Are expensive headphones really better? These 3 upgrades are worth the money

Take a look at our best headphones list, and you'll see there are some budget options included: you don't necessarily have to pay excessive amounts of money for good quality audio, whether you're buying the best wireless earbuds or a pair of the best over-ear noise-cancelling cans to wrap around your head.

However, sometimes paying more is very much worth it – especially at back-to-school time, because you're going to want headphones that enable your audio to really pop, whether you're revising to lo-fi tunes or travelling to lectures with your favourite tracks. It's the same if you're upgrading for a return to work, too, that commute can benefit from the perfect headphones. 

Here are three pairs of headphones that are well worth their premium asking prices. All have been through the rigorous T3 testing process, so while you'll be paying more than a minimum sum, you can be sure we know what we're talking about and that each pair is a major upgrade that's worth the cash. 

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

In our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review we described these over-ears as offering "the ultimate active noise-cancelling (ANC) and stellar sound quality", so you can be sure you're getting a lot back for the £449.95 / $429.95 / AU$659 asking price. They sound so good that you'll soon forget how much you had to pay to get them on your head.

The Immersive Audio feature offers next-level spatial audio as you move your head, while the stylish design and 18 hours of battery life between charges add to the overall appeal. Bose is an audio brand name associated with premium quality, of course, so it's not difficult to hear why when you're listening to audio sources through these headphones.

At the T3 Awards 2024, the Bose picked up the Best Headphones gong, but also landed our Product of the Year trophy too. These are very impressive cans if you want to cut out ambient noise. They're also ideal as the best travel headphones, thanks to a folding design and included carry case. Keep an eye out for price reductions, as discounts make these over-ears all the more worth buying. 

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e

Having been very impressed with the audio quality of the original PX7 Series 2, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e – that all-important 'e' being the key difference – have come along to blow our minds (or rather our ears) once more. This is top-tier audio quality in return for £379 / $399 / AU$599. In fact, the audio is even better than before thanks to the new digital signal processing (DSP) tech built into these cans – an upgrade that couldn't be performed by software alone, hence the new 'e' model. 

That ensures greater detail and dynamics in the audio you hear, and in our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e review you'll see we praised the "outstanding" sound across the board, as well as "supreme" comfort and a "fantastic" fit when you're wearing them. When you've tested as many pairs of headphones as we have at T3, that's high regard indeed. 

However, if you're looking for noise-cancelling masters, these Bowers & Wilkins headphones aren't going to match the 'locked-in' levels that you'll find from the Bose featured above, for example. That's a matter of preference though: the more mild ANC available here still makes a great difference and can refine your working-from-home focus. 

Sony WH-1000XM4

Having extolled the virtues of buying top dollar for your headphones, we're also going to recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4 rather than the newer Sony WH-1000XM5. You'll often find great value in nearly-new headphones, which is the case here, as these cans are now some way below their original asking price of £349 / $349 / AU$499 if you shop around.

Our Sony WH-1000XM4 review gets right to the point, describing these headphones as offering "lively, balanced and detailed sound" as well as noise-cancelling that has to be heard to be believed. They were the very best headphones in the world for most people when they first launched, and they remain one of the top picks for premium-level value even now.

Since their on-sale date, however, the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 do also exist. These newer over-ears are naturally also brilliant, but if money-saving is the aim of the game then the MX4 model really is a steller offering. If the Bose above deliver best ANC for travel, and the Bowers & Wilkins above are tuned for audio perfection, the Sony is like a middle-ground between those two.