Best Wireless (Bluetooth) Headphones: Welcome to TechRadar's guide to the best wireless and Bluetooth headphones you can buy in 2019.
Years ago, we might've tried to dissuade you from buying a pair of wireless headphones. At the time, the technology had issues with wireless connectivity over Bluetooth and sound quality took a dive as a result. On top of all that, the batteries that were put into these headphones only lasted an hour or two, max.
Thankfully, we've left those days behind us and are now living in the golden age of wireless. Thanks to advancements in Bluetooth (thanks, aptX), the best wireless headphones not only stay connected to any phone, from the best smartphones to the best cheap smartphones, in every situation. But they sound just as good as their wired counterparts, too.
- Editor's note: The headphones below are all over-ear headphones. If you're looking for earbuds, don't miss our guide to the best wireless earbuds or best Apple AirPod alternatives (true wireless earbuds)!
Sure, a wireless pair of headphones might cost a bit more than a similar wired model, but wireless headphones offer greater freedom of movement - making them perfect for a trip to the gym or a great companion for phones like the iPhone X and Pixel 2 that simply lack a 3.5mm aux port to connect with.
Whatever your reason for upgrading, we're here to help you pick out the best wireless headphones, regardless of your budget. What you'll find below are the top headphones we've reviewed – some of which come with neat features like noise-cancellation – all vetted by our staff so you can shop with confidence.
Can't decide which headphones to buy? Check out our guide video below:
The best over-ear wireless headphones
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1. Sony WH-1000XM3
Wireless noise-cancelling headphones that sound better than Bose
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 275 grams | Frequency response: 4Hz - 40kHz | Drivers: 40mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 103dB | Impedance: 46 Ohms | Battery life: 30 hours | Wireless range: 30 feet | NFC: Yes
For the last three years, the Sony 1000X series of headphones have been our favorite wireless headphones on the market. They sound great thanks to a combination of superb wireless codecs - aptX and Sony's proprietary LDAC tech - and keep outside noise at bay thanks to Sony's ever-improving noise-cancellation algorithms.
While the Sony WH-1000XM3 might not be a massive improvement over last year's WH-1000XM2, they're still a cut above their rivals, the Bose QC35 II, in nearly every way: they sound better, they block out noise better and have better features like Quick Attention mode that lets in all outside noise without taking off the headphones. (The latter is perfect when giving a drink order on a plane or speaking to a coworker for a brief moment before diving back into your work.)
Great-sounding and feature-packed, these impressive Sony headphones are great travel companions and all-around excellent wireless headphones.
Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3
- Looking for the best Sony headphones? Read our round up of the best Sony headphones we've reviewed so far
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2. Jabra Elite 85H
Giving Sony and Bose a run for their money
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 296 grams | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 10-20kHz | Drivers: 40mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 36 hours | Wireless range: 10m (33ft.) | NFC: N/A
Offering class-leading battery life, terrific style and plenty of personalization when it comes to sound profiles, the Elite 85h is easy to recommend. That said, purists will bemoan the lack of high-end codec support and there are punchier headphones on the market at this price point. When you consider that Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones are the company’s first attempt at premium wireless ANC headphones, the result is quite commendable. We can’t wait to see what the company’s next premium ANC headphones will accomplish.
If you want an alternative to Sony's WH-1000XM3, this is it.
Read the full review: Jabra Elite 85H
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3. Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Premium wireless headphones that include Google Assistant
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.68 pounds | Cable length: 3.94 feet | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 20+ hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: Yes
Bose took the already-excellent QC35 and updated with Google Assistant. The headphone is identical in every way save for the new Google Assistant button. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancellation Bose is known for, good sound quality, and incredible comfort. Said simply, they sound great and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights.
If you're looking to save some money, however, consider the original Bose QuietComfort 35. They can also be found for far cheaper these days, and if you're not fussed about having Google Assistant built into your headphones then you can save yourself some money while you save up for QC35 II.
Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35 II
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4. Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
The best-sounding (and most expensive) wireless headphones you can buy
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 380g | Cable length: 1.2 m, detachable | Frequency response: 5 - 40,000 Hz | Drivers: 50mm | Driver type: Dynamic, Tesla | Sensitivity: 100dB At 1KHz | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: 30 hours | Wireless range: 10 meters (30+ feet) | NFC: N/A
The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it.
Just be prepared to shell out for them.
Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
Image credit: Audio-Technica
5. Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT
Technically brilliant on nearly every level
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 310g | Cable length: 1.2 m, detachable | Frequency response: 15 - 28,000 Hz | Drivers: 45mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99dB At 1KHz | Impedance: 38 ohms | Battery life: 40 hours | Wireless range: 10 meters (30+ feet) | NFC: N/A
Audio-Technica has a long history of producing high-quality headphones, microphones, and turntable accessories, and with the release of the ATH-M50xBT, it delivers studio-quality audio without the cord.
The ATH-M50xBTs are designed for really high-end audio performance, with 45mm drivers and a frequency response range of 15-28,00 Hz, and it shows - we were very impressed with the warm, well-rounded sound.
The ATH-M50xBT headphones also performed well in terms of battery life and Bluetooth connectivity, however the microphone isn’t particularly strong, and you may struggle to make phone calls using them - still, that’s probably not the reason you would purchase a pair of studio grade headphones in the first place.
Read our full review: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT
Image credit: Sennheiser
6. Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC
A good all-around pair of wireless headphones with noise-cancellation
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 4.6 feet | Frequency response: 16-22,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 28 ohms | Battery life: 20 hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | NFC: Yes
The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC headphones are proof that you don't need bottomless cash reserves to get decent noise-canceling. Sure, they're not as powerful as the Sony WH-1000XM3 or sound as beautiful as the Amiron, but these are decent all-around wireless headphones at a good price.
Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC
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7. AKG N60NC Wireless
Wireless noise-cancellation from another mid-range master
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 199.4g | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 10-22,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 111dB SPL/V@1kHz | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: 15 hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: No
The AKG N60NC Wireless sound like a pair of headphones that should be much more expensive than they are.
At their mid-range price point the headphones offer fantastic value for money, with great sound quality and a level of noise-cancellation performance that's on a level with the much more premium entries on this list.
Our biggest issue with these headphones is the fact that they're on-ear rather than over-ear, meaning that we found that they got uncomfortable over longer periods.
Regardless, the benefit of this is that this is a fantastically compact pair of headphones, and if you're willing to make the trade-off then these are great for the price.
Read the full review: AKG N60NC Wireless
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8. Grado GW100 Wireless headphones
Grado makes the grade (again)
Acoustic design: Open | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 15 hours | Wireless range: 10m | NFC: Yes
The Grado GW100s sound great with a wide soundstage, clear highs, smooth mids, and extended bass frequencies. They also sport a kitsch, retro design that recalls Grado’s humble beginnings in 50’s Brooklyn.
Although the Bluetooth connection works very well, the need for a wireless pair of open-back headphones can be unclear; particularly if the design makes them unsuitable for commuting or listening in communal areas.
Saying that, having the option to listen wirelessly is undeniably convenient when you’re pottering around the house, and you can use these cans with an AUX cable if you're something of an audiophile who prefers a wired connection.
Overall, we feel the Grado GW100s are designed for a fairly niche market of audiophiles who crave a wide, natural sound, and who do the majority of their music listening at home. If that sounds like you, you will probably love the Grado GW100s. If not, you may want to look at closed-back models instead.
Read the full review: Grado GW100 Wireless headphones review
Image credit: Microsoft
9. Microsoft Surface headphones
Warm sound and great noise cancellation
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.64Ibs | Cable length: 3.94 ft | Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz | Drivers: 40mm Free Edge Driver | Driver type: Free Edge | Sensitivity: 115 dB | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 15 hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: Yes
Overall, Microsoft’s Surface headphones are surprisingly good, with a stunningly warm sound, and generous bass frequencies, which means your music will sound great whether you’re listening to subby hip-hop or acoustic singer-songwriters.
One criticism of this warm sound is that it can take some of the attack away from lower-mid frequencies, which some users may find a bit underwhelming. However, if sharp trebles and mids tend to give you listening fatigue, these could be the perfect headphones for you.
The calling card of these headphones is the active noise cancellation, which we felt worked really well, and we loved how easy it was to control this using the inbuilt dials on each housing.
Although we were initially unconvinced by the high price (particularly when you can buy quality cans from heritage audio brands for less), the features work so seamlessly that it feels justified.
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10. Plantronics BackBeat Go 810
Solid, affordable, mid-range noise-cancelling headphones
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.64 lbs (289g) | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 40mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 24 hours | Wireless range: 100 meters (330 feet) | NFC: No
If you're a frequent traveler you're probably all too familiar with headphones that can't hold a charge and can't block out sound, let alone sound very good. Let us introduce you to the Plantronics BackBeat Go 810, one of the few headphones on the market that can do all of the above and cost less than half as much as one of the bigger names like Beats headphones, Bose and Sony.
For a lot less ($150, £140, AU$240), Plantronics now sells the still-very-good BackBeat Go 810, which uses less premium materials but sounds nearly identical to its more expensive predecessor. That being said, we feel the Go 810 are an affordable pair of ANC headphones that will please travelers and commuters who don’t want to spend too much money on headphones.
Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Go 810
- Looking for something more compact? Read our guide to the best earbuds 2019