Best Headphone Deals for Christmas 2019
We round up the best deals on headphones, earphones and earbuds, as well as offering advice on fit, audio quality and price.
by David PriceApple has made a lot of improvements to the EarPods bundled with its iPhones, but buying a pair of AirPods or other premium headphones remains an obvious and effective upgrade. Good-quality headphones can transform your experience with a phone, a tablet, a Mac or a home sound system, and they don't have to cost a fortune either.
In this article we gather the best headphone deals currently on offer, as well as our general tips on what features you should be looking for and the price you should be expecting to pay - because deals aren't always what they appear to be.
If you're specifically interested in Apple's wireless earbuds, read Best AirPods deals.
Best headphone deals right now
Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones From: Amazon Was: £299.95 Now: £199 (£100.95 off) View Deal
Bose QuietComfort 35 II From: Amazon Was: £329.95 Now: £249 (£80.95 off) View Deal
Sony WH-1000XM3 From: Amazon Was: £330 Now: £240 (£90 off) View Deal
Cambridge Melomania 1 From: Amazon Was: £150 Now: £99.95 (£50.05 off) View Deal
Beats Solo3 Headphones From: Amazon Was: £249.95 Now: £185 (26% off) View Deal
Sony WH-XB900N Extra Bass From: Amazon Was: £230 Now: £129 (£101 off) View Deal
RHA TrueConnect From: Amazon Was: £149.95 Now: £99 (£50.95 off) View Deal
Sony Wh-CH510 Wireless Headphones From: Amazon Was: £50 Now: £34.99 (£15.01 off) View Deal
Jabra Sport Pace From: Amazon Was: £84.99 Now: £33.56 (£51.43 off) View Deal < >
Best headphone discounts: What to look for
There are three main kinds of headphone: in-ear (including the AirPods and other earbuds), on-ear and over-ear (a heavier, more enclosing version of on-ear). Each type provides better and more insulating audio than the one before, but is also heavier, potentially less comfortable, and probably more expensive.
When deciding which product to buy, you should be thinking about audio quality, comfort of fit, compatibility and price. Your priorities will depend on your requirements. Think carefully about:
The sort of audio you listen to. Different headphones excel at different parts of the spectrum, and you should find a pair that suit your favourites, such as bass for dance music (something that Beats headphones tend to be good at). Check reviews and product descriptions for discussion of specific types of audio.
What you'll be doing. If you'll be running and working out, you'll probably need the headphones to be sweat-proof and to have ear clips or a neck band (or both) to keep them on. For a noisy commute you might want noise isolation.
Devices you need the headphones to be compatible with - ie the ports they need to be able to plug into. Current iPhones don't have 3.5mm headphone ports so consider Lightning or Bluetooth.
Your budget. If you want top-spec audio you'll have to pay for the privilege (£500-£600 isn't unusual) but it's possible to get a decent pair for well under £100. Sony's MDR-ZX330BT are a nice choice at under £50.
Our specialised buying guides are a good source of detailed advice. We look at Lightning headphones, wireless headphones and running headphones in separate group tests. Check out all the best Apple Christmas deals.
Where to find headphone deals
Here are some retailers you should check regularly - remember that deals, particularly the best ones, won't last long.
Best headphone deals
1. Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones
From: Amazon Was: £299.95 Now: £199 (£100.95 off) View Deal
Our reviewer gave the Studio3 wireless headphones 4.5 stars and an Editor's Choice award. One of the best pairs of Beats you can get.
2. Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (early 2019)
From: Laptops Direct Was: £199 Now: £158.97 (£40.03 off) View Deal
Laptops Direct has the best AirPods deal at the moment and you can get the non-wireless charging case model for just £128. This is a solid deal (Apple is still asking the full £199 for this model, but be aware that AirPods Pro have since been launched.)
3. Bose QuietComfort 35 II
From: Amazon Was: £329.95 Now: £249 (£80.95 off) View Deal
There's 25% off these Bose, which are one of the best noise cancelling headphones on the market. They come complete with Alexa built-in. Read our QuietComfort 35 II review.
4. Sony WH-1000XM3
From: Amazon Was: £330 Now: £240 (£90 off) View Deal
These Sony smart headphones with Alexa have almost £100 off right now, making it the lowest price ever. We gave them a rare 5 star review and a Tech Advisor Recommended award.
5. Cambridge Melomania 1
From: Amazon Was: £150 Now: £99.95 (£50.05 off) View Deal
Grab a third off one of the best pairs of wireless earbuds around. We gave them a rare five stars in our review.
6. Beats Solo3 Headphones
From: Amazon Was: £249.95 Now: £185 (26% off) View Deal
Get over 25% off Beats Solo3 Wireless on-ear headphones (which we gave four stars). They're available in a range of colours.
7. Sony WH-XB900N Extra Bass
From: Amazon Was: £230 Now: £129 (£101 off) View Deal
These bass heavy over-ear headphones have noise cancelling, Alexa and a 30 hour battery life. At almost half off, that's a great deal.
8. RHA TrueConnect
From: Amazon Was: £149.95 Now: £99 (£50.95 off) View Deal
There's over a third off the RHA TrueConnect. We gave them 9/10 in our review. Also available in blue and white. If Amazon runs out of stock then head to the official store.
9. Sony Wh-CH510 Wireless Headphones
From: Amazon Was: £50 Now: £34.99 (£15.01 off) View Deal
If you need some cheap but decent wireless headphones then you can rely on Sony. These have a long 35 hour battery life, hands-free calls and voice assistant.
10. Jabra Sport Pace
From: Amazon Was: £84.99 Now: £33.56 (£51.43 off) View Deal
These Jabra headphones are ideal for running and workouts and feature rapid charge giving you 60 minutes of battery life from a 15 minute charge.
11. Sony MDR-ZX330BT Wireless
From: Amazon Was: £90 Now: £44.99 (£45.01 off) View Deal
These Bluetooth headphones from Sony are available at a great price from Amazon providing wireless connectivity at an affordable price and even NFC to help you get set up quickly.
12. Sony Extra Bass Sports
From: Currys PC World Was: £34.99 Now: £24.99 (£10 off) View Deal
These already cheap Sony headphones designed for sports use are even cheaper.
13. Sony WH-H900 h.ear Wireless
From: Amazon Was: £250 Now: £149 (£101 off) View Deal
These Sony over-ear noise cancelling headphones look and sound great. Other colours are available
14. B&O Beoplay H5 Wireless Earphones
From: Amazon Was: £229 Now: £109.99 (£119.01 off) View Deal
Save over £100 on these in-ear wireless headphones from B&O at Amazon right now. They clip together with magenets and have a 5 hour battery life.
15. Marshall Mid with active noise cancelling
From: Amazon Was: £239.99 Now: £139 (£100.99 off) View Deal
These stylish headphones have are half price and have active noise cancelling and Bluetooth.
16. Philips Hi-Fi headphones
From: AO Was: £39 Now: £29 (£10 off) View Deal
If you want comfortable over-ear headphones without spending too much then these Philips Hi-Fi will fit the bill.