The 6 Best On-Ear Wireless Headphones - Summer 2020
Reviews

The Bose SoundLink On-Ear are the most comfortable on-ear wireless headphones that we've tested so far. They have a lightweight design with soft, well-padded ear cups, and a headband that's comfortable even for long listening periods. Their physical buttons are extremely easy to use, and the headphones look and feel durable and well-built.

Their balanced sound profile is well-suited for most genres of music, but they have a tiny bit of extra kick and thump that'll please fans of EDM or hip-hop. They last 21 hours off a single charge, so you don't have to worry about plugging them in every night, and they support multi-device pairing so you can easily switch between your phone and laptop.

Unfortunately, unlike other popular Bose headphones, they don't have an ANC feature and do a poor job at blocking out background noise. They also leak a fair amount of audio, so your coworkers may hear your music if you work in a quiet office. Overall, these headphones offer the lightweight and comfortable design that Bose is known for, with a well-balanced sound profile that's suitable for everything from hip-hop to audiobooks.

The best wireless on-ear headphones with a well-balanced sound profile that we've tested to date are the Marshall MID ANC. They feel quite well-built, and feature a somewhat excited and fairly accurate sound profile, and intuitive physical controls. Meanwhile, their tasteful gold-and-black color scheme should please audiophiles with a taste for retro looks.

That old-school design also offers a very consistent listening experience regardless of the wearer's head shape, hair length, or if they wear glasses or not. Their audio reproduction is mostly even, although it does deliver slightly overemphasized bass, which is good for those who prefer a little more thump and kick in their listening sessions. Battery life is another strong suit, with a continuous playback time of 17 hours with both ANC and Bluetooth enabled.

Unfortunately, they lack an auto-off timer, which means it’s a little too easy to drain their battery if you forget to turn them off. Their ANC performance is also only okay, as it does little to block background noise, especially at low frequencies, so you’ll still hear quite a bit of engine noise. That being said, thanks to their punchy sound profile, these are the best sounding on-ear wireless headphones.

The Beats Solo3 are the best on-ear wireless headphones for battery life that we've tested so far. With a continuous battery life of 42-hours, they’ll easily manage several days worth of the daily grind without having to worry about plugging them in. They feature the classic Beats design that looks premium and feels quite well-built, and they're surprisingly stable on the head, even during moderate workouts.

Charging time is another plus point, with a full charge taking about 1.5 hours to complete. If you’re in a rush, a quick 5-minute charge should give you 2.5 hours of continuous playback time, though this isn't something we test. In regards to how these headphones actually sound, they deliver a heavily overemphasized bass, which might please fans of rap and EDM. However, mids and treble are reproduced more accurately. Like the Apple AirPods 1 Truly Wireless 2017, they feature a W1 chip, meaning that pairing with Apple devices is a cinch.

On the downside, their fit is a little tight, so they might become a little uncomfortable to wear during longer listening sessions. They also do an unimpressive job of blocking out background noise, especially the low rumble of bus engines or construction equipment. If you want something similar that features ANC to help give you some peace, check out the newer Beats Solo Pro Wireless, though they're a bit more expensive and don't last nearly as long off a single charge.