Noise-canceling headphones are a common and highly popular style of hardware for good reason. Their application for convenience, improved audio quality, and relaxation is exceptional across multiple brands. There are more specific reasons for investing in noise-canceling headphones, from improved gaming experiences to optimized study sessions. Here are AP’s top reasons to get noise-canceling headphones.
What are noise-canceling headphones?
In fact, most headphones these days are noise-canceling, with different models varying in features and prices. You’ve likely seen people wearing them while they’re jogging or waiting for a train. They block out noise, so the user can enjoy their audio content in peace.Noise-canceling is now available for earbuds tooif they’re your preference.
All headphones are noise-canceling to some extent, because wearing something over or inside your ears will block some noise regardless. This is called passive noise-cancellation. But what we’re really talking about here isactivenoise-cancellation, where the headphones monitor outside noise and playback specific frequencies that cancel out exterior sounds, essentially putting the world on mute.
Best noise-cancelling headphones in 2025
Drown out the outside world with noise-cancelling headphones
What makes active noise-cancellation so great?
Improved audio experience
The enjoyment of any kind of audio will always be affected by exterior sound, and whether you mind or not, your experience is objectively suffering. Music, audiobooks, and podcasts can all get drowned out or muffled by loud noises or consistent ambiance, and it’s very irritating to lose the thread or miss something. Noise-canceling headphones provide a better experience by blocking these noises out, making the transmission of the media you happen to be listening to more clear. This aspect is ideal for travel and waiting rooms.
Enjoy a more immersive gaming experience
Sometimes, to really lose yourself in a game world, whether you’re playing on a PC, console, oryour brand-new Android gaming phone, noise-canceling headphones are essential. Filtering out all exterior noise to focus on the game audio can be perfect for reaction-testing shooters, immersive open worlds, and high-tension horror games. Noise-canceling headphones are a literal game changer.
Helpful for studying
When you’re a student, distractions are everywhere, and it can be highly frustrating to lose your place because of an annoying outside racket. Noise-canceling headphones allow you to take control of the sound around you and insert whatever kind of sound you want. Whether you prefer music, audiobooks, podcasts, or just tranquil silence, noise-canceling headphones are great for keeping your head down and getting some work done.
Good for sensory issues
As a person who suffers from sensory issues, I can attest that noise-canceling headphones are fantastic for staying focused in noisy environments. Places like grocery stores and gyms can be very loud and muddled in terms of ambient sound, and this can be extremely overwhelming for some people. Noise-canceling headphones help to take that excess stimuli out of the equation, leaving you free to get things done unhampered by distractions. There are specific kinds of earplugs that serve a similar purpose, but noise-canceling headphones have the added benefit of choosing which sounds you would like to hear as opposed to silence.
A better way to listen
If you are truly sold on a new pair of noise-canceling headphones, no need to worry. They come in many shapes, sizes, and prices, so it’s easy to find the right set for you. It’s important to remember that noise-canceling is nothing more than a feature, and some headphones are better than others at blocking exterior sound without compromising on the quality of your own audio. That’s where we come in: we’ve tested plenty of pairs ourselves, and have ranked whichnoise-canceling headphones are worth your money. Right now our top pick is this flagship pair from Sony:
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony followed up the excellent WH-1000XM4 with another winner, indisputably the best all-around pair of cans with noise-cancelling you can buy at anything approaching a reasonable price. They’re understated, boast amazing sound quality, and pack a battery that lasts up to an impressive 30 hours with ANC enabled (or 40 without).
