Philips reveals Sony-bothering ANC headphones with 50 hours of playback, next-gen Bluetooth audio, and replaceable batteries

Philips H8000E headphones on a white and pink background

(Image credit: Philips Audio)

Philips H8000E are new noise-canceling headphones
40mm graphene drivers, hi-res audio, and Bluetooth Auracast
"Easily replaceable" batteries for sustainability

Philips has announced its new competitor in the world of the best noise-canceling headphones, the Philips H8000E. They're over-ear headphones with ANC, customization options via the Philips Headphones apps, Bluetooth LE Audio and the next-gen LC3 codec, Bluetooth Auracast, 50 hours of battery life with the ANC on (70 with it off), and even replaceable batteries for repairability.

That's a lot of stuff, but there's one thing notably missing so far: the price. Philips has described these headphones as "mid-range", but that could mean anything from under $150 to under $250 depending on your particular view.

They're due to launch in September 2025 in the US, UK, and Europe, which means they're going to have an interesting time likely competing with the Sony WH-1000XM6 that are expected to launch in the summer – and also a lowered price for the existing Sony WH-1000XM5.

So it's good that they've got a few advantages over Sony currently, with the biggest probably being the 50-hour battery life – Sony's headphones manage 30 hours with the ANC on.

There's also the future-proof support for the LC3 codec, which is capable of higher-res audio and better quality sound generally while using less power, which still isn't totally common among premium headphones.

And like Sony's headphones, they support the LDAC higher-res Bluetooth codec.

There are five levels of noise cancellation power selectable through the app, and the promise that 'AI microphones' will aid call quality.

There's a folding design that's good for travel, and they're lightweight. Philips says that they have some sustainability goals in mind too, featuring recycled plastic in the construction, and "easily replaceable integral batteries and detachable ear pads" with the aim that you can use them for years and years (though let's hope that the batteries are easier to replace than the last headphones that iFixit tried to repair).

With eight months to go until they're due to be released, let's hope that Philips really has future-proofed the sound quality, features, and planned price of these cans, because a lot may have changed in the world of the best headphones by then. I wouldn't be surprised to see new models before then not only from Sony but also Sennheiser.

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Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Entertainment, meaning he's in charge of persuading our team of writers and reviewers to watch the latest TV shows and movies on gorgeous TVs and listen to fantastic speakers and headphones. It's a tough task, as you can imagine. Matt has over a decade of experience in tech publishing, and previously ran the TV & audio coverage for our colleagues at T3.com, and before that he edited T3 magazine. During his career, he's also contributed to places as varied as Creative Bloq, PC Gamer, PetsRadar, MacLife, and Edge. TV and movie nerdism is his speciality, and he goes to the cinema three times a week. He's always happy to explain the virtues of Dolby Vision over a drink, but he might need to use props, like he's explaining the offside rule.