Buying guide
The best noise cancelling headphones in 2026
Updated Aug 30, 2026 · prices dated per offer
Over-ear noise cancelling headphones now span from about 100 dollars to well over 400, and the gap in day-to-day noise cancelling is smaller than the price gap suggests. The four pairs below cover a flagship, a close flagship rival, a midrange pick built around battery life, and a budget pair that still does real ANC.
We priced and rated each pair directly from retailer and manufacturer product pages on the date below. None of these were tested in person; this is a price and spec comparison, not a lab review.
Noise cancelling headphones: all 4 products we track, with dated prices →
| Spec | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Sennheiser Accentum Plus | Anker Soundcore Space One |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best price | $386.49 at Newegg | $449 at Bose | $129.95 at Sennheiser | $99.99 at Target |
| Checked | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 |
| Shopper rating | 4.4346 ratings | 4.6991 ratings | 4.753 ratings | 4.462 ratings |
| Battery | Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on (Sony's rating) | Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on (Bose's rating); about 23 hours with Immersive Audio turned on | Up to 50 hours with noise cancelling on (Sennheiser's rating) | Up to 40 hours with noise cancelling on, 55 hours with it off (Anker's rating) |
| Charging | 3 minutes on charge gives about 3 hours of playback (Sony's quick-charge rating) | Full charge in about 3 hours (Bose's spec) | Full charge in about 3.5 hours; a 10-minute quick charge adds about 5 hours of playback (Sennheiser's rating) | A 5-minute quick charge adds about 4 hours of playback in normal mode (Anker's rating) |
| Weight | About 254 g (Sony's spec) | 0.583 lb headphones only, about 264 g (Bose's spec) | About 227 g (Sennheiser's spec) | About 258 g / 9.1 oz |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4, about 30 ft range (Bose's spec) | Bluetooth 5.2, class 1 | Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint |
| Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC; Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive family (including aptX Lossless and aptX Low Latency); wired USB-C audio up to 24-bit/48kHz | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Noise Cancelling | HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3 with 12 microphones, which Sony says processes noise 7x faster than the prior QN1 chip | Ten microphones across the ear cups with Bose's ActiveSense algorithm, plus a spatial Immersive Audio mode | Hybrid Adaptive ANC with a Transparency mode | Adaptive ANC with 5 adjustable levels in the Soundcore app, up to 98% noise reduction claimed |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty (Sony's standard consumer electronics warranty) | 1-year limited Bose warranty; optional paid BoseCare extended plans | 1-year manufacturer warranty | 18-month limited warranty (Anker's standard Soundcore warranty) |
| In the Box | Headphones, carrying case, USB-C charging cable, 3.5 mm audio cable | Headphones, carrying case, 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable, USB-C cable, safety sheet | Headphones, USB-C cable, carrying case, auxiliary cable, documentation | Headphones, USB-C charging cable, 3.5 mm aux cable, travel pouch |
| Driver | 30 mm dynamic driver | - | 37 mm dynamic driver (Sennheiser's spec) | 40 mm dynamic driver (Anker's spec) |
| Materials | - | Protein leather ear cushions | - | - |
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Best overall
1. Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony's WH-1000XM6 pairs a new 12-microphone processor with LDAC and Hi-Res Audio Wireless support, giving it the strongest all-round noise cancelling and call quality of the four.
It runs $399.99 at Target, price checked 2026-08-30, down from a $458.99 regular price. That's the highest price in this lineup, and the LDAC benefit only applies to Android phones.
Skip it if: you're on an iPhone and don't need the absolute best ANC available; the Sennheiser pair gets most of the everyday performance for a lot less.
Best premium alternative
2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) adds a spatial Immersive Audio mode and CustomTune ear calibration on top of Bose's strongest noise cancelling yet, plus aptX Adaptive support Sony doesn't offer.
It runs $449.00 directly from Bose, price checked 2026-08-30, or $449.99 at Target the same day. Turning on Immersive Audio drops the battery rating from 30 hours down to about 23.
Skip it if: Immersive Audio doesn't interest you; without it, you're paying a premium mostly for CustomTune and Bose's tuning preferences.
Best midrange
3. Sennheiser Accentum Plus
The Accentum Plus trades a little noise cancelling depth for a 50-hour battery rating that beats both flagships by a wide margin, plus a 5-band EQ and sound personalization in Sennheiser's app.
It runs $129.99 at Target and $129.95 directly from Sennheiser, both price checked 2026-08-30, less than a third of the Sony flagship's price.
Skip it if: you need the single strongest ANC available; reviewers rank it a step behind the Sony and Bose flagships on noise cancelling depth.
Best budget
4. Anker Soundcore Space One
The Space One undercuts every other pair here on price while still including real adaptive ANC and, unusually for the price, LDAC support for compatible Android phones.
It runs $99.99 at both Target and Newegg, price checked 2026-08-30. Build quality and noise cancelling depth are the clearest places it gives ground to the pricier pairs.
Skip it if: noise cancelling strength is your main reason for buying; step up to the Sennheiser pair instead for noticeably better ANC.
Common questions
Which of these has the best noise cancelling?
The Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are the strongest of the four, built around more microphones and newer processing than the midrange and budget pairs.
Which one has the best battery life?
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is rated for up to 50 hours with ANC on, ahead of the Anker Soundcore Space One's 40-hour ANC rating and well ahead of the roughly 30-hour ratings on the Sony and Bose flagships.
Is the budget pair worth it over the flagships?
If your main goal is blocking steady noise like engine hum or office HVAC on a budget, the Soundcore Space One does that job. If you want the strongest cancellation against voices and variable noise, the Sony or Bose flagship is the better fit.
Do any of these need a subscription or extra purchase to work fully?
No. All four work fully out of the box over Bluetooth. Bose separately sells optional BoseCare extended warranty plans, but they aren't required for the headphones to function.