Not a typo! Score an iPhone 16 Pro for free at this carrier
For a limited time, you can get the iPhone 16 Pro for free at T-Mobile with trade-in and an eligible unlimited data plan. It's one of the best back to school deals I've seen.
Trade in an eligible device in any condition, and T-Mobile will give you a credit of up to $1,000 that you can apply to an iPhone 16 Pro. You'll need to sign up for T-Mobile's $100/month Experience Beyond plan to qualify as well, though if you opt for the $85/month Experience More plan, you can still get up to $830 in credit. T-Mobile will also pay off your phone up to $800 with your current carrier. This is a great way to get one of Apple's best iPhones at a low-to-no cost.
In addition to the savings, the reason I recommend the iPhone 16 Pro is because it gains the best part about the iPhone 16 Pro Max — its 12MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Last year's model topped out with a 3x optical zoom camera, so having the same 5x optical zoom reach as the more expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max makes it the iPhone to own. I also prefer it because of its more compact size.
On top of all of this, we've put the iPhone 16 Pro (and 16 Pro Max) through several photo shootouts against its main rivals to determine if it's really the best camera phone out there. And since it shares the same camera setup as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, we've used its cameras for astrophotography to capture star clusters, galaxies, and nebulas in the night sky.
We also love how blazing fast it is for just about everything, including playing games. But the biggest treat about this year's model is the arrival of Apple Intelligence, which brings Apple's flagship into a whole new era with the help of AI features.
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Apple Third Quarter 2025 Earnings: Beats Expectations
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I want Gemini to be my DJ in YouTube Music
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CNN
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We found the best over-ear headphones after years of testing
The best over-ear headphones we tested Best wireless over-ear headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6 Best budget over-ear headphones: EarFun Wave Pro Best over-ear headphones for Apple users: Beats Studio Pro Best over-ear headphones for audiophiles: Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 While wireless earbuds and on-ear headphones have their uses, we've found that you'll really need the best over-ear headphones to get truly engrossed in your music while silencing the chaos of everyday life. But with a deluge of great models from brands like Sony, Bose and Apple regularly hitting shelves, where do you even start? Fortunately, we're always jamming out with the latest headphones in the name of helping you pick the right ones. Whether you need something with great noise cancellation for blocking out the world when it's time to lock in, you're an audiophile with a discerning ear or you just want something good on a budget, here are our five top picks. 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The XM6's upgraded adaptive noise cancellation is likewise excellent, silencing everything from clackety air conditioners to boomy construction sites down to a blissfully low hum. Once again, Sony's headphones prove to be just a slight notch above the AirPods Max, possibly due in part to the greater amount of noise-canceling microphones found on the XM6. We've always found Sony's flagship headphones to look and feel great, but the company still managed to squeeze in some welcome design touches for this year's go-around. The XM6 bring back the more flexible hinges (last seen with the XM4) that let you easily fold the headphones and throw them in even the smallest of bags — a feature we loved on older models that was conspicuously absent on the XM5. Their supple faux-leather ear cups and light weight made them a joy to wear for hours on end, to the point where the AirPods Max felt heavy by comparison. Best of all, this refined package all fits neatly into the best carrying case of any headphones we've tested. It's super thin, sports a handy carrying strap and closes via a secure magnetic flap that kept the case closed even as we aggressively bounced it around. The XM6 carries the same battery life rating as last generation's model (up to 30 hours with active noise cancellation, or ANC, on; 40 hours without), which proved to be more than enough for our daily adventures. After two weeks of heavy on-and-off use, we still had 40% left in the tank. That performance far exceeds the 20 hours and 24 hours you'll get from the AirPods Max and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, respectively. We also found the XM6's recharging times to be speedy, living up to Sony's claims of three hours of endurance from a quick three-minute charge. If Sony's new headphones have one major flaw, it's that the company still hasn't gotten its app right. The Sony Connect app for iOS and Android is loaded with plenty of handy features — including various sound presets, a 360-degree audio setting and an adaptive ANC setting that can switch sound modes on the fly — but the software itself is very clunky and hard to navigate. And even some of the better features, like the Speak-to-Chat tool that automatically lowers music playback once someone starts talking, still proved a bit finicky in our testing. There's also the $450 price tag, which is a $50 bump over the XM5. This price isn't out of the ordinary for a premium pair of headphones (the Bose QC Ultra are $450; the AirPods Max retail for $549), but it still may be prohibitive to some — especially when Sony's previous-generation headphones can often be found for a fraction of that price on sale these days. If you're still content with your XM4 or XM5, there isn't much reason to splurge on the XM6 right now. But if you're getting your first pair of high-end headphones or are ready to upgrade from an old model that's falling apart, the Sony WH-1000XM6's combination of best-in-class sound, stellar ANC, smart design and supreme comfort can't be beat. EarFun Wave Pro Over-Ear Headphones If you're looking to spend less than $100 on a great pair of headphones, get the EarFun Wave Pro. They sound excellent, offer very impressive noise cancellation for the price and have a design that looks anything but budget. Those interested can score up to 48% off by using our exclusive code EWPROCNN at checkout on Amazon and our review Beats Studio Pro Over-Ear Headphones The Beats Studio Pro get you the same seamless Apple integration and excellent ANC as the AirPods Max for a fraction of the price — and they also work great with Android. Read our review Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Headphones For those with an especially discerning ear, the Melomania's incredibly crisp sound and support for high-resolution audio formats offer a lot to love. The 100 hours of battery life certainly don't hurt either. 40 hrs. 80 hrs. 40 hrs. 100 hrs. 3 hrs. of playback in 3 mins. 10 hrs. of playback in 10 mins. 4 hrs. of playback in 10 mins. 4 hrs. of playback in 5 mins. Yes (2 devices, Bluetooth multipoint) Yes (2 devices, Bluetooth multipoint) Yes (automatic switching via iCloud) Yes (2 devices, Bluetooth multipoint) Black, Midnight Blue, Platinum Silver Black, Oat White Black, Deep Brown, Navy, Sandstone Blue, White 0.55 lbs. 0.58 lbs. 0.57 lbs. 0.72 lbs. Design Comfort: We used each pair of headphones for at least a full week, noting how comfortable they were and how they held up in common scenarios like walking, working and commuting. Case: Most headphones come with a carrying case but not all of them are created equal. Headphones with secure and sleek cases won major points, as a great pair of headphones aren't quite as useful if they're hard to keep protected on the road. Design and aesthetics: People are going to notice your headphones, so how they look matters. We factored in the overall sleekness and build quality of every pair, giving bonus points to any set that offered a nice range of color options. Performance Active noise cancellation: We noted how well each headphone blocked out everyday noises such as air-conditioning, loud subway cars and nearby construction during day-to-day use. For head-to-head comparisons, we played airport sounds out of our computer speakers to measure which headphones could best silence them. Sound quality: We ran each pair of headphones through our usual go-to playlists to get a sense of how they handle everything from hard rock and quiet indie to bumping hip-hop and electronic. We also assessed the quality of any spatial audio modes available, as well as any customizable EQ settings. Battery life: To assess battery life, we noted of how much juice we had left after several days of typical on-and-off use (using a mix of ANC on and off) and compared that to each manufacturer's estimate. We also tested general charging speeds against company claims. Usability and connectivity Controls: We tested each set of headphones' onboard controls to see how easy it was to do things like change volume and activate ANC on the fly. Bonus points for headphones that conveniently auto-paused every time we took them off. Pairing: We noted how easy it was to pair each set of headphones to our go-to devices, using a mix of Apple and Android products whenever possible. Companion apps and special features: We tried every pair's companion app when available, noting how intuitive it was to use and how useful the included features were. Related article The best headphones for sleeping in 2025, tried and tested Compatibility Before you splurge on a new pair of headphones, you should make sure they'll work well with your phone (and ideally, your tablet and laptop too). If you live in the Apple world, the AirPods Max or any modern pair of Beats headphones are your best bet — they'll pair effortlessly to your iPhone, iPad or Mac, and you'll have access to their full suite of features. Most of our other top picks from brands like Sony, Bose and EarFun are pretty platform-agnostic, though some features (such as Sony's support for the high-quality LDAC audio codec) are exclusive to Android. It's also worth noting that Beats headphones are much more Android-friendly than AirPods, making them a worthy consideration if you use a mix of both platforms. Design and portability Over-ear headphones take a bit more effort to carry around than a simple earbuds case you can stick in your pocket, so it's worth thinking about the design that best suits your travel habits. Most of our top picks have a convenient folding design that lets the ear cups lay flat around your neck when you're not wearing them, while also making it easy to fold them up and throw in the included storage case (or right in your bag if you're short on space). Out of our favorites, Beats Studio Pro take up the least space thanks to their ultra-compact case, though we think the latest Sony headphones come with a superior overall case that sports an ultra secure magnetic flap. The AirPods Max are far more rigid by comparison, with non-folding ear cups and a barely-protective case that leaves the headband exposed. If you're going with Apple's over-ear headphones, we strongly recommend getting a good AirPods Max case to go with them. Extra features Most modern over-ear headphones sound great and offer good noise cancellation, but what about the little things? If you want the option to use a wired connection for better sound and minimal interference, models like the Sony WH-1000XM6, Beats Studio Pro and EarFun Wave Pro have built-in headphone jacks that make that easy. The AirPods Max support wired audio via USB-C, though you'll have to pick up a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter if you want to use them with your computer or music player's headphone port. Also worth considering is how customizable each set of headphones are. The AirPods Max technically have equalizer settings that you can find in your iPhone's accessibility menu, but what you hear out of the box is more or less what you get. The Beats Studio Pro gain a few audio settings when you use them in wired USB-C mode, but they're pretty limited. If you want the ability to fine-tune every frequency to your liking, than you're probably best off with the likes of Sony, Bose or EarFun. Related article The best on-ear headphones in 2025, tried and testedBose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones The Bose QuietComfort Ultra offer rich, highly customizable active noise cancellation complete with a new Immersive Audio feature for engaging 3D sound. Read our review You could easily make a case for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra being not only the best noise-cancelling headphones but the best overall headphones you can buy right now. Their ANC capabilities continue to be some of the best in the business, able to silence even the most chaotic environments complete with 10 levels of noise cancellation that you can save to custom profiles for those times you need a lot (or a little) help blocking out the outside world. They also sound excellent, with a new Immersive Audio mode that we've found to deliver some of the most engrossing 3D sound of any high-end headphones. So, why didn't they make the top of our list? Sony's headphones are just ever so slightly better. We found the WH-1000XM6 to offer a bit more noise suppression in most environments and generally prefer the way Sony's headphones sound too. The XM6 have a better case and are also rated for 10 more hours of battery life than what you'll get out of the QuietComfort Ultra. That said, you truly can't go wrong with either of those two top dogs, and the QuietComfort Ultra are an especially great buy if you're a fan of spatial audio and want extra-fine control over your headphones' noise cancellation. EarFun Tune Pro Over-Ear Headphones The EarFun Tune Pro offer multiple ANC modes, a robust feature set for iOS and Android users, and up to 120 hours of battery life. Read our review The EarFun Tune Pro are a very strong follow-up to our favorite budget headphones, offering some of the best active noise cancellation we've ever tested — complete with multiple modes — on a sub-$100 model. They're comfy enough to wear for hours on end, and their tremendous battery life (which is rated for up to 120 hours of endurance) allowed us to use them heavily for close to a week before having to even think about plugging them in. You also get the same robust set of features we've come to expect from EarFun headphones, including handy dual-device connectivity and a customizable equalizer. Unfortunately, the Tune Pro's sound quality is just okay and doesn't quite reach the sonic heights of its Wave Pro sibling (the latter option has LDAC support for higher-resolution sound on compatible Android phones). And unlike the Wave Pro, the Tune Pro don't come with a carrying case. They are still a great pair of headphones that you can often score for less than 60 bucks, but the Wave Pro is the more compelling value. Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear Headphones The Sony WH-1000XM5 offer class-leading sound alongside adaptive active noise cancellation and up to 40 hours of battery life. Read our review The Sony WH-1000XM5 enjoyed a long reign as our best over-ear headphone pick, and their stellar sound, comfortable design and long battery life still hold up today. They're also significantly cheaper than the new XM6 model, with sales dropping the XM5 to as low as $250 to $300. We think the XM6's refined, folding design and even better audio makes them the better pick for first-time buyers who don't mind splurging, but the XM5s are a great alternative at their current price. Apple AirPods Max With USB-C The AirPods Max are a good splurge option for Apple users and recently got updated with USB-C charging and some fresh new our review Our former top pick for Apple users, the AirPods Max still deliver superb sound, immersive spatial audio and effortless integration with all of your Apple products. Better yet, Apple recently refreshed them with USB-C charging and a new wave of colors: black (Midnight), blue, purple and remain a great splurge option for those who want supreme style and performance, granted the newer Beats Studio Pro offer many of the same features for a fraction of the price. Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Over-Ear Headphones These popular high-end headphones offer excellent sound quality and up to 30 hours of battery life within a slick design. Read our review Our former top audiophile pick, this midrange update to the Bowers & Wilkins flagship should appeal to folks who value great sound quality above all else. They're an investment, though a recent price drop makes them a much better value these days. 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise-Canceling Headphones Our former budget pick, the SonoFlow remain a great bargain with especially strong battery life for the price. Read our review The 1More SonoFlow's excellent audio quality and ANC for the price — not to mention a strong 50 hours a battery life — earned these over-ear headphones a top spot as our favorite budget headphones for quite a while. They're still a good bargain today, though their build quality and controls are underwhelming, and the EarFun Wave Pro get you a better overall feature set for your money. Sony Ult Wear Headphones The Sony Ult Wear offer most of Sony's flagship headphone features (and an extra helping of bass) for a nice sub-$200 price. Read our review The Sony Ult Wear are a great affordable alternative to our top pick in the Sony WH-1000XM6, especially if you're a bass lover. On top of offering up to 50 hours of battery life and many of the same high-end perks of Sony's flagship headphones, the Ult Wear pack a special 'Ult' button that kicks the low end into overdrive and adds even more oomph to your favorite bass-heavy tracks. The Ult Wear's overall build quality, noise cancellation and call quality leave something to be desired, but these are well worth considering if you want premium sound for less than $200. Sonos Ace Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Sonos' first-ever headphones live up to the brand's reputation for great audio quality and cross-device compatibility. Read our review Sonos headphone debut is a massive winner, with great sound quality and reliable noise cancellation packed into one of the nicest designs we've rocked on our heads. They're an especially great pickup for those in the Sonos ecosystem, as you can switch audio between the Ace and your Sonos soundbar with a single button press; perfect for when you're transitioning from home to the couch. However, their just-okay battery life, buggy app and high price make them best suited for Sonos enthusiasts for now. Bose QuietComfort Headphones The latest version of these beloved headphones offer some of the best ANC around, alongside up to 24 hours of battery and a range of enticing color options. The latest refresh of Bose's signature QuietComfort 45 headphones offer better battery life, multipoint support for pairing to two devices at once and the company's typically great ANC. This rehash of the QuietComfort 45 retains its predecessor's minimalist skin and welcomes a handful of upgrades. They're a good pick for the price, though we'd recommend splurging on the Bose QC Ultra or Sony XM6 for their superior sound if you can. Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Over-Ear Wireless Headphones These high-end audiophile headphones offer superb sound quality and one of the most comfortable designs we've tried. The high-end sibling of the Px7 S2, the leather-clad Px8 are a decidedly luxe take on the same concept as its younger (and less expensive) sibling. They're a little better all around — nicer materials, exotic drivers with carbon-fiber cones and bigger magnets, as well as marginally better sound than the already great-sounding Px7 S2 — but otherwise have the same features and are very similar under the hood. As such, we think the Px7 S2 (or our top audiophile pick in the Cambridge P100) makes more sense. Edifier Stax Spirit S3 Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones These headphones feature unique magnetic drivers that we've found to offer excellent audio quality in our testing. The Edifier Stax Spirit S3 do sound really well — plenty of high-end detail and dynamics, and good imaging with an airy sense of space, which is impressive for fairly small closed-back headphones — making them a solid choice if your tastes run toward acoustic music. An app lets you make some EQ adjustments, though you're limited to a handful of presets; it'd be nice to see a little more of an open approach here. Sound aside, the Stax Spirit S3 offer impressive Bluetooth range, fold up small for travel and include a cool travel case. You can even use the Stax Spirit S3 wired (though you still need to turn them on, so this is more for use with non-wireless devices than a fallback for being out of power). There's no ANC here, so you'll depend on the closed-back design and good seal for isolation. Poly Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Headphones These popular noise-canceling headphones stand out with a retro-inspired design and unique rotary controls. The Poly Plantronics BackBeats Pro 2 have decent overall sound quality but lack bass extension and don't produce a wide-sounding soundstage. Call quality was relatively poor, with one recipient describing it as sounding like we were underwater. But they are comfortable to wear, and they have a fun-to-use rotary volume control. Sennheiser Consumer Audio Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones The Sennheiser Momentum 4 offer a strong overall experience out of the box, from sound quality and ANC to long-term comfort. Read our review The updated Sennheiser Momentum 4 drop the retro styling of their predecessors for a more vanilla look, but improved ANC, a solid app and great sound make them a compelling choice for headphones aficionados. Skullcandy Crusher ANC Over-Ear Headphones Despite their intriguing bass boost functionality and useful app, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC are an easy skip for most. The Skullcandy Crusher ANC were our least favorite in our testing pool. A dedicated bass-boost slider on one of the ear cups lets you go from a thin bass response to skull-rattling boom, but it felt like a gimmick, adding clutter to the mix but not definition. Using the Skullcandy app gave us access to some better-sounding custom profiles, but given that the Crusher weren't especially comfortable to wear, we'd look at one of our other recommendations at this price. Sony WH-1000XM4 Over-Ear Headphones This older version of our top pick remains a great pair of all-around headphones, especially if you can find them on sale. The Sony WH-1000XM4 are an all-time favorite, and still a fantastic pickup today if you can snag them on sale. The newer XM6 model offers superior sound, ANC and a much-improved carrying case, but if you don't have $450 to blow, the XM4's excellent all-around quality for a fraction of that price. What is the best way to clean over-ear headphones? What is the best way to clean over-ear headphones? According to representatives from JBL and Urbanista we spoke to, you should give your headphones a quick wipe down at least once a week — and more often if you're using them to work out. A quick disinfectant wipe or damp cloth will do the trick most of the time; just be careful not to apply excess moisture to your headphones. For a deeper clean, you should remove your ear cups, wipe them down with a cleaning wipe or a microfiber cloth with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol applied to it, and either dry them with a soft cloth or let them air-dry. You can also take this time to use a cleaning brush to dig dirt out of those nooks and crannies you might not notice with your ear cups attached. Of course, how to clean your headphones also depends on the materials. You might be fine cleaning a leather or faux-leather set of ear cups with a wet cloth after workouts, but you'll want to stick to something dry when wiping down fabric models like the AirPods Max. When in doubt? Check your headphones' user manual, as the last thing you want to do is accidentally void your warranty. Do wired over-ear headphones have better sound quality than wireless on-ear headphones? Do wired over-ear headphones have better sound quality than wireless on-ear headphones? It depends. The big advantage of wired headphones is the lack of latency and interference, since they don't depend on a Bluetooth connection to bring you your tunes. In some cases, this can also mean better audio quality. For example, the wireless Beats Studio Pro offer lossless audio when you use them over a wired USB-C connection, which means you'll enjoy higher-fidelity tracks that aren't compressed for easy Bluetooth streaming. However, there are plenty of other factors that dictate sound quality, including the actual quality of your headphones themselves, the audio settings you're using and whether or not you have active noise cancellation turned on. Those with a discerning ear may notice a slight difference between wired and wireless versions of the same model, but we think wireless headphones are more than clear enough for the average listener. Can you run with over-ear headphones? Can you run with over-ear headphones? While we strongly recommend running with a great pair of workout earbuds rather than over-ear headphones for comfort and safety reasons, you can get away with using over-ear headphones under the right conditions. If you plan on using headphones for running, you should find something light that features leather or faux-leather ear cups, as these are much easier to clean sweat from than the kinds of fabric ear cups you'll find on, say, the AirPods Max. You'll also want to make sure your headphones feature some sort of ambient noise or transparency mode, so you can stay aware of your surroundings while you run. That said, most over-ear headphones lack an IP rating for water and sweat protection, so you'd be much better off with some of the best true wireless earbuds or an open-ear model like the Shokz OpenFit Air. CNN Underscored's writers and editors thoroughly test the products in our testing guides and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team with many years of product testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to subject matter experts where applicable to make certain we test each product accurately and can speak about the pros and cons of each. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico has tested more headphones and earbuds than he can count in his decade-plus career doing product reviews of consumer tech, and he is always in search of the next great pair that can dethrone his AirPods Pro.
