I've been testing headphones for 5 years — and these are the 5 models that will likely be on sale for Black Friday

Side view of black Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones held outdoors in sunshine

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

It's that time of year again — Black Friday is on the horizon, and we're all counting our pennies to see what kind of deals we might be able to grab. But, in the grand melee of fleeting deals and savings, what headphones and earbuds will get discounted?

I've got some experience under my belt. Besides my time watching headphone deals here at Tom's Guide, I ran deals coverage on a different site — so I've got plenty of experience in watching and reading the savings tea leaves. So, as Black Friday closes in, which of the best headphone do I think will see significant savings? Here's the five to watch.

Sony WH-1000XM6

Now that they've been out for a few months, it's more than likely we'll see our first deep discounts on the Sony WH-1000XM6. We've already seen smaller discounts of around $20-30, but Black Friday should bring even lower prices for the deal of the year. They saw a price hike with this release, so deals are well worth waiting for if you want to get the latest Sony headset.

Why should you get a pair? They've got a new, folding design to make them smaller in your bag, a more comfortable headband, and even better ANC thanks to some software and hardware improvements. Extra battery life would have been welcome, but 35 hours is still fine.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have just recieved a new version very recently, so it's likely that we're going to see some precipitous price drops on the older model in the coming Black Friday sales. We've already had deals that save you around $100, so I'm hoping that the price is going to drop by even more on Black Friday 2025. Retailers are likely to want to clear their stock for the new model to take the first gen's place — expect some hefty discounts as a result.

You'll love the headphones you get out of the deal. They've topped our list of the best noise canceling headphones for a long time, and their sound and comfort are amongst the very best. 24 hours of battery could be better, but the ANC is well worth the sacrifice.

Sonos Ace

Sonos' headphones have now been around for a little while, and we're starting to see some great deals on them as a result. There have been savings of around $100 over the last year, so I would say we can expect even deeper discounts when Black Friday rolls around. With some luck, we'll get a new lowest price for what is a severely underrated pair of headphones.

Key standouts are their excellent spatial audio, which comes courtesy of Dolby Atmos. Sonos is well versed in surround sound thanks to its extensive line of soundbars and speakers, and the Ace are another notch in a very well-equipped quiver. They sound great and offer 30 hours of battery for plenty of listening time.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony XM5 showing outer earcups placed on an outdoor table — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

They might not have the "newness" luster of the XM6, but the WH-1000XM5 are still a force to be reckoned with. As they get older we've seen some great deals on the headphones, saving you as much as $120 on a pair. We're hoping for discounts similar to that, or perhaps even deeper. That would make them a much better buy than their newer cousins.

Just because they're older doesn't mean they're not good. They XM5s are still very comfortable, and offer loads of features like great ANC. They sound nice too, with a bassy, warm sound signature. 30 hours of battery is plenty to get you through a couple of days worth of normal listening.

AirPods Max

They need no introduction — the AirPods Max have been around for a little while now, and we've seen massive discounts throughout their time on shelves. We've seen as much as $200 off the non-USB-C variant, and around $100 off the USB-C version. We're hoping for even deeper discounts over Black Friday for a great way to save on headphones for the holidays.

You get some of the best built headphones in return, with their stainless steel armatures and aluminum earcups. They're comfortable as well, and the ANC still ranks with the top options from Bose and Sony. The 20 hours of battery life isn't great, but the sound is good enough that you won't mind too much.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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