Best Noise-Cancellation Headsets

Working from home can be a disaster because of the unwanted noises. Active Noise-Cancellation (ANC) headphones can reduce or eliminate these ambient sounds without having to raise the volume excessively. Even though Sony’s WH-1000XM5 is the best choice, we have tested out several ANC headsets to come up with a list for various budgets.
The best noise-cancellation headsets to buy are:

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Unlike most cases, this successor costs less than its predecessor. Even though they have removed the hands-free Cortana voice control feature, the sound quality is still the same. They have also upgraded the Bluetooth, improved battery life, and made some minor design tweaks to make it to this list as an affordable, value-for-money option.

Pros:

• • Major upgrades over the previous model
  • Longer battery life than its predecessor
  • Very good value-for-money option

Cons:

• • The sound should be more refined
  • Looks are far from premium

Anker SoundCore Life Q30

Even though it doesn’t have the refined sound and bass like the top headsets on this list, it is still a good performer and costs only a third of the price. And with a mind-blowing battery life of 40 hours, these are easily the best ANC headsets under $100.

Pros:

• • Affordable
  • ANC is adjustable
  • Admirable battery life
  • Supports multi-device pairing

Cons:

• • The default sound profile is underwhelming, and you must use the app to set up a new sound profile to get the best out of the headsets.

Bose QuietComfort 45

Apart from the USB-C post replacing the Micro-USB port and better comfort, Bose QuietComfort 45 is pretty much the same as its predecessor (QuietComfort 35 II). They have also improved the noise cancellation, but they are on this list because they are the most comfortable ANC headsets you can get.

Pros:

• • Top-notch ANC
  • Refined sound
  • Excellent battery life

Cons:

• • ANC cannot be turned off
  • Some features available in the older models have gone missing

Sony WH-1000XM4

You may want to choose these sensational headsets over their successor for their livelier sound quality and the fact that it folds up into a smaller case. The succeeding Sony WH-1000XM5 is only a slight improvement thanks to more refined sound quality, improved noise canceling, and better call experience, but the Sony WH-1000XM4 is still an excellent value-for-money option.

Pros:

• • Better noise cancellation than previous models
  • Impressive new features like Multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme Audio Upscaling

Cons:

• • It isn’t water-resistant

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Generally, noise-canceling headsets keep you from ambient noises, but the person on a call with you can still hear those sounds. These Bose headphones also block out ambient noises from calls, making them the best ANC headsets for calls.

Pros:

• • Brilliant noise cancellation
  • Exuberant sound
  • Wonderful design

Cons:

• • Battery life should be better

Apple AirPods Max

As with most Apple products, the Apple AirPods Max is worth spending the extra money on. Compared to less expensive competitors, they deliver more detailed and richer sound. You could argue that its noise cancellation is better than that of the Sony WH-1000XM5. But Apple’s virtual surround spatial audio feature for video watching offers a video-watching experience that is second to none.

Pros:

• • Exceptional audio performance
  • Awesome additional features for iOS
  • Excellent noise cancellation

Cons:

• • Some people may complain about them being heavy
  • 3.5mm audio port not present
  • Limited features for Android devices

Sony WH-1000XM5

Apart from the smaller driver size than the Sony WH-1000XM4 (30mm vs. 40mm), the Sony WH-1000XM5 is almost the same as its predecessor but only marginally better. The DSEE Extreme and the LDAC codec support combine to reproduce the best possible sound quality for connected devices. Sony has the best-in-class ANC headsets, and their noise cancellation is the ultimate among headsets.

Pros:

• • Fantastic noise cancellation
  • Excellent refined sound
  • Smart features
  • Comes with a user-friendly app

Cons:

• • Less portable than its predecessor
  • Not water resistant
  • Not a major update on its predecessors
  • Still more expensive than the previous models

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