Shopping for AirPods? We've tested 5 alternatives that are cheaper for Prime Day
That's right, Amazon's October Prime Day deals have arrived. So you might be thinking about picking up a new set of AirPods — maybe the flagship Max 2. Hold on a second, though. Don't add them to your basket just yet.
I test a lot of headphones for my job, and my take is that the AirPods Max 2 are overpriced, even on sale (I mean... it is Apple we're talking about here). They're good, but not $549 good. That got me thinking about which cans I'd recommend instead.
Thankfully, there are lots of headphones out there that performed excellently in our testing, and beat the AirPods in many ways. Five of my top picks are on sale right now. The standout deal for me is on the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, which are currently reduced to $479 at Amazon, that's $270 off. Huge.
Of course, if it absolutely has to be AirPods, the Max 2 are also on sale for $429, so $120 off. But I still think that's overpriced. My money would be spent a pair of the headphones below instead.
Better sound quality
This is my top deal. The Bowers Px8 S2 are currently a huge $270 off at $479, putting them under the Max 2 MSRP. I actually own these cans and they sound utterly sublime. They lack all the bells and whistles of AirPods, but if your main priorities are beautiful sound, even-prettier design and exquisite build quality, it has to be the Px8 S2.View Deal
We scored these headphones: 4.5*
Check out our Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review
Better ANC
WH-1000XM5: was $248 now $198
The XM5 were Sony's previous flagship until the XM6 launched in 2025, but the older model is by no means outdated today. The XM5 pack awesome sound quality and a handsome minimalist design. But if ANC is your priority, the XM5 steal the show.View Deal
We scored these headphones: 4.5*
Check out our Sony WH-1000XM5 review.
Better for workouts
IP-rated headphones are tricky to find, but if you're working out with your headphones, you'll need a pair that can stand up to sweat and water. The AirPods can do neither — that's why you should consider the Nothing Headphone (a), which have an IP52 rating. Admittedly, the Beats 360 have an IPX4 rating, making them more waterproof, but not dust proof... and they're a huge $349.View Deal
We scored these headphones: 3.5*
Check out our Nothing Headphone (a) review.
Better for travel
If you're travelling a lot, I'd highly recommend the Monitor IIIs. These cans fold down better than any other premium headphones I can think of. They're also supremely comfortable, have outstanding battery life, solid ANC and sound great.View Deal
We scored these headphones: 4*
Check out our Marshall Monitor III review.
Budget pick
My team is currently testing Sony's revamped WH-CH530, but I'll give you a little spoiler: they're set to score pretty highly. If you can't stretch to any of the pricey cans on this list, the WH-CH530 are budget heroes. Solid sound quality, excellent comfort and that tiny price tag. What more do you need?View Deal
We haven't officially scored these headphones yet as our review is in progress (but spoiler: we love 'em).