The best over-ear headphones for 2023: top cans for any budget

The best over-ear headphones completely immerse you in sound. It's no secret that by design, they're more tuned for audiophiles, who often favor wired models where there’s more room for large, powerful drivers to deliver detailed, high-definition audio and immense soundstages. 

Compared to the best earbuds out there, over-ear headphones have an advantage in that they encapsulate your ears completely, which has an outsized effect on the listening experience – larger earcups means larger drivers and space for real acoustic work to happen. They also tend to be more comfortable, which makes them perfect traveling companions, especially given that many are wireless and come with additional features such as active noise cancellation. 

We rank over-ear headphones highly among the best headphones you can buy, so it may not be surprising to learn that they even have added health benefits like protecting your hearing. They can be better for your hearing health compared to in-ear headphones because they don’t sit right next to your delicate eardrums. The great sound dampening of a good pair of padded earcups that envelop you also means you don't need the volume so high.

Written by
Becky Scarrott
Written by
Becky Scarrott

Becky is a senior TechRadar writer (which she has been assured refers to expertise rather than age) focusing on all things audio. Before joining the team in early 2022, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Long before all of this though, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 23-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – most recently in March 2023, as a soloist in Rusalka at the Royal Opera House. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which over-ear headphones are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

The best over-ear headphones for 2023

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The best over-ear headphones for most people

Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones

(Image credit: Future)
The best over-ear headphones for most people

Specifications

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

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent noise cancellation
+
Great rich audio
+
Light and comfortable design

Reasons to avoid

-
Not water-resistant
-
Better noise cancellation now available

The WH-1000XM4s may not be Sony's flagship headphones anymore – that title has since been passed onto the WH-1000XM5, which we rate as having the best active noise cancellation in the market – but these are still the best for most people because of their impressive sound quality and features balanced with the lower prices you can now usually find them for.

You've got useful extra features too, including multi-point pairing for switching between two devices instantly, DSEE Extreme upscaling and automated control settings thanks to built-in sensors. 

You’ll get access to Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, which delivers spatial audio on stereo headphones, plus LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps for high resolution audio – although aptX and aptX HD are no longer supported. The WH-1000XM4s have set a benchmark that is hard to beat on all accounts by anything else out there. 

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review 

The best budget over-ear headphones

Sony WH-CH520N headphones held in a hand

(Image credit: Future)
The best over-ear headphones with noise cancellation on a budget

Specifications

Acoustic design: Closed
Weight: 192g
Frequency response: 7Hz-22,000Hz
Drivers: 30mm dynamic
Battery life: 35 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight and comfortable
+
Good active noise cancellation
+
Great extra features

Reasons to avoid

-
They don't fold
-
Weaker ANC than pricier options

Sony has stripped back its premium flagship over-ear headphones to the bare necessities with the WH-CH720Ns. The pared down features means that they’re the best budget option out there at this price, balancing audio quality, noise cancellation and price. 

They stand above the rest for the flagship-level features that have been added, including support for Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, DSEE upscaling of mediocre-quality tracks, multi-point pairing and adaptive active noise cancellation – although this is not at the same elite level that the Sony WH-1000XM4. The sound quality is also great, delivering strong levels of detail in the audio. 

But, of course, there are limitations and the sound can feel constrained at times compared to pricier options. They also don’t support hi-res LDAC or have automated control settings. The buttons are easy to find though and the extremely lightweight design makes them one of the most comfortable to wear for long periods. And all this for one of the most affordable prices on the market? These are a steal. 

Read our full Sony WH-CH720N review

The best premium over-ear headphones