5 Wireless Headphones One Must Buy In 2021Our recommendations for the best wireless headphones to buy

Wireless headphones have come a long way in the last decade. The wireless revolution means ever-more advanced Bluetooth codec's, longer-lasting batteries and better-sounding performance: great news for those of us who value both quality sound and the convenience of no wires. That innovation looks only to be continuing on an upward trajectory, with wireless technologies and audio-enhancing hardware and software far from stagnant.

There are also now plenty of wireless earbuds or earphones, if you like: some with neckband cables joining the buds, and others known as 'true wireless', where the earpieces are completely untethered from one another. Below are our recommendations for the best wireless headphones to buy.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

The Sony WH-1000XM4 stands as the best wireless headphones available. Sony's boomy and spacious soundstage is at the forefront, reproducing a full range of frequencies, so you can feel every low, mid and high that blasts out of the 40mm drivers. You have the luxury of fine-tuning sound to your hearing by adjusting the EQ or selecting from a variety of presets in the Sony Headphones app, which has more cool features that extended functionality.

Razer Opus Wireless

These comfortable, well-built headphones offer a very versatile performance that can please many different types of listeners. Thanks to their ANC feature, they have incredible noise isolation, so you aren't distracted by a lot of background noises while listening to your music.

Out-of-the-box, they have a very neutral, balanced sound profile that's suitable for listening to a wide range of audio content. You can also use the graphic EQ and presets in the Razer Opus app to customize their sound more to your liking, which is nice. Also, with a continuous battery life of over 32 hours, these headphones are well-suited to long days on-the-go without a recharge.

Apple AirPods Max

AirPods Pro are a much more cost-effective route into Apple headphones, considering the AirPods Max cost a widow-making $549. Still, you get what you pay for, and on a purely technical level, Apple's first over-ear cans are absolute fantastic.

There's active noise cancelling, which works about as well as the best on the market. There's Spatial Audio, which creates a striking surround sound effect as you move your head. There's a impeccable build quality, the comfy memory foam earcup padding, the healthy battery life – the list goes on. It's worth noting that if you ever want to switch to wired listening you'll need to buy a separate $35 Lightning cable, but on Bluetooth alone these headphones are an excellent iOS companion.

Jabra Elite Active 75h

The Elite Active 75T are the perfect earbuds for people who can't stop breaking their phone screens. They're tiny and have an ergonomic fit, so they won't fall off during a jog, and there's an IP57 rating to weather the elements. These sound great too, with excellent call quality and a solid 7.5-hour battery life outside the case. Do your worst, they'll keep on ticking. Jabra has also recently added noise-canceling tech via a software update, which is rad, but it's not quite as powerful as the noise-canceling options from Sony and Bose.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The Bose 700 headphones have raised the bar for active noise cancelling headphones, effectively silencing outside noise while simultaneously allowing you to clearly be heard when talking to someone on the phone or cueing up a digital assistant. The 700s don't skimp on audio quality either, offering clean, balanced sound with some impressive, intuitive tech flourishes.