There are always hundreds of headphones and earbuds released every year that tend to fly under the radar, but it's much rarer that you get a 12-month period that's as filled with flagship releases from the likes of Sony, Bose and Apple as 2025 has been.
We've seen high-profile launches from Sony, with the WH-1000XM6 landing with thunderous applause. Bose has released updated versions of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Ultra Headphones, and there's been a surprise new entry that went straight to the top of our best headphones list in the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3.
So what has this year looked like for headphones — and what about the headphones we're still waiting for?
Headphones we did get
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony's WH-1000XM5 were starting to look a little long in the tooth at the start of 2025. So we were looking forward to seeing if Sony dropped a new entry in its flagship headphone lineup — and the brand didn't disappoint. The WH-1000XM6 might not have been our favorite launch of the year, but it's definitely one of the biggest, and arguably the most impactful.
There have been some big updates brought to the XM series with the XM6. The headphones brought back the crucial folding mechanism to make them more compact, and the case they slip into has a new magnetic closing mechanism so that it's easier to open and close quickly. The headband was widened, fixing a key (literal) sore spot on the old model.
The sound profile saw a look as well, bringing more vocal clarity and a bit more detail. They're still pretty bassy, though, to make sure that they're popular with their old faithful users.
The headphones were reviewed very well across the web, although our own four-star review highlighted some issues. We found the sound wasn't as wide and immersive as the outgoing model, and we can foresee the new folding hinge breaking somewhere down the line. They're also $50 more than the XM5, making them a slightly harder recommendation. Still, they're a great pair of headphones, and a solid addition to the line's legacy.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3
The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 were something of a surprise this year. Sure, their forbears, the PX7 S2, were good headphones, but they didn't quite bring enough to beat out Sony and Bose to the headphone top spot. This year, though, B&W brought their entire audio broadside to bear on the competition and blew them out of the water with my favorite headphone release of 2025 (so far).
They're much slimmer and more comfortable than the outgoing model, and feature an excellent hard case that's going to keep them free of scratches and away from any kind of harm they might find in your backpack. The controls are even better and tactile to make them easier to find than before. They're even priced similarly to the competition, $449, so you're not going to have to spend more to get their impeccable build and style.
They stand out not just thanks to their immaculate design, but also their incredibly impressive sound. They're dynamic, warm, and super detailed. While it has a similar curve to other headphones at this price, you'll get more detail and more bass control than you'll find in the alternative options.
We are still missing their spatial audio feature, and the ANC isn't quite as good as Sony or Bose, but this is the best headphone launch of the year. I haven't been able to put my pair away.
Apple AirPods Pro 3
The AirPods Pro 2 were starting to feel quite outdated in 2025, especially compared to the ever-improving competition. The ANC didn't quite work as well as that found in the Sony and Bose buds, and the battery life of six hours was starting to look a little... old hat. So the AirPods Pro launched and fixed pretty much all the problems in what might be the biggest earbuds release of the year.
That ANC problem? Completely fixed. The noise canceling is top-notch, getting very close to the class-leading QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (Gen 2). The transparency mode received attention as well, and even nets you extra battery life over full noise canceling. Speaking of battery life: It's good. Eight hours out of the buds is a 2-hour boost over the old model. Nice.
Apple has worked on the sound as well. Apple's more neutral sound signature is one that I really like, and the AirPods Pro 3 improved on the formula with some extra bass depth and a wider soundstage than older models. Spatial Audio also works better this time around, although I tend to only use it for watching movies.
The AirPods Pro 3 are a very successful update to Apple's premium earbuds — something that I couldn't say about last year's AirPods 4. Exciting times for AirPods fans and iPhone users who want the best earbuds experience possible.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra series update
There have been two launches from Bose this year, but I'll put them both together because they're more iterative updates than complete redesigns. First up, the improved QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds — the creatively titled QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2.
They brought improved fit, ANC and slightly reworked the sound of the older pair. They retain their $299 price as well, something I wasn't expecting. The changes inside were many, and they made them a much better pair of buds as a result — although perhaps not one worth upgrading to if you've still got the first-gen buds.
The battery life still isn't up there with the best, and the exterior upgrades were few. Still, they now sit at the top of our list of the best noise-canceling earbuds, and have a permanent place in my pocket as a result.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 are, in many ways, the step up over the first generation that I'd been after. They improve the lackluster battery, bringing the longevity up to 30 rather than 24. The ANC is even better, keeping out every single noise that you might throw at them. They're just as comfortable as the old pair, and still feature the helpful EQ to change the sound to your liking.
There are still some bugbears. They're a rattly pair of headphones, and the sound still isn't quite as good as Sony's — but they're still a shoo-in for our list of the best noise-canceling headphones. If only they'd been renovated on the outside, and lost the annoying touch-sensitive volume control... thing.
The headphones and earbuds we didn't get
Despite some of the biggest launches landing this year, there are still some rumored headphones and earbuds we've been expecting that didn't make their way onto my test bench this year.
Sony WF-1000XM6
The WF-1000XM5 are sligtly newer than the over-ear WH-1000XM5, but they're also starting to age a little under the spotlight that the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 and the AirPods Pro 3 have now thrown on them. They are due an update at this point, and there was some evidence that we might see them in 2025 — but nothing has materialized yet.
What are we expecting? Improved battery life, a new design, and better sound are always on the docket. New colors too — although there's been no indication that they'll bring something like the AirPods Pro 3's heart rate monitor to the table.
We're not entirely sure when we might see them now, but I'd wager we're going to see more about the buds next year. There's also a couple of months of 2025 left to go as well...
AirPods Max 2
Technically, we have seen a small update to the AirPods Max fairly recently. Apple obeyed EU regulations and replaced the Lightning charging port with a USB-C socket instead earlier this year. Everything else about the headphones, however, remained exactly the same. And given we've been clamoring for a new version of Apple's most expensive audio equipment for a while now, it was a bit disappointing.
We've seen loads of rumors over the last few years about the AirPods Max 2. A new case that actually covers the whole headphone, re-worked sound, more battery life, and more. And yet we remain AirPods Max 2-less, nearly 5 years since the original pair hit shelves with its aluminum shell and innovative control wheel.
There were a whole bunch of rumblings that 2025 would be the year of the AirPods Max 2, but then the USB-C variant launched. Now, we've got analysts like Mark Gurman at Bloomberg telling us that 'Apple is not focused on AirPods Max 2, because they're simultaneously popular enough and not popular enough.'
So when are we getting them? Who knows at this point — but it's likely not going to be any time soon.
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