Best Headphones for School: Teens & Students

Amazon: 500+ bought in the past month
Ailihen: 70K+ bought in the past year

Tetiana and I believe that the Ailihen C8 deserves the second place in our list of the best headphones for students. These are solid headphones under $20 that surprised us with their functionality, particularly during the educational process. They have a foldable design, which makes them ideal for traveling or storing in a backpack.

My son would especially appreciate the comfy ear cushions. They are nice to wear for several hours without causing discomfort. Plus, the sturdy construction ensures reliability, which is important for an active teenager.

As for the sound, Ailihen C8 does not claim to be studio quality, but for the price, they provide clean and balanced sound. They are great for online lessons, watching videos, or listening to your favorite tracks. For me, as a mother, the headphones needed to have a built-in microphone, so that my son could easily participate in calls or conferences.

However, there are some caveats. For example, these headphones lack active noise cancellation, so it can be more difficult to concentrate in loud environments. Also, the cable, while it looks sturdy, is not detachable, which takes a toll on its functionality in case of damage.

Amazon: 10K+ bought in the past month
B&H: 50K+ bought in the past year
Adorama: 35K+ bought in the past year
Best Buy: 20K+ bought in the past year

We tested these headphones under $300 for school, and can deservedly call them the best headphones for college students or pupils who value comfort, sound quality, and technology. We were most impressed by the active noise cancellation. Even in lessons with a home background, they perfectly isolate sounds and allow you to fully immerse yourself in studies or videos.

The ear pads are very soft and comfortable, so you can wear them for all your lessons without discomfort. Another plus is the lightweight design. The model doesn’t put pressure on your head, which makes it ideal for long-term use.

The sound quality of the Sony WH-1000XM4 is at a high level. The headphones provide clear, clean sound without disturbances. My daughter uses them during online lessons, and she notes that the teachers’ voices are very clearly audible, even if there is extraneous noise in the background.

In addition, the function of connecting to multiple devices at the same time is very convenient. When we switched between the computer and the phone for studying and making calls, the process was smooth, without any glitches.

The only thing to note is that these headphones are not exactly compact. Although they fold up, they still take up more space in your backpack than other models. The price is also not the lowest, so if you are looking for more budget-friendly studying headphones, these may be too expensive for everyday use.

Amazon: 200+ bought in the past month
B&H: 10K+ bought in the past year
Best Buy: 6K+ bought in the past year

First of all, I want to say that these headphones for studying are very compact and lightweight. So, they are suitable for long-term studying. They don’t feel heavy even after several hours of use, and they sit comfortably in your ears.

Another big advantage is the long battery life. The JLab Go Air Pop can last up to 8 hours on a single charge, and with the charging case, the total battery life is up to 32 hours. This means you can forget about recharging for an entire school day or even more.

Additionally, the Dual Connect feature allows you to use each earbud separately. This is very convenient if you only need to listen to one audio file or leave one ear free for communication with others.

On the other hand, the sound quality may not fully meet the requirements of those who are used to a more powerful bass. The JLab Go Air Pop has three EQ settings (Signature, Balanced, Bass Boost), but still, the bass may not be deep enough for music lovers who favor a pronounced low range.

Another drawback that Tetiana and I can highlight is the sensitivity of the touch buttons. Sometimes they respond too quickly, which makes the control not entirely precise, especially when you try to switch songs or answer a call while on the move.

Amazon: 200+ bought in the past month
B&H: 25K+ bought in the past year
Best Buy: 15K+ bought in the past year

While testing the SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, I first evaluated their real-time language translation feature using Galaxy AI. It really impressed us, and we understood why many users claim these are the best headphones to study. It allows a student to instantly translate conversations, which is a real godsend when communicating with people who speak other languages.

They are extremely comfortable and lightweight, so you can wear them for hours without feeling uncomfortable. Another big advantage is the sound. With a powerful sound balance and active noise cancellation, these headphones for movies do a great job of blocking out external noise, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in educational material.

The transparency function is also very convenient when you need to hear the surrounding sound, for example, when communicating with other people. Still, the touch controls can sometimes be a bit too sensitive. We accidentally switched tracks and paused several times by simply touching the headphones.

Amazon: 100+ bought in the past month
Best Buy: 1K+ bought in the past year

Based on our testing of the HyperX Cloud Flight headphones, we’ve determined they are the best headphones for students, who look for comfort, high-quality sound, and long battery life for extended study periods. The memory foam ear pads ensure a secure and comfortable fit, ideal for prolonged use.

The detachable mic with noise-cancellation makes it easy to hear and be heard in online classes or study groups. Plus, the ear cups swivel 90 degrees so you can easily hang them around your neck when you need a respite.

The HyperX Cloud Flight has a battery that lasts up to 30 hours. Thus, you can use them all day for classes or studying. We tested these earbuds for teens and can say that the 2.4 GHz wireless connection is super smooth with no lag. Besides, the controls are easy to use, so you can adjust the volume or mute the mic without any hassle.

However, the headset may be a bit too big for people with smaller heads. Also, while the sound quality is great, the bass could be deeper. One more possible disadvantage is the microphone’s performance. Voice clarity isn’t the best, particularly because it picks up surrounding noise in a louder setting.

Amazon: 100+ bought in the past month
Tozo Store: 2K+ bought in the past year

The TOZO T10 headphones offer powerful sound with deep bass and professional ORIGX tuning. Thus, you can get incredibly clear music and podcast sound. We were both impressed by the 32 preset equalizer modes via the TOZO app, which allows users to adjust the sound to their personal preferences.

I think all students will appreciate the Bluetooth 5.3 feature of these headphones for school kids. The automatic connection function after removing it from the charging case makes use even more convenient. IPX8 water and sweat protection means you don’t have to worry about your headphones during rain or exercise.

Thanks to the well-thought-out design and different sizes of ear pads, these headphones under $50 sit comfortably even after long hours of listening. But they do not have active noise cancellation, so they may not be effective in very noisy environments, such as at school during breaks. Also, they do not support voice control or integration with the most popular voice assistants.

Amazon: 500+ bought in the past month
Nothing Tech: 7K+ bought in the past year

These headphones for school combine a stylish look and excellent sound quality. What I noticed is a powerful 11 ​​mm driver, thanks to which they provide deep bass and clear high frequencies. Tetiana liked the active noise cancellation of up to 45 dB and automatic adjustment to your ear shape. Thus, you can fully immerse yourself in the learning process, even in a noisy environment.

Another benefit for students is Clear Voice technology, which reduces background noise during calls or video lessons. All voices are clear and intelligible. The headphones have an impressive battery life of up to 42.5 hours without the need to charge them.

There is also an interesting integration feature with ChatGPT, meaning you can quickly get answers to questions directly through the headphones. This is useful during studies.

However, to use integration with ChatGPT, you need to have a Nothing brand phone. In addition, for some people the headphones may not be very comfortable to wear for a long time. They also do not have protection against water.

Amazon: 50+ bought in the past month
MyEarFun: 1K+ bought in the past year

Both Tanya and I think that EarFun Wave Pro are good headphones for students. They offer high sound quality thanks to Hi-Res audio support and powerful 40mm drivers. Such a combo provides clear and deep sound for listening to lectures, music or videos. Thanks to active noise cancellation of up to 45 dB, you can focus on studying even in noisy places, such as a classroom or library.

One of the key benefits for students is the long battery life. The headphones work up to 80 hours without noise cancellation and 55 hours with it enabled. So, it is safe to say they are the best headphones for college students, who have long sessions and don’t want to constantly charge them. What’s more, the quick charge in 10 minutes will provide 10 hours of listening time.

The headphones are very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to soft memory foam ear cushions, an adjustable headband, and the ability to fold for easy storage and transport. They also have a multi-connection function, so you can connect two devices at the same time, e.g., a phone and a computer.

However, if you use LDAC for enhanced sound, the multi-connection feature is disabled. Also, when you connect the headphones via AUX cable, the active noise cancellation is disabled and the touch buttons and microphones become inactive.

We chose video-based learning and listening to lecture recordings as the main testing scenarios. During the 3-hour online classes, we answered the following questions:

• Do the headphones feel heavy or uncomfortable after long periods of wearing?
• Do they rub against your ears or cause pain due to an inappropriate design?
• Did you check to see if they fall out during active movements (walking around the house or moving your head)?

Convenience of controls. After connecting each pair of headphones for teens to our laptop and phone, we tested the sensor and button controls. This included:

• Switching music tracks during an online class when you need to switch music without interruption.
• Using touch buttons to adjust the volume and answer a call.
• Testing the response to rapid button presses to see if there are any delays or accidental presses when trying to quickly switch songs or functions.

Sound quality. We listened to different types of content: lecture recordings, podcasts, and music tracks with different genres. Testing was conducted on several devices:

• We checked how clearly the speech was transmitted (especially in those lectures where details are important).
• We measured the sound quality when listening to music with pronounced bass to see if there was a distortion of sound frequencies (which is the case with cheaper models).
• Tanya and I tested the stereo effect and balance between different frequencies when listening to various audio.

Battery life. We specifically chose a day with several online classes and practical tasks. The headphones had to work without recharging for 7-8 hours:

• Our FixThePhoto team evaluated how long the headphones last on a single charge in real-world conditions.
• We checked how quickly the charge in the case is restored and how long it takes to charge the headphones.

Noise cancellation. We tested active noise cancellation while exercising in a noisy environment - near open windows with street noises, or in a room with background TV sound:

• We evaluated whether the headphones actually blocked out most of the external sounds, leaving only the audio.
• We tested whether you could clearly hear the instructor in an online class, even if there was noise nearby. Usually, only headphones under $200, can do this, but there are cheaper models.

Functions for learning. We especially liked the additional features, such as real-time language translation. We used the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for the test:

• Tetiana and I evaluated how the translation function works when watching educational videos in foreign languages.
• We tested whether it is convenient to quickly switch between devices when you need to use headphones on your phone for a call and then again for studying on your computer.

Listening to lectures and podcasts. Headphones can be a useful tool for listening to lectures and educational podcasts while commuting or during breaks between classes.

Hearing safety. Set the volume to a moderate level to avoid damaging your ears. Continuous listening at high volumes can cause gradual hearing loss.

Convenience and comfort. The best headphones to study fit comfortably in your ears without causing pain or discomfort during prolonged use. It is advisable to choose models with soft ear cushions or safe materials.

How to avoid breaking the rules: