With only a few days to go before Black Friday – and with economic forecasters expecting more spending this November than in 2019 and 2020 – you can already begin picking up discounted clothes, homeware, tech and much more. Some of the most eye-catching price drops so far have been on Black Friday headphones deals. Below are a selection of the best.
1. Apple AirPods (2019)
Thanks to the recent release of a new and improved version of the Apple AirPods, there are some great deals on the previous 2019 iteration and there are further savings to be made for Black Friday. This is the model that specialist Apple website iMore called “a real treat”. It added: “They’re faster, more convenient to charge, make you sound better, and give you Hey Siri right in your ears.”
If you still want the best AirPods money can buy, TechRadar pointed out that the Pro model “are on sale for a record-low price”. As well as redesigned buds for a comfier fit and the inclusion of a MagSafe charger for quick, wireless recharging, Tech Advisor said that they “perform really well and they’re just so easy to use that it’ll be a challenge to go back to anything else”.
In its list of the best AirPods alternatives, Tom’s Guide put the Jabra Elite Active 75t at the top. The lifestyle website said that they offer “an outstanding do-it-all alternative to those who want Apple quality without the AirPods’ limitations”. They also feature “impeccable sound quality, effective noise cancellation, a comfy and customizable fit, IP57 waterproofing”.
Since their release last year, these over-ear headphones have been a favourite on sites including What Hi-Fi, TechRadar and The Independent, and are the only cans to receive a five-star review from The Guardian in 2021. They “sound fantastic, have effective noise-cancelling and long battery life”, making them “some of the best noise-cancelling wireless headphones money can buy”, said The Guardian. The price of this model briefly fell to £200 a few months ago, so it is possible further discounts will be made later this week.
For a brand that The Guardian once said prioritised “style over substance when it comes to sound quality”, Expert Reviews lauded the Studio3 on multiple counts, including its Bluetooth pairing, battery life and design. At the time of writing, only the blue Beats Studio3 headphones are available for £135.35, with all other colours at £149.
Bose has long been synonymous with great sound quality, and the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 currently score the highest on the chart of best Bose headphones on Soundguys.com. These headphones are “going to be an upgrade from whatever consumer-end ones you’re relying on right now”, said T3 in its review, while TechRadar agreed that “these brilliant Bose headphones offer class-leading noise cancellation and sound great”.
“Great sound. Extremely comfortable. Stellar battery life. Durable. Tough to lose,” summed up Wired magazine, crowning Powerbeats “the best workout headphones if you use an iPhone”. If you’re looking for something for your workout and don’t mind a wired connection, then these are an affordable option.
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