The Best Headphones Under $200 of 2023

If you’re going to pay out the nose for anything—let alone a gaming headset—it needs to be downright impressive. Thankfully for SteelSeries, the Arctis Pro most definitely is. One of the more comfortable gaming headsets on the market, the Arctis Pro uses a flexible suspension band to customize the size, with super soft ear cups that stay comfortable even for hours—even while wearing glasses. Sure, comfort alone isn't enough of a reason to buy such an expensive headset, but the Arctis Pro doesn’t stop there.

Both music and games sound fantastic using the Arctis Pro. I played both a quiet indie game, Atma and loud, booming matches of Overwatch while using this headset and I was pleased with both. While playing Atma, the headset balanced the quiet soundtrack with in-game sound effects, like the crunching of grass beneath my character's feet. In Overwatch, I was able to clearly distinguish my allies' voices from in-game noise, which can sometimes be a struggle for me. That's largely thanks to the mixer that comes with the SteelSeries. For me, the mixer made for a perfectly customizable balance between game and chat.

From there, customization extends into the equalizer which lets you change frequencies without any extra software. It's a pricey headset, but where that money is going is clear. Better still, you can find the Arctis Pro for a lot less money online these days, making it an easy choice for serious gamers.

HyperX's new and improved Cloud II headset replaces the original Cloud as our top pick. It's extremely comfortable and comes packaged with leatherette or velour ear cups, an audio control box, and a detachable mic. The aluminum body is durable enough to last a good long while if you plan on taking your gaming on the go.

When it comes down to the audio performance, you'll need to be a little cautious. These things are explosively loud—if you're not careful they could destroy your ears. But once you've dialed in the correct volume, you're left with a headset that delivers every note and range of your game audio with beautifully detailed clarity.

I was constantly surprised by new sound effects I heard while playing Overwatch, a game I've logged well over 400 hours on. That's not to mention the detachable mic that—while not as clear and powerful as the Razer ManO'Wars—still left me impressed.

If you’ve ever bought an iPod or an iPhone and used the iconic white earbuds that were included, you pretty much know what to expect when it comes to look, feel, and fit of Apple's AirPods.

What might surprise you, however, is just how much better the AirPods sound than their wired counterparts. The low-end is better represented (so bass-heavy tracks finally have a chance to shine on a pair of Apple headphones) and the stereo field sounds far more expansive than with Apple’s standard wired in-ears.

What we like most about the AirPods is how simple it is to manage them. Just pop open the dental floss-sized charging case and they automatically connect to your iPhone or MacBook (if you're running the latest update). When you’re done listening, slot them back into the case and they’ll magnetically slot into place and disconnect automatically—you don’t have to hold down any buttons. The pairing process is the standard Bluetooth headache on non-Apple devices, but you'll still benefit from great range and killer battery life.

They’re not perfect, however: The fit itself isn’t as tight and comfortable as some of the other earbuds we tested, the 'buds are not rated to be sweat-proof (though they have survived our workout tests just fine), and the tap controls and microphone quality are mostly hot garbage. (The fact that you still have to use Siri to control the volume when you can't reach your phone is insane.)

But if you’re used to the fit of Apple’s standard, wired earbuds, you’ll be happy with AirPods. They sound great, they're super convenient, and they run rings around the other true wireless earbuds we tested despite being relatively affordable. Add it up and these are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy right now.

If you're looking for a high-quality pair of volume-limited headphones, the Puro BT2200 is the way to go. Though they're the priciest of the pairs we looked at, that's because they have the best combination of comfort, build quality, and sound quality. They are a bit too big for a toddler, but they should fit school-age children and up quite well.

In our tests, the BT2200s played at about 82-84.6dB(a) when used wirelessly at full volume, with about 12 hours of battery life. And because they run off their own internal power when in Bluetooth mode, there's no risk of them being overpowered. When used wired with our standard source (an iPhone 7 Plus with the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter), they topped outright at the 85dB(a) threshold, assuming you plug the volume-limiting cable in the right way.

Our one issue is that the cable can easily be plugged in the wrong way (I did, the first time). This pushed the max volume to 96-100dB(a) in our tests, which could cause damage. The cable does have "Headphones→" written on it so you know which end is which, but these should really be designed so the cable only plugs in the correct way.

Audio-Technica's reputation for building comfortable, high-fidelity headphones is well-deserved. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50X are high-grade studio headphones that allow you to hear your music exactly as it was intended to be heard, with little to no alteration to your sound. If you're transitioning from regular consumer headphones to studio headphones, you might find that the bass notes sound a little quieter than you're expecting, but that's a feature rather than a bug.

With multiple removable cable options and swiveling earcups, these headphones are both surprisingly durable and portable. While we experienced some heat/sweat build-up, that's pretty typical for larger over-ear headphones. If you're looking for studio-quality sound on a budget, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X are the cans for you. Read the full review.

If you love the portability of in-ear headphones, but want something a little heftier that can stand up to every-day use, the Plantronics Backbeat Sense Wireless on-ear headphones are a great way to dip your toe into the on- and over-ear headphone pool. These wireless headphones are lightweight, cushy on your ears, and come with a sound profile that nicely balances both the bass tones and the higher notes.

With a battery life of 15-20 hours, and a recharge time of only ~2 hours, these are perfect to take on a long train or bus ride; you can spend quality time relaxing and enjoying the trip, rather than hunting around for a wall outlet. While we had some trouble consistently operating the touch controls, the rest of the experience is good enough that we'd still recommend these headphones to friends and family. Read the full review.

Isolation, or the ability of a pair of headphones to block out the outside world in favor of the music coming through the headphones, is usually a hit or miss prospect with earbuds. Either the ear-tips fit perfectly, and you don't hear anything but your music, or they don't fit right, and the earbuds fall out when you so much as twitch your nose. Up until recently, the only guaranteed way to solve the fit problem, if you couldn't find ear-tips that worked for your ears, would be to spend over a grand for custom earmolds. Not anymore!

Newcomer Decibullz has a much more affordable option in its debut headphones, the Contours. Instead of a visit to a professional, all you need is hot water and 15 minutes of your time. The result? Brightly-colored, custom-molded ear-tips that stop unwanted interference in its tracks, and can be re-molded multiple times. In addition to potentially being the solution to your earbud fitting woes, the Decibullz Contours have a neat carrying case and provide a lot of bass for such a small pair of earbuds. Read the full review.

JLab Audio has a history of bringing premium features down into a more affordable price range, and that's exactly what they've done with the Omni Bluetooth headphones. These over-ear headphones can be used both wired and wirelessly; for the latter case, they have a battery life of about ~15 hours, which is nothing to sneeze at. They sound like most consumer headphones do (rather than studio headphones); they emphasize the bass notes so that they're not totally overtaken by vocals or instrumentals with higher tones.

While the Omni do fold up, they're not especially portable. Whether they're in or out of the included travel case, they're pretty bulky. It's probably best that you leave these in one place, rather than dragging them all around town with you, as they'll take up valuable real estate in your suitcase or your laptop bag. For the price, though, the JLab Omni gives you both wireless and wired functionality that makes them a real steal. Read the full review.

The Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC headphones offer a smorgasbord of features, but they're a combination that some users may find extremely alluring. Billed as workout headphones, the Curve boast quicker-than-average charging (you get an hour of playback after 5 minutes of charging), very sturdy materials, and a unique vibrating neckband design that puts controls within easy reach, and removes the need for a shirt clip. While the design is unusual, it works.

During testing, we found that the BT 120 NC are pleasingly light, with ample ear-tips and wings to make sure they're secure within your ears. The controls rest against your collarbone, which definitely take some getting used to where adjustment is concerned but is still an improvement over the inherent fragility of many workout headphones' in-line controls, which can bounce upon the wire during runs or workouts. A big focus here is also freeing users from the perils of constant charging: Phiaton claims 290 hours of "standby" time (alongside the quick-charging feature), with the intent that the BT 120 NCs will be ready to work out whenever you are.

Last but definitely not least, these sound great, though during use I found they built up more heat within my ears than I was used to (oddly, it wasn't altogether unpleasant). Overall, these are solid workout headphones, delivering a unique design and ample tip/wing customization to allow about any user to get a snug, workout-appropriate fit.

The AKG K701s are professional-grade, open-backed headphones that see wide use in the DJ and mixer community. "Open-backed" means that, instead of sealing the speakers, in an attempt to block out ambient noise, the K701 headphones purposely let the sound in, so that you can hear how the music sounds against the backdrop of the outside world.

Of course, the down-side of these headphones is that by letting outside noise in, the reverse is true as well: your neighbors can hear everything on your headphones. If you're not going to use these in a DJ capacity, you might want to keep them at home so as to avoid annoying people on public transportation. While they're not especially portable, the K701 has a relatively flat sound profile that helps you to hear your music as the recording artists intended you to hear their songs. The K701 aren't for everyone, but if you like open-backed headphones, these are the most comfortable ones on the market.

The Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless headphones are the wireless version of the much-loved Bowers & Wilkins P5 Series 2. They have the same magnetic ear cups and enviable audio performance that emphasizes the bass notes without overwhelming any higher notes, like vocals or strings. The battery life is a respectable 15-20 hours, and it has a sleek design that wouldn't look out of place on the streets of Silicon Valley.

The only downside? These on-ear headphones are not great at isolation. Because they sit gently on top of your ears without compressing them, it's easy for the outside world to intrude on your music. On the other hand, we didn't experience the sweat and heat build-up that often goes hand-in-hand with over- and on-ear headphones that press against your ears. If you prefer on-ear headphones with a loose fit and don't mind playing your music at loud volumes, the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless, while expensive, is a winning combination of portability, style, and performance.

JLab Audio is a relatively new player in the headphones game, but they really impressed us with the JLab Audio Flex ANC Wireless. The flat sound profile will please audiophiles who want true music fidelity. The active noise cancellation on these headphones is unreal. When turned on, it sounds like all of the noise has been sucked out of the room. Walking on a quiet street with the ANC on feels like floating in outer space, for the amount of ambient noise that reaches your ears. Their 30-hours of battery life is great for both long days of travel and shorter, more casual use throughout the week.

The headphones themselves are very comfortable, but are a bit heavier than the Bose QC35, and have an angled cushion at the top of the headband that tends to dig into the top of your skull after a few hours. Additionally, there have been reports of design flaws in the ear pads, which tear and break off easily. When they unfold, the cups snap out crisply, so be sure to watch your fingers so they don't get pinched. The Flex ANC Wireless are relatively inexpensive for a quality pair of noise-canceling wireless headphones; at this price, you're getting a lot of bang for your buck.

We really liked the previous Plantronics Backbeat Pro, so it's probably not surprising that the next edition gets a big thumbs up as well. Like the QC35 and the Flex ANC, the Backbeat Pro 2 also has active noise cancellation (ANC), but it's less robust than the ANC on those headphones. It minimizes lower-pitched train rumbling, but other sounds are still audible. To some extent, this effect is intentional, since the Backbeat Pro 2 boasts an open-back setting that allows you to easily hear ambient noise, in addition to your tunes.

Another unusual feature is sensors that detect when the headphones are being worn, and when they've been taken off. In the latter case, the headphones "auto-pause", and turn back on once the headphones have been returned to your head. Some users were unlucky, however, and had defective units that would auto-pause when the headphones were still on their heads. The Backbeat Pro 2 are ridiculously comfortable; we had no issues with them after hours of use. If you like comfy headphones, a 24-hour battery life, tech-y features, and have some extra cash on hand, then these are the cans for you.

If you need over-ear headphones that can deal with punishing conditions or rigorous use, and still provide you with great sound, then the V-Moda Crossfade LP-2 are a great choice. Like most V-Moda headphones, they have the signature steel frame, metal ear plates, and kevlar-reinforced cable. They also boost the bass notes somewhat at the expense of the higher tones, so they'll hit all the right notes if you prefer bass-heavy music genres, but might leave you feeling cold if you prefer a clear treble over a solid bass.

Included with the headphones are a removable cable and a sturdy carrying case. While the pads fully cover your ears, the headband tends to squish your head after a couple of hours, so you might not be able to wear them all day. If your biggest concern when it comes to headphones is durability, the bass-friendly V-Moda Crossfade LP-2 can take whatever damage you dish out on a day-to-day basis. Read the full review.

Usually, active noise cancellation (ANC) headphones have difficulty maintaining high audio quality, since, to some extent, your music has to compete with the noise-cancellation algorithm. At this price point, the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 headphones did a surprisingly good job at that maintaining that balance. The bass notes are definitely boosted, but not at the expense of the higher notes; you should be able to hear both. However, when the ANC is activated, you may notice that all of the tones sound a bit muted.

On the other hand, the active noise cancellation does a really solid job of blocking out the lower frequency tones, which will be really helpful when you don't want to hear trains rumbling or planes humming while you're in transit. If you're curious about ANC, these are a good pair to try out; they'll give you a taste of active noise cancellation without breaking the bank. Read the full review.

The JLab Audio Epic Sport earbuds are billed as an "upgrade" to the popular JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth Wireless headphones, despite typically selling for about the same price.

The Epic Sport comes with JLab's signature bendable ear hooks, multiple ear tip sizes, and three types of cush fins to help the buds stay in place. The inline controls consist of a streamlined remote with three buttons.

The audio can still sound a bit tinny and lacking in bass, especially if the fit isn't perfect, but JLab Audio has really gone the extra mile by building in three "sound profiles": one that augments vocals and bass, one that has a flat profile with no extra enhancements (best for those looking for studio-like audio), and one that boosts the bass notes.

With an IP66 rating (able to withstand both dust and "powerful water jets"), the Epic Sport should be able to withstand rigorous workouts. Another high point is the relatively long battery life which, in our experience, clocks in at over 12 hours. The skinny wires may make it easy to break the headphones, so be sure to pack up these earbuds in their case when not in use.

Overall, we were impressed by the JLab Audio Epic Sport earbuds—especially their ability to connect from the first floor to a phone on the second floor. A few customers didn't appreciate the proprietary charging cable (which cradles the remote and isn't merely a micro USB to USB cable), but we think that the Epic Sport is a solid choice whether you're walking in the woods or cranking through reps at the gym.

JLab Audio has made a splash in recent years with both their wireless and wired headphone options; the JLab Audio Fit 2.0 are a great, cheap way to be introduced to the brand. They have an IPX4 rating, which means that they are rated to survive being splashed with water (and presumably, sweat). In fact, the directions advise you to actually rinse the earbuds off after an intense workout.

Because these earbuds are meant to be used outside or in the midst of an intense workout, it's not surprising that they emphasize the bass notes much more than the high notes; those lower notes are much more difficult to hear when you're pounding the pavement outside. Even better, these earbuds are great at both isolation (blocking out ambient noise) and leakage (preventing your music from disturbing your neighbors). For a pair of cheap headphones that can survive a tough session at the gym, look no further than the JLab Audio Fit 2.0.

The Sennheiser PXC 550 are a very solid set of over-ears, simply put. The wireless version gives you Bluetooth functionality and active noise-canceling in a lightweight and very comfortable package, and as you might expect from a pair of Sennheiser headphones, they sound excellent.

During my time with the PXC 550s, I was very impressed with how they managed to pack such robust and bass-forward sound into headphones that also deliver a snug, lightweight fit and plushy materials. While they're not cheap, I was surprised to find out how relatively affordable they were compared to some of their direct competitors.

However, getting to that point took some doing. These are some of the only headphones where we've had to investigate an online manual in order to get them into pairing mode, for example. Likewise, the on-set controls (which live on the lower portion of the right ear cup) through me off a bit, as they're usually on the left cup for Bluetooth over-ear headphones. But it's easy enough to play/pause, skip tracks, and access phone functions once you get the hang of it.

The major takeaway, though, is that the PXC 550 Wireless headphones give you great sound, plenty of comfort, a minimalist form factor, and good-enough noise-canceling for basic purposes. At their price, they're a bundle of positive traits, and you should check them out if you're looking for a more affordable take on wireless ANC over-ears.

Anker's SoundCore Spirit Pro stands out primarily because it's one of the most affordable wireless sets of earbuds on the market. Anker is making a name as a manufacturer of value-facing high-quality headphones, and the Spirit Pro doesn't deviate from that standard.

While these aren't the best-sounding or most feature-heavy wireless earbuds we've ever used, they do a lot for what you're paying. The Spirit Pro are workout-ready and yield about 10 hours of battery life between charges, but we weren't crazy about the overall sound—it was a bit tinny and flat sounding compared to the pricier headphones on the list.

Even still, for what you're paying, these are perfectly serviceable earbuds. They have plenty of ear tip and wing options, allowing most people to find a combination that will fit snugly in their ears throughout a workout. Just don't be fooled by the claim of "dual EQ." You can boost the sound with a button press—a method Anker claims will help boost you through the last difficult set of a workout—but compared to the flat, unboosted setting, it might make more sense to just leave the setting on all the time.

The Cowin E7s are more affordable than many wireless, ANC-equipped over-ear headphones. However, this has pros and cons.

Don't expect to be too impressed with the sound quality, though from a design perspective these are comfortable if a bit heavy. We noticed some perceptible distortion at higher volumes, but at more moderate settings these sound fine. Likewise, Bluetooth works as it should, and the ANC (noise-canceling) settings do a decent job suppressing ambient noise.

Overall, you're getting a lot of good features, but nothing that stands out as great in terms of sound quality, design, ANC effectiveness, or battery life.