box: some of the best prices for true wireless headphone deals in the UK
Currys: hundreds of deals from AirPods and Sony to JBL
Very: a vast selection of discounted earbuds

How good will this year's Black Friday headphones deals be?

We've sort of mentioned this above, but it depends on what exactly has caught your eye. 

AirPods simply aren't the kind of product that will see 50% off or more (although the AirPods Max may well get up to 20% off. You heard it here first…) – but other 'buds and cans may receive significant price cuts. Wireless earbuds with a sub $200 / £150 MSRP launched a year ago or more are the sweet-spot for Black Friday, while slightly older wired in-, on- or over-ears could even get end-of-line discounts. 

Remember, we're here for you. Bookmark this page – we'll be updating it as and when the deals roll in. 

AirPods Max on a lady

Hey Siri, how much will AirPods Max be discounted for Black Friday?  (Image credit: TechRadar)

What Black Friday headphones deals do we expect in 2022?

It's 2022 and with a cost of living crisis to contend with, we may see audiophile-grade in-ears gaining discounts – see the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 for example. 

Elsewhere, aside from Sony's XM4 over-ears, look to options such as the Bose QC 45 or Noise Cancelling 700, perhaps. 

Slightly subjective territory, perhaps, but you can find a great pair of wireless earbuds with all the features you could want for somewhere between $100/£100 and $150/£150 during Black Friday. That price would be a lot higher at other times of the year, but Black Friday typically offers sale prices of 50% or more on the best true wireless earbuds.

If your budget doesn't stretch that far, don't fret though. Sony, Jabra, Cambridge Audio, and Lypertek all offer budget-friendly headphones that don’t skimp on the specs for under $100 / £100, and those still get full marks from us.

But what of those super-cheap options you see on Amazon from names you rarely see elsewhere? Do some research, and if you haven't heard of a brand before, check our reviews. If they're not listed in any of our buying guides, tread with caution… 

Tips for buying headphones on Black Friday

1. Avoid heading directly to the likes of Apple or Bose 

One place you probably won't find the best deals on Black Friday? That would be direct from the manufacturer of your chosen headphone. 

Don't got for AirPods from Apple, or try for Bose from Bose. Apple's very mild Black Friday deals usually involve free trials or gift cards rather than actual product discounts, while Bose deals are so rare on Bose's own website, we'd sooner you search elsewhere. 

But don't worry! The deals are plentiful – you just need to go through other stores.

2. Older headphone models get the biggest discounts

We've mentioned it already, but the biggest discounts are likely to concern older (but still relevant) models. 

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless is a great shout here – because now you can buy the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Did the set of earbuds you had your heart on recently get superseded by a second (or third-) generation iteration? Perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro (which now have a younger, Buds 2 Pro sibling) or the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds – because, you've guessed it, there's an XM4? 

Remember, the slightly older product may not be approaching end-of-line just yet, but it may well get a good Black Friday discount. 

3. Check other retailers before you buy

It might sound obvious, but it's easy to get carried away on the big day with "best ever deals" headlines that, well, aren't really… it's always a good idea to furnish yourself with as much knowledge as your busy schedule allows before clicking 'buy'.

Seen your chosen cans for the price you wanted them to drop to? Ready to buy? Take a moment… simply scrolling through deals from other big retailers could pay dividends. You never know: maybe Currys, Best Buy or AO is offering a shipping discount to undercut the deal you just saw. 

The 3 best headphones to look for on Black Friday

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

(Image credit: Sennheiser)
Sennheiser's fourth-gen. cans shine sonically, despite their plain looks

Specifications

Acoustic design: Closed
Weight: 293g
Frequency response: 6Hz-22,000Hz
Drivers: 42mm dynamic
Battery life: 60 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Neutral, crisp, detailed sound
+
Excellent ANC and transparency
+
Incredible battery life even with ANC deployed

Reasons to avoid

-
A little plain aesthetically
-
Design doesn't fold up into the headband

They're new, so don't expect miraculous discounts, but we said under intense review that Sennheiser's welcome update to its 2019 Sennheiser Momentum third-generation Wireless headphones would soon be sitting pretty at the top of many a buying guide, and here they are. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are the newest August 2022-issue wireless over-ear headphones from Sennheiser and if Sony isn't worried, it should be. 

These cans boast an incredible 60-hour battery life, a likeable app, an extensive feature set, easy on-ear controls, talented adaptive noise cancellation and a zealous sound that'll have you nodding your head happily wherever you go. Yes, they're a tad plain aesthetically, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and these headphones sound outrageously good for the level. 

Sennheiser has packed everything and the kitchen sink into the Momentum 4 Wireless’s spec sheet, including Sidetone to better hear your voice during calls and  'Sound Zones', EQ and ANC presets which can be set to magically kick in when you're, well, in the zone. Make no mistake though, the headline-grabber is still the sound. And what a sound it is! Think open, detailed, expansive, neutral and crisp. Never is it overly warm; never is it congested or muddied through the bass.

Move over Sony XM5, there's a new set of cans in town and honestly, they're just that little bit better across the board… 

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless 

Amazon Prime Day vs Black Friday headphones

(Image credit: Sony)
The best headphones you can buy today

Specifications

Acoustic design: Closed
Weight: 253g
Frequency response: 4Hz to 40kHz
Drivers: 1.57-inch dome-type
Battery life: 30 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Improved noise-cancellation over previous model
+
DSEE Extreme audio upscaling
+
Allows for multipoint pairing

Reasons to avoid

-
Not water-resistant

If you're looking for headphones that can do it all this Black Friday, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are the best all-rounders you can buy – and since there's now a newer kid on the block, the discounts will likely be rolling in.

These wonderful noise-cancelling headphones don’t look different from their predecessors, the Sony WH-1000XM3, but new features, including multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness and auto-play/pause using a built-in sensor, mean they’re a significant upgrade.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones also support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, which enables spatial audio on stereo headphones, plus the LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps.

Last year's Black Friday deals saw in some excellent Sony WH-1000XM4 deals, so it's well worth keeping your eyes peeled in the run up to this year's sale event.

Read more: Sony WH-1000XM4 review

The Airpods pro

(Image credit: Apple)
Last year's model will get big discounts

Specifications

Weight: 5.4g
Drivers: Dynamic
Battery life : 24 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Good noise cancellation
+
Better fit than AirPods (2019)

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than better rivals
-
USB-C charging cable in box

The AirPods Pro bring active noise cancellation, a snug fit, and an improved design to the company's previous true wireless earbuds – and they've just been superseded by the second-gen. iteration so expect a few choice deals. 

Now that they're a little older, we think they'll see some steep discounts this Black Friday – and if you're on a very strict budget, the non-noise-cancelling 2019 AirPods are also likely to be discounted heavily.

Saying that, the original AirPods Pro are much better-sounding that their predecessors –there’s a notable emphasis on vocals and bass, meaning these earbuds are better for pop fans than those who enjoy a more natural presentation that lends itself to classical music or more orchestral sounds.

Read more: Apple AirPods Pro review

Becky Scarrott
Senior Audio Staff Writer

Becky is a senior staff writer at TechRadar (which she has been assured refers to expertise rather than age) focusing on all things audio. Before joining the team, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.