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Best headphone Black Friday deals still live on Bose, AirPods, Beats and earbuds
I’ve been testing headphones and earbuds for years – all my favourites from Bose, Beats and more have plummeted in price this Cyber Monday
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Your support makes all the difference.Toss those tangled wired headphones aside and listen up. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024 sales are still rolling and there are hundreds of deals on the best wireless headphones and earbuds, meaning you can bag savings on top tech for significantly less.
The annual price-cutting extravaganza continues today, and the likes of Amazon, Argos and Currys have slashed the price of my favourite Apple AirPods, Sony headphones and Bose over-ear cans. Now really is the best time to invest.
While there are plenty of discounts on laptops, TVs, smartphones and electric toothbrushes to explore, some of the biggest price cuts I’ve ever seen are on headphones and earbuds. Whether you’re after a solid pair of noise-cancelling cans, something good for running, or a kid-safe option, I’m busy rounding up all the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday headphone deals below.
Read more: Best Black Friday deals
Best headphones deals in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales
- Apple AirPods Pro 2: Was £229, now £179, Amazon.co.uk
- Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds: Was £259, now £175, Amazon.co.uk
- Bose QuietComfort ultra over-ear wireless headphones: Was £499.95, now £299.95, Argos.co.uk
- Beats solo 3 wireless bluetooth headphones: Was £199, now £99, Currys.co.uk
- Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones: Was £379, now £245, Amazon.co.uk
- Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones: Was £249.99, now £180.40, Amazon.co.uk
Apple AirPods Pro 2: Was £229, now £179, Amazon.co.uk
The Apple AirPods Pro earbuds have been reduced by £50 – a saving that’s not as dramatic as their Black Friday price of £143, but still a solid deal. Tech critic David Phelan praised them in his review, and they’re even better than the AirPods 4, despite being older. With better audio and battery, there are touch controls on the buds themselves, so you can adjust the volume without having to take your phone out of your pocket, and there’s a MagSafe case with a lanyard loop for easy charging and storage.
Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds: Was £259, now £175, Amazon.co.uk
Sony’s wireless earbuds reigned supreme in the best wireless earbuds review, with tech critic David Phelan left impressed by the noise-cancellation and sound quality. The WF-1000XM5 have “a level of deft clarity and forensic detail that makes every part of the music soar, from vocals to mid-range and bass,” he noted.
Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones: Was £379.99, now £245, Amazon.co.uk
Sony sits at the top of my review of the best wireless headphones with the WH-1000XM5. With impressive noise cancellation and impeccable sound quality, they’re the headphones to beat. “Whether it’s orchestral music, rap, podcasts or your favourite pop tracks, the WH-1000XM5 handle it all with poise and gumption,” I wrote.
Beats Fit Pro true wireless noise cancelling in ear headphones: Was £219.99, now £125.95, Amazon.co.uk
Yet another pair of our favourite headphones is enjoying a discount this Cyber Monday. Although these buds from Beats now tend to retail for around £199, meaning Amazon’s discount isn’t quite as generous as it seems at first, it’s still worth snapping up this deal. Fitness writer Claire swears by these buds for her long runs. In her review, she said: “The wing tips make them an exceptionally comfortable headphone to wear, and the fact they’re sweat- and water-resistant means they’re as at home on a longer, sweatier run as much as they are a rainy 5km.” A great versatile pick at an even better price.
Anker Soundcore space Q45 wireless headphones: Was £139.99, now £79.99, Amazon.co.uk
I’d already dubbed this pair as the best budget buy in my guide to top wireless headphones but the cans are now even better value, thanks to this Black Friday deal. In terms of sound quality, tunes sounded expansive during testing, with rich-sounding vocals and crisp highs. There are extensive equaliser settings in the app, too. Overall, this is a great pair of headphones for the price.
Shokz OpenRun bone conduction headphones: Was £129.95, now £89, Amazon.co.uk
Landing a spot in the best running headphones guide thanks to the fact they lead the way in delivering music via your cheekbones rather than your ears, Shokz is unlike standard earphones. Instead, the open-ear design allows for the wearer to still feel connected to their surroundings while delivering a premium audio experience. Our review found that they “performed well at blocking out a lot of ambient noise and the noise cancelling microphone worked well too”.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds: Was £299.95, now £199, Amazon.co.uk
The Bose QC Ultra wireless earbuds are a brilliant-sounding pair of noise-cancelling buds that have fallen in price thanks to Black Friday. “They sound better than almost every competitive pair of earbuds we’ve tested,” tech critic David Phelan said in his review.
Sony WF-C700N wireless earbuds: Was £99, now £63, Amazon.co.uk
David Phelan considered these the best budget wireless earbuds – and they just got even cheaper. The “WF-C700N are so good you might wonder if it’s worth spending more”, he wrote, adding that “these buds sound excellent, with plenty of power matched with subtlety and detail”. For less than £65, you can’t go wrong.
Bose QuietComfort ultra over-ear wireless headphones: Was £449.95, now £299.95, Argos.co.uk
I considered these best for noise-cancellation in my wireless headphones guide. I could barely hear anything when I was wearing these – rumbling trains? Didn’t hear them. Chatter in the other room? Nope, didn’t hear it. Passing cars? Could not hear any. The sound quality also blew me away, with tunes sounding rich and melodious, with some real precision when it was needed. Discounted at Currys and John Lewis as well as Argos.
Beats solo 3 wireless bluetooth headphones: Was £199, now £99, Currys.co.uk
A top brand for affordability and quality, the Beats solo 3 wireless headphones are not only sleek in appearance but boast a high-tech specification with everything from 40 hours of battery life to spatial audio for cinema-like TV and film viewing. In his review of the headphones, tech pro Jasper noted how they isolates audio from the outside world when listening to music or podcasts. With regard to the sound quality, he praised “the distinction given to vocal frequencies.” With this half price discount, now’s your chance to secure a tremendous tech Christmas present for less.
Dyson ontrac wireless over ear headphones: Was £449.99, now £399, Johnlewis.com
Dyson’s high-performing headphones are now reduced thanks to John Lewis. Not only will you save £50 this Black Friday, but you can get a free additional ear cushion if you enter the code “ONTRAC” at checkout. When I reviewed the headphones, I really rated the ergonomic design, noting how the “ontrac never felt uncomfortable or too heavy, even after a few hours of wear, and the soft cushioning on the middle part of the headband helped it sit gently on my skull.”
Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones: Was £249.99, now £180.40, Amazon.co.uk
Looking for a pair of headphones for the office? These are the ones I recommend you buy. As I wrote in my review, these are as “premium as a pair of headphones come”. I found that the “bass is never exaggerated but still feels hefty, vocalists find room to sing in the mids and the highs are crisp and clear”. My only real gripe was the price – but they’re now reduced by nearly 30 per cent.
Sonos ace wireless headphones: Was £449, now £279, Amazon.co.uk
Having launched earlier this year, I’m surprised to see a reduction on these Sonos headphones – but I’m certainly not complaining. When testing, I found the listening experience to be exceptional – essentially sounding like Sonos speakers clamped to your head. With great active noise cancellation and battery, this discount is not to be missed.
Belkin soundform inspire wireless over-ear headphones for kids: Was £39.99, now £22.99, Amazon.co.uk
Dubbed as ideal for home learning in IndyBest’s guide to the best kids’ headphones, this Belkin pair, complete with boom mic, has been reduced by more than 40 per cent for Black Friday. Reviewer Zoe said whether your kids are gaming or working, “the headset has 35 hours of battery life to keep them going all day and then some”. There’s also a USB-C port for fast charging. “To protect young ears, there’s a volume limiter with an 85dB limit on it,” Zoe added.
Jabra elite 4 active headphones: Was £99.99, now £39.99, Johnlewis.com
If you want a pair of budget workout headphones, Jabra has you covered. Rather than relying on stiff (and sometimes uncomfortable) silicone wings to stay in place during sweaty workouts, Jabra sports headphones’ unique shape allows them to sit snug and secure in your ear. Having owned them for years and subjected them to umpteen burpees, I can vouch for this. The elite 4 actives have an enjoyable, natural sound, too, which is always a bonus. However, if you want a more recent release with a few more bells and whistles, you can also visit the Jabra website to pick up a pair of the impeccable elite 8 actives (was £199.99, now £99.99, Jabra.com).
Tonies kids’ headphones: Was £19.99, now £15.99, Tonies.com
Shopping for young fans of audiobooks? Tonies has discounted its kids’ headphones by 20 per cent. When IndyBest reviewer Zoe and her five-year-old mini tester tried this pair, Zoe said: “The fully padded headband and small cups made wearing these lightweight headphones comfortable, and they were very easy to use – just plug in and go.” Overall, Zoe scored them 3.5 out of five stars, in her round-up of the best kids’ headphones.
Why trust IndyBest’s Black Friday headphone deals coverage
As The Independent’s tech writer, I’ve tried and tested the best wireless headphones and earbuds – so I know the good models from the bad. I also track prices on headphones and earbuds every day, so I know which deals are worth paying attention to. Plus, I’ll only ever recommend discounts on products the tech team or I have tested in real life, and are from brands I trust.
When will these headphone deals end?
Cyber Monday was originally the online-only closing act of the Black Friday weekend, back when online shopping was just taking off. Now that most of our shopping happens online, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have merged into a single mega-sale.
Tech retailers are currently hosting big Cyber Monday sales, so we’re likely to see more headphone deals going live throughout the day. Some sales will end at midnight and others will roll over into 3 January. We’ll be covering them right here so keep your eyes on this guide.
For more great savings, check out my guide to the best Black Friday tech deals