Although there are a plethora of choices available in the market, headphones under 300 dollars are one of the most popular. Finding a pair of over-ear headphones that sound great can be a tricky task. We’ve put together a handy list of the best headphones under $300.
Are you traveling or commuting a lot and you want to enjoy that time spent with your music on, without anyone bothering you? Or you’re in a need for good, versatile headphones?
If you look at the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and the Sony WH1000XM2 – their main focus is on providing their customer’s unparallel experience regarding comfortability and active noise canceling – using high graded material and state of the art technology.
Their design combined with excellent padded earcups and ANC means there’s almost nothing that can deter you from enjoying your trips with favorite music blasting in your eardrums.
On the other hand, Bose SoundLink tends to be master of all trades – versatile for multiple categories – music, video, gaming.
Beats Studio Wireless put their focus on people who work out – they provide their customer’s much-needed stability so they can go running or hit the gym without risking they losing or breaking their headphones.
And last, not the least – video enthusiasts – Sennheiser RS 175 RF – because what’s better than making yourself cozy at home with a good, wireless headset that sounds great?
What to consider
More money spent should mean a product of a superior quality, right? Well, today – that isn’t entirely true. There are multiple examples where the product fails to deliver even the same quality as a product with 3/4 or even 1/2 of its price – that’s the power of the brand and false advertising today.
We researched quite a lot to give you the best product for 4 different categories.
- For traveling/commuting – where you need good comfort level and good ANC to block high-frequency noise
- Sports – when the headphones need to stay in place during physical activity
- Movies/videos – when a wireless set needs provide almost no latency – who wants to watch a movie with a sound coming late?
- Overall best – when a product can satisfy to some extent the first 3 categories – a versatile product that can satisfy every casual user.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II – unmatched comfort level and ANC
I really can’t express how easily you can fell in love when you try out the Bose QuietComfort 35 II for the first time – these headphones are so comfortable yet secure; and when you turn ON ANC on a loud flight and suddenly you fully submerge into the world coming from the cans – you’ll understand too why these headphones are the best headphones you can buy for under 300 dollars.
Construction & Design
One of the strongest points of Bose QuietComfort 35 II is its construction – the plastic that is used is of the best quality, giving the user a pair of a durable headset that will last for years. They are amazingly comfortable, with soft earpads and average clamping force that will allow headphones to stay firmly on your head, without causing any fatigue, even after long period of time.
Controls are rather easy to use – buttons for call/music, track skipping, and volume control – combined with an Active button that will let you connect with the Google Assistant anytime. Battery performance is great – 20 hours of usage time for under 2 hours of charging.
Sound Quality
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II is a very good sounding pair of closed-back over-ear headphones. They have a consistent and balanced bass, with a good enough treble. But the real treat comes in the noise canceling abilities these cans provide – it’s one of the things that made this model really popular – it’s simply too good. With ANCON there is almost nothing that can spoil your listening experience.
Conclusion
If the name wasn’t clear enough (a cough, cough – QuietComfort) – The Bose QuietComfort 35 II provides unmatched experience – their comfort level is almost out of this world and their ANC is unmatched by any other headset in the market. These headphones are quite versatile – they are almost a must for commuting or traveling, QC35 also behave quite decently in sports activities, and for casual users- they sound really good.
Pros
- ANC is amazing
- Comfort level is extraordinary
- Good sound
Cons
- Minimal features in app support
- No mic in wired mode
- High latency
Sony WH1000XM2 – amazing features and app controls
Sony WH-1000XM2 are a pair of a great over-ear, wireless headphones that were made by a famous company – Sony. These headphones are in the top 10 headphones available today on the market – their remarkable noise canceling abilities and premium look, the great comfortability, and great active features are something that can be looked upon by many other manufacturers. Amazing product, especially for commuters and travelers.
Construction & Design
These headphones are very well made, with soft earpads on the big cups – so they will fit almost any user and they won’t be causing fatigue to them. Their design is almost similar to the previous model MDR-1000X, with a slight improvement in the color palette – a stylish and modern look.
The buttons provide a touch sensitive controls for volume, call/music, and track skipping. On top of all, the battery performance is amazing – providing over 28 hours of usage time for just 3 hours of charging.
Sound Quality
The Sony WH-1000XM2 is a decent sounding pair of closed-back over-ear headphones. They have a very good, consistent, and deep bass, good mid-range, and a nearly flat and neutral treble range, which is important for a balanced reproduction of vocals and lead instruments.
Their noise canceling abilities is something Sony is proud off, providing their users with an amazing noise-canceling feature, capable of blocking almost every sound from the outside that can disturb their listening experience.
Conclusion
The Sony WH-1000XM2 retained the design of its predecessor – the MDR-1000X but every other aspect is improved – their noise canceling abilities are in top 5 in the headphones market, they provide a great comfort level with amazing features and app controls.
If you are a commuter/traveler or you just want a good wireless set for listening to music – you should check them out for sure.
Pros
- Noise-canceling ability is great
- Great comfort level
- Great sound
Cons
- High latency
- Not suitable for calls
- Slight leaking of the sound on maximum volume level
Bose SoundLink – good battery performance with a great sound
Bose SoundLink is a pair of great sounding wireless headphones that are lightweight and incredibly comfortable. They got good battery performance, average passive noise isolation – overall a good, all-around product, nothing extraordinary but made for your everyday use.
Construction & Design
The construction is plasticky, yet durable, with a stylish looking design. The Bose SoundLink is comfortable, with really soft pads on the earcups which will not fatigue you even after a long period of time. The controls are really easy to use, providing call/music, track-skipping, and volume up/down on a slightly cramped space on the earcup. Battery performance is good, 20 hours of usage time for just a little bit over 2.5 hours of charging time.
Sound Quality
The Bose SoundLink Around-Ear II is a good sounding pair of closed-back over-ear headphones. They have an excellent and deep bass, a nearly flawless mid-range, and a good treble.
Unfortunately, they don’t possess noise canceling feature like their cousin QC35 II, relying on passive noise isolation to prevent outside noise from affecting your listening experience – they can block some of the noise, but these headphones aren’t great for commuting or using in a highly noisy environment.
Conclusion
Bose SoundLink headphones are awesome for a casual use – they have good battery performance with a great sound coming from the cups, earpads are really soft on your ears and the adjustable headband will suit almost every user.
In a wireless mode – they are great for music listening, and If you want to use them for gaming or watching movies, switch to wired mode because of the latency (the cable comes with headphones).
Pros
- Amazing comfort level
- Great sound
- Good battery level
Cons
- Almost entirely made from plastic
- Passive noise isolation only
- Not ideal for quiter settings
Beats Studio Wireless – fun sound with a great and attractive design
When I hear the word Beats – the word ATTRACTIVE – first comes to my mind. The Beats Studio Wireless isn’t an exception – they have a really amazing look – stylish and modern. These cans are made mostly for the people that love exercising with music on – so these wireless headphones are on the spot – they sound good and look even better.
Construction & Design
The Beats Studio Wireless are well-built and stylish looking headphones – study yet comfortable, with a good clamping force that will allow you to use them even in outdoor activities like running etc.
The control scheme is quite good and easy to use – providing call/music, track skipping, and volume controls.
The battery performance is average, providing about 12 hours of usage time for a charging time of 1.5 hours.
Sound Quality
The Beats have their own signature sound -a deep, consistent, and punchy bass, a neutral and well-balanced mid-range, and a very good and even treble – and for most genres from electronic to rock/pop music and podcasts. They only provide average passive noise isolation, which means they aren’t best suitable for the noisy environment.
Conclusion
Beats will be Beats – they provide some characteristic, fun sound with a great and attractive design. Their comfort level is good, stability is awesome and the simple control scheme really comes to value when you use them while exercising.
The Beats Studio Wireless is a pair of overall good wireless headphones with great sound playback, made perfectly for any outdoor activity.
Pros
- Great design
- Good comfort level
- Great stability
Cons
- Average battery performance
- Average noise isolation
- No app controls
Sennheiser RS 175 RF – 24 hours of fun and an excessive bass
If you ever wanted a wireless headset that’s great for watching movies, then we got a treat for you – the Sennheiser RS 165 are decent home theater headphones with a good sound quality. They have a transmitter stand that communicates with the headphones via radio frequency and provides an almost lag-less wireless connection for watching videos.
Construction & Design
The RS 175 RF is a bulky headset, not meant for sports or outdoor use, but they’re comfortable and easy-to-use. The ear cups are large and roomy, and the headband is flexible and not too tight. Their control scheme is simple yet efficient – volume control and two extra buttons for additional bass and surrounds sound.
Battery performance isn’t amazing; the RS 175 RF relies on 2xAAA rechargeable batteries to provide 24 hours of fun experience at a cost of 8 hours of charging time – though you can always put 2 new batteries and continue with the movie easily.
Sound Quality
The RS 175 are above-average sounding closed-back headphones with an extended but excessive bass, a recessed midrange, and a good treble – perfect for any movie or a video. The RS 175 don’t isolate well enough for loud environments because of their passive noise isolation – they can block some higher frequencies with the passive isolation of their ear cups – but given they are made for home use – that won’t be a problem at all.
Conclusion
When you come from a busy day at the work and you want to lighten up with your favorite movie or show – Sennheiser RS 175 RF is the best tool. The Sennheiser RS 175 is a pair of amazing home theater headphones that comes with a good price – your job is just to make some popcorn, put them on and you can have quality “me” time – well, at least – until you have to go to work again.
Pros
- Good, fun sound
- Durable
- Comfortable
Cons
- Long charging time of AAA batteries
- Bulky
- Average at least for non-home usage
Verdict
Well, we got here our QC35 II a treat for your ears that will allow you an unmatchable experience even in a loud environment – followed by Sony WH1000XM2 that provides slightly worse abilities in comfort/ANC level.
Bose SoundLink is a versatile, more casual noise-isolating headset – their wired/wireless option and overall good features provides you with some good time whether it be gaming, music or watching movies.
When you look for headphones that are great for the gym or outdoor exercising – Beats Studio Wireless is a first thing that should come to your mind.
And if you ever find yourself in a need for a home-theater type of headphones – Sennheiser RS 175 RF is made especially for that.
The reason why Bose QuietComfort 35 II won is rather clear – they possess unmatched ability to provide their user’s comfort while traveling or commuting; Imagine yourself on a loud flight on a work trip – you want headphones that are comfortable for long sessions and that can block the outside noise (high-frequency noise of the motor or a loud passenger) from ruining your day – QC35 II does all of that and even more – for under 300.
Conclusion
These products cost up to 300 dollars – so a mistake can really be costly. After reviewing thoroughly hundreds of different headphones, we put a list of 5 product that really shines in their categories – and it was not a simple task indeed.
But you can be assured you won’t make a mistake with Bose QC35 II, Sony WH1000XM2, Bose SoundLink, Beats Studio Wireless and Sennheiser RS 175 RF – because they are the best of the best headphones you can buy for under $300.
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