The best Black Friday deals you can still get on headphones and earbuds

Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeThe hard-to-resist holiday sales have officially arrived, with many headphones and earbuds from the biggest tech brands discounted to their lowest prices ever for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And as you can...

Nov 26, 2023 - 21:02

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The best Black Friday deals you can still get on headphones and earbuds

Whether you want headphones for the colder months or a new pair of wireless earbuds, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are your chance at the best savings.

By Chris Welch, a reviewer specializing in personal audio and home theater. Since 2011, he has published nearly 6,000 articles, from breaking news and reviews to useful how-tos.

Updated Nov 25, 2023, 6:30 PM UTC|

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A photo of Beats’ translucent Studio Buds Plus earbuds.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

The hard-to-resist holiday sales have officially arrived, with many headphones and earbuds from the biggest tech brands discounted to their lowest prices ever for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And as you can remain available over the weekend in between the frenzied shopping days. If you’ve been holding off for the best possible savings on something from Apple, Sony, Samsung, Google, and other brands, you’re likely not going to do better than these Black Friday 2023 offers.

I’m not expecting any major new products from the biggest headphone makers anytime soon, so you don’t need to worry about buyer’s remorse should you decide to jump on any of the deals below. Heading into the colder months, it’s always worth factoring in that headphones can double as earmuffs on a morning commute. But at the same time, it’s hard to beat the flexibility and compact form factor of the latest earbuds. Who says you need to pick one or the other?

The best earbud deals under $100

Samsung’s budget-friendly Galaxy Buds FE offer some very good sound and noise cancellation for the money. They also feature a return of the wing tip design from the older Galaxy Buds Plus, the fit of which some may prefer. Read our review.

These AirPods are Apple’s second generation of true wireless earbuds and the cheapest model in the AirPods lineup. Though they’re from 2019, they remain a reliable pair of buds with solid sound quality. Read our review.

Anker’s Soundcore Sport X10 headphones have powerful bass, flexible ear loops that keep them in place, and an IPX7 rating for water and sweat resistance. They can also provide up to eight hours of continuous battery life. Read our review.

If you’re someone who doesn’t like the feel of in-ear earbuds, Amazon’s latest Echo Buds are worth a look, and they’re currently on sale for a very low $34.99. The “semi in-ear” fit means your ears won’t have that plugged-up sensation, and you’ll be able to maintain awareness of all that’s happening around you.Google’s Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds are down to $59 from their usual price of $100. If you want a simple, dependable pair of earbuds for an Android phone, it’s hard to go wrong with these — even if they lack active noise cancellation and other features of the pricier Pixel Buds Pro. Read our review.

Noise-canceling earbuds

The second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with much better noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and onboard volume controls. The latest refresh also ships with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning.

Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds improve upon the previous model with richer sound quality, slightly more powerful ANC, and vastly improved comfort thanks to their reduced size and weight. Read our review.

Apple’s third-gen AirPods are on sale for $139.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy with a Lightning-only charging case, which matches their all-time low. You can also buy the buds from Costco with a MagSafe charging case for the same price if you’re a member. Compared to their predecessor, the third-gen earbuds sound better, feature an IPX4 water resistance rating, and offer shorter stems. Read our review.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus offer better sound and noise cancellation than the original pair, and they also come in a unique translucent color option. Read our review.

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds have integrated wing tips that help keep them secure during runs and workouts. They also have excellent noise cancellation, and their sound has just the right amount of bass and kick to keep you motivated. Read our review.

With dynamic, rich sound and the best noise cancellation available in true wireless earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are a terrific pick if you want to listen to your music in peace. Read our review.

Samsung’s excellent-sounding Galaxy Buds 2 Pro introduce support for 24-bit audio and have a lighter, smaller, more comfortable in-ear fit than the first Buds Pros. Read our review.

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are the company’s first earbuds to include active noise cancellation. They combine impressive sound, great battery life, and good comfort — all without the connection issues of earlier models. Read our review.

The UE Fits come with ear tips that permanently mold to the unique shape of your ears in just 60 seconds. This allows for a much better fit that you can comfortably wear for hours. Read our review.

The Elite 8 Active boast all the hallmarks of a premium pair of Jabra earbuds — good sound, reliability, etc. — while leaning into a more rugged, dustproof design.

Noise-canceling headphones

With improved comfort, refined sound, and even better active noise cancellation, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 offer a compelling mix of features for the price. Read our review.

Bose’s QuietComfort 45 Headphones update the company’s popular, impossibly comfortable design with USB-C, improved noise cancellation, and longer battery life. Read our review.

Apple’s AirPods Max are back down to $449.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which remains their second-best price to date. They don’t have all the same new software features as the AirPods Pro, but they’re luxurious, sound great, and you can’t beat Apple’s transparency mode. Read our review.You can buy Sony’s last-gen WH-1000XM4s at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $248 ($100 off), which is one of their best prices to date. The newer XM5s boast better sound and noise cancellation, but the WH-1000XM4s still sound terrific and drown out noise remarkably well. They’re also easier to carry around while traveling since you can fold them down when it’s time to stow them. Read our review.

Bose’s latest flagship headphones are a replacement for the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 that offer a more travel-friendly design, spatial audio, better call quality, excellent comfort, and some of the best noise cancellation around. Read our review.

The new Beats Studio Pro feature improved noise cancellation, sound quality, and comfort. They also support lossless audio over USB-C, making them the first Apple headphones to do so. Read our review.

Bose’s Noise Canceling Headphones 700 have been replaced by the recent QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, but there’s still plenty to like about the last-gen pair — comfort, excellent voice call quality, and more — especially at a discounted price of $259. Read our review.

Marshall’s noise-canceling headphones stand out for their unusual look and easy-to-use joystick for controlling your music. They’re also a battery life champ with up to 45 hours of playback.

Feeling a little overwhelmed on what deals to pounce on? Need some tech buying advice? Our Verge Deals team is here for your retail therapy, and we’ll be answering your burning shopping questions for Cyber Monday live on November 27th at 11AM ET. Leave a question here.

Update November 25th, 1:30PM ET: Vetted existing deals, adjusted pricing as necessary.