Want 5-star headphones for less? These 7 got our highest score, and have big Prime Day deals

Sony WH-1000XM5: was $399 now $298 at Amazon
The newest and best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 were class-leading, so it's no surprise that Sony's XM5 is also incredibly hard to beat – especially with a massive $101 off! For clarity, it's one whole dollar cheaper than they've ever been to date. They don't fold up like the XM4, but they're still a comfortable, smart, great-sounding pair of headphones that block outside sound highly effectively – and at this price, they're excellent value too. 

Nothing Ear (a): was $109 now $79 at Amazon
They've only been around since April 2024, so we haven't seen a saving—until now. A cool 28% off (or $30) is a huge deal, especially when they got five sweet stars under intense test conditions—just see our Nothing Ear (a) review for reference. My favorite yellow pair, in addition to the white and black options, is heavily discounted. This is my top Prime Day steal. 

JLab Go Air Pop: was $24.99 now $17.39 at Amazon
Before we get carried away, the JLab Go Air Pop are not the last word in sonic brilliance. But they also aren't bad at all – in fact, they're alarmingly good for their lowly asking fee. If this is truly where your budget maxes out, you'll get reliable Bluetooth connectivity, killer battery life, comfortable and light earpieces, and solid musicality on the go. It would be churlish to expect more. We have seen them for around $12 before briefly, but not within the last month.

Sony WF-C700N: was $119 now $88 at Amazon
The WF-C700N tore up the rule book on what is achievable for this money to smithereens when they landed in April 2023. Are they still among the best noise-nixing earbuds around? Certainly, our five-star Sony WF-C700N review is irrefutable proof. As long as the lack of on-ear volume control or higher-res LDAC support doesn't bug you (and at this level, that would be a tad churlish), they're an awesome buy – and this is a whole $10 cheaper than we've ever seen them.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: was $299 now $169.95 at Amazon
If you want the best noise-blocking power, you can get for the price; these deliver it. They also sound superb and have a ton of useful smart features. But the headline is the noise cancellation, and you can't get better for under $170. Yes, they've been superseded (by the QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra), but we still think as an overall package the QCE II are your best bet, especially at this price. Oh, and this is the cheapest they've ever been – we'd be surprised if they go any lower. 

1More Triple Driver In-Ear: was $69.99 now $55.99 at Amazon
The 1More Triple Driver In-Ear already ranks among the best cheap headphones, and this $15 off Prime Day deal makes them that much more affordable. But make no mistake, there’s nothing cheap or low quality about the sound of these wired in-ear buds, which combine a warm overall sound signature with a high level of detail courtesy of the triple-driver design. If you want wired and don’t want to spend much, these 1More buds are the ticket. 

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: was $379.95 now $249 at Amazon
Sennheiser makes some of the best over-ear headphones, and this $130 savings on the Momentum 4 Wireless is a compelling Prime Day deal. For just $249, you get great sound plus a 60-hour battery life and a useful control app with customizable features like Adaptive ANC. If big, comfy noise-cancelling wireless cans are your thing, you could scarcely do better than the Momentum 4 Wireless.