Best noise-cancelling headphones (2026)
Two over-ear picks and three earbuds, matched to your phone, with the battery each one really gets once noise cancelling is on.
By Offerove Editorial TeamUpdated 4 min readResearch-based, not hands-on
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The best noise cancelling headphones for most people are the Sony WH-1000XM6: up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, LDAC and LE Audio support, and two-device multipoint. Prefer earbuds? Get AirPods Pro 3 with an iPhone, Galaxy Buds3 Pro with a Samsung phone, or Sony WF-1000XM5 with anything else.
Our picks
| Pick | Product | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Over-ear: best overall | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Check price at Sony Electronics (opens Sony Electronics in a new tab) |
| Over-ear: best for aptX and USB-C audio | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Check price at Bose (opens Bose in a new tab) |
| Earbuds: best for iPhone | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | Check price at Apple (opens Apple in a new tab) |
| Earbuds: best for any phone | Sony WF-1000XM5 | Check price at Sony Electronics (opens Sony Electronics in a new tab) |
| Earbuds: best for Galaxy phones | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | Check price at Samsung (opens Samsung in a new tab) |
Buy if
- You commute, fly or study somewhere loud
- You want 24 h or more of listening before a recharge (with the case for earbuds)
- You pick the pair that matches your phone
Skip if
- You need over-ear headphones for workouts in rain or sweat
- You want LDAC or aptX from AirPods (Apple lists neither)
- You need to hear traffic while cycling or running outside
Every pick here has noise cancelling. The real differences are battery life once it is switched on, which phone the extra features need, and whether a little rain will hurt them.
We compared five picks from our audio hub using each maker’s official spec or help pages. Specs are current as of November 2026.
Which noise cancelling headphones should you buy?
Short answer: the Sony WH-1000XM6 for most people. It lasts up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, connects to two devices at once, and supports both LDAC and LE Audio. For earbuds, match the brand to the phone in your pocket.
Over-ear:
- The XM6 is our overall pick.
- The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) adds aptX Adaptive and wired USB-C audio, with up to 30 hours of battery.
Earbuds:
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 for iPhone owners.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro for Galaxy phone owners.
- Sony WF-1000XM5 for everyone else.
Battery life with noise cancelling on
Short answer: makers list two battery numbers, one with noise cancelling on and one with it off. Use the “on” number, because that is how you will listen. Over-ear picks get up to 30 hours; earbuds get 6 to 8 hours per charge.
| Pick | ANC on | ANC off | Cost of ANC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | 30 h | 40 h | 10 h |
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | 30 h | 40 h | 10 h |
| Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | 30 h | Not listed | Not listed |
The older Sony WH-1000XM5 lists the same 30 hours as the XM6 with noise cancelling on, and the same 40 hours with it off. The XM6 adds Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio. Our XM5 vs XM6 comparison has every spec.
Codecs change the math too. Sony lists both the XM6 and the XM5 at 26 hours with LDAC instead of 30. The WF-1000XM5 earbuds drop from 8 hours to 5 with LDAC, and to 7 with LC3. Bose lists 23 hours with its Immersive Audio mode on.
For earbuds, the case is the real battery. Apple lists 24 hours total with the case. Samsung lists 26 hours with the case and noise cancelling on.
Hi-res Bluetooth is a battery trade, not a free upgrade.
Codecs and multipoint, in plain English
Short answer: a codec is how your phone squeezes audio over Bluetooth. Higher-quality codecs only help if your phone supports them too. Multipoint lets one pair stay connected to two devices, like a laptop and a phone, at the same time.
The codec your phone supports decides a lot:
- LDAC (both Sony picks): hi-res Bluetooth for Android phones that support it.
- aptX Adaptive (Bose, listed as Snapdragon Sound): for phones that support it.
- SSC-UHQ at 24-bit/96 kHz (Galaxy Buds3 Pro): needs a compatible Samsung device.
- AirPods Pro 3: Apple doesn’t list codec support.
LC3 is the newer standard codec of Bluetooth LE Audio. The Bluetooth SIG says listening tests found LC3 matches or beats the older SBC codec at less than half the bit rate. Both Sony XM6 and WF-1000XM5 list it.
Multipoint is listed on both Sony over-ears and the WF-1000XM5. Bose doesn’t list it on the page we checked. On the XM6, you turn it on in the Sony Sound Connect app first. AirPods work differently: Apple says they switch automatically between Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
Water, sweat and who should skip
Short answer: none of our over-ear picks is built for wet workouts. Sony lists no water rating for the XM6, and Bose says its headphones are not water resistant. For the gym, look at the earbuds with an IP rating instead.
- AirPods Pro 3: IP57, covering earbuds and case.
- Galaxy Buds3 Pro: IP57 earbuds; the case is not water resistant.
- WF-1000XM5: IPX4 earbuds; the case is not water resistant.
Skip noise cancelling headphones if you need to hear traffic, say on a bike. On an iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 lean on Apple features like automatic switching rather than listed codecs.
Weight matters on long flights. The XM5 is lightest of the over-ears at about 250 g, then the XM6 at 254 g and the Bose at 264 g. With all three at 30 hours of noise cancelling, that works out to about 8.5 g per hour for the XM6, 8.8 g per hour for the Bose and 8.3 g per hour for the XM5.
Need a mic for gaming instead? See our wireless gaming headsets guide. Our methodology explains the spec scores in the table below.
The picks, side by side
| Product | Type | Battery life | Weight | Codecs | Connectivity | Water rating | Spec score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Over-ear | 30 h | 254 g | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 (LE Audio) | Bluetooth 5.3 | Not listed | 8.0 |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Over-ear | 30 h | 264 g | aptX Adaptive (Snapdragon Sound) | Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C wired audio | Not rated | 7.9 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 | In-ear | 8 h | 5.55 g | Not listed | Bluetooth 5.3 | IP57 | 9.1 |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | In-ear | 8 h | 5.9 g | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 (LE Audio) | Bluetooth 5.3 | IPX4 | 8.8 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | In-ear | 6 h | 5.4 g | AAC, SBC, SSC, SSC-UHQ (24-bit/96 kHz on compatible Samsung devices) | Bluetooth 5.4 | IP57 | 8.3 |
Specs from each maker's official page, checked Nov 9, 2026. Spec score formula: methodology.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Up to 30 h with noise cancelling on, LDAC and LE Audio LC3 support, Bluetooth 5.3 and two-device multipoint, at 254 g.
Good for
- Frequent flyers
- Android users wanting LDAC
Not for
- Gym use in wet conditions
- People wanting the lightest headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Up to 30 h with noise cancelling on, aptX Adaptive (Snapdragon Sound), Bluetooth 5.4 and wired audio over USB-C. Bose says it is not water resistant.
Good for
- Long flights and commutes
- Snapdragon Sound phone owners
Not for
- Workouts or rainy commutes
- People wanting LDAC
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Up to 8 h with noise cancelling on, 24 h total with the case, and an IP57 rating that covers the earbuds and the case.
Good for
- iPhone owners
- Workouts and daily commutes
Not for
- Android users
- People wanting LDAC or aptX
Sony WF-1000XM5
Up to 8 h with noise cancelling on, LDAC and LC3 support, and multipoint. LDAC cuts battery to 5 h.
Good for
- Commuters on Android or iPhone
- Hi-res Bluetooth listeners
Not for
- Swimmers or heavy-sweat workouts
- People wanting the lightest buds
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro
IP57 earbuds and 24-bit/96 kHz audio with a compatible Samsung device. Up to 6 h with noise cancelling on, 26 h with the case.
Good for
- Samsung Galaxy phone owners
- Workouts and commutes
Not for
- iPhone users
- Owners of non-Samsung Android phones
How we chose
We compared the noise cancelling headphones and earbuds in our catalog using each maker's official spec or help pages, then matched each one to a phone and a type of listener. These are research-based picks, not tested in person. Our methodology.
FAQ
Are over-ear or earbuds better for noise cancelling?
Both types here have noise cancelling, but over-ear picks last much longer per charge, up to 30 hours versus 6 to 8 hours for earbuds.
What is multipoint?
Multipoint lets headphones stay connected to two devices at once, such as a laptop and a phone, and both Sony picks list it.
Which picks support LDAC?
The Sony WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM5 list LDAC, while the Bose, Apple and Samsung picks don't.
Can I wear these at the gym?
The AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds3 Pro earbuds are rated IP57, while Bose says its over-ear pick is not water resistant.
Sources
- Bluetooth SIG: LE Audio FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- Bluetooth SIG: A technical overview of LC3 (opens in a new tab)
- Apple Support: Switch your AirPods to another device (opens in a new tab)
- Sony WH-1000XM6: Sony official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Bose official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Apple AirPods Pro 3: Apple official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Sony WF-1000XM5: Sony official specs (opens in a new tab)
- Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro: Samsung official specs (opens in a new tab)
Changes
- : Specs re-checked against official pages; Sony WH-1000XM6 battery is 30 h with ANC on and 40 h off (was 28 h and 38 h), Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) now lists aptX Adaptive (Snapdragon Sound) with no multipoint or ANC-off figure, and the weight-per-hour math is updated.
Related
Best headphones for travel (2026)
Long flights need battery, quiet and a light fit. Five noise-cancelling picks, over-ear and earbuds, compared on maker specs.
Best wireless earbuds for iPhone and Android
Your phone decides which codecs and extras you actually get. Four noise-cancelling picks, split by platform.
Bluetooth codecs explained: SBC to LDAC
SBC, AAC, LDAC, aptX Adaptive and LC3: what a codec does, the bit rate math, and which codecs our headphones list.