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Best last-minute holiday headphone deals: Sony, Bose, Beats, Jaybird and more

Many headphones that were on sale for Black Friday remain on sale. Get Bose QuietComfort 35 II for $279, save $100 on Jabra Elite 85h and score on Sony's "Bose killer" WH-1000XM3.

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carnoy-headshot-2019-2
David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
  • Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
David Carnoy
10 min read
$144 at Amazon
Klipsch T5 True Wireless: $144.72 (silver version)
You save $54.28
$267 at Amazon
Jabra Elite 85h: $200
You save $100
$267 at Amazon
$30 at Amazon
Earfun Wave: $29.99
You save $20
$148 at Amazon
Sony WH-XB900N Extra Bass: $148
You save $100
$110 at Amazon
Anker Liberty 2 Pro: $110
You save $40
$222 at Walmart
09-jaybird-vista
Jaybird Vista: $160
You save $20
$222 at Walmart
$279 at Amazon
cnet-black-friday-best-buy-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii
Bose QuietComfort 35 II: $279
You save $70
$200 at Amazon
cnet-black-friday-best-buy-beats-powerbeats-pro-headphones
Beats Powerbeats Pro: $200
You save $50
$275 at eBay
audifonos-sony-1000xm3
Sony WH-1000XM3: $278
You save $70
$275 at eBay
$189 at eBay
Bose Soundsport Free Wireless
Bose SoundSport Free: $169
You save $30
$189 at eBay
$180 at Best Buy
Beats Studio3 Wireless
Beats Studio3 Wireless: $180
You save $170
$40 at Amazon
01-jabra-elite-active-65t
Jabra Elite Active 65t: $120
You save $70
$40 at Amazon
$70 at Amazon
Jabra Move Style Edition: $70
You save $30
$111 at Amazon
samsung-galaxy-buds
Samsung Galaxy Buds: $111
You save $219
$130 at Best Buy
001-jbl-650bt-active-noise-cancelling-headphones
JBL Live 650BTNC: $130
You save $70
$90 at Amazon
007-anker-soundcore-liberty-air-2
Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2: $90
You save $10
$210 at Amazon
03-sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless: $210 (Update: Expired)
You save $90
$349 at Amazon
14-bose-noise-cancelling-headphones-700
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: $349 (Update: Expired)
You save $50
$80 at Best Buy
sennheiser-hd-4-50btnc-wireless-active-noise-cancelling-headphones-12.jpg
Sennheiser HD 4.50R Wireless Noise Canceling: $80 (Update: Expired)
You save $100
$235 at Amazon
Apple Airpods Pro
AirPods Pro: $235 (Updated: Expired)
You save $14
$40 at Amazon
anker-soundcore-life-q20-1
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC: $40 (Updated: Expired)
You save $20
$130 at Amazon
beats-solo-3-wireless-colors-04.jpg
Beats Solo3 Wireless: $130 (Updated: Expired)
You save $35
$65 at 1More
01-1more-stylish-true-wireless
1More Stylish True Wireless: $65 with code (Updated: Expired)
You save $35
$50 at Crutchfield
cnet-black-friday-best-buy-jaybird-tarah
Jaybird Tarah earbuds: $50 (Updated: Expired)
You save $50
$30 at Best Buy
jlab-jbuds-air-2
JLab Audio JBuds Air: $30 (Updated: Expired)
You save $20
$100 at Best Buy
04-plantronics-backbeat-fit-3150
Plantronics BackBeat Fit 3150: $100 (Updated: Expired)
You save $50
$110 at Best Buy
13-plantronics-backbeat-fit-6100
Plantronics BackBeat Fit 6100: $110 (Updated: Expired)
You save $70
$140 at Best Buy
09-apple-airpods-2-2019
AirPods 2nd-gen: $140 (Updated: Expired)
You save $20

If you're looking for a last-minute gift for yourself or the audiophiles in your life, all kinds of headphone styles, from true-wireless earbuds to noise-canceling headphones, are still on sale a few days before Christmas, including discounts on big brands like Jabra, JBL,  Sony , Sennheiser and Bose. If you've been considering buying a pair of Beats, AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds, you still have time to save. 

Some of the top discounts from our list below include Sony's popular WH-1000XM3 and Bose's QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones for $279 (save $70). And even Bose's new Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are finally being discounted, by $50. Also, Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones are reduced to $180 (save $170).


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We've collected some of our favorite offers in our list below, and we'll keep it up to date with the remaining deals while stocks are still available. Finally, if it's all been a bit too stressful this holiday buying season, take a moment to check out our Holiday Survival Guide for tips on how to make it through the season without too much pain. It's packed full of ideas to help keep you on track. 

Note that many of these items will arrive after Christmas if you order now.

Last update: Beats Studio3, Klipsch T5, Earfun Wave.

Klipsch T5 True Wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET

Amazon has had Klipsch's T5 True Wireless earbuds discounted to $150 (from $200) since before Black Friday. Briefly, these excellent true wireless headphones came all the way down to $130, but now they're priced at $144.72, which still saves you $54 -- at least for the silver version. I was impressed with their sound. It's nicely detailed, with natural-sounding mids and punchy, well-defined bass. The only caveat is you really have to jam the tips into your ears to get a tight seal and block out noise, and the design may not be for everyone. 

While the Zippo-inspired case is somewhat heavy for its relatively compact size, it's sleek and sturdy, with USB-C charging. Battery life is also a highlight: The earbuds themselves can run for up to 8 hours on a single charge at moderate volume levels, and the case with its built-in battery provides three additional charges on the go. 

The T5 Wireless earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 and support both AAC and AptX. As for water resistance, they're splash-proof (IPX4-certified).

Read our Klipsch T5 True Wireless review.

jabra-elite-85h-1
Jabra

Jabra's highly rated Elite 85h wireless noise-canceling headphones are on sale at  and  for $200, or $100 off their list price of $300. Sale ends Dec. 29.

Note that the best deal may not be available at all the retailers listed below. Prices and inventory are constantly changing, so check each site before you choose where to buy.

Read our Jabra Elite 85h review.

earfun-wave
David Carnoy/CNET

If you're looking for cheap, comfortable over-ear wireless headphones, Earfun's Wave are an excellent budget choice. They sound decent, with good battery life and nicely padded ear cups. List price is $50, but they're now on sale for $30. An extra 5% discount coupon on the product page brings them close to $28.50. I like the sound of the  headphones slightly better (they're $40), but this model is more comfortable. They come with a case, but the headphones don't fold flat (they fold up), and the case is pretty bulky as a result. That's their only drawback. 

10-sony-wh-xb900n
Sarah Tew/CNET

The Sony WH-XB900N Extra Bass headphones have a similar design to the WH-1000XM3 and share many of that model's features but for $100 less. (Their previous low was $123 but they've popped back up to $148.) They're comfortable to wear and have USB-C charging, good battery life and effective noise cancellation. They also work decently as a headset for making calls, and the sound quality is good as long as you don't mind a preponderance of bass.

Read our Sony WH-XB900N Extra Bass review.

010-anker-soundcore-liberty-2-pro
Sarah Tew/CNET

Anker's new Liberty 2 Pro normally retails for $150 but is on sale for $40 off at Amazon. It's one of the best values in true-wireless earbuds, with very good sound and features (it has both USB-C and wireless charging). It also works very well as a headset for making calls. At this price, it's a real bargain. 

09-jaybird-vista
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX7 -- can be submerged for 30 minutes up to 1 meter)

The Jaybird Vista normally lists for $180 and hasn't been on sale till now. This is one of the better true wireless models for runners who demand a secure fit, and it's fully waterproof. I also like how small the case is -- it fits easily in a pocket. Available in black or gray.

Read our Jaybird Vista review.

cnet-black-friday-best-buy-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii
Bose

On Thanksgiving Day, the Rose Gold edition of the QuietComfort 35 II was on sale for $249 or $100 off and all the colors, including black and silver, were sale on Cyber Monday for $279. Their price rose to $300 but is now back at $279. With the arrival of Bose's new Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones (on sale for $350) this year, you can expect to see continued sales on the QuietComfort 35 II, which remains a very good headphone that's arguably slightly more comfortable than the 700.

Read our QuietComfort 35 II review.

cnet-black-friday-best-buy-beats-powerbeats-pro-headphones
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 9 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 -- splash-proof)

The Powerbeats Pro are back, once again selling at the previous all-time low price of $200. A bit of a mixed bag, the Powerbeats Pro have good sound quality, battery life and stay securely plugged into your ears. But you'll need to cart them around in an awkwardly large case that isn't especially pocket-friendly. If you don't mind the large case, though, you're not going to find these earbuds for a better price.

Read our Beats Powerbeats Pro review.

audifonos-sony-1000xm3
Juan Garzon/CNET

Sony's excellent WH-1000XM3 noise-canceling headphones have regularly been on sale for as low as $250. But they're hovering around $278 this week at a variety of retailers including Best Buy and Amazon. Buy them knowing you're getting the best overall noise-canceling headphones available today.

Note that the best deal may not be available at all the retailers listed below. Prices and inventory are constantly changing, so check each site before you choose where to buy.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM3 review.

Bose Soundsport Free Wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET

Bose's SoundSport Free has been out a while and was on sale for this price last year during the holiday season. They're very good true wireless earbuds (their case is a little large, however), but note that Bose will be releasing new true wireless earbuds in 2020, including a noise-canceling model. It's unclear how much those new earphones will cost but they will most likely be more than $169. Note that the best deal may not be available at all the retailers listed below. Prices and inventory are constantly changing, so check each site before you choose where to buy.

Read our Bose SoundSport Free review.

Beats Studio3 Wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET

Best Buy has had the Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones sporadically on sale the past few weeks. They briefly hit $190 after bouncing between $200 and $210. Now they're down to $180. They list for $350, but usually can be had for around $280. I do expect that a new Studio headphone will be released in 2020.

Read our Beats Studio3 Wireless review.

01-jabra-elite-active-65t
CNET

The CNET Editors' Choice for true wireless headphones in 2018 was the Jabra Elite Active 65t, on sale for $120 (a $70 savings). Yes, the new, more compact  earbuds retail for $180, but that price on last year's model makes them a compelling gift. The stepdown (non-Active) -- which loses the sweatproofing feature -- is $10 cheaper, too ($100 total).

Read our Jabra Elite Active 65t review.

The latest version of Jabra's popular "value" on-ear headphones, the Move, is on sale for $30 off at various retailers. It was as low as $60 in the weeks around Black Friday. The Style headphones are available in three new colors (navy, gold beige and black) and have a bump in battery life. At $70, it's a decent deal for someone looking for affordable-quality on-ear wireless headphones.

samsung-galaxy-buds
Juan Garzon/CNET

Amazon had the Galaxy Buds on sale for $100 -- now their price is up to $111 or $19 off. Although they're not great for making calls, they're a decent set of true wireless earbuds and a good AirPods alternative, particularly for Galaxy smartphone owners (and Android users).

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds review.

001-jbl-650bt-active-noise-cancelling-headphones
Sarah Tew/CNET

If you can't afford premium noise-canceling models from Bose and Sony, the JBL Live 650BTNC Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones list for $200 and are very good. They're on sale now for $130.

Read our JBL Live 650BTNC review.

007-anker-soundcore-liberty-air-2
Sarah Tew/CNET

If you can't afford the AirPods Pro, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 is a good alternative and are a top model for making calls. Like the AirPods Pro, they do a remarkably good job of muffling ambient noise (callers said they could hear me fine even with a lot of street noise around me). While they don't have active noise canceling, they sound nearly as good, fit comfortably and their noise-isolating design passively seals out a lot of ambient noise. Amazon has them for $10 off with a discount coupon. 

Read our Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 review.

Expired deals

These deals have expired for now but may return in the coming days.

03-sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET

Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless are among the top sounding true wireless earbuds. They started out at $300 and more recently have been on sale for $250. They're now being discounted to $210 at Amazon.

Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless review.

14-bose-noise-cancelling-headphones-700
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 20 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating

Bose's newest noise-canceling headphones, the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, are finally on sale. They list for $400, but several retailers have them on sale for $349, or $50 off. I thought $350 should be their initial price to compete with Sony's WH-1000XM3, but Bose went out higher. Good see a discount on them, even though it's not huge.

Note that the best deal may not be available at all the retailers listed below. Prices and inventory are constantly changing, so check each site before you choose where to buy.

Read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review.

sennheiser-hd-4-50btnc-wireless-active-noise-cancelling-headphones-12.jpg
Sarah Tew/CNET

You can save $100 on the Sennheiser HD 4.50R model right now at Best Buy. The only difference between it and the HD 4.50 BTNC version that I reviewed is that the accent color is red instead of silver. At this price, this is a solid budget alternative to premium models from Bose and Sony.

Read our Sennheiser HD 4.50 review.

Apple Airpods Pro
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 -- splash-proof)

Released in early November, the noise-canceling AirPods Pro are regularly priced at $250 but are currently available for $235. This small discount is great for those needing to upgrade their previous AirPods or those who want to dive into a truly wireless audio experience. Note that these keep going in and out of "backordered" status, so right now there appears to be a delay in shipping.

Read our AirPods Pro review.

anker-soundcore-life-q20-1
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 40 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating

I'm not a fan of cheap noise-canceling headphones. I've actually been struggling to put together a list of models for a best noise-canceling headphones roundup because there are so few that I'd recommend buying. But Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are an exception. They're quite decent for their regular list price of $60. Now they're on sale on Amazon for  and $43 for the silver version. (Their price is now $10 of or $50).

No, the Life Q20 doesn't sound as good as premium models such as the Sony WH-1000XM3, but it sounds pretty good, which is all you can ask for at this price. It's fairly well balanced with a reasonable amount of clarity and plump bass that's not bloated or muddy (there's a bass boost or BassUp mode if you want an extra helping of bass). It's also comfortable to wear, the noise-canceling is acceptably effective, it's solid as a headset for making calls and battery life is good at 40 hours.

beats-solo-3-wireless-colors-04.jpg
Sarah Tew/CNET

Walmart has the on-ear Beats Solo3 headphones (the Pop color collection) on sale for $130, but that deal seems to be almost dead (only the purple color was available at that price when I checked and it will most likely run out soon). However, Amazon has the black version on sale for $130.

Read our Beats Solo3 Wireless review.

01-1more-stylish-true-wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET

1More's Stylish True Wireless are one of the best sounding true wireless earbuds for less than $100. They're were at Amazon for $30 off at Amazon during. Now you can get them for $35 off at 1more.com by applying the code BFCM at checkout (you can use the code for other products -- it's a 35% off code). 

Read our full review of 1More Stylish True Wireless.

cnet-black-friday-best-buy-jaybird-tarah
Sarah Tew/CNET

These sporty earbuds aren't "true wireless" -- there's a cable connecting the left and right earbuds that wraps around the back of your neck. But they are fully waterproof, and they're half off right now.

Prices and inventory are constantly changing, but this offer is still currently available at Best Buy and Crutchfield.

Read our Jaybird Tarah review.

jlab-jbuds-air-2
David Carnoy/CNET

They're back: Best Buy again has the JLab Audio JBuds Air earbuds on sale for $30. They normally retail for $50. JLabs makes a lot of true-wireless earphones and these are its most affordable -- and frankly, the only ones I'd buy. It's a decent set of true wireless earbuds that's a relative bargain at this price.

04-plantronics-backbeat-fit-3150
Sarah Tew/CNET

Best Buy has the all-black version of the Plantronics BackBeat Fit 3150 true wireless earbuds on sale for $50 off. The open design lets ambient noise in (a safety feature for runners) while the has a noise-isolating design that helps improve the sound quality, particularly the bass. That said, both models have the same drivers so they produce the same sound -- you just hear it differently thanks to the design of the ear tips. Both are an improvement over the earlier Backbeat 3100 model, which had some connectivity issues.

As with the Powerbeats Pro, the one downside is that the BackBeat Fit 3150 earbuds have a large charging case that isn't so pocket-friendly.

13-plantronics-backbeat-fit-6100
Sarah Tew/CNET

The BackBeat Fit 6100 over-the-ear wireless headphones are a very solid choice for both the gym and everyday use. The adjustable sport-fit headband has an IPX5-rated water-resistant and sweatproof design, 40mm angled drivers and noise-isolating earcups with an Awareness mode. Battery life is rated at 24 hours. I thought they were a little expensive at $180, but Best Buy has them for $110, which makes them more attractive.

09-apple-airpods-2-2019
Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery Life Rated up to 5 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 -- splash-proof)

Apple's various AirPods have been all over the map in recent weeks, with a variety of deals that have popped up and sold out almost faster than we could write about them. This isn't the best deal we've ever seen, but you can currently get the second-gen AirPods (not be confused with the AirPods Pro) for $20 off. They've been as low as $130. The model with the (save $35). 

Read our Apple AirPods 2019 review.


20191119-164433
Watch this: The best true wireless earbuds available now

Best holiday gifts for less than $100 (2019 edition)

See all photos

Originally published Nov. 18 an regularly updated with new deals.


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