Welcome to a list of recommended headphones and earphones for programming. By a programmer, for programmers. Before we start, I have a confession to make – I lied. “Best headphones” can be very subjective, and this is pretty much just a list of my personal recommendations. 😆
But nope, this is not another “I just want to sell expensive stuff and make commissions” kind of post. These are headphones that I have either personally tested, or have my eyes (ears) on. I will also share a couple of budget options, as well as things I look out for when buying headphones. Read on!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS LIST
Here is a list of my recommended headphones. Please take note – This list is not sorted by “most to least recommended”, but by the category and price point.
THE HEADPHONES
1. BOSE QUIETCOMFORT 45
What’s Good: One of the best active noise-canceling headphones. Long battery life, and is comfortable to wear for long hours.
What’s Bad: Kind of expensive. Mediocre sound quality.
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Truthfully, this Bose is not the best-sounding pair of headphones (personal preference). What is so great about this Bose is actually the noise canceling, do a quick research online and you will find that many people agree it is one of the better ones.
Aside from that, it comes loaded with features. Bluetooth, a built-in microphone, long battery life, and even Google Assistant. Be it for taking phone calls for work, listening to music, watching movies, or even playing games – This Bose is just a very versatile pair of headphones.
2. AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M50XBT2
What’s Good: Bluetooth professional headphones with good audio quality. Good old workhorse.
What’s Bad: No active noise cancelation.
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I personally own the original ATHM50X (no Bluetooth version) and have used it for years. While it is not comparable to the best in the world, this pair of professional headphones do spit out some good audio quality. It also comes with plenty of padding and is comfortable to wear for long hours – Given the price point, this is a good deal to consider.
3. ANKER SOUNDCORE Q35
What’s Good: Bang for buck noise canceling headphones.
What’s Bad: The sound signature is too bassy for my liking, but some people may like it. Uncomfortable to wear for long hours.
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If you want a pair of decent noise-canceling headphones without spending too much money, this Anker is a good choice. Just don’t expect this to be on the same level as the “top-grade noise-canceling headphones”. It is still mighty decent for its price though.
Also, the bassy sound may appeal to the bass heads… But it’s too much for me. Although it is possible to “fix” that with an EQ app, it’s just too much of a pain to change the sound profile for every song/game/movie.
4. SONY MDRZX110NC
What’s Good: Super cheap budget noise-canceling headphones.
What’s Bad: Cheap build quality, mediocre sound, weak ANC.
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When it comes to noise-canceling headphones, some people start to freak out and think that they easily cost a bomb. Well, here is one that will not break your piggy bank. It comes with some decent audio quality as well… Don’t expect too much though, the noise cancelation is “barely there”.
5. ONEODIO PRO 10
What’s Good: Decent budget studio headphones.
What’s Bad: Cheap build quality – Drop and it breaks.
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Can we get a pair of decent headphones for like $30? You bet, and the Oneodio is one of them. As you can expect from studio-style headphones, this one is pretty well padded, and it dishes out some decent sound too. Good bang-for-buck pair of headphones.
THE EARPHONES
6. BOSE QUIETCOMFORT EARBUDS 2
What’s Good: Top-class noise canceling. Lightweight.
What’s Bad: Expensive. Not really good value for money.
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This is the wireless earbuds version of Bose’s Quietcomfort series. It has the same top-tier noise cancelation, but also the same questionable default sound profile that I don’t like… Well, you can change the sound profile. But it’s much of a hassle for me, and this does not fit into the “value for money” category.
7. ANKER SOUNDCORE LIBERTY PRO 3
What’s Good: Value for money. Good sound and noise cancelation.
What’s Bad: Too bassy for my liking.
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This is Anker’s take on the noise cancelation wireless earbuds. For its price point, this offers good noise cancelation and produces pretty decent sound… Although the default profile is way too bassy for my liking again.
8. REDMI AIRDOTS 3
What’s Good: Decent budget Bluetooth wireless earbuds.
What’s Bad: Decent-ish sound quality.
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If you just want “wireless earbuds that work”, go for these Redmi Airdots. At this price point, they offer insane value for money, with a decent build and sound quality.
STUFF FOR CONSIDERATION
I am not an audiophile or an audio engineer. Not going to pretend to be one either, so to keep things simple – Here are some things I look out for before buying.
SIMPLE PURCHASE CONSIDERATION CHECKLIST
- Audio Quality – The most important aspect. If the headphones make my ears bleed, it’s going into the dustbin. Period.
- Price – I usually go for the “mid-range” that offers the best value for money.
- Build – No if it’s cheap plastic and “flimsy fake leather”.
- Noise Cancelation – Active noise cancelation is good to have, but is it really? I prefer good passive noise isolation earphones over gimmicky ANC.
- Wired vs wireless – I personally prefer wired. Won’t have to deal with batteries and radiation all day long.
- Battery – Decent battery life if it is a wireless headset. Fast charging is a must for the modern day.
THE END
Thank you for reading, and we have come to the end of this guide. I hope that it has helped you to better understand, and help you to choose a good headphone. If you want to share anything with this guide, please feel free to comment below. Good luck and happy shopping!
