I'm an earbuds connoisseur, and these are the Black Friday earbuds deals truly worth buying

Grab the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 at Amazon for £159 (was £259), saving you £100 on a pair of excellent earbuds.

In our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review, we were very impressed with the best-in-class Active Noise Canceling, beating tough competition from the likes of Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and Sony's WH-1000XM5.

The Momentum True Wireless 4 have excellent sound quality and brilliant battery life to add to the impressive ANC, what more could you want from an earbud?

Here's another pair of earbuds that's so new (in the UK, they only launched on November 4th) we haven't yet run a full review on them. And the point is, they're also on sale! The pair of earbuds is the Earfun Air 2 NC and considering the older Earfun Air Pro 3 achieved near-perfect scores under intense review (and the Earfun Air Pro 4 did quite well too) they're worth a look at these prices.

What prices are we talking about? Well, 38% off in the US and – get this – 53% off in the UK! You're getting LDAC support for higher-resolution audio from supported devices (mostly Sony phones and hi-res audio players), up to 40 hours of playtime, ANC, six mics per earbud and six mics in total for call-handling. Not bad if you're looking for an inexpensive set of earbuds…

Earfun Air 2 NC: was $89.99 now $55.99 at Amazon
Earfun Air 2 NC: was £89.99 now £41.99 at Amazon

Quick shout-out to a model that only launched in October, so we haven’t had a chance to put them through their paces just yet. The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro (for that is their name) are on sale – in the US, but I'm looking for deals in the UK I promise! – and while I haven't yet had the pleasure (we're working hard on deals here), I really enjoyed the non-Pro SoundCore Liberty 4 released in October 2022. Regular readers might remember those, because they were the world's first stress-testing earbuds – and my colleagues also found much to celebrate with the Liberty 4 Pro's Liberty 3 Pro predecessors.

So what's new in the 4 Pro? This new model introduces a slick "touch bar" on the case, which you can use to adjust volume and ANC levels. Bluetooth 5.3 is also here, along with LDAC and spatial audio, plus 10.5mm drivers promising “crisp, full-bodied sound.”

The fit and general design looks very much like the set I loved, and playtime is up from the previous version, to 10 hours / 40 hours with ANC off; or 7.5 hours solo and 30 via the charging case with ANC on, which is highly competitive against the best noise cancelling earbuds – oh, and there's a new version of HearID to tailor the sound to your ears, plus an 8-band customizable EQ.

Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro by Anker: was $129.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

Want to know a little piece of journo terminology? 'Scrubbing': that's what we call it when we spend a bit of time making sure these deals are all so fresh and so clean! TechRadar's audio and deals teams corral the best deals we've seen into this missive, but as you'll probably know, most deals are around for a good time not a long time. Every few hours, I need to check that the sale price is still live – and still the best offer you can get. Any deals that have either sold out or increased in price get 'scrubbed' off the list. And if the deal gets even better? I'll mention it in the text beside the deal – and probably write a dedicated story on it. So now you know! This deals hub is now scrubbed and correct! More of this all weekend…

OK, I know you came here looking for earbuds and I get it – I love 'em too. The convenience, the on-ear functions, the fact they can just live in a jacket pocket for days on end… But just maybe you might want to consider over-ears too, for that cocooned, circumaural feel that even keeps your ears from feeling the cold (if it is cold where you are, of course)?

If you're tempted, my roundup of the top five pairs of wireless headphones in the Black Friday sales is the place to go. Spoiler alert: Bose doesn't feature, because although the noise-canceling there is among the best in the business, prices (even with the $100 discounts we're seeing) are still not quite as competitive as some other models in the sound-per-pound stakes. Oh, and although my main deals blocks are for US retailers, if you're based across the pond or in other regions, just scroll down to see the best prices where you are.

One downside of today's wireless earbuds is that you can't plug them into wired sources when you occasionally need to, such as on airplanes or to a work laptop. Or can you???

In some cases, you absolutely can. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, which are magnificent, can be connected to a USB or 3.5mm audio source via their case. Plug the case in, and audio is transmitted in hi-res aptX to the buds. It's the same for the LG Tone Free T90S, and the JBL Tour Pro 3.

In fact, the JBL can transmit to other earbuds using its Bluetooth Auracast skills, which can be controlled with the on-case touchscreen. Fancy.

For Sony fans, here's your friendly PSA that the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are down to an amazing low £188 in the UK. I didn't expect them to drop that far, but I'm happy to see it!

When I reviewed the Sony WF-1000XM5 at launch, I found the noise cancellation a little underwhelming, some connection issues, and the price too high. Since then, they've had updates, and now a colossal price drop, and it definitely improves their value proposition. Sony fans should definitely consider them.

Sony WF-1000XM5: was £299 now £188.99 at Amazon

How often do you get to peek behind the slick, brightly lit concrete-and-pine surfaces of the Apple store and into the back room, where the Technical Experts and Geniuses clean and repair your ailing Apple items?

That's what TechRadar can bring you! Our Senior Writer, AI, John-Anthony Disotto, used to work at Apple's Genius Bar, and we've convinced him to divulge the AirPods deals to buy – and not the models he regularly had to fix by cleaning out ear wax, over the years. (I know!)

I'm not saying it's conversation for the dinner table, but I found it a thoroughly enlightening and educational read. If you want to gift a set of AirPods but don't want your giftee to be stuck in ear wax-clogged purgatory (and the embarrassment of asking a stranger in an Apple Store to show you personal hygiene) he's ready to show you the models to buy – and the ones to avoid.

One of the break-out hit new categories of 2024 has been open-ear earbuds, where the earbuds don't have tips that sit inside your ear canal – and in some recent cases, barely touch the outside of your ears at all.

The more basic version of this has been around for years, in products like the AirPods' original design, which has been recently refined in the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. These still with fairly close in the ear, they just don't enter the canal.

But we're seeing more options like the Nothing Ear Open or the Bose Ultra Open, which have a fitting that sits around the ear to hold them in place, and don't really touch the sides of your ears at all, firing sound in from a bit of a distance. Some people love them for the extra comfort – we have a guide to the best open-ear headphones if you want to read more about them.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds US deal: was $299 now $249 at Amazon
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds US deal: was £299 now £229 at Amazon

Good morning! With only days to go until Black Friday, we're in the earbuds deals Thunderdome now. Will the AirPods Pro 2 price battle continue until somehow Amazon is paying you to take them off their hands? Will Samsung Buds 3 Pro fall in the US to match the AirPods' price? Will there be maybe just some subtle price shifts for now, with more big deals to come on Friday itself? I definitely think one of these things is likely! Whatever happens, I'll update this page regularly to stay on top of any important changes.

Public Service Announcement: to keep your earbuds running for a long time, please remember to clean them every so often, so remove any build-ups of ear wax, or other bits than might find their way in.

We have a guide to cleaning your earbuds safely, to help make sure that whatever you buy over Black Friday will last you for years.

One thing that sometimes doesn't get covered very often with earbuds is the microphone quality. Our best wireless earbuds guide actually has recordings of the buds we recommend, because while there's no way for us to demonstrate over the internet how their sound quality is, we can tell you how well the mics work.

We rate the AirPods Pro 2 (following a recent update that improved mic clarity) and, oddly, the budget Sony WF-C510 as having the best quality – but you can hear for yourself in our comparison.

I've talked a lot about the AirPods Pro 2 being under £160, but what about their mirror universe counterparts, the Samsung Buds 3 Pro? They also have Black Friday deals, and in the UK, they're an amazing price of just £159.

Like AirPods, Samsung buds have special powers with Samsung phones, including head-tracked spatial audio, excellent 24-bit hi-res audio, and some AI special skills.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro US deal: was $249 now $189 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro UK deal: was £219 now £159 at Best Buy

I was a serious fan of the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 when I reviewed them, and for their Black Friday price, I don't think you can beat them for their sound quality and noise cancellation.

They sit nicely between the likes of the Nothing Ear (a) or Sony WF-C700N at around £70, and the likes of AirPods Pro 2 or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds at over £150. A sweet spot, one might say.

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100: was £169 now £119 at Amazon

Okay, I've given all the deals on this page a total refresh, adding some great extra earbuds options, and removing some that weren't as good as the newer discounts. Enjoy!

Remember that amazing $154 deal from Walmart for the AirPods Pro 2? Well, Amazon has beaten it! By… [checks notes] one cent.

Yes, you can now get the AirPods Pro 2 for $153.99 at Amazon US. While I think this will probably be lowest price we get for these earbuds, I can't definitively promise you that Walmart will not shave another 3¢ off between now and Cyber Monday.

Right now, you can get a pair Technics' flagship EAH-AZ80 true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, great fit, excellent in-app perks, triple multipoint device connectivity, solid battery life and stunning sound quality for just $197.99 in the US, or £197.99 in the UK. Both are the lowest prices we've ever seen since their May 2023 launch.

Feel free to skim-read my (admittedly lengthy) opinion on why these Technics earbuds are better than anything Bose, Sony, Apple or JBL has done recently, should you need further convincing on these earbuds' talents – and of course our glowing Technics EAH-AZ80 review.

Technics EAH-AZ80 US deal: was $299 now $197 at Amazon
Technics EAH-AZ80 UK deal: was £299 now £197 at Amazon

We know you can get AirPods Pro 2 for around $160 / £160 right now, but what's the best alternative at this price if you're on Android, since Sony's equivalent earbuds cost a chunk more than that.

Bose's latest earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2024, have only been out a short while, but already have great offers bringing them down to AirPods-beating prices.

Our review of these buds is still being polished, but we have been testing them, so I'll give you a sneak peek to say that we like them a lot and – brace yourself for a shock – the active noise cancellation is incredibly good for this kind of price. Bose buds good at ANC? Who would have thought.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2024 US deal: was $179 now $149 at Amazon
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2024 UK deal: was £179 now £149 at Amazon

While 99% of people will use wireless earbuds to listen to their phone, there is a growing movement of people who want to go back to have dedicated music players – perhaps as part of trying to avoid getting sucked into doomscrolling when you're just trying to put on some beats to work to.

If that's you, check out our dedicated list of the best MP3 players, which is mostly focused on higher-quality players for hi-res music, but also has some more affordable models.

The US is looking at a ridiculous record-low price of just $154 for AirPods Pro 2. So what about the UK? We're still facing prices of £179 almost everywhere, which is the joint-lowest they've been to date, but doesn't feel close to the blockbuster US deal, does it? I'm really hoping for a drop on Black Friday itself, but maybe we've had an early glimpse of that.

Right now, Costco members can get AirPods Pro 2 for just £159 at Costco – they're officially £199, but an extra £40 discount is applied at checkout. Now that's a Black Friday deal.

AirPods Pro 2: was £229 now £159 at Costco

Thinking of having a Glicked (pronounced 'Glick-ed') weekend – that is, seeing both Gladiator II and Wicked on the silver screen in one go?

Or might you be thinking that perhaps you're not ready to share a movie theater with several avid performers, who didn't quite get the gig on Broadway or in the West End, but who still have so much to give during every song?

Take a look at the product above. If you own a Sonos Arc soundbar (with support for more Sonos 'bars incoming) these headphones give you head-tracked immersive audio in your very own home right from your TV. And the news gets better, because right now, not only are Sonos soundbars on sale but so are its headphones. You're very welcome.

Sonos Ace: was $449 now $349 at Amazon
Sonos Ace: was £449 now £319 at Amazon

Hot tip: Apple makes earbuds that aren't AirPods – and they'll play just as nice with your iPhone because of the iPhone-friendly chip they're built around.

Right now, you can pick up Apple's Beats Studio Buds at Amazon for $79.99 (was $149.95) – aka the lowest price we've ever seen for these Beats buds and one of the best Black Friday deals available now.

In the UK? Beats hasn't forgotten you. Right now you can pick up the Beats Studio Buds at Amazon for £84.49 (was £159.99). At under £85, that's also their lowest-ever price to date.

What's the lowdown? Well, they're a 2021-release set of buds, which hardly makes them the oldest in Apple's lineup. Of course, they are not AirPods (forget gesture control, top-notch ANC or hearing aid functionality) but the Beats Studio Buds are incredibly comfortable and offer Apple's solid build quality without the AirPods price tag. With good sound quality and decent active noice canceling, you can't go wrong at this discount price.

AirPods Pro 2 just dropped to an all-new lowest ever price – only at Walmart!

This is what I'm talking about, Black Friday! I'm sorry if you're in the UK (I'll come back to you when I see a deal this good I promise) but in the US, Walmart has just arrived at the Black Friday party and with it, there's an all-new, lowest ever AirPods Pro 2 deal.

If you have Walmart+ membership (which is also discounted by 50% right now), you can get your AirPods Pro 2 right now. Everyone else has to wait until 5pm ET.

AirPods Pro 2: was $249, now $154 at Walmart

Look, it's cheaper than they've ever been, by a whole $5 (Best Buy listed them for $159 for one day, last week) and we don't know how long it'll last. Run!

You have the information now. Just remember, if they sell out before you get the chance to click 'Buy now', don't say I didn't warn you…

While I'm here, a quick reminder: people selling stuff on TikTok is neither new nor a Black Friday-only phenomenon, but it is ramping up during this potentially stressful and often rushed buying season. And I don't want you to fall foul of clicking through to something you shouldn't when looking to buy a nice new set of earbuds.

Even TechRadar's Editor at Large isn't immune. Lance Ulanoff almost got scammed by one such too-good-to-be-true deal – and he has some advice for you.

For Lance, it was the coming together of two issues: wanting to buy a coat quickly (owing to a recent cold snap) and the faked 'closing-down sale' of a 'family run' business. It led him down a path of almost buying an item that not only didn't exist, but could have opened up a trap door into which he’d drop his money, his identity and buyer satisfaction. All that stopped him was his wife, a savvy shopper who didn't like the look of what she saw online.

If you take nothing else from this missive, know that TechRadar will only share deals from trusted, verified household-name retailers. We will also only direct you to brand new products we rate highly – we never share any 'refurbished' item information. If you stray into the realms of auction sites and social media sellers this Black Friday, take a moment. Look closely and think carefully before you click 'buy'.

Shall we take a moment? I think it's nice amid all this buying frenzy, don't you? I'm going to paraphrase a quote from the movie Jurassic Park now. Don't be alarmed.

You spent so much time wondering if you could, you never stopped to think if you should.

I don't want this to be you on Black Friday. That is why we've compiled a whole feature on how to choose and buy earbuds. It might seem simple, but are you 100% sure you (or the person you're buying for) want little earbuds and not over-ears? And however awesome the saving is, I want you to be sure you'd happily consider them at full price first, otherwise it's not really a great deal, is it?

The feature includes a check-list of what to look for and how to compile a shortlist of features you want, all within your budget. Think of it as a mindful moment (and a chance to see a list of highly-rated products that we simply love at TechRadar) before you load products into your online shopping cart. I think you'll be glad you did.

Oh, you work out? Well have I got a deal for you! This little beauty (also officially called the Jabra Elite 8 Active earbuds) is one of the stand-out savings ahead of Black Friday, especially if you or someone you love likes to get out there and get that 5k done before breakfast.

Right now, these gym-friendly earbuds are on offer on both sides of the pond, now for $169.99 down from $229.99 at BestBuy (Gen 2), and £99 from £199.99 at John Lewis (Gen 1). Serious savings!

Given that Jabra's Elite 8 Active fitness headphones are currently sitting pretty at the very top of our best workout headphones list, these current record-low prices in both the US and UK are an absolute steal. Wherever you reside, I wouldn't sleep on these prices. Looking to kick-start your fitness journey? Here's a great way to do it.

AirPods Pro 2: to buy or not to buy?

Honestly, in the US, where your lowest prices are now at $169 (although they briefly dipped to $159 for 24 hours at Best Buy) I think they're a solid buy for this $80 saving. Will they lose that extra $10 on Black Friday proper? Perhaps, but maybe not – and maybe they'll sell out at that price…

In the UK meanwhile, your lowest price right now is £179 and while that's good given their most recent £229 RRP, I think there may be a bit of wiggle room on that 22% discount as Black Friday proper approaches. Then again, I can't promise anything…

AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C: was $249 now $169 at Amazon
AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C: was £229 now £179 at Amazon

Sub-$20 / sub-£16 earbuds have landed!

OK so not a model we've tested and thus, not included in my main roundup above (I cannot personally vouch for the sound quality here), but if it really has to be under $20 / £16, I've got an option on a trusted brand – Soundcore by Anker.

Again, I haven't had the pleasure of testing this particular model, but the P20i arrived in spring 2023 and although it has been superseded by the P40i (which boasts an IPX5 splash-proof rating) the Bluetooth 5.3 chipset here isn't to be sniffed at, even at the suggested retail prices. For this money, which is a huge 50% off in the US or 47% off across the pond, I think they're worth a go – especially if you just want a secondary pair for a jacket pocket.

In both the US and the UK, the deal is either equal to (US) or cheaper than (UK, for one finish) they've ever been and to be honest, with app support including 22 EQ presets, I think this is as low as you can possibly go and still expect a degree of quality and durability from the listening experience.

Soundcore by Anker P20i: was $39.99 now $19.99 at Amazon
Soundcore by Anker: P20i: was £29.99 now £15.99 at Amazon

Heads up, US friends! Walmart's Black Friday extravaganza kicks off today (yes, relatively late to the party, but we're just glad the retailer is joining in) at 5pm ET, however if you're looking at this missive and you'd really like early access, I have good news for you: you can!

If you sign up to Walmart+, you get access to the deals from 12pm ET, a whole five hours earlier than anyone else. At the time of writing, this means you'll have around four hours to peruse all the deals and make a list, before you get to click 'buy now' on all of the cut-price audio gear (and other items too, but I'm all about the earbuds and headphones here).

What looks good? My pick would be the Beats Studio3, which will be $89 (was $159) from 5pm ET. No, I just checked – there is no such Black Friday deal live on Amazon right now…

I'm sorry if the image above got your hopes up. Because you know what? One great deal we haven't seen so far this Black Friday is the one I'd most expected: AirPods Max.

Apple's inaugural over-ears are not getting any younger and the company just switched over to USB-C rather than Lightning connectors – meaning, presumably, there's stock to clear. And yet, although I have seen a deal reducing them to $399 in the US, that's a) for the Lightning-ported set, and b) still not the cheapest they've ever been, by $5.

In the UK, I've found an EE deal bringing them down to £449 (was £499) and while this is for the USB-C update, a £50 discount is hardly rewriting the Black Friday rule book, is it?

Obviously I'll keep searching (and I've got a whole team behind me, so as soon as we see something, so shall you) but right now, if you want the best Black Friday AirPods deals you'd be better off sticking with Apple's ice-white in-ear selection…

OK so want if you want a cheap Secret Santa-style earbuds gift, but one that is actually good for the money? I've got you.

In the US, the Sony WF-C510 is where I'd tell you to put your money. They're an awesome set of earbuds for their ridiculously low price tag. OK, you won't get ANC, but other than that I have absolutely no notes. They're light and comfortable, deliver excellent sound quality for the cost, and have solid stamina of up to 20 hours. We handed them a glowing review and called them 'great value for money' in our Sony WF-C510 review – and that was at their full MSRP!

In the UK, another Sony option – the WF-C700N. They're a little bit older, but you do get ANC. I personally reviewed them and honestly, they ripped my notions on what is achievable at this entry level to smithereens in April 2023. OK, the Nothing Ear (a) are perhaps just marginally better – but they're also a tiny bit more expensive (hey, £2.01 is £2.01 at budget level)! My Sony WF-C700N review is the place to go for more info but for now, someone's Secret Santa gift probably just got Sony-sorted.

US pick: Sony WF-C510 – was $59.99 now $47.95 at Amazon
UK pick: Sony WF-C700N – was £99 now £66.99 at Amazon

You're going to see lots of tempting deals on budget earbuds over this Black Friday, including on lots of brands you may not be so familiar with. So which are the companies you can trust?

We rate JLab headphones generally highly, and both Earfun and Anker Soundcore produce high-quality headphones for the price. 1More is also a generally very reliable brand. It's also worth noting that Sony makes some very budget earbuds, and they're all excellent value.

What's a good battery life to expect from wireless earbuds these days? We consider eight hours to be the average for anything with active noise cancellation turned on – anything below that disappoints us, and above that gets approval. Without ANC turned on, we hope for around eight hours from earbuds – but it might depend on the size (we don't look too harshly very tiny and cheap earbuds for offering eight hours with no ANC, for example).

But that's from the buds themselves – then there's the case. Usually, you get two or three charges from the case, so the total amount of life matters too, and makes the whole thing more nuanced.

For example, Sony's WF-C700N earbuds last well above average for the charge in the buds, but only have one charge in the case, so the total is a bit low. AirPods Pro 2 have a very average in-bud battery, but have one of the longest lives when you include the case. And the Beats Solo Buds have a gigantic 18-hour battery life… and no charge from the case at all.

What are the best bang-for-buck earbuds that you can buy right now? That's got to be the Nothing Ear (a), which scored five stars in our review at their full price of under $100 / £100, but are regularly available for around $75 / £70 in sales events.

You can read our full Nothing Ear (a) review for all the details, but the short version is: the sound is better than anything else at this price, the noise cancellation is very effective, they're comfortable, they look cool, and they have good battery life. The total budget package.

Do you like big battery life and you cannot lie? Then we have a specific earbuds recommendation for you: the JBL Live Beam 3.

They deliver 10 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation on, which is double what a lot of other premium earbuds deliver. They also sound excellent, and have a cool screen on the case for personalizing them, and giving you general bragging rights that your earbuds are more advanced than your friends. What could be more satisfying in life, eh?

UK friends: in the battle of the £179 headphones, I have selected a winner.

Both deals are live now incredibly good headphones and both are, in a rare Black Friday battle of the headbands (…needs work, but anyway), now reduced to £179.

Now, if you've got a Sony Xperia phone or an Amazon Music subscription, or if you just love that almost retro aesthetic now, I'd pick the Sony. Why? Because you're going to look aces, and/or you'll have LDAC from your Sony device – and/or Sony's 360 Reality Audio for beautifully immersive tracks, from your streaming service.

For anyone else, I'd go with the slightly newer Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which beat the Sony model for aptX and aptX Adaptive support, battery life (it's 30 hours versus 60 hours) and also the game-changing Sound Zones feature. You can read more in my in-depth Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless comparison: which deal you should buy, but for now, here are the UK-specific deals:

Sony WH-1000XM4: was £349 now £179 at Amazon
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: was £300 now £179.99 at Amazon

One of the great marvels of the modern age of earbuds is how affordable active noise cancellation has become. This technology uses microphones on the outside of your earbuds to listen to the ambient sounds where you are (such as traffic, or people talking), analyzes the frequencies of those sounds, and then adds the opposite frequencies into your music, 'cancelling' out the noises from around you, so you can hear music or podcasts so much more cleary. We have a whole guide on what active noise cancellation is, if you want all the nuance.

The important thing is that you can now get impactful noise cancellation in earbuds as cheap as $30 (the JLab Go Pop ANC), and they really will help make your music come through stronger. Meanwhile the best noise cancelling earbuds on the planet (the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds) cost many times that, but offer an incredible level of isolation from the world's chaos.

Oh, Sony WF-1000XM4, how I miss you! You used to be the absolute pinnacle of Black Friday, for me – and so many of us. You, and the excellent Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Both are no longer stocked across the big retailers (people do still message me about them) because newer models have taken their place, and time has marched on.

But while I raise a glass to these excellent heritage options, now crossed over to the big gig in the sky (yes, I'm well aware it's peculiar to describe true wireless earbuds as 'heritage' products), I will give you alternatives you certainly can buy now.

If it's earbuds you seek, the newer and oh-so-current Sony WF-1000XM5 are the next best thing to the XM4 and they're heavily discounted.

Sony WF-1000XM5: was $299.99 now $228 at Amazon
Sony WF-1000XM5: was £259 now £188.99 at Amazon

One of the great features of AirPods Pro 2 that we mention a lot is its 'unloseable' case. What do we actually mean by that? Well, there are three different features in the AirPods Pro 2 that combine to make it, by far, the best set of earbuds for locating the damn things when you don't know where they are.

1) UWB support. UWB is a kind of wireless tech that can detect the direction of the connection, and it means that your iPhone can literally put an arrow on the screen pointing you towards your AirPods Pro 2 case. You need to be in fairly close range, and it only points in two dimensions, so you'll have to figure out if the AirPods are on another floor of your home. This tech is only found on AirPods Pro 2 in the AirPods range (and isn't on many other buds, actually).

2) A speaker. UWB got you close, but you still can't see them? You can use your iPhone to trigger the case to make a noise using its built-in speaker.

3) Lost Mode. If you've lost your AirPods Pro 2 somewhere, you can put them in Lost Mode. This will mean that if they have charge, they can connect to other people's iPhones, and piggyback their internet to tell you where they are. They can also display your contact info if someone finds them

Small-eared music lovers, assemble! We want to be able to use convenient, space-saving earbuds just as much as the next person, and I'm here to tell you it's OK! You don't have to squeeze any big, bulbous units into your ears any more – I've got a Sony deal for you that's sure to be a good fit.

Meet the bijou and beautiful Sony WF-C700N, which tore up the rule book on what is achievable for this money when they landed in April 2023. Are they still among the best noise-nixing earbuds around now, in 2024? Yes, and our five-star Sony WF-C700N review is irrefutable proof. As long as the lack of higher-res audio support or auto-pause when you remove them doesn't bug you (and at this level that would be a little churlish) they're an awesome buy – and this is a whole $13 cheaper than we've ever seen them in the US (the price is hidden until you click through, though).

In the UK, they're also cheaper than we've ever seen, by £3. A lovely little extra discount for our extra-small auricles!

Sony WF-C700N: was $119 now $75.95 at Amazon
Sony WF-C700N: was £99 now £66 at Amazon

You may have seen IP waterproof ratings on earbuds, often for earbuds that say they're suitable for exercise – but what do they actually mean? Let's break it does, because it might be useful when you're looking at what to buy.

An IP rating is expressed as IP and then two numbers, or an X and then a number. The first number (or the X) refers to dustproofing. This can be useful, but we're not getting into it here – an X means it isn't rated for it. The second number refers to waterproofing.

IPX4 is what you'll most commonly see, and it means that the buds can withstand splashes of water (such as light rain), and should resist sweat, for limited periods of time. I wouldn't recommend them for marathon running, and the buds may not last as well over time if you're using them in the gym daily and getting sweaty. But this should good for most people.

IPX5 can withstand small "jets" of water, so you could take them out for a long run in a downpour, theoretically.

IPX6 can withstand stronger jets of water. You could generally hope for these to be even more reliable in wet outdoor conditions.

IPX8 means fully waterproof for long period. You can get totally dunked, or maybe even take these in the pool, if they fit securely enough.

Size and comfort is something that people usually think about with earbuds (we have a whole guide to the best earbuds for small ears), but what sometimes gets missed when buying earbuds is the size of the case – and it really matters.

A big part of the convenience of the best wireless earbuds is just slipping them into your pocket, or a pocket in your bag, to carry with you everywhere. But if they have a really bulky case, then they can get in the way, feel uncomfortable, or look lumpy. It can just end up being annoying. Not everyone cares about this, but this quality-of-life stuff can make all the difference.

So here are some tips on buds with good slimline cases: The JLab Go Pop ANC (or the older JLab Go Air Pop) if you want something super-cheap; the Nothing Ear (a) for a great-value mid-range option; the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 for Apple fans; and perhaps surprisingly, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. The latter are fairly bulky buds, but Bose has designed the case to be slim (just quite tall).

Black Friday is a time when rules fly out the window isn't it? For example, when JBL started releasing earbuds with actual smart screens on the cases, we all thought it'd be a cost prohibitive perk. Nice if you can afford it, like Apple Intelligence, and so on.

Only now, in both the US and the UK, my favorite JBL Live Beam 3 set are so greatly reduced, they're cheaper than many mid-range earbuds – and those definitely don't tote touch-screens with lock-screen wallpaper on the lids.

For me though, it's not just about the screen, cute though it is. The detailed sound quality and stellar battery life here are just two more reasons to celebrate them. I was truly impressed by the Live Beam 3; you can read my Live Beam 3 review for more in-depth analysis (then come back here, because I don't want you to miss the deal!) but know that they only hit shelves in June 2024 and this is the biggest discount we've ever seen on them, in both regions.

If you're the kind of person who thinks putting a picture of the seal you fell in love with (while volunteering at a Cornish seal sanctuary) on your earbuds case is a Very Good Thing, they're a no-brainer. And you don't have to sacrifice battery life or audio quality either, so if you can have the screen for no extra money, why wouldn't you?

JBL Live Beam 3: was $199.95 now $149.95 at Amazon
JBL Live Beam 3: was £179.95 now £149.57 at Amazon

OK so not technically earbuds, but over-ears are certainly earbuds adjacent and the deal is so good it'd be remiss of me (as your Audio Editor) not to mention it! This is also a UK exclusive – US music lovers, I promise I'll get you next! – but still, too good to ignore.

Philips Fidelio X2HR over-ears are no newbies to the audiophile world, but a 2017 release is hardly old in the world of wired audio. A quick glance over our 2014 five-star Philips Fidelio X2 review (upon which these Fidelio X2HR headphones are based) is also a glowing read, and while we haven't had the pleasure recently, a 2018 Reddit thread claims there's very little to separate the two other than a few accents on the headband.

And so to the madness of this deal: Amazon has listed them for as much as £319 in 2017, but right now they can be yours for just a penny under £68. I know! I mean, just look at them for that money. See the double-layered ear shells, the memory foam ear pads for long-wearing comfort – you even get a dedicated cable management clip for tangle-free ease! There's real leather involved in the headband, so not good for the vegan audiophile in your life, but if that's not you, there's so much to enjoy here for silly money. I had to rub my eyes to check I wasn't seeing things…

Philips Fidelio X2HR wired headphones: was £143.99, now £67.99 at Amazon

Let's talk about Sony's flagship wireless ANC earbuds – there's no better time.

Right now they're slashed in price for Black Friday – and I need to explain that if you reside in the US, I'd actually get them at Best Buy today, rather than Amazon. (My UK friends can skip to the bottom of this missive for the deal, which is the lowest they've ever been).

Over on Amazon US they can be yours for $1.99 less, however if you purchase from Best Buy, the retailer is throwing in free YouTube Premium for three months (new subscribers only) which would normally cost you $13.99 per month. What better way to test drive your new buds than with free access to YouTube Music Premium?

Built-in Alexa functionality makes the XM5s a joy to use and the fit is great for smaller ears. The AI-based noise reduction algorithm and bone conduction sensor might not be as good at blocking out noise as the very best on the market (read more in our Sony WF-1000XM5 review), but they still deliver great results for this $70 discount.

Sony WF-1000XM5: was $299 now $229.99 at Best Buy
Sony WF-1000XM5: was £259 now £188.99 at Amazon

Here's a big question for 2024: Should you buy AirPods 4 this Black Friday? They're pretty new, so they're not guaranteed to get big discounts – there's $10/10 off right now, which is not nothing.

There are two models here, so let's address them separately. First, the AirPods 4 with ANC, which officially cost $179 / £179, but can be found for $169 / £169. Well, the big problem with these is that the AirPods Pro 2 are superior in effectively every way, and are available for $159 / £179. So I see zero reason to get AirPods 4 with ANC, with one exception: if you have the in-ear fit of the AirPods Pro 2, with their tips that sit in the ear canal. Some people can't get on with this, and AirPods 4 with ANC are easily the best open-ear alternative for Apple users.

The regular AirPods 4 (no ANC) officially cost $129 / £129, but can be found for $119 / £119. These are the best-value way to get AirPods' smart Apple-friendly features – they're better value than the older AirPods 3 or much older AirPods 2nd Gen, though you'll pay a bit more – they sound better, and have more features.

But personally, I'd choose the Nothing Ear (a) over the AirPods 4 – they're about $50 cheaper, and come with noise cancellation!

Nothing Ear (a) US deal: was $99 now $72.40 at Amazon
Nothing Ear (a) UK deal: was £99 now £69 at Amazon

A reminder, while there's still plenty of today left: If you happen to reside in the US, the best Black Friday deal I've ever seen on a shiny new set of AirPods Pro 2 (aka the ones everyone wants) is over at Best Buy, and it runs out soon.

It's an absolutely huge $90-off Apple's flagship earbuds (they're the most popular earbuds on the planet for a reason, folks) and means their price is now $10 less than we've ever seen, ever.

The sound quality is superb, they're full of smart features (including a new hearing aid functionality) and they have top-tier noise cancellation. What are you waiting for? At the time of writing, this deal ends in 8 hours… go now!

AirPods Pro 2: was $249.99 now $159.99 at Best Buy

So, here's a deal that didn't quite make my top picks above, but I still think it's worthy of a mention. You might assume Black Friday audio deals should be all about the most recent gear – in this case, the newest third-gen Galaxy Buds Pro – and while you're mostly right, I just don't want you to sleep on this lesser-spotted Galaxy Buds deal.

Why? Because I don't own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone (or even an Android mobile device), but I still gave the excellent Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro a glowing 4.5-stars our of 5 shortly after their launch in August 2022.

Yes, they were superseded by the AirPods-esque Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Buds 3 in July 2024, but newer doesn't always mean better – a quick look at our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro provides some telling reading…

The Buds Pro 2 are especially great if, like me, you have small ears (I've also got a guide to the best earbuds for small ears if that's what you need) and If you do own a Galaxy phone, a 2024 software update means you also get real-time translation powers if you're using a Galaxy S24 series – or even a slightly older Galaxy S23 series.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: was $229, now $100 at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: was £219.99, now £91.97 at Amazon

Psst… hey… hey, you. Looking for some unbelievably cheap, good earbuds? Look, I don't have them on me right now, but I know where you can find them.

What you want is the JLab Go Pop ANC, which cost just $30 full price, and are unreasonably good for that amount of money. They have well-balanced sound, a comfortably fit, and noise cancellation that genuinely helps, even on airplanes. Our JLab Go Pop ANC review raved about the value of these earbuds.

There's no deal on them currently, but if they do drop in price I totally recommend them. In the meantime, if you want something tiny and cheap, there's a different the four-star JLab JBuds Mini are on-sale in both the US and UK.

JLab JBuds Mini US deal: was $39.99 now $27.60 at Amazon
JLab JBuds Mini US deal: was £39.99 now $24.99 at Amazon

Want the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the planet? That would be the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which you can get for record-low prices right now. (Are you seeing a pattern this Black Friday?)

You can get the Bose Ultra for a joint-lowest price of $229 at Amazon in the US, while in the UK the buds have fallen to new, absolutely ridiculous, low price of £199. Consider that, at launch, these cost more than other premium buds, but have now fallen into the same kind of price as the competition, that's really hard to resist.

You'll get the best noise-blocking power that earbuds can offer, plus device-neutral spatial audio, and rich sound quality.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds US deal: was $299 now $229 at Amazon
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds UK deal: was £299 now £199 at Amazon

Beats' Studio Buds have dropped to $79 before, which is $10 cheaper than they've ever been before. It's a great price for earbuds with easy pairing for both Apple and Android, and active noise cancellation. In our Beats Studio Buds review we said that they sound good, the noise cancellation is useful, and they're a nice small size, with an ergonomic design.

They're a little older now, but for this price, they're the best-value Beats earbuds buy in the US. In the UK, we'd recommend the step-up Beats Studio Buds Plus, which have fallen to an also record-low £109. Here's our Beats Studio Buds Plus review.

Beats Studio Buds: was $149 now $79 at Amazon
Beats Studio Buds Plus: was £179 now £109 at Amazon

I've been covering AirPods Black Friday deals for six years, and this is the best-value offer I've ever seen on them. Right now, you can get the AirPods Pro 2 for $159 at Best Buy, which is $10 lower than they've ever been before – but this deal ends at 1am ET November 22 / 10pm ET November 21, so don't miss out! That's $90 off the full $249 price.

Buyers in the UK don't miss out on a good deal today, either – you can get the AirPods Pro 2 from EE for £179, which is the joint lowest they've ever been, and a £50 saving on the £229 full price they usually sell for. And don't worry, just because they're from EE doesn't mean you have to sign a contract or anything – it's just a regular purchase, and they even come with free delivery.

AirPods Pro 2 US deal: was $249 now $159 at Best Buy
AirPods Pro 2 UK deal: was £229 now £129 at EE