Top 6 On-Ear Headphones with Noise Canceling for Remote Workers

It wasn’t long ago that wireless, on-ear headphones weren’t that good. Now, there are loads of options that score high on comfort, sound, battery life, active noise canceling, and smart features. Since a lot of remote workers are looking for the best noise canceling on-ear headphones, here are 6 of the best ones.  Did I forget to mention that all of them are ideal for getting lost in those 4 seasons of ‘The Crown’ you’ve been meaning to watch?

[RELATED: Sure, a good set of noise canceling headphone tunes out distractions and boost your productivity but, binge-working (or, binge-watching) is unhealthy. That’s why you should consider ergonomic office chairs, stand-up work stations, and laptop stands. They will make your work from home experience more comfortable].

• Sony WH-1000XM4
• Apple AirPods Max
• Bose 700
• Bowers & Wilkins PX7
• Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless
• Philips PH805

Sony WH-1000XM4

Size and weight: 7.27 x 3.03 x 9.94 inches; 9 ounces | Battery Life 30 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wireless: Yes

Perhaps the only time you don’t question an on-ear headphone’s ability to silence the world around you is when the name SONY is branded across it! Just look at WH-1000XM4, SONY’s fourth-gen flagship wireless headphone, for instance. Every time you try them, you’ll be amazed at their outstanding noise isolation, and thanks to their ANC feature, you can peacefully work from home without distractions. 

By retaining the sleek, business-like looks, and 30-hour battery life of the XM3s, Sony managed to upscale voice microphone performance in the XM4s. Also, the brand addressed one of the biggest issues of XM3s – the 1000XM4s can connect your phone and PC at the same time. The optional “speak to chat” function comes handy when you’re grabbing a coffee during meetings. Furthermore, the XM4s can sense when you talk or pause the music – you don’t have to reach for the pause button!  Long story short, the WH-1000MX4 is the best on-ear headphone to tune out ambient sounds. 

Apple AirPods Max

Size and weight: 6.64 x 3.28 x 7.37 inches; 13.6 ounces| Battery Life 20 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wireless: Yes

It’s a shame that AirPods Max comes with an eye-watering price, but there’s a lot to love about them. The over-ears are max in every sense: sleek look, comfortable fit, crisp sound, rock-solid wireless connectivity, and brilliant active noise canceling. My favorite feature? the 3D Spatial audio that gives a 360-degree sound effect for the videos. On top of all that, there’s always-on “Hey Siri.” 

Keen iOS users will love how well the AirPods Max integrates and switch between devices on the iCloud account. They do work with Android products, but you’ll miss out on their unique features. 

Bose 700

Size and weight: : 2 x 6.5 x 8 inches; 8.8 ounces | Battery Life 20 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wireless: Yes

Bose 700s have been hovering around almost all ‘Best noise-canceling on-ear headphones’ lists for quite some time now. And, it’s really not hard to see why. The Bose 700s limit intruding outside noises without compromising on audio quality, thanks to the 11 levels of adjustable ANC. Their signature active EQ feature provides an exceptional listing experience at any volume. Another perk: You can control noise-canceling either on the headphones or through the companion App. 

With redesigned acoustics, digital signal processing, and smart assistant integration (e.g. Alexa, Google Assistant), the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is an upgrade in almost every way. Comfort, fit, and aesthetics are spot-on, too. 

Any downsides? Well, I’d say QuietComfort 35 II is slightly more comfortable and the companion app could have been fully baked. 

Bowers & Wilkins PX7

Size and weight: : 3.15 x 6.89 x 8.66 inches; 10.7 ounces | Battery Life 30 hours | Bluetooth: | Wireless: Yes

Luxury looks and builds quality? Check. Earcup comfort? Check. Endlessly engaging sound? Check. Reasonably long battery life? Check. Adaptive noise-canceling? Check. 

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 is a pair of over-ears that stay comfortable for hours at a time. The lack of an EQ and touch controls might turn some audiophiles off, but no competitor on this list can fiddle with the sound the PX7 makes. Thanks to – aptX Adaptive support you can enjoy the highest hi-res audio files. Unlike the earlier PX5 Wireless, the PX7s are not laid-back and their most direct competitor is probably the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless headphones listed below.  Talking about the price point, the PX7s are expensive, but as with Apple AirPods Max you’re paying for superbly judged quality.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

Size and weight: : 9.09 x 7.6 x 4.09 inches; 10.8 ounces | Battery Life 17 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wireless: Yes

On paper, these third-gen Momentum Wireless headphones have some deficiencies. They have only a 17-hour battery life and are pricey, for example. However, none of that matters in the slightest. Because what the Momentum 3s have is three levels of noise cancellation and rich sound with plenty of basses. That said, don’t expect the Momentum 3s to block out as much outside noises as rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM4 or the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.  In Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless, the fiddly power button is gone entirely, replaced with auto on/off. And then there’s Transparent Hearing mode that adapts to the environment wherever you find yourself. Building on these on-ear headphones’ smart features, you can summon Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa via the dedicated button. 

Philips PH805

Size and weight: : 9 x 8.5 x 2.75 inches; 9.8 ounces | Battery Life 30 hours | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wireless: Yes

Philips’s strategy is to launch increasingly affordable headphones that sound good and look awesome. And PH805 is no different. These wireless headphones have three modes of active noise canceling on board – ‘on’, ‘off’, and ‘ambient noise’. The ‘ambient noise’ mode reduces the volume of your music while allowing you to hear some of what’s going on around you when traveling or walking along a busy street. The ANC is below what the rivals offer, which is also why the PH805 is cheaper.  Talking about the audio signature, Philips PH805 gives a deep bass and great call and sound quality and can be a great choice if you are working remotely. The PH805s are Hi-Res compatible, so if you are an audiophile and care about the way the music coming out of your headphones, then these are the ones to get.