Black Friday is in the rearview mirror and Boxing Day sales are still a few weeks away, but these three headphone deals could be the best of 2024.
At Amazon and The Good Guys, we're seeing all-time low prices on two of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market and stellar pricing on what we think are the best headphones for most people. On Amazon, you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra for just AU$420, down from AU$649, while the Sony WH-1000XM4 are down again to AU$324 from AU$439. Meanwhile, The Good Guys offers the price lowest we've seen on the Sonos Ace headphones – just AU$466.
You can't go wrong with any pair in this trio, so whether you're shopping for yourself or a loved one this Christmas, you can rest assured that these three are the best of the best. How do we know? Consider the fact that we on the TechRadar Australia team own all three and each of us has an argument as to why one is better than the other (we're a nice bunch, actually). However, we agree on one thing: purchasing any of them at these prices is a smart purchase.
The most important factor in your decision, as with most deals, will be your budget. For most people, the more affordable Sony WH-1000XM4 will be more appealing, and for good reason. We thought they were a must-have during Prime Day when they dropped to AU$321, and the AU$3 price difference here hasn't changed our minds. They're comfortable, stylish, will block out the noise of your daily commute, and offer a fantastic audio experience no matter what you're listening to.
However, if you can afford the extra cost, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the best headphones on the market. We were expecting them to drop below AU$400, which would make them an instant buy, but Amazon's AU$378 deal only lasted a few minutes.
Their active noise cancellation is so good that we seriously considered making them our number one headphones despite their usual price that makes them unaffordable for the casual listener.
New to the QC Ultra headphones over its predecessor is immersive audio, which is Bose's version of Apple's spatial audio or Sony's 360-degree reality audio, but without discriminating by audio source. The idea is that no matter what you're listening to, or whatever you're listening to, you'll enjoy an expanded soundstage. It will be a personal preference what you want to use it with, but it certainly works well in these cans.
Meanwhile, even at this all-time low price, the Sonos Ace struggles to compete with the other headphones on offer. They are by far the most expensive, but their sound quality is very good, not excellent. Noise cancellation is also weaker than the Bose Ultra. However, if you are drawn to its sleek and stylish design, we don't blame you. The Sonos Ace are fantastic headphones, especially if movies are your priority, and deserve serious consideration.