The best cheap noise-canceling headphone deals for July 2022

With more people working from home than they used to, owning a good pair of noise-canceling headphones has become more appealing than ever. However, they can be expensive and difficult to shop for due to the range of available models, many of which cater to different lifestyles and priorities. Some are better suited for long-haul flights, for instance, while others are ideal for multitasking and marathon listening sessions.

That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best deals on noise-canceling headphones. Here, you’ll find sales on all kinds of on-ear and over-ear headphones, all of which are designed to eliminate outside noise but come with their own strengths and weaknesses. And if you want to do even more research before making a buying decision, we’ve put together a guide to the best noise-canceling headphones, which can help you determine which is right for you.

But before we dive in, just remember: Amazon Prime Day officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 12th. Although it’s not a guarantee that we’ll see discounts on some of our favorite models, Amazon’s annual shopping event has brought significant discounts on noise-canceling headphones in the past, meaning it might be worth holding out if you can wait.

Bose QuietComfort 45 deals

Bose QuietComfort 45s, our pick for the most comfortable noise-canceling headphones, are a pair frequent travelers will surely appreciate. They’re lightweight and foldable, so you can easily carry them around with you, and ear fatigue is unlikely, thanks to their oval ear cups. Battery life now sits at 24 hours as well, meaning you needn’t worry about constantly having to charge them. The new transparency mode, meanwhile, comes in handy when you need to be more aware of your surroundings, like when you’re about to cross the street, while a firmware update introduced earlier this year allows you to customize the bass, mid-range, and other aspects of the EQ. The USB-C-equipped headphones don’t offer the same bassy response as Sony’s 1000XM4s, but if comfort is what you’re after, the QC45 offer it in spades.

The Bose QuietComfort 45s retail for $329 and there are currently no discounts available. However, Bose will take 15 percent off when you buy two QC45s, two Sport Earbuds, or one pair of QC45 and one pair of Sport Earbuds, applying the discount to the item of equal or lesser value. Just note you must buy the two devices within the same order. Read our review.

Bose QuietComfort 45

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

*The AirPods Max is a good pick for those deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem.*

Apple’s AirPods Max deals

If you’re looking for the best sound quality you can get in a pair of noise-canceling headphones, we recommend the AirPods Max. The headphones pair seamlessly with other Apple devices and they sound superb, especially combined with Apple’s spatial audio feature, which allows for a more immersive experience when listening to or watching compatible content. They also tout the best transparency mode of all the headphones on our list, and they boast incredible build quality thanks to a luxe design that opts for aluminum, steel, and fabric over plastic.

With an MSRP of $549, the AirPods Max can be pretty expensive, but many retailers have been discounting them as of late. Right now, for instance, the headphones are currently on sale at both Amazon and B&H Photo in select colorways for around $479. If you live close to a Micro Center, you can also buy the headphones in-store for $474.99. Read our review.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max feature exemplary build quality, sound phenomenal, and keep up with the best at noise cancellation.

*Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless 3 headphones offer a retro-inspired design and sound terrific.*

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 deals

If you’re a non-Apple user looking for a pair of noise-canceling headphones that sound fantastic, Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless 3 is your best option. We found that they boast detailed, bass-rich sound, a stylish, retro-inspired design, and are extremely comfortable to wear — even when you’re donning glasses. Although their noise cancellation might not rival other models on our list, they make up for it with convenient software features like ambient passthrough and a customizable EQ. Plus, unlike many other headphones, they integrate with the location tracking device, Tile.

The Momentum Wireless 3 typically retail for $399.99, but we’ve seen them drop to as low as $241 in select instances. Right now, you can buy them at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy for around $250, which is just $9 shy of their best price to date. Read our review.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

Sennheiser’s premium noise-canceling headphones offer lush comfort, rich sound with plenty of bass, and a timeless design.

A photo of Shure’s Aonic 50 headphones, the best noise-canceling headphones for sound quality. — *Shure’s Aonic 50 boast a detailed, bass-rich, and vibrant sound.*

Shure Aonic 50 deals

Shure’s Aonic 50 are some of the best noise-canceling headphones available at a lower price point, offering first-class sound quality, adequate noise cancellation, and support for advanced Bluetooth codecs like apt-X HD and LDAC. They’re also comfortable to wear, boast detailed, bass-rich sound, and offer features like ambient passthrough and a customizable EQ. Normally $299.99, the Aonic 50 are on sale right now for around $249 at Amazon, GameStop, and B&H Photo, which is just $10 more than their best-ever price.

Shure Aonic 50

Shure is best known for its earbuds, but the Aonic 50 are a fantastic set of noise-canceling headphones that support both Bluetooth and wired audio through 3.5mm or USB-C.

*Microsoft’s Surface Headphones 2 are great for multitasking.*

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 deals

Multitaskers will appreciate Microsoft’s Surface Headphones 2 given they offer terrific multipoint Bluetooth support, which allows you to pair them with multiple devices and switch back and forth between them with ease. The headphones also offer intuitive dial controls for both volume and noise cancellation, as well as improved sound quality and battery life over their predecessor. While Microsoft’s noise-canceling tech isn’t quite as effective as Bose’s and Sony’s, the Surface Headphones 2 still adequately silence outside noises so you can focus.

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Microsoft’s Surface Headphones 2 dropped to around $162, which is almost half their typical asking price of $249.99. We’re not currently seeing any deals that steep as of right now, however, you can buy them from Amazon and B&H Photo in either black or gray for just shy of $220. Read our review.

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Microsoft’s Surface Headphones 2 have the same intuitive dial controls as the originals for volume and noise cancellation, but the sequel offer better sound quality and battery life at a cheaper price.

Bose QC35 — *Bose’s Quiet Comfort 35 II headphones are as comfortable and lightweight as newer models.*

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II deals

If the newer QuietComfort 45 are out of your budget, their noise-canceling predecessor remain a great, affordable alternative — at least when they can be found. Like newer Bose models, the discontinued QuietComfort 35 II are both comfortable and lightweight. They also come with a number of praiseworthy features, including good sound quality and the ability to seamlessly switch between two paired devices.

While their original sticker price was $349, the QC35 II are frequently on sale for far less. GameStop and Nordstrom, for example, are currently selling them for around $299, a cool $50 off the list price but a far cry from their all-time low of around $180.

Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II

These lightweight, over-ear wireless headphones have one of the best active noise cancellation effects to silence distractions.

*The Beats Studio 3 are nearly half off and thus a good alternative if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly pair of headphones.*

Beats Studio 3 deals

While we couldn’t recommend these to anybody outside of the Apple ecosystem, the Beats Studio 3 Wireless could be a decent alternative if you want a pair of over-ear headphones from Apple but find the AirPods Max to be too expensive. The Beats Studio 3 are comfortable to wear, fold inward for easy stowing, and feature Apple’s last-gen W1 wireless chip, which still allows you to quickly connect and switch between Apple devices. Note, however, that unlike those built with Apple’s newer H1 chip, the headphones lack hands-free Siri support. They also charge via a Micro USB port instead of a Lightning port or USB-C.

The Beats Studio 3 are certainly showing their age at this point — the headphones launched in 2017, after all — but they are currently on sale on Amazon for $209.51 in select colorways. Read our review.

Beats Studio 3 Wireless

The Beats Studio 3 feature Apple’s W1 wireless chip, allowing them to quickly connect and switch between any Apple devices you may own. The wireless, over-ear headphones connect via Bluetooth and also support 3.5mm for a wired connection.