Best Headphones of 2026, ranked by critic score

Ranked by the weighted average of 138 professional reviews. The top rated is the AirPods Pro 3 at 95/100. Each score blends reviews from major tech outlets, with bigger outlets counting more; every review links to the original article. How scores work

1. 1
   AirPods Pro 3

   HeadphonesSep 2025

   Apple · Sep 19, 2025 · From $249

   Critical Gold

   95

   16 reviews
2. 2
   Sony WH-1000XM6

   HeadphonesMay 2025

   Sony · May 15, 2025 · From $449.99

   Critical Gold

   94

   19 reviews
3. 3
   Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

   HeadphonesSep 2025

   Bose · Sep 10, 2025 · From $299

   Critical Gold

   92

   19 reviews
4. 4
   Sony WF-1000XM6

   HeadphonesFeb 2026

   Sony · Feb 12, 2026 · From $329.99

   Critical Gold

   89

   15 reviews
5. 5
   Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro

   HeadphonesMar 2026

   Samsung · Mar 11, 2026 · From $249

   Critical Gold

   87

   12 reviews
6. 6
   Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

   HeadphonesOct 2025

   Bose · Oct 2, 2025 · From $449

   Critical Gold

   85

   12 reviews
7. 7
   Beats 360

   HeadphonesSep 2026

   Beats · Sep 22, 2026 · From $349.99

   Recommended

   82

   8 reviews
8. 8
   Nothing Headphone (a)

   HeadphonesMar 2026

   Nothing · Mar 5, 2026 · From $199

   Recommended

   82

   7 reviews
9. 9
   Google Pixel Buds 2a

   HeadphonesOct 2025

   Google · Oct 9, 2025 · From $129

   Recommended

   78

   11 reviews
10. 10
    Samsung Galaxy Buds4

    HeadphonesMar 2026

    Samsung · Mar 11, 2026 · From $179

    Worth a Look

    72

    10 reviews
11. 11
    Sony LinkBuds Clip

    HeadphonesJan 2026

    Sony · Jan 21, 2026 · From $229.99

    Worth a Look

    67

    9 reviews