Whether you’re wearing them for the morning commute, while traveling, or if you’re simply trying to find some peace and quiet while working at home, noise-canceling headphones are a more essential piece of kit nowadays than ever before. And you’ve got a slew of great options to pick from; it’s hard to make a bad choice.
Technology
The best noise-canceling headphones to buy right now
There are longtime heavyweights like Bose and Sony to pick from. Apple has quickly carved into the market with the luxurious AirPods Max. And if you’ve got an ear that demands the best audio quality, headphones from Bowers & Wilkins and Sennheiser might appeal to you more than the mainstream contenders.
Not everyone loves the feel of earbuds, and there are scenarios where over-ear and on-ear headphones are just simpler or make more sense than wireless buds — particularly if lengthy battery life matters to you.
No matter how you’re using them, the criteria for picking the best noise-canceling headphones haven’t changed.
What we’re looking for
We put our top picks for noise-canceling headphones through many hours of testing. Since their ability to tamp down the loudness of your surroundings is critical, we use them in a variety of environments — including busy city streets, the office, coffee shops, and public transit — and for more quiet, focused listening at home.We sample their transparency mode to see how clearly the outside world comes through and if it’s easy to carry on conversations while wearing the headphones. We have friends and family try them on and provide feedback on the fit and comfort. And, of course, we have our favorite albums and playlists on repeat to assess how each pair sounds and how much listening time you can expect from a single charge.
If headphones are causing a sore spot at the top of your noggin, what good are they no matter how good they sound or cancel noise? Traditionally, the lighter they are, the more comfortable headphones will prove over extended listening sessions. But manufacturers can also help improve comfort by being thoughtful in the materials they choose for ear cups and the headband that wraps over your cranium. Clamping force is another important factor; some headphones will squeeze against your head firmer than others; this can be great if you want a pair to stay put for exercise, but not ideal if you’re just trying to relax and tune out the world.
Practically any of our picks will do an excellent job at providing distraction-free listening when on a flight, at the office, or if you’re traversing city streets. Noise-canceling headphones work by using built-in microphones to listen to the sounds in your environment, and they invert those soundwaves to eliminate the cacophony of everyday life.
Having powerful noise-canceling used to mean compromising on sound quality, but that’s simply not the case anymore. Most of today’s flagship ANC headphones provide dynamic, rich, and immersive sound. They support a variety of Bluetooth audio codecs, and some (like Sony’s LDAC and aptX HD) can deliver higher bitrates than the status quo AAC and SBC codecs. But don’t get bogged down in those details; headphones that are tuned well with the right components can make your music sound fantastic regardless of codecs.
One benefit of buying headphones instead of earbuds is that they can last much longer on a single charge. Whereas you’ll need to plop most earbuds back into their case after five hours or so, wireless headphones can keep the music going for around 20 hours. And some recent models can even exceed that, reaching 40 hours.
We all try to do our best at multitasking, and multipoint Bluetooth connectivity is essential for headphones to meet the same challenge. Multipoint allows your noise-canceling headphones to pair with two devices at the same time. This makes it easy to take a call on your phone and get right back to the music you were playing on your laptop without fussing with Bluetooth settings menus.
Headphones are increasingly gaining features that are exclusive to individual manufacturer ecosystems. For example, the AirPods Max are capable of head-tracking spatial audio and other tricks like audio sharing — but only if you’re listening to them with one of the company’s other products, like an iPhone, Mac, or iPad.
The best wireless headphones for most people
$278
The Good
- Even better active noise cancellation
- More balanced, tighter sound
- Much-improved voice call quality
The Bad
- Design is very plasticky for $400
- No major new features over 1000XM4
- Bulky, awkward carrying case
Battery life: 30 hours / Multipoint: Yes / Audio codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC / Connectors: USB-C (charging), 3.5mm headphone jack (audio)
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 have a completely different design from their predecessors. The changes result in greater comfort when you wear them on your head for extended periods of time — like on a flight or at the office.
Noise cancellation has been further improved from the already-stellar performance of the WH-1000XM4, putting Sony at the front of the pack compared to all major competitors. Sound quality is more detailed and balanced than the older XM4; the low end is still punchy but tighter and less boomy than before. The XM5 offer excellent voice call performance, and they can connect to two devices simultaneously, so you can stay clued in on what’s happening on your phone when you’re working away on your laptop or tablet.
Sony’s headphones also include unique features like “speak to chat,” which automatically pauses your music and pipes in ambient audio whenever you start talking. Or you can hold one hand over the right ear cup to activate quick attention mode, which is convenient when grabbing a coffee or listening to airport announcements. And like other high-end headphones, the XM5 can detect when they’ve been removed from your ears for auto-pause.
Earlier this year, Sony introduced the WH-1000XM6, and while they offer incremental improvements over the XM5 in terms of sound and ANC performance, they’re also more expensive at $449.99. The XM5, meanwhile, can regularly be found for $300 or less. Weighing price versus performance, the XM5 are a better value, and it’s why they remain at the top of our list.
Read our full WH-1000XM5 review.
The best noise-canceling headphones for travel
$279
The Good
- Exemplary comfort
- Top-tier noise cancellation
- Improved transparency mode clarity
- Better voice call quality than NCH700
The Bad
- Immersive Audio is sometimes enjoyable but often bad
- Immersive Audio drains battery faster
- No USB-C audio support
- Case has annoying indentations
Battery life: 24 hours / Multipoint: Yes / Audio codecs: aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC / Connectors: USB-C (charging), 2.5mm headphone jack (audio)
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are basically a blend of the company’s prior Noise Canceling Headphones 700 and QuietComfort 45 that borrow the best traits from both — while throwing in a new “immersive audio” listening mode. Like past Bose cans, they’re very light and comfortable on your head, even when worn for long stretches of time. Best of all, unlike the Noise Canceling Headphones 700, these can be folded to make them easier to travel with.
Their 24-hour battery life is more than adequate, and Bose has added support for the aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec for improved audio fidelity on Android devices.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The immersive audio feature works well on some songs, but less so on others. It’s worth experimenting with, but even if you leave it off entirely, you’re left with best-in-class noise cancellation, pleasing sound, and a helpful “aware” transparency mode.
Read our full Bose QC Ultra Headphones review.
The best wireless headphones for iPhone owners
$450
The Good
- High-luxury design
- Terrific, balanced sound quality
- Very effective noise cancellation
- Dependable and foolproof controls
- Spatial audio for immersive entertainment
The Bad
- Heavier than many competitors
- No 3.5mm jack
- Wired listening requires $35 cable
- Case is an abomination
- Lacks latest AirPods Pro features
Battery life: 20 hours / Multipoint: No / Audio codecs: AAC, SBC / Connectors: Lightning (audio and charging)
There was definitely some sticker shock when Apple introduced a $549 set of noise-canceling headphones in 2020. The AirPods Max cost significantly more money than any of our other recommendations. But Apple’s build quality is on another level: these trade the plastic you’ll find in many noise-canceling headphones for steel and aluminum, and the ear cups are a breathable mesh fabric. They’re hefty headphones, there’s no denying that. But aside from Apple refusing to include a headphone cable in the box, there’s nothing about the AirPods Max that feels cheap. And I appreciate the simplicity of using the digital crown for controls instead of relying on hit-or-miss gestures like taps and swipes.
The most important part is that the AirPods Max deliver audio quality that’s up there with the best high-end Bluetooth headphones. They have an immersive, wide soundstage and fantastic dynamics, and you’ll find yourself hopping around your music library just to hear what they bring out in your favorite songs.
Apple’s noise cancellation is on par with Sony and Bose, and no one does transparency mode better; at times, it can make you think you’re not wearing headphones at all. Extra features like Spatial Audio (surround sound for movies and TV shows) and automatic switching between Apple gadgets help make it a bit easier to swallow their daunting price.
But the AirPods Max do have faults. The carrying case is abysmal, battery life is only average for the category, and just like regular AirPods, they’re designed with Apple’s ecosystem in mind. It gets much harder to justify dropping $550 on them if you live outside the iPhone and Mac universe.
Also, it’s worth noting that Apple introduced a new pair of AirPods Max with USB-C charging and five new color options in September. We’re currently testing the latest model, but given just how little they differ from Apple’s existing over-ear headphones, we don’t anticipate markedly different performance. That said, they do support lossless audio and ultra low latency thanks to a recent firmware update, which, technically, isn’t something you’ll find on the Lightning model.
Read our full Apple AirPods Max review.
The best-sounding wireless headphones
$275
The Good
- Stylish, standout design
- Excellent sound quality
- Supports wired USB-C audio
The Bad
- No regular headphone input
- Doesn’t include LDAC support
- Your ears might get sweaty
Battery life: 30 hours / Multipoint: Yes / Audio codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC / Connectors: USB-C (audio and charging)
If sound quality is priority number one, then Bowers & Wilkins has you covered with the PX7 S2e headphones. They exhibit superb, detailed sound quality that some people prefer to the AirPods Max. The Bowers & Wilkins cans are true to the company’s legacy and style, with a fine-crafted design that exudes quality. And the newer “e” variant has a revamped digital signal processing that can bring out the best audio quality from streaming music.
I prefer their physical buttons over the tap/swipe ear cup gestures of Sony’s WH-1000XM5. With 30 hours of battery life, they’re more than competitive with mainstream, less expensive picks. And the sound profile is delightfully warm and will bring out the most from your favorite music. The main downside of the PX7 S2e is that there’s no traditional 3.5mm or 2.5mm output for a headphone cable. You can still listen wired over USB-C, however.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 review.
The noise-canceling headphones with the best battery life
$250
The Good
- Much-improved comfort
- Better noise cancellation than before
- Marathon 60-hour battery life
The Bad
- Terribly generic design
- No more physical button controls
- Headphones can power on unexpectedly
Battery life: 60 hours / Multipoint: Yes / Audio codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC / Connectors: USB-C (audio and charging), 2.5mm headphone jack (audio)
Sixty hours. They can last for up to 60 hours on a single charge. That’s really all you need to know about the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones if you’re looking for an endurance champ. But they also sound terrific and prove extremely comfortable over long listening periods. This combination doesn’t come cheap, but you can occasionally find some good deals on them.
Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless headphones edge out Bowers & Wilkins on comfort thanks to their lighter design, and the noise cancellation is slightly better. Next to the Sonys and Bose’s QC Ultra Headphones, it doesn’t get much cozier. These are headphones you can wear for multiple hours without any fatigue or pressure on your ears.
Sennheiser’s sound signature is a bit more expressive and puts more emphasis on bass than B&W, but that upper treble range still comes through crystal clear. My only real nitpick with the Sennheisers is that they tend to occasionally power on inside the case and automatically connect to my phone for no apparent reason.
Both the B&W and Sennheiser headphones support multipoint connectivity and a range of Bluetooth codecs, including SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive.
Read our full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review.
Update, December 4th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability and several new related links.
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This week, Anthropic delivered a master class in arrogance and betrayal as well as a textbook case of how not to do business with the United States Government or the Pentagon.
Our position has never wavered and will never waver: the Department of War must have full, unrestricted access to Anthropic’s models for every LAWFUL purpose in defense of the Republic.
Instead, @AnthropicAI and its CEO @DarioAmodei, have chosen duplicity. Cloaked in the sanctimonious rhetoric of “effective altruism,” they have attempted to strong-arm the United States military into submission – a cowardly act of corporate virtue-signaling that places Silicon Valley ideology above American lives.
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
Their true objective is unmistakable: to seize veto power over the operational decisions of the United States military. That is unacceptable.
As President Trump stated on Truth Social, the Commander-in-Chief and the American people alone will determine the destiny of our armed forces, not unelected tech executives.
Anthropic’s stance is fundamentally incompatible with American principles. Their relationship with the United States Armed Forces and the Federal Government has therefore been permanently altered.
In conjunction with the President’s directive for the Federal Government to cease all use of Anthropic’s technology, I am directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security. Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic. Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.
America’s warfighters will never be held hostage by the ideological whims of Big Tech. This decision is final.
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When you open a chatbot, stream a show or back up photos to the cloud, you are tapping into a vast network of data centers. These facilities power artificial intelligence, search engines and online services we use every day. Now there is a growing debate over who should pay for the electricity those data centers consume.
During President Trump’s State of the Union address this week, he introduced a new initiative called the “ratepayer protection pledge” to shift AI-driven electricity costs away from consumers. The core idea is simple.
Tech companies that run energy-intensive AI data centers should cover the cost of the extra electricity they require rather than passing those costs on to everyday customers through higher utility rates.
It sounds simple. The hard part is what happens next.
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At the State of the Union address Feb. 24, 2026, President Trump unveiled the “ratepayer protection pledge” aimed at shielding consumers from rising electricity costs tied to AI data centers. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Why AI is driving a surge in electricity demand
AI systems require enormous computing power. That computing power requires enormous electricity. Today’s data centers can consume as much power as a small city. As AI tools expand across business, healthcare, finance and consumer apps, energy demand has risen sharply in certain regions.
Utilities have warned that the current grid in many parts of the country was not built for this level of concentrated demand. Upgrading substations, transmission lines and generation capacity costs money. Traditionally, those costs can influence rates paid by homes and small businesses. That is where the pledge comes in.
What the ratepayer protection pledge is designed to do
Under the ratepayer protection pledge, large technology companies would:
- Cover the full cost of additional electricity tied to their data centers
- Build their own on-site power generation to reduce strain on the public grid
Supporters say this approach separates residential energy costs from large-scale AI expansion. In other words, your household bill should not rise simply because a new AI data center opens nearby. So far, Anthropic is the clearest public backer. CyberGuy reached out to Anthropic for a comment on its role in the pledge. A company spokesperson referred us to a tweet from Anthropic Head of External Affairs Sarah Heck.
“American families shouldn’t pick up the tab for AI,” Heck wrote in a post on X. “In support of the White House ratepayer protection pledge, Anthropic has committed to covering 100% of electricity price increases that consumers face from our data centers.”
That makes Anthropic one of the first major AI companies to publicly state it will absorb consumer electricity price increases tied to its data center operations. Other major firms may be close behind. The White House reportedly plans to host Microsoft, Meta and Anthropic in early March to discuss formalizing a broader deal, though attendance and final terms have not been confirmed publicly.
Microsoft also expressed support for the initiative.
“The ratepayer protection pledge is an important step,” Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president, said in a statement to CyberGuy. “We appreciate the administration’s work to ensure that data centers don’t contribute to higher electricity prices for consumers.”
Industry groups also point to companies such as Google and utilities including Duke Energy and Georgia Power as making consumer-focused commitments tied to data center growth. However, enforcement mechanisms and long-term regulatory details remain unclear.
CHINA VS SPACEX IN RACE FOR SPACE AI DATA CENTERS
The White House plans talks with Microsoft, Meta and Anthropic about shifting AI energy costs away from consumers. (Eli Hiller/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
How this could change the economics of AI
AI infrastructure is already one of the most expensive technology buildouts in history. Companies are investing billions in chips, servers and real estate. If firms must also finance dedicated power plants or pay premium rates for grid upgrades, the cost of running AI systems increases further. That could lead to:
- Slower expansion in some markets
- Greater investment in renewable energy and storage
- More partnerships between tech firms and utilities
Energy strategy may become just as important as computing strategy. For consumers, this shift signals that electricity is now a central part of the AI conversation. AI is no longer only about software. It is also about infrastructure.
The bigger consumer tech picture
AI is becoming embedded in smartphones, search engines, office software and home devices. As adoption grows, so does the hidden infrastructure supporting it. Energy is now part of the conversation around everyday technology. Every AI-generated image, voice command or cloud backup depends on a power-hungry network of servers.
By asking companies to account more directly for their electricity use, policymakers are acknowledging a new reality. The digital world runs on very physical resources. For you, that shift could mean more transparency. It also raises new questions about sustainability, local impact and long-term costs.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS FUEL NEW ENERGY SOURCES
As AI expansion strains the grid, a new proposal would require tech firms to fund their own power needs. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images)
What this means for you
If you are a homeowner or renter, the practical question is simple. Will this protect my electric bill? In theory, separating data center energy costs from residential rates could reduce the risk of price spikes tied to AI growth. If companies fund their own generation or grid upgrades, utilities may have less reason to spread those costs among all customers.
That said, utility pricing is complex. It depends on state regulators, long-term planning and local energy markets.
Here is what you can watch for in your area:
- New data center construction announcements
- Utility filings that mention large commercial load growth
- Public service commission decisions on rate adjustments
Even if you rarely use AI tools, your community could feel the effects of a nearby data center. The pledge is intended to keep those large-scale power demands from showing up in your monthly bill.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
The ratepayer protection pledge highlights an important turning point. AI is no longer only about innovation and speed. It is also about energy and accountability. If tech companies truly absorb the cost of their expanding power needs, households may avoid some of the financial strain tied to rapid AI growth. If not, utility bills could become an unexpected front line in the AI era.
As AI tools become part of daily life, how much extra power are you willing to support to keep them running? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.
There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:
The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.
That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).
While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.
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