You can find wired and wireless options for under $50. Some wireless headphones can go 20 hours or longer on a single charge, while others will last less than half of that time before you need to find a charger. We’ve examined dozens of cheaper options, and our pick for the best pair of headphones under $50 is the Audio Technica ATH-M20x because they have great sound quality at an affordable price. If you’re looking for a wired option, something portable, or a lightweight pair of headphones, we’ve also included our picks for the best headphones under $50 in other categories. The around-the-ear design provides a close seal for good sound isolation, even without active noise cancellation. The ATH-M20x does lose some points for comfort because they’re not super adjustable. The earcups swivel 15 degrees and the headband can be resized, but some users say they’re a bit tight. It seems as though Audio-Technica cut some corners on the adjustments to produce headphones that would still sound great in this price range. If you like to listen to a lot of music—and especially if you’re planning to do any studio monitoring or mixing—then great sound quality is worth the trade-off. Type: Over-Ear | Connection Type: 3.0mm cable | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No The design is attractive—instead of an adjustable headband, the earcups can slide up and down the inside, and hinges allow them to be folded for easy storage. The headphones weigh less than 6 ounces, and the dual-side 5-foot cord gives you increased mobility. The cord has a 3.5mm jack on the end, however, so you may need to use an adapter when connecting to some mobile devices. To keep the price down there are no other accessories supplied, but SRH145m+ headphones are a great budget choice. These headphones are discontinued by the manufacturer, but you can still find them for sale at some retailers. Type: Over-Ear | Connection Type: 3.5mm cable | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No With two microphones for clear calls and touch stems for easy control, these earbuds perform like higher-end buds. You can use one or both buds at a time, or share an earbud and listen to music with a friend on the 10mm drivers. The MX1 Earbuds don’t look and feel exactly like Airpods, but they’re one of the best alternatives available in this price range. Type: True wireless | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes The sound quality is pretty good, but there’s a slight amount of distortion on the loudest volume levels, especially when you travel any distance away from your device. The bass is boosted, so if you’re looking for reference sound then look elsewhere. This might be most noticeable in classical music. However, the bass doesn’t overpower the mids, and the highs are well balanced. If you often feel that other headphones don’t have enough bass in the mix, the Uproars might be for you. Type: Over-ear | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: No These headphones are IPX7 rated, which means they can be immersed in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes and can withstand even the sweatiest of workouts. On a full charge, you can get up to nine hours of battery life, which is not bad for a set of wireless earbuds. Sound-wise, Hussar says the earbuds will satisfy most bass-heads with deep bass and a clear treble. The earbuds come with the added perk of Qualcomm’s CVC 6.0 noise reduction, but they don’t have the active noise cancellation you’d get with some higher-end headphones. They have a pretty decent wireless range of up to 33 feet. For the increased IPX7 rating, sound quality, and noise reduction, the Hussar Magicbuds gives you the basics on a budget. Type: Wireless | Connection Type: Bluetooth | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: Yes They include a powerful 40mm driver and have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20Khz with an impedance of 32Ohm. The comfortable over-ear design provides a fair amount of noise isolation to support the sound. The volume could stand to be a bit louder, but the range and bass provides an impressive sound even at lower volumes. You can opt for the P841 model and get an in-line microphone. Type: Over-ear | Connection Type: 3.5mm cable | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No Maybe you find earbuds uncomfortable, maybe you don’t want to bring a pair of expensive headphones into work every day, or perhaps you just need something that fits in your bag without weighing you down. The Sony MDRZX110 check all the boxes, delivering decent but budget-quality sound in a compact and easy-to-wear package. For a sub-$10 pair of headphones, it has a surprisingly broad response range that’s suited to casual listening or video watching. Type: Over-ear | Connection Type: Y-type cable | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No One of the main selling points is its 7.1 surround sound. This is a software-enabled feature, so it has to be activated and is available only for PC gaming. But the headset delivers immersive, positional audio that makes you feel as if you’re truly in the game. The Kraken X has a 3.5mm connection and is compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. The all-plastic design looks somewhat flimsy but is otherwise neutral, and it makes for a super lightweight headset that’s comfortable to wear all day. The cardioid microphone is adjustable and “noise-canceling,” meaning it filters out background sound so your teammates can clearly hear your voice. Where the Kraken X falters is with audio quality—if you aren’t taking advantage of the surround sound feature, it sounds more like a budget pair of headphones. Type: Over-ear | Connection Type: 3.5mm cable | ANC: Yes | Water/Sweat Resistant: No The design is really what makes these headphones stand out, though. There’s an adjustable headband, which attaches to comfort zone pads that help reduce pressure on the ears. You can adjust the pressure between firm and light to make the headphones the most comfortable for you, and the foam ear pads sit on the ears without pushing too hard. You connect the Porta Pro to your device via a 4-foot long 3.5mm audio jack, so you may need an adapter if you want to connect these headphones to your mobile device. But, when you’re not using the headphones, you can collapse them completely flat and store them in the included carrying case. Type: Over-ear | Connection Type: 3.5mm cable | ANC: No | Water/Sweat Resistant: No Tobey Grumet has been a writer and editor for 25 years. She spent eight years as the first female Technology Editor at Popular Mechanics. These days, she works as a full-time freelance writer. Her work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, Family Circle, Business Insider, Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, and more.
What to Look for in Headphones Under $50
Sound quality - In some ways, sound quality is a personal factor, but there are specifications that can help determine whether or not a pair of headphones will sound good. You can look at driver size to determine the sound quality. It’s widely believed that the larger the driver, the louder the sound it’s capable of producing. Also, look at specifications like what the driver is made of, what the voice coil is made of, frequency response, sensitivity, and impedance. Design - Headphones come in all shapes and sizes: over-ear, on-ear, in-ear, or necklace style. They all serve different purposes, but over-ear models tend to deliver a better listening experience. If you want a pair for working out, on the other hand, earbuds or necklace style is probably the way to go. They won’t serve up the best sound, but they will be the most comfortable. Also, consider factors like water resistance ratings, especially if you plan on using the headphones outdoors or while exercising. Battery life - When you’re listening to a wireless pair, a dead battery is a real bummer. A solid battery life will give you 10 to 20 hours of listening, but if you spring for a pair that has a wired option, you can simply plug in the cable to continue listening if the battery dies. Check the type of cable connection though, and make sure it will connect to your devices. A mismatched cable will require an adapter, and that can also affect your experience.
