Gear

The Best Headphones Under $200

Upgrade your audio experience on a budget

By Jason Cipriani / June 27, 2023 8:13 am

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Shopping for headphones can be confusing, and if you’re not careful, it can also get very expensive. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of options for outstanding headphones that cost less than $200. It all just depends on what you need or want from them. Below are several budget friendly options, with a top overall pick that gives you the best experience, with selections for audiophiles and iPhone users alike.

Things to Consider

Connectivity: Most modern smartphones lack a headphone jack, limiting your options to a pair of wireless headphones. When looking for wireless headphones, look at the spec sheet for the supported Bluetooth version. Ideally, your headphones will have something that’s Bluetooth 5 or higher, which is going to provide more resilient connectivity, longer battery life and range.

Battery life: You have to consider battery life when thinking about the wireless headphone experience. We all have too many devices and gadgets we have to remember to keep charged already. So when adding yet another device to that list, analyze how you plan on using the headphones (When traveling? At home? In a coffee shop?) and pick something that’s going to provide enough battery life for a few days or even a week of use.

Design: There are two main types of headphones, over-ear and on-ear. Over-ear headphones are designed to completely cover your ears, creating a seal around your ear and blocking out unwanted noise while also trapping sound inside the ear cup. On-ear headphones have cups designed to sit on top of your ears and are often smaller and lighter in overall design and let in more ambient sound. The difference in design comes down to personal preference and what you find more comfortable. I like over-ear headphones for the improved sound quality and comfort level.

Advanced features: Most wireless headphone makers have some sort of companion app for your smartphone that you can use to change settings, install firmware updates and customize the overall experience. Sony’s headphones, for instance, use your location to automatically switch between listening modes (ANC or ambient) based on your fine-tuned settings. Some headphones makers also allow you to enable things like Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa.