Some Great Holiday Headphones Deals Remain So Nab Them Now
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and have come and gone, but many headphones deals are still available. We've rounded up our top picks you can still grab today. You can get some models for up to 50% off, and you can even find some great options for less than $100.
Note that prices and availability were accurate at the time of publication, but they may fluctuate and some deals may expire quickly. This article was last updated on Dec. 2.
Read more:
Best holiday headphone deals for 2021
David Carnoy/CNET
The Soundcore Life P3 are essentially a more affordable version of the Liberty Air 2 Pro ($130 list). They're missing wireless charging and a wear-detection sensor that automatically pauses your music when you take the earbuds out of your ears. However, these noise-canceling earbuds sound quite decent (they have a bass-boost mode) and also have good sound quality for making calls. A companion app allows you to tweak the sound a bit.
The buds are also on sale. They're only . They also sound decent but are missing active noise canceling and have fewer microphones, so their voice-calling performance isn't quite as good.
David Carnoy/CNET
Amazon has Apple's newest AirPods, the AirPods 3, on sale for just $150. That's $29 less than the Apple Store and their lowest price to date. The AirPods 3 have been in and out of stock at this price.
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Hamran Kardon
I haven't tried the Harman Kardon Fly ANC headphones but Harman Kardon gear generally sounds good and eBay has them for $60. They have a handful of reviews on Amazon, mostly good. The headphones appear to have been released in April 2020. These deal could sell out fast because quantities are limited.
David Carnoy/CNET
Amazon has been sporadically discounting its second-gen Echo Buds and they're now down to their lowest price yet: $70 ($50 off). That's $10 less than what they hit on Amazon Prime Day and it's a very good deal for a solid set of noise-canceling earbuds with hands-free Alexa capabilities. They're available in black or white.
Note that if you want a wireless charging case, the price ticks up to $90. That model normally sells for $140, so again you're looking at $50 off for that model as well. I thought the Echo Buds 2 offered some welcome improvements over the originals, including better sound and noise cancellation. They also fit comfortably and are decent for making calls.
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David Carnoy/CNET
LG's Tone Free FP9 are a nice improvement over previous Tone Free true-wireless earbuds I've tried in the last couple of years, offering better sound with fuller bass and decent noise canceling. They're lightweight and comfortable to wear (yes, they look quite a bit like AirPods Pro but come in black) and their touch controls are responsive. They performed well as a headset for making calls, though I expected a little better noise reduction when I was making calls in the raucous streets of New York.
They have a couple of bonus features. You can plug the case into a standard headphone port (say, on a plane) and the case acts as a wireless Bluetooth transceiver. It also has a built-in self-cleaning feature. It's a bit of a gimmick, but for all you germaphobes, the case has a UV light -- LG calls it UVnano -- that kills bacteria on the speaker mesh.
David Carnoy/CNET
Released back in September for $329, Bose's brand-new QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are now on sale for a limited time for $279, their lowest price to date. That's a $50 savings.
The QuietComfort 45 look similar to their comfy predecessor, the QuietComfort 35, and sound pretty similar too. But they do have some small design upgrades, including USB-C charging and, more importantly, better noise canceling (possibly the best out there right now) and improved voice-calling performance.
Jabra
This is essentially an upgraded version of the Elite 75t Active and includes Jabra's new ShakeGrip coating technology that's "designed to give the ultimate fit while moving around and to stay put when you sweat." The black version is on sale for the first time right now for $20 off.
This model has adjustable active noise canceling, Jabra's HearThrough transparency mode and four built-in microphones for "clear call quality," with two additional microphones for "personalization."
While this model is missing the step-up Elite 7 Pro's MultiSensor Voice technology, Jabra says it delivers the same "premium experience" as the Elite 7 Pro with many of the same specs, including IP57 water and dust resistance, and nine hours of battery life with noise canceling on.
Don't expect the Elite 7 Active to deliver quite the same voice-calling performance as the Elite 7 Pro, but it should offer the same sound and fit, albeit just a little grippier in your ear. You can also use either bud independently in a mono mode.
Sennheiser
The Sennheiser PXC 550-II didn't get much attention when it was released in 2020 and with its list price of $350, it faced daunting competition from Sony and Bose. But we've spotted it for less than $160 on Amazon and it's a good value there, featuring very good sound (it's got a slightly warmer sound profile), good noise canceling and solid voice calling. Battery life is impressive at around 30 hours with noise canceling on.
David Carnoy/CNET
The Momentum True Wireless II remains Sennheiser's flagship true-wireless earbuds. But shortly after the release of the CX ($130), Sennheiser's second-generation midrange buds, the company has followed up with the CX Plus, which adds noise canceling for $50 more ($180). They look nearly identical to the standard CX buds but have a glossy black finish on the buds' exterior touch-sensitive surface. Cosmetically, they're more akin to the older and slightly larger CX400BT.
I like the CX for the money and the CX Plus delivers the same excellent sound while rounding out the feature set with active noise canceling and a transparency mode. Battery life is rated at up to eight hours at moderate volume levels and these are splash-proof, with an IPX4 rating. They do stick out of your ears a fair bit.
The noise canceling isn't quite as good as the Sony WF-1000XM4's noise canceling, but I thought it was quite effective and headset performance was also decent, though not necessarily stellar. These are all-around solid noise-canceling earbuds that can count sound quality as their biggest strength.
Also on sale:
Bose's flagship noise-canceling headphones are a few years old and have sporadically been nicely discounted, though not always in all colors. For Cyber Week, you can get the soapstone and blue versions of the Noise Canceling 700 Headphones for a limited time. At $80 off their current list price of $379, they're not at their all-time low -- but it's the lowest price we've seen in the last few months.
If you want to save more money, Bose is also selling Noise Canceling 700 Headphones in all color options for . However, only the refurbished black version appears to be in stock at the moment.
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David Carnoy/CNET
If you get a tight seal (three different sized ear tips are included), 1More's ComfoBuds Pro not only sounds good but also performs well as a headset for making calls, with three microphones in each earbud. There's a touch of presence boost in the treble and the bass packs good punch, which gives these a dynamic sound profile (they're not laid-back) and they play loud for those looking for that. $60 is their lowest price to date.
You can toggle between two levels of noise cancellation (as well as "off") using the touch controls -- and there's a pass-through transparency mode and a wind noise-reduction mode. You can also toggle through all of those modes using the companion app for iOS and Android. Battery life is rated at six hours with noise canceling on and eight with it off. The earbuds are IPX4 rated for water-resistance, which means they're splash-proof, the same as the AirPods Pro.
In short, if can't afford the AirPods Pro, the 1More ComfoBuds Pro is a good budget alternative. Note that 1More also makes an open version of the ComfoBuds, which is similar to the standard AirPods and costs less. This Pro version is better.
David Carnoy/CNET
Sony's WF-1000XM4 may not fit everybody's ears equally well, but if they do fit, they're a fantastic set of true-wireless earbuds. Both their sound and noise-canceling capacity are excellent, and their performance as a headset for making calls is significantly improved over the earlier WF-1000XM3.
However, they're normally expensive at $280, and due to high demand after their release this year, they haven't really gone on sale (they occasionally sell for $10 off). But Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers now have them discounted to $248 -- that's $32 off their list price for a limited time.
The buds are available in two colors -- black and silver (more like a sand color). As I said, they're the best-sounding true-wireless buds. While they fit my ears well -- and should fit the majority of ears well -- they are a little bit on the bigger side, so they may not work for some people with smaller ears. Both Amazon and Best Buy have good return policies, however, if they don't work for your ears.
Amazon
Sony's flagship WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones are once again on sale for $248, matching their low price for the year. That deal returns to and other retailers like . Their list price is $350, but this is the second time in the last two weeks that the headphones have hit this price, and I expect the WH-1000XM4 will regularly be on sale this holiday buying season.
Note that the WH-1000XM4 was released last summer and probably won't get an upgrade until next summer. Bose recently released its new $329 headphones, which arguably have better noise canceling. That Bose model has been on sale for $279.
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David Carnoy/CNET
The WH-XB910N is the step-down model from the WH-1000XM4. It's an Extra Bass model, so it does have a . I liked the previous version, the XB900N, and it was a decent deal when it went on sale for $150, which is what XB910N is priced at now. This updated version looks the same but offers improved noise canceling and multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair it with your smartphone and computer simultaneously. It also supports Sony's LDAC audio codec.
While improved, the noise canceling isn't quite up to the level of the WH-1000XM4. And the WH-XB910N doesn't have some of that model's extra features, such as Speak to Chat, wearing detection sensors and Sony's Precise Voice Pickup technology. However, it does have a Quick Attention Mode that allows you to put your hand over the ear cup to go from noise canceling to an ambient-aware transparency mode. Also, these headphones now come with a hard case like the WH-1000XM4. Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours at moderate volume levels -- that's the same as what you get from the WH-1000XM4.
The Jabra Elite 75t earned a CNET Editors' Choice award a couple years ago. Jabra recently released its buds ($200), so now we're seeing the Elite 75t nicely discounted in all colors. The slightly more rugged , now , are also on sale.
David Carnoy/CNET
Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds have some of the best noise canceling out there. They also sound good. And once again, they're being significantly discounted. Several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Bose, have the QuietComfort Buds on sale for $199, matching last month's low price.
Recently, Bose released a for the earbuds, adding "full transparency with dynamic noise reduction, new modes for specific activities, Spotify Tap integration, audio controls, easier device switching -- and more." So the buds have been improving over time.
The biggest downside to the buds is that they're a little beefy and stick out of your ears. However, a lot of people, including me, love the fit of Bose's StayHear ear tips. .
You can also get some limited-time discounts on a few other Bose earbuds and headphones, though the deal on the QuietComfort Earbuds is arguably the best of the bunch.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Bose's QuietComfort 35 II have been around for a few years, but Bose keeps selling these popular headphones even after the release of the new QuietComfort 45 (the Bose Headphones 700 remain the flagship noise-canceling model in its line). Its price recently has been ping-ponging between $199 and $179.
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Lexy Savvides/CNET
Available in four colors, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 noise-canceling headphones hew more closely to the newer and , both of which have eye-catching glossy curved designs and the same compact charging case as this new model. In fact, it's the Buds 2's design and fit -- they're 15% smaller and 20% lighter than the Buds Plus -- that make them a potentially more likable alternative to the slightly better-sounding Buds Pro.
Like the Buds Pro, the Buds 2 are equipped with active noise-isolating earbuds. That means all the latest Galaxy Buds models now feature some form of active noise canceling, though it's slight with the Buds Live, which have an open design sans ear tips. While the Buds 2 look more like shrunken versions of the Buds Pro, I found them more akin to the Buds Live in that they barely stick out of your ears and are fairly discrete. Because they sit more flush with your ears -- and have that curved design -- they also pick up less wind noise. They're IPX2 sweat-resistant.
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Sony
Sony's new entry-level C500 earbuds were released just a few weeks ago. Now they're already on sale in white at Amazon for $78 or $32 off their $100 list price for a limited time. They have been as low as $68 in a one-day flash sale.
While the C500's design sensibility has more in common with the high-end WF-1000XM4 than their predecessor, the WF-XB700 Extra Bass, the C500 is not a noise-canceling model and is pretty basic as far as earbuds go, with no ear-detection sensors or transparency mode. But the buds are compact, lightweight, fit comfortably and sound good for an entry-level model.
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Juan Garzon/CNET
Samsung's bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live were arguably the most innovative new true wireless earbuds of 2020. Like the standard AirPods, they have an open design so you don't jam an ear tip into your ear. They're comfortable to wear and fit my ears more securely than the AirPods. These wireless buds are discreet and basically sit flush with your ear, which reduces wind-noise while biking. I regularly use them for running and biking, and they're great for sporting activities if they fit your ears well. But one warning: Some people won't get a secure fit, so buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy.
They deliver good sound and work well as a headset for making calls, with good background noise reduction so callers can hear you clearly even when you're in noisier environments. While they feature active noise canceling, it's mild compared with the noise canceling in earbuds that have a noise-isolating design. In other words, buy them for their design and sound, not their noise-canceling features.
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David Carnoy/CNET
While Jabra has released its new earbuds, which feature a new, smaller design, the Elite 85t technically remain the company's flagship earbuds. They've been on sale before for $170 but haven't dipped to as low as $150. They do feature very good sound and call quality along with multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can simultaneously pair them to your phone and computer.
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Earfun
I was a fan of Earfun's earlier Free Pro earbuds, which offer good sound for around $50 and have little sport fins that help keep them in your ears securely. Now Earfun has released the Earfun Free Pro 2 buds with aluminum alloy caps, improved noise canceling and a couple of extra microphones that help boost voice-calling performance. They list for $80 but after you click the instant $20-off coupon on their Amazon product page, the price goes to $60.
I used the Free Pro 2 for a few days and they deliver good sound for their modest price, with decent clarity and deep but well-defined bass. They produce relatively big, open sound. They don't have such extra features as an ear-detection sensor so your music automatically pauses when you take one or both buds out of your ears, or an app that allows you to update their firmware. But they're lightweight, should fit most ears well and have decent noise canceling along with a transparency mode (it's not as good as the AirPods Pro's transparency mode, which is hard to beat). They also charge wirelessly and are rated for up to six hours of battery life.
David Carnoy/CNET
Beats' Powerbeats Pro, which have been out for a few years, list for $250 but have recently dipped to $150 (and even less in some colors), their lowest price yet. With Beats' new Fit Pro buds arriving (), we should see the Powerbeats Pro regularly on sale.
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Bose
The second-generation Bose Frames haven't really seen any discounts since their release (the previous versions have been on sale). Now the Tempo, Tenor and Soprano are all $30 off or $220. The Tempo has the biggest drivers and delivers the best sound, but it is a sport model. I use it for biking and running.
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Sony
The WH-CH710N is Sony's entry-level noise-canceling headphones. At their list price of $200, they're grossly overpriced, but a lot more compelling at $78. The set's sound and noise-canceling features are a big step below what you get with the WH-1000XM4, but these are overall competent headphones that are fairly lightweight and comfortable to wear. In other words, this pair is far from the best but a good choice if you can't afford something higher-end. No carrying case is included.
Russell Holly/CNET
AfterShokz bone-conduction wireless headphones aren't what many people picture when they think of an earphone because they don't go on your ears -- these headphones deliver sound to your ear through your cheekbones. The big benefit of this technology as running earphones is that, thanks to its open design, you can hear ambient noise and what's going on around you while listening to music or having a phone conversation through the wireless headphones. That openness allows runners to hear traffic sound, as being able to hear external noise and ambient sound is an important safety feature in any workout headphones. Also, some race coordinators don't allow runners to wear anything in their ears, which is where over-ear headphones like this come in handy, particularly if you need to listen to music while you run.
AfterShokz's flagship Aeropex ($160), which the company describes as its "lightest, highest-quality headphones yet," were released in 2019. They still don't sound as good as traditional headphones, but they sound better than previous models and also are decent for making voice calls. They hit $100 on Thanksgiving Day and are now $30 off.
Other AfterShokz headphones are also on sale:
: $60 (save $20): $130 (save $20): $90 (save $30)
Expired deals
These headphones were on sale recently at these prices. We expect that some of these deals will return in the days leading up to Cyber Monday.
David Carnoy/CNET
With the arrival of Beats new Fit Pro earbuds, I assumed we'd see some nice discounts on the earlier and less feature-rich , which list for $150, or only $50 less than the new $200 . I predicted we might see their price dip to $100 and sure enough, that's what their price is for Black Friday (a new low).
The Beats Studio Buds look a lot like the rumored stemless AirPods that people were talking about but never materialized -- as AirPods anyway. Geared toward both iOS and Android users, they're missing a few key features on the Apple side of things (there's no H1 or W1 chip), but they're small, lightweight earbuds that are comfortable to wear and offer good sound. They fit most ears securely, including mine -- I run with them without a problem -- but others may find a better fit with the Beats Fit Pro and their integrated wing tips.
They're a Black Friday deal of the day at , and , but Amazon is one-upping its competitors by offering a $10 Amazon gift card at checkout with the code BYZPPJADUODB at checkout. The deal is set to expire at the end of the day.
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David Carnoy/CNET
Google's Pixel Buds A-Series are kind of unusual, in that they're new but not exactly an upgrade. They look and sound very similar to last year's , which debuted at $179 but are now . However, instead of getting new features -- like active noise canceling -- they've actually lost a few. Why? The "A" stands for affordability: They list for $100 and now are on sale for $80, their lowest price to date. That new lower price is the real story here, making these a bona fide true-wireless value, particularly for Android users. And the integrated stabilizer arcs (aka sport fins) help keep the buds securely in your ears during sporting activities. .
David Carnoy/CNET
Apple's AirPods Max headphones are back down to their low price of $429 in space gray. The other colors do not get the extra $39 discount at this time but the $429 price may return to other colors soon.
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David Carnoy/CNET
The Beats Solo Pro noise-canceling on-ear headphones returned to their low price of $150 at Amazon on Thanksgiving Day.
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David Carnoy/CNET
Known for their secure fit, decent sound and durability, Jaybird's Vista 2 buds have a couple of key upgrades missing from the original: active noise canceling and a transparency mode called SurroundSense, which allows you to hear the outside world, an important safety feature for runners and bikers.
Jaybird has added some fabric to the outside of the buds, which the company says helps cut down on wind noise a little (think of the fabric as a dampener), but I wouldn't say it cuts it down as much as advertised, particularly when biking. There is an ear-detection sensor, so your music automatically pauses when you take the buds out of your ears, and these have an IPX68 water resistance rating, which means they're both dust-proof and fully waterproof. Jaybird says they're also sweat-proof, crush-proof and drop-proof. And the compact case is now splash-proof and dust-resistant, with an IP54 rating.
They sound quite good once you tweak the EQ settings to your liking, but their sound quality isn't quite up to the level of some other premium earbuds in the $200 price range. Their noise canceling, transparency mode and voice-calling are decent though unspectacular (the AirPods perform better in all departments). But if you're buying these, you're buying them for the secure fit and durability. They may not be a good value at $200, but at $130, they're an enticing deal.
Leading up to Black Friday, Apple's AirPods Pro had been ping-ponging between $170 and $200, then dipped to their all-time low of $159 on Thanksgiving Day. Right now, the new model -- with the MagSafe case -- is available for $170 at .
Note: Walmart's $159 deal appears to be sold out online, but there may be limited availability in store.
David Carnoy/CNET
JBL has a few new true-wireless noise-canceling earbuds for 2021, including the Reflect Mini NC and Club Pro Plus. However, the flagship Tour Pro Plus are clearly the best of the bunch and among the best sounding true-wireless earbuds, with clean, dynamic, well-balanced sound with powerful bass and a relatively wide soundstage. Noise canceling and call quality are also quite decent. They list for $200, which is pretty expensive, but they're on sale for $100 for a limited time.
They made CNET's and their main drawback is that, like some other buds on that list, they're somewhat bulbous and do stick out of your ears a bit (alas, better sounding earbuds tend to be larger). But I found them pretty comfortable and got a secure fit with the largest ear tips. They're IPX4 splash-resistant and have a battery life rating of six hours with noise canceling on and eight hours with it off, at moderate volume levels. They offer pretty solid voice-calling performance, though it's not quite up to the level of the AirPods Pro.
At $200, it's hard for them to compete against such models as the AirPods Pro and the new Beats Fit Pro, particularly if you're an iPhone user. But they're certainly more enticing at $100.
Jabra
Released in mid-2020, the Jabra Elite 45h was essentially billed as the best pair of on-ear headphones for the money. While there's nothing terribly fancy about them, they're one of the best on-ear headphone values right now, with good sound quality, a sturdy design and comfortable fit (for on-ear headphones, anyway). Additionally, these Bluetooth on-ear headphones perform well as a headset for making calls and include a sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice in the headphones so you don't talk too loudly. Battery life is also good.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In 2020, the entry-level AirPods hit $99 during Black Friday sales at Walmart. This year, Walmart has raised the bar by selling them for $89, an all-time low. Amazon and Costco (membership required) have basically matched that price, but these are already dropping out of stock. Elsewhere, they've been selling for around $115. Note that this model doesn't have a wireless charging case.
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