Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to snag a new pair of headphones or earbuds at a great price, and you won’t have to wait until the end of the month to start saving. While most official sales haven’t kicked off quite yet, the early deals are already in full swing. That means you can score some serious savings on top brands like Apple, Bose, Sony and much more right now, and CNET’s shopping experts have rounded up some of the absolute best offers below.
Just keep in mind that not every deal will stick around until the main event, so you may want to take advantage of these early offers while you can. Plus, we’ll continue to add more deals as they pop up throughout the month, so be sure to check back often.
For even more savings, you can also check out the best bargains already available on TVs, laptops and Apple tech.
Best early Black Friday headphone deals
With truly premium sound and top-of-the-line noise cancellation, CNET audio expert David Carnoy named these the overall best headphones of 2026. They also offer excellent voice call performance, which makes them a great pick for “frequent travelers, remote workers and commuters.” Plus, you’re getting them for an all-time low price with this early Black Friday deal.
The second-gen AirPods Max are some of the absolute best headphones of 2026 and offer nice improvements over their predecessor. The new H2 chip gives them an all-around performance boost, including cleaner sound, improved spatial audio and active noise canceling that’s up to “1.5x more effective,” according to CNET’s audio expert. They also support quite a few helpful new features, such as Live Translation, and you can respond to Siri just by shaking your head.
Sennheiser makes top-notch headphones for serious audiophiles, and this is a rare chance to snag yourself a pair for less. These may be a generation behind the top-rated Momentum 5, but still have plenty to offer for half the cost. They have truly excellent sound, an impressive 60-hour battery life and a fully customizable EQ so you can personalize your listening experience.
If over-ear headphones are a little too bulky for you, these on-ear Beats are an excellent alternative. They’re one of our favorite pairs of on-ear headphones for 2026, with our reviewer commending them for their sound quality, battery life and voice-calling performance. They lack active noise cancellation, but do support spatial audio if you’re an Apple user. Plus, they have a 50-hour battery life and are very lightweight at just 217 grams.
More early Black Friday headphone deals:
Best early Black Friday earbud deals
With a sleek design, solid sound and top-notch noise-canceling capabilities, it’s no surprise that the AirPods Pro 3 have earned a top spot on our list of the overall best wireless earbuds of 2026. They also support innovative features like live translation and a built-in heart rate monitor, and they’re IP57 dust- and water-resistant so you can use them for workouts as well.
These are some of the best earbuds of 2026, and boast tons of cool features like live translation, ANC 2.0 and more. In David Carnoy’s Buds 4 Pro review, he said, “[Samsung’s] new flagship Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a stick design. But if it’s any consolation, they look snazzier, fit a bit better, and have upgraded sound and slightly improved all-around performance. That’s why I awarded them a CNET Editors’ Choice.”
These unique Anker buds feature an open-ear design that lets you enjoy your tunes without sacrificing awareness. They’re also IP55-rated for water resistance and have an impressive 42-hour battery life, making them among the best running earbuds of 2026.
These JBL buds are a great pick for those on a budget — especially now that you can snag a pair for 38% off. They have 8mm dynamic drivers, support active noise cancellation and a 40-hour battery life, which is a lot to offer for less than $50.
More early Black Friday earbud deals:
Should I shop headphone deals now or wait for Black Friday?
There are tons of amazing headphone and earbud deals already available, so you certainly don’t have to wait to start saving big. However, it’s fairly likely that we’ll see prices dip a little lower once sales officially kick off later in the month, so you may want to hold off if you’re after the absolute best bargain available. Just be aware that select pairs could sell out early.
Where should I shop for the best early Black Friday headphone deals?
Major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart are your best bet if you’re on the hunt for headphone deals, with tons of pairs already on sale ahead of Black Friday. Plus, select brands like Bose and Sony are offering some deals of their own, so it’s worth checking their sites as well.
What headphone brands should I shop on Black Friday?
Black Friday brings some serious discounts on just about every major headphone brand, including Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Beats, JBL, Apple and more. We highlight Apple deals in particular, as it’s typically a little harder to find deals on its top-rated headphones and earbuds outside of major shopping events, making this one of the best times of the year to score some savings.
