The 7 Best Headphones For Work - Spring 2023 Reviews

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are the best headphones for work we've tested. These premium over-ears are jam-packed with extra features. Although they're the previous generation of the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, they have a more comfortable fit than their successor as their headband can distribute weight more evenly over your head. Thanks to their active noise cancelling (ANC) system, they can isolate you from sounds like office chit-chat and the hum of AC units. They also have a very comfortable fit and a long-lasting, over 37 hours of continuous battery life—with their ANC on!

You can connect them to your PC and smartphone simultaneously, which is great if you tend to move between devices. While their sound profile is bass-heavy out of the box, you can customize them using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. Their integrated mic has a mediocre overall performance, and speech can be drowned out by moderate background noise. If you're concerned about call quality, you may want to check out the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless instead. Their integrated mic offers significantly better overall performance. They support multi-device pairing and have an excellent ANC system. Unfortunately, they're more prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so you need to ensure a good fit each time you use them.

The Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless are the best headphones for work in the upper mid-range we've tested. At this price point, it's unlikely that you'll find nearly the same high-powered noise cancellation performance as the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. However, if you're willing to sacrifice the performance of some features for a lower price point, these over-ears are still worth considering. These headphones have a hybrid design for gaming and casual use, but don't let that put you off. Their integrated mic has a decent performance, so your voice is clear and easy to understand when you take calls or attend online meetings. They come with a wireless dongle that you can connect to your computer, and since they also support Bluetooth, you can use both technologies simultaneously to stay connected to your smartphone and PC.

Their ANC system does a great job of blocking background noise like office chatter. They also last over 34 hours continuously and have a comfortable fit suitable for long days at your desk. They're well-built, but the hinges are a bit creaky, which can be annoying. Their versatile sound profile is suitable for most kinds of genres, and if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets.

The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless are the best mid-range headphones we've tested for work. These cheaper headphones have a sturdy build and a comfortable fit for most people. Their ANC feature does a fantastic job of blocking out a wide range of ambient sound, including noise like background conversations at the office. The integrated mic doesn't make your voice sound as full-bodied as the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless but does a better job of separating it from noise, which is a bonus if you work in a pretty noisy office.

Their continuous battery life of around 28 hours easily lasts through a couple of workdays. You can also listen to audio passively with the included cable. Their v-shaped sound profile adds a lot of extra rumble and punch to your audio. Instruments and voices can sound harsh, but you can use the in-app graphic EQ and presets to adjust the sound. The headphones don't leak very much audio, so even if you like to listen to loud music at work, it won't bother people nearby. They also support multi-device pairing, which is nice if you need to connect to your phone and computer simultaneously.

If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, you might prefer the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. These headphones are significantly cheaper than the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless but have a comparable ANC performance. They're very effective at blocking noise like rumbling engines outside your window. The Q45 are better at reducing mid-range noise, like background chit-chat, but they still block out a good amount. They last for around 44 hours of continuous use, so you don't need to recharge them daily. They're comfortable for most people and decently well-built, although some users have reported that the headband breaks over time.

The integrated mic has an alright recording quality, so recorded speech is clear and understandable. However, compared to the Q45's mic, it struggles to separate your voice from ambient sound, so it's not ideal for calls from noisy environments. They have a bass-heavy sound profile, but the balanced mid-range helps ensure that voices sound clear and detailed. Their app also features a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. They support multi-device pairing. However, they leak much more audio than the Q45, so people nearby can hear your music if you crank up the volume. If you're worried about bothering people in a quiet place, you might prefer the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones Wireless, which can't block out as much noise but leak much less audio.

If you want to spend as little as possible on a good pair of office headphones, you might prefer the Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless. Although they're gaming headphones with no extra features, they don't stand out too much and offer solid performance at a low price point. Unlike the previous picks, they're wireless-only and use a wireless USB dongle, so you can't use them wired if the battery dies. On the upside, they last up to 20 hours continuously and even have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life. They also have an integrated mic, and while it has trouble separating your voice from background noise, speech still sounds clear and understandable.

These over-ears are designed for teens and tweens, so they may have a tight fit if you have a large head. However, they're still very lightweight and have memory foam padding to keep you comfortable when plugging away at the office. Their slightly warm sound profile brings boom to mixes, but vocals and instruments still sound clear and detailed, which is good for calls. Since they're gaming headphones, they don't have ANC and don't block out background noise. However, if you need noise cancelling to give you peace of mind at the office, try the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless. They're more expensive than the Logitech and sound less neutral, but their ANC does a good job of blocking out background noise like chatty coworkers.

If you spend a lot of time at work on the phone or in meetings, the Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless is the best office headset for calls we've tested. Unlike the other headphones on this list, they're specifically for business calls. They have a boom microphone, which sits closer to your mouth and offers much better performance than the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless' integrated mic. It makes your voice sound clear and natural and has decent noise handling, even in loud environments, meaning you won't be drowned out by background conversations or traffic outside the window. The headphones also have an integrated mic you can enable in the companion app, although you can't detach the boom mic.

Their sound profile is well-balanced, and elements like voices in your audio are present and clear. However, they have a much weaker noise isolation performance than the Sony, especially when blocking noise like rumbling engines. Still, the ANC feature does a good job of blocking out mid-range sounds like voices, so it can still be helpful in a busy office or call center. They support multi-device pairing via Bluetooth and also come with a wireless USB dongle that you can plug into your computer for quick pairing. However, they have high latency via USB, so you might notice audio lag if you use the dongle.

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless are the best earbuds for work we've tested. These wireless buds have a very comfortable fit for long workdays and offer a fantastic noise cancelling performance. They're especially effective at blocking mid-range noise like background conversations, which is nice if you work at a busy office. That said, our frequency response measurements don't match subjective listening. It's due to the shape of our test rig's ear canals, which don't fully capture the extra bass produced by these buds. As a result, they subjectively have a lot of rumble and boom, but it muddies vocals and instruments. If you prefer a different sound, it can also be customized with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app.

Unlike the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless, the Bose don't support multi-device pairing. Also, if you need headphones for phone calls, the cheaper Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless have a better overall mic performance. With the Bose, your voice will be understandable if you're on the phone in a quiet place, but it may be hard to hear you if you call from an office or the street. The earbuds last under seven hours of continuous use, so you may need to recharge them partway through the day. Fortunately, they come with a case that holds about three extra charges.