Sony and Bose are battling it out to give you the best deal on active noise canceling headphones this Memorial Day

Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones
(Image credit: Bose)

One of the most valuable accessories you can own is a good pair of active noise canceling headphones. Wherever you are or whatever you're doing, ANC headphones can let you listen to music, take phone calls, and watch movies in peace. When it comes to choosing the best pair of active noise canceling headphones for you, two names are bound to come up a lot: Sony and Bose.

Right now, the two companies are battling it to get you the best deal on the greatest ANC headphones for Memorial Day. You can grab the Sony WH-1000XM4 for just $248 at Amazon and the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for just $249 at Amazon.

Sony WH-1000XM4 — $348 now $248 at Amazon

Sony WH-1000XM4 — was $348 now $248 at Amazon

Sony has been making some of the best active noise canceling headphones for years, and the WH-1000XM4 is one of the most refined and well-rounded the company has ever made. Right now, it's also a very good deal.

Also see: Sony WH-1000XM5 for $399.99 $328 at Amazon

Perfect for: Those who want the best blend between audio quality, design, features, and active noise canceling.

Avoid if: Comfort is the #1 most important part of your headphones, as Bose does as little better here.

💰Price check: $249.99 at Best Buy (XM4) | $329.99 at Best Buy (XM5)

Bose QuietComfort Headphones — $349 now $249 at Amazon

Bose QuietComfort Headphones — was $349 now $249 at Amazon

Bose has been a household name for quality audio products for decades, and the QuietComfort line is infamous for offering great noise cancellation and unbeatable comfort.

Also see: Bose QuietComfort Ultra for $429 $379 at Amazon

Perfect for: Those who need the most comfortable possible pair of active noise canceling headphones.

Avoid if: You value extra features like more customization and better software.

💰Price check: $249 at Best Buy (QuietComfort) | $379.99 at Best Buy (Ultra)

You can't go wrong with either of these headphones

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are still the easiest ANC headphones to recommend. (Image credit: Sony)
More Memorial Day deals

Whether you're constantly on an airplane or your own home is loud, active noise canceling headphones can be a lifesaver. These ingenious accessories filter out external background noise to let you enjoy your music uninterrupted, and often prioritize comfort above everything else. Plenty of companies are making active noise canceling headphones now, but two still stand apart from all the rest.

Sony and Bose have been competing for years on making the best possible pair of ANC headphones, and both companies have released some incredible products. For Memorial Day, you can save a ton of the best from each, letting you enjoy peace and quiet wherever you are. For many, the optimal selection will be the Sony WH-1000XM4, one of the highest-rated pairs of headphones ever released — but you can't go wrong with any of these.

You can spend more to get more. (Image credit: Sony / Windows Central)

The Sony WH-1000XM4 feature an iconic design with an extremely well-rounded set of features, build quality, audio quality, and active noise cancellation quality. They're comfortable to wear, last an extremely long time, integrate with your phone (with extra customization options), and are very intuitive to use. They're a near perfect pair of wireless active noise canceling headphones, and you can pick them up for $248 at Amazon.

On the Bose side of things, the QuietComfort Headphones compete directly with Sony's WH-1000XM4. They don't look quite as nice, last quite as long on a charge, or block out noise quite as effectively, but the QuietComfort Headphones are supremely comfortable to wear for hours on end and boast a neutral, more natural sound profile that many people prefer. You can buy the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $249 at Amazon.

Of course, you can always go more premium. Sony updated its flagship ANC headphones with a refreshed design, improved active noise canceling and sound quality, an upgraded microphone, and even longer battery life. The WH-1000XM5 are astonishingly good, and right now they're easier to get at just $328 at Amazon. Not one to be left behind, Bose did a similar upgrade with its QuietComfort Ultra pair of ANC headphones, which can be had for a discounted $379 at Amazon.

Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.

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