Entertainment
The best wireless headphones in 2025
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
Wired headphones are making a comeback with Gen Z — and wired headphones have always been the choice for true audiophiles — but wireless headphones are still the direction of technological travel. In fact, lots of up-to-date devices don’t even have headphone jacks, so going wireless is now the universal option.
And we are talking headphones here, not earbuds. Sure, earbuds might be more convenient for on-the-move lifestyles and fitness, but headphones tend to deliver superior sound. And they do a great job of shutting out the outside world. That’s because headphones create a seal over your ears to block out exterior noise, so even if they aren’t technically “noise cancelling”, they will still do a decent job preventing unwanted sound from interfering with your music or podcast.
But buying headphones can be hard. The sheer number of available headphones, combined with ever-advancing tech — which is all designed to cater to different listening habits and lifestyles — makes it tricky to pick the best pair of headphones for you and your ears. Let us help by offering some handy headphone information.
How do wireless headphones work?
Most wireless headphones are Bluetooth-enabled, the standard technology these days for hooking your headphones to a smart device. Other options include old radio frequency technology. Bluetooth is the standard and work perfectly well for music and podcasts, but if you’re using wireless headphones to hook up to your TV, radio frequency might be a better choice because there’s less chance of lag between picture and audio — sometimes an issue with Bluetooth unless your device and headphones support the latest and best performing Bluetooth codecs.
What are the most important headphones features?
Some of the jargon around headphones can be confusing, so we’ve broken down some of the most important headphone features to help you pick the perfect pair:
-
Bluetooth codecs — As referenced above, these are clever bits of software that encode and decode digital audio signals. The codecs decode at a specific bitrate, which determines whether the headphones have a high or low latency (AKA lag), measured in milliseconds. Look out for headphones with low latency that support Qaulcomm’s aptX codecs, which are usually rated as the best codecs for streaming video content or hooking up to a TV.
-
Closed-back/open-back — Closed back headphones have completely sealed ear cups, which directs sound to your ears and keeps out ambient noise. Closed-back are often the go-to choice for commuting and noisy environments. Open-back headphones let air into the ear cup but can cause sound leakage that goes both ways — in and out. This is sometimes found on very expensive headphones for clearer, natural sound.
-
Drivers — These are little cone-shaped gadgets in the ear cups that are responsible for your tunes. They convert electrical signals into sounds. For over-ear headphones, they usually measure between 20mm and 50mm in headphones.
-
On-ear and over ear — These are self explanatory but it’s always good to be clear. On-ear headphones sit on your ear, while over-ear have bigger cups that go over the entire ear. On-ear are usually more portable, with better battery life, while over-ear create a more immersive experience and often support noise cancellation. Over-ear is becoming the more common style.
Keep these features in mind when shopping around for your next pair of headphones.
What is noise cancellation?
Noise cancellation is exactly as it sounds — a method of cancelling out external noise to help you shut off the outside world and get deep into the listening zone.
There are two kinds of noise cancellation: Passive and active noise cancellation. Passive noise cancellation happens by design as the physical build of the ear cups creates a seal to block incoming sounds. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is a bit more complicated. It uses tiny microphones within the ear cups, which detect incoming noise and emit sound waves to cancel out that noise.
Some headphones feature different ANC modes, such as “transparency mode”, which allows certain noises to get through, such as voices. That means you can immerse yourself in the music but always know when a friend or colleague starts a conversation.
What are the best wireless headphones?
To help you decide, we’ve rounded up the best wireless headphones based on researching the reviews, listening experience, and customer comments. They range in quality, features, and price, so there’s something for everyone.
These are the best wireless headphones for 2025.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
-
Word
-
Excel
-
PowerPoint
-
Outlook
-
OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
