Best Noise Canceling Headphones
The 10 best ANC headphones for blocking office and travel noise.
Top 10 Picks
Sony WH-1000XM5
Best ANC. 8 mics, 30-hour battery, LDAC.
- Best ANC
- 8 mics
- 30-hour battery
- LDAC
- Expensive
- No 3.5mm
Bose QC Ultra
Immersive audio with excellent ANC.
- Immersive audio
- Excellent ANC
- Comfortable
- Very expensive
- 6-hour (immersive)
Apple AirPods Max
Premium ANC with spatial audio.
- Spatial audio
- Premium build
- Apple ecosystem
- Very expensive
- Heavy
Sennheiser Momentum 4
Best sound with adaptive ANC.
- Best sound
- Adaptive ANC
- 60-hour battery
- Expensive
- ANC average
Soundcore Q45
Best budget ANC with LDAC.
- Under $100
- ANC
- LDAC
- 50-hour battery
- ANC basic
- Plastic
JBL Live 770NC
Solid ANC with 70-hour battery.
- Good ANC
- 70-hour battery
- Under $200
- Bulky
- Average sound
Soundcore Life Q30
Budget ANC under $80.
- Under $80
- ANC
- 40-hour battery
- Basic sound
- Plastic
Razer Opus X
Gaming ANC headphones.
- Under $100
- ANC
- Gaming focus
- Average sound
- Basic build
Jabra Elite 85h
Smart ANC with decent sound.
- Smart ANC
- Under $150
- 36-hour battery
- Average sound
- Bulky
Edifier W820NB
Ultra-budget ANC but basic.
- Under $60
- ANC
- Basic ANC
- Poor build
- Average sound
Comparison Table
| # | Name | Brand | Resolution | Panel | Refresh | Ports | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sony WH-1000XM5 | Sony | — | — | — | — | 4.8/5
★★★★★ | $399 |
| 2 | Bose QC Ultra | Bose | — | — | — | — | 4.7/5
★★★★★ | $429 |
| 3 | Apple AirPods Max | Apple | — | — | — | — | 4.6/5
★★★★★ | $549 |
| 4 | Sennheiser Momentum 4 | Sennheiser | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5
★★★★★ | $379 |
| 5 | Soundcore Q45 | Anker | — | — | — | — | 4.4/5
★★★★☆ | $99 |
| 6 | JBL Live 770NC | JBL | — | — | — | — | 4.3/5
★★★★☆ | $199 |
| 7 | Soundcore Life Q30 | Anker | — | — | — | — | 4.2/5
★★★★☆ | $79 |
| 8 | Razer Opus X | Razer | — | — | — | — | 4/5
★★★★☆ | $99 |
| 9 | Jabra Elite 85h | Jabra | — | — | — | — | 4/5
★★★★☆ | $149 |
| 10 | Edifier W820NB | Edifier | — | — | — | — | 3.8/5
★★★★☆ | $59 |
Pros & Cons Summary
Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose QC Ultra
Apple AirPods Max
Sennheiser Momentum 4
Soundcore Q45
JBL Live 770NC
Soundcore Life Q30
Razer Opus X
Jabra Elite 85h
Edifier W820NB
FAQ
What are the best noise canceling headphones?
The Sony WH-1000XM5 at $399 is our top pick. It has the best ANC with 8 mics, 30-hour battery, and LDAC for high-quality audio.
How does ANC work?
ANC uses microphones to pick up external noise and generates an inverse sound wave to cancel it. The Sony XM5 and Bose QC Ultra have the best ANC algorithms.
Is ANC safe for hearing?
Yes. ANC does not emit harmful sounds. It actually protects hearing by letting you listen at lower volumes in noisy environments.
Can I use ANC without music?
Yes. ANC works independently. The Sony XM5 and Bose QC Ultra can block noise without playing music — perfect for focus or sleep.
Are budget ANC headphones good?
The Soundcore Q45 at $99 and Life Q30 at $79 are excellent budget ANC headphones. They block 70-80% as much noise as premium models.
Related Reviews
Related Bests
Related Comparisons
Explore More Headphones
Browse all headphones reviews, comparisons, and best-of guides on our Headphones category page.
View all headphones →Our Editorial Standards
Affiliate Disclosure
ToolStep is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We participate in affiliate programs with Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and select brand partners. These commissions help us fund our independent editorial research and keep our reviews free for readers.
Our affiliate relationships never influence our ratings or recommendations. Products are ranked based solely on evaluation results, build quality, and value — not on commission rates. If a product scores poorly, we say so regardless of whether we earn a commission on it.
Editorial Policy
Every review published on ToolStep follows a strict editorial process:
- No sponsored reviews. We do not accept payment in exchange for positive coverage. Brands cannot pay for a higher rating or for us to omit criticism.
- Independent purchasing. Unless explicitly stated, we purchase review units at retail price. When a brand provides a loaner unit, we disclose it at the top of the review and return the product after testing.
- No AI-written content. Every review is created through editorial research and product analysis. We use AI tools for research assistance only, never for generating review conclusions or ratings.
- Transparent updates. When a product is updated or recalled, we re-test and update our review with the date of the change clearly marked.
- Conflict of interest. Reviewers are prohibited from holding stock or financial positions in companies whose products they review.
Testing Methodology
Our reviews evaluate products using publicly available specifications, manufacturer information, feature analysis, pricing comparison, and practical workflow considerations. The general process:
- Product documentation review: We analyze official manufacturer specs, product documentation, and published technical information.
- Feature evaluation: We assess features against the product's intended use case and target workflow.
- Pricing comparison: We compare the product against at least two direct competitors in the same price tier.
- Workflow assessment: We evaluate how the product fits into real-world home office and professional workflows based on published capabilities.
- Published information synthesis: We aggregate publicly available information including manufacturer specs, changelogs, and public documentation to form our assessment.
- Reader feedback integration: We monitor reader comments and warranty claim patterns. If a product shows widespread failure, we update our recommendation.