Best USB-C charging headphones in 2023

Best USB-C charging headphones may only have one difference from the typical wireless headphones or headset. And, it’s a seemingly minor one. But, that USB-C charging capability, while it may not change the sound quality or the feel of the headphone or even most of the features included, it is helpful in a few ways. The most important one is that USB-C is quickly becoming the universal port of choice for everything from a tablet and Chromebook to just about every wireless peripheral of the last few years.

It also makes one feature available that’s just not on hand when using a USB-A port to charge – fast charging. Having fast charging is not the biggest deal when you’re listening to music around the house. But, when you’re on a commute or away from home for a few days, you don’t have to sweat worrying about low battery. All you need is a few minutes charge in some cases to give you an hour or two more of use.

So, if you want to future proof your next pair of wireless headphones, you should consider one of these as your next purchase.

USB-C headphones for all your fast-charging needs

Source: Sennheiser

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Best overall

Stellar sounding and fully featured

$281

$350

Save

$69

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are a great option for anyone who doesn’t mind paying a premium for high-end wireless audio; they sound utterly great. Battery life is also phenomenal at up to 60 hours per charge with ANC on. That ANC isn’t particularly impressive, though — especially compared to similarly priced options from Bose or Sony.

Pros

• Excellent audio quality
• Unbelievable battery life
• Bluetooth multipoint

Cons

• Subpar ANC for premium headphones
• Controls could be better
• Middling call performance

The

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless might not have the best active noise cancellation out there. So, why is it at the top of this list? There are a few reasons starting with its phenomenal audio. Sennheiser has always been a quality brand and that’s still the case here. And, along with its stellar audio quality, it gives you Bluetooth multipoint for use with more than one device, and, more importantly, 60 hours of battery life and that’s with ANC on!

The USB-C charging capability also means that two hours of charging will get you from 0 to 100%, and just five minutes of charging will give you four hours if you have limited time to give it some juice. On top of that, as pricey as it may be, it’s still cheaper than the Sony WH-1000XM5.

Source:Wyze

Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Best value

Affordability without compromising on features

The Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones are special precisely because they’re cheap yet still pack many of the same features you find on much pricier models. Active noise cancellation, Alexa voice assistant support, and fast-charging are all on hand. Of course, the performance isn’t going to quite match, whether we’re talking sound quality or battery life as there’s just 20 hours of use, but considering the price, these headphones from Wyze are still a hell of a deal.

Pros

• Fully featured including ANC and voice assistant support
• Decent sound quality
• Fast-charging

Cons

• Somewhat short battery life
• Performance doesn’t compare to more expensive models

While the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones aren’t going to sound as good as many of the other headphones here or offer the same battery life or even the same level of features, it will get you pretty close. Its 20 hour battery life may seem like a lot, if it was 2020, but it’s still more than enough for most. Add to that, it can fast-charge. So, if your battery is getting low, ten minutes plugged into the wall will give you an extra four hours of use.

And, unlike some other budget headphones, it comes with some very useful features such as active noise cancellation, Alexa voice assistant support, and voice-isolating mics for when you just have to answer that call from Mom. Though you might not have studio level audio quality, these headphones still sound pretty good. For under 100 bucks (and sometimes under 50 when it’s on sale), you’ll be hard pressed to do better.

Source: Sony

Sony WH-1000XM5

Premium pick

Pricey but fantastic in just about other every way

Amazing, top-of-the-class active noise cancellation and sound quality to match make the Sony WH-1000XM5 one of the best wireless headphones on the market no matter the criteria. They’re also fairly comfortable, though they can get a little hot, have excellent call quality, voice assistant compatibility, and a speedy Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity so you don’t experience lag when using them while watching a movie.

Pros

• Great, clear audio
• Top-notch ANC
• Battery goes and goes

Cons

• New design doesn’t fold
• Limited upgrades from WH-1000XM4

The Sony WH-1000XM5 might be the best headphones overall on this list, but they’re also the most expensive. They sound great, just like their predecessors. And, just like the models that came before, the ANC is the gold standard. If you’re able to splurge, the difference between this and some of the other expensive options here are a matter of preference or a matter of what feature is most important.

To that point, as good as its ANC and sound quality is, its battery life is not going to win any awards. Its 32 hour battery life without ANC (24 with it on) is far from the best on this list. However, it’s more than enough for any real world use. Thankfully, its fast-charging capabilities will help in a pinch as three minutes will give you three hours of juice.

Source:Anker

Anker Soundcore Space Q45

Best battery life

You’ll be hard pressed to find longer-lasting

The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 offer everything that flagship headphones from other manufacturers offer like adjustable active noise cancellation and Hi-Res audio, but for a price that is solidly mid-tier. That performance to price ratio certainly sets these headphones apart along with their ridiculously long battery life.

Pros

• Incredibly long battery life
• Hi-Res audio without the premium price tag
• Very fast charging

Cons

• Slightly bulky
• Active noise cancellation could be better

Paying $150 for a pair of headphones may not seem like a bargain, but when it comes to wireless options with adjustable ANC, EQ presets, and, of course, Hi-Res audio quality, that price is more than reasonable. The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 therefore is ideal if you can’t quite splurge on something like the Sony or Sennheiser options but still want a good quality mid-range pair, especially considering it has that extended Hi-Res frequency range that you usually only find in more expensive headphones like the ones mentioned before.

Where the Anker shines most is in its battery life. It will last you 50 hours with ANC on and 65 with it off, one of the highest on this list. And, five minutes of fast charging will net four hours of use. Its slightly lower price tag does show as the ANC won’t be quite as good and its aesthetics are a bit on the bulky side.

Source:Audio-Technica

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2

Best for critical listening

Perfect for the studio or audio productivity

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 are light on features – you won’t find active noise cancellation here – but that’s ok. For the right person, these are perfect as they offer the kind of sound signature and sound quality, not to mention a low latency mode, to make them perfect for studio use or critical listening. And, they also come with a 50-hour battery life.

Pros

• Great, neutral sound quality
• Very long battery life
• Low latency mode available via app

Cons

• No active noise cancellation
• Sound signature might be boring for some

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 might not have all the features you expect in wireless headphones, but they sound good enough that you might not care. And, that’s not to say they’re stripped down. While there may be no active noise cancellation on hand, there’s multipoint connectivity, low-latency support, and voice assistant support (though not hands-free). And, you also get fast-charging – three and a half hours of charging will get you from 0 to 50 hours of battery life, which is not only impressive in how quickly you’ll get a full charge but how much battery life the ATH-M50xBT2 have.

Just as important is the sound quality, and these headphones more than deliver. After all, these are built on headphones made for the studio. Plus, they come with personalization such as EQ controls via the Audio-Technica Connect app.

Source: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Q45

Best Active Noise Cancellation

Is there anything better for a noisy commute?

The Bose QuietComfort Q45 do what Bose headphones always do: they sound great and come with excellent active noise cancellation. While these aren’t the most expensive Bose has to offer, they’re still plenty pricey. And, they unfortunately don’t have the best battery life, clocking in at 22 hours. However, these are still top-of-the-line headphones that will outperform most others on the market.

Pros

• Fantastic Active Noise Cancellation
• Very good sound quality
• As comfortable as it gets

Cons

• Expensive
• Battery life is underwhelming
• Fast charging not as robust as some other options

Bose is always a sure bet and that’s the case with the QuietComfort Q45. The active noise cancellation is fantastic, the sound quality is good if not quite audiophile level, and it’s about as comfortable as a pair of headphones get. They look good, too. Of course, this being Bose, it all comes at a somewhat high price.

As good as these headphones are, they’re a little lower on this list for two reasons. The first is battery life. You’ll get 22 hours of use with ANC on, which is surprisingly low considering the competition. That said, it’s more than enough for the real world. The second is its fast-charging as it takes a 15 minute charge to get three hours of use. That beats anything with a traditional USB-A connection, but there are much cheaper options on here that do better. And, while that battery life is not a big deal, unless you habitually forget to charge your devices, you’ll probably be frustrated with its fast charging capabilities if you’re stuck somewhere and only have a few minutes access to an outlet.

Source:Logitech

Logitech Zone Vibe 100 Wireless

Best for work

USB-C charging and office productivity meet here

The Logitech Zone Vibe 100 Wireless are a fantastic option for anyone needing headphones for work as they include a boom mic for crystal clear calls. And, while their sound quality is not going to match a lot of headphones as they’re a bit light on bass, they still sound good. The battery life is a bit underwhelming in this day and age, but these are not for commutes or airplane rides. Instead, these are for a comfortable, decent sounding experience at the office.

Pros

• Boom mic is ideal for calls
• Comfortable fit
• The price is right

Cons

• A little weak in the bass
• Battery life is on the low side

The Logitech Zone Vibe 100 Wireless is a bit of an outlier on this list and for good reason as it is a headset, rather than a more traditional pair of headphones. Instead of beam forming mics for answering calls and processing ANC, it comes with a retractable boom mic so that you come through clearer when on a call. And, while you can certainly use it like a pair of headphones as the sound quality is good if a little light on the low-end, this is ideal for that worker bee who’s constantly on the phone and wants something comfortable, not to mention something that can function just as well for work as it does for pleasure.

While its 18-hour battery life is nothing special, five minutes of fast-charging will give an extra hour of use which is enough to keep you going through a work day.

Source:V-Moda

V-Moda Crossfade 3 Wireless

Most stylish

Ideal for those looking for a little personatlization

The V-Moda Crossfade 3 Wireless are gorgeous looking headphones that go to the next level thanks to the ability to replace the outer ear shields with personalized options. Luckily, they sound good too, though they’re not very neutral sounding. Unfortunately, there’s no active noise cancellation – a real shame considering the price – but the positives vastly outweigh the negatives here.

Pros

• Stylish aesthetics with personalization options
• Hi-red audio with big low-end
• Folding and included case make for easy travel

Cons

• On the pricey side
• No active noise cancellation

Though the V-Moda Crossfade 3 Wireless doesn’t have ANC and is on the pricey side, it’s still worth a consideration. To start, they may be one of the most attractive or at least unique looking headphones on this list, complete with the ability to customize them by replacing the outer ear shield with custom made ones. But, that should be the icing on the cake here.

And, it is. Because, these are great sounding headphones with the kind of low-end that will put a smile on any basshead’s face. They’re also Hi-Res so you’ll get plenty of clarity from the extended frequency range. They also fold up for easy storage when traveling and come with a solid, if not quite newsworthy 30 hours of battery life.

Source:Sennheiser

Sennheiser HD 450BT

Best sound on a budget

You don’t have to splurge for excellent sound

The Sennheiser HD 450BT might feel a little cramped. And, the button layout can be a little confusing. But, otherwise these relatively inexpensive headphones when on sale (and they regularly are) sound fantastic with loads of options including choosing different codecs accessible via an app. Plus, Android users will rejoice at the inclusion of Google Fast Pair.

Pros

• The HD 450BT sounds great, though the bass is boosted by default.
• The EQ can be adjusted with an app, and aptX/aptX Low Latency support is a nice bonus.
• These can usually be found for $150 or less, which is a competitive price.

Cons

• The restrictive band might be uncomfortable for some
• The button layout is a bit confusing

The Sennheiser HD 450BT might not reach the heights of the company’s flagship headphones. They’re certainly could be better when it comes to comfort as they can feel a little cramped. However, if you have a smaller head or are willing to put up with a less-than-great fit, these headphones have a lot to offer, especially considering that they won’t cost you nearly as much as other USB-C charging headphones.

Being a Sennheiser product, the sound quality is unsurprisingly top-notch. The HD 450BT do come with a bit of bass boost, but you can easily tweak that with the company’s app if that’s not to taste. And, they support Google Fast Pair for Android users, so you can quickly connect these headphones to your device.

As far as the battery life goes, you’ll get a solid 30 hours with ANC on and can fully charge in just two hours.

What to look for in USB-C charging headphones

A lot of the advice will be the same as what you may have heard in other places. USB-C ports are the same in size, throughput, and whatever other metric you might find from one pair of headphones to the next. However, pay attention to what kind of fast charge capability, if any, the model you’re looking at has as that will change from pair to pair. The Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones, for example, offer four hours of use with just a ten minute charge while the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless takes five minutes to get that four hours of charge.

However, USB-C offers quicker charging than traditional USB-A ports so you’ll see faster charging times across the board. Unless you think you might be cutting it close – maybe you’re backpacking across Europe and find yourself with minimal time to charge – you should probably put that a little lower on the list of priorities. Similarly, battery life has come a long way with wireless headphones so even the worst of the bunch will give you 20 hours.

Therefore, you should consider what your budget is first as many of these are a bit on the pricier side, which will surely change as more headphones inevitably switch to USB-C charging, and then find the best sounding pair available. All the options we’ve included will sound good but some will outperform others. And, some will offer a slightly different sound as well, as one or two options proudly pump up the bass instead of offering a more neutral sound.

Comfort is also an important consideration but most headphones have plenty of padding. Only some unique headphones that eschew the general design might offer excellent sound quality but not be that comfortable to wear (and, that’s an article for another day).

Lastly, think about the features that you need. Most of the options here have active noise cancellation (ANC) but they’re not all the same. Whatever is the latest iteration for Sony, currently the WH-1000XM5, followed by Bose’s top options are generally considered to be the gold standard here. But, plenty of other contenders do a good job.

Which USB-C charging headphones are best for you?

You might be surprised to not find the Sony WH-1000XM5 leading off this list. And, that’s purely due to how expensive it is, which is why it’s our premium pick. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless doesn’t quite have as good ANC as the Sony but they’re excellent sounding headphones with that incredibly quick fast charge and are just a little bit cheaper, so we’ve designated it our Editor’s Choice. Of course, if you’re on a budget, the generically named Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones are worth a look as they’ll get you most of the way there for a fraction of the price.

Source: Sennheiser

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Best overall

Stellar sounding and fully featured

$281

$350

Save

$69

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are a great option for anyone who doesn’t mind paying a premium for high-end wireless audio; they sound utterly great. Battery life is also phenomenal at up to 60 hours per charge with ANC on. That ANC isn’t particularly impressive, though — especially compared to similarly priced options from Bose or Sony.