You may wear them around your neck, stash them in your pocket, or keep them in your ears the majority of the day. There’s no doubt that wireless headphones are a regular part of our lives. But now that more of us work from home, headphones are just as essential for our personal lives as they are for our professional lives. To help you stay at the top of your work-from-home game, we’ve gathered our picks of the best wireless headphones for video conferencing.
How wireless headphones improve your video calls
A look at the history of headphones proves that headphones have come a long way. But, oddly enough, history is repeating itself as the original purpose of using headphones to revamp communication is now of the utmost importance. If video conferencing is a regular part of your workday, you need a high-quality pair of headphones. Here’s why wireless headphones are made for remote workers:
- Greater freedom and comfort. There’s no need to physically attach yourself to your computer. Cords get in the way, become tangled, and create all-around discomfort. Wireless headphones let you walk away from your device and still stay tuned into a meeting or call.
- Crystal clear audio. You may not have the luxury of a quiet space when you hop on a video call. (Especially if you’re working from home.) But, the right pair of headphones will let you cancel out background noise and focus on the meeting at hand.
- Make yourself heard. We all cringe a little when someone comes on a call that sounds muffled or drowned out. You have to turn the volume up every time they talk, only to then have your ears hurt from the high volume once the next person starts speaking. Don’t put your team through that misery. Get your point across clearly by using headphones.
- Reduce feedback sound. When you don’t use headphones, any sound coming out of your speakers can be picked up by your computer’s microphone. Then you get that annoying echo sound that puts a pause on meetings. Today’s headphones don’t pick up that noise, meaning better sound quality for everyone.
Related: How to Make Your Conference Calls Sound Better
The difference between wired, wireless, and true wireless headphones
As technology gets slimmer and sleeker, extra wires just aren’t necessary. To help you understand the difference between wired, wireless, and true wireless headphones, here’s a basic comparison of the three.
Wired headphones
Whether you rocked the Walkman, iPod, or a stylish headset, you used a pair of wired headphones to stay connected. As the name implies, wired headphones have a wire that attaches directly to a device via a headphone jack or plug to transfer sound to your ears.
Wireless headphones
Thanks to Bluetooth technology, wireless headphones let you physically break free from your device. Users don’t need a headphone jack to enjoy the perks of privately tuning in to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. However, it should be noted that wireless headphones aren’t completely wireless. These headphones may still have a cord or neckband attaching them together if they’re earbuds or a headband if they’re headphones.
True wireless earbuds
This is wireless technology in its purest form. You will not find a single wire or connecting piece on true wireless earbuds. These earbuds give users the most freedom and flexibility. Choose to wear one earbud or both to accommodate an active, truly wireless lifestyle.
What are the best wireless headphones for you?
The variety of headphones seems endless. But, with all that variety, there’s a perfect pair of headphones for you. To help you find what that perfect pair is, here’s our list of the 10 best headphones for video conferencing:
- Bose 700 – The overall best wireless headphones for video calls
Bose checks all the boxes with these phenomenal over-the-ear headphones. The real winning feature of Bose 700 headphones is its adjustable active noise cancellation (ANC). This means that they can block out harsh background noise while ensuring your voice sounds crystal clear. Also, their comfy fit and user-friendly buttons make these headphones pretty hard to beat.
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds – The overall best true wireless earbuds for video calls
Get that same high-quality Bose sound but in a smaller, true wireless version with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Offering 11 ANC levels, these earbuds let you hear as much or as little ambient noise as you want. Control noise cancellation, volume, music, and calls using the earbuds’ simple touch controls. Despite the QuietComfort’s smaller size, the microphone beautifully picks up the user’s voice without including unwanted background noise.
- Jabra Elite 65t – Best affordable true wireless earbuds for video calls
Just like other more expensive options (like the Apple Airpods Pro), these earbuds let you find your own balance between top-notch noise-cancellation and the ability to hear what’s going on outside your head. Jabra’s included mobile app lets you easily make these adjustments to your sound. With four microphones and quality speakers, Jabra Elite 65t brings greater clarity to calls. Able to significantly reduce wind noise, these earbuds are an excellent pick for those who take calls outside.
- Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 – Best affordable wireless headphones for video calls
Plantronics makes quality, feature-packed headphones at a price point that everyone can appreciate. But don’t be fooled by the price — these comfortable over-the-ear headphones still offer incredible noise-canceling power, and balanced EQ presets for richer sound. And you don’t have to worry about charging these when the workday ends. That’s because the BackBeat Go 810 delivers up to 22 hours of battery life if using ANC and up to 28 hours without ANC.
- Beats Powerbeats – Best true wireless earbuds for an active lifestyle
The Beats Powerbeats are a trusty companion to anyone whose profession keeps them on the go. The headphones’ rounded neck cable won’t tangle, and its Apple H1 chip provides quick, hands-free access to a virtual assistant Siri. Whether you’re a coach, engineer, educator, or anyone with an active lifestyle, you’ll love the secure fit, long battery life, and sweat resistance of the Powerbeats.
- Apple Airpods Pro – Best true wireless earbuds for Apple users
Apple’s Airpods Pro takes the prize as Amazon’s #1 best seller in audio headphones — and it’s easy to see why. These feature-filled headphones are compatible with Apple and Android products, but Apple users especially benefit from its quick pairing ability and spatial audio (which Apple describes as “theatre-like”) to any video you watch. Though the Airpods Pro boasts great noise-cancellation power, you can also switch to transparency mode to stay in tune with your surroundings. Plus, get a customizable fit with its three included silicone tips.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus – Best true wireless earbuds for Android users
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus pair seamlessly with any Samsung device, including smartwatches — though they can be enjoyed by all Android users. With Ambient Aware technology, these earbuds can detect important sounds from the outside world, like an alarm going off or someone asking you a question, so you can stay in tune with things that matter most. In terms of battery life, these earbuds are some of the best. On a single charge, get 15 hours of talk time or 11 hours of music streaming.
- Sony WH-1000XM4 – The best wireless headphones for music lovers
The headphones’ use of AI technology, DSEE Extreme, transforms low-quality audio into high-resolution sound. Sony describes this as an “upscale” listening experience. Though users rave about the headphones’ contribution to better music-listening, they are just as useful for video calls and any audio activity. Definitely choose the Sony WH-1000XM4 if you want a wonderful, immersive sound.
- Sony WI-1000X – Best noise-canceling wireless earbuds for travelers
The Sony WI-1000X comes with tons of accessories to customize the headphones to your perfect fit and simplify their storage. A comfy neckband makes it easy to take headphones in and out without worrying about losing them. Plus, noise canceling is optimized for high altitude listening — making them a great pick for frequent flyers. Also, you don’t have to mess around with sound settings every time you move from spaces with varying noise levels. Smart Listening by Adaptive Sound Control automatically detects a change in ambient noise and adjusts the settings accordingly.
- BlueParrott B550-XT – Best wireless headphones for all-day conversations
If voice or video calls take up the majority of your day, the BlueParrott B550-XT headphones are made for you. The B550-XT gives a whopping 24 hours of talk time and 400 hours standby time! Noisy environments aren’t an issue with its high-powered microphone that claims to block out up to 96% of background noise. These headphones also respond to voice commands, so you can make calls, get GPS directions, access your voice assistant, and more without lifting a finger.
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