The number and variety of Bluetooth headsets available on the market today is astounding. If you need a headset for work calls, finding the right one might be overwhelming. Whether you prefer a single-ear headset, over-the-ear cans, or in-ear true wireless buds, you need to factor in comfort, mic clarity, and battery life to find the right set. PCMag has been writing about and reviewing Bluetooth headsets for 20 years, so we’re well-versed on what works and what doesn’t for pros who rely on their phone. Our top picks include the Jabra Evolve2 75 for those extra-long work days and the Poly Voyager 5200 for its lightweight build and long-lasting battery. Read on for more of the best Bluetooth headsets we’ve tested followed by tips to keep in mind while shopping.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Best Multipurpose Gaming Headset
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
Pros & Cons
Full, clear audio
Good microphone
Strong noise cancellation
Clever base station with hot-swappable batteries and two USB ports
Powerful software with extensive audio adjustments and effective simulated surround
Audio profile requires some tweaking with EQ to get the best experience
No optical audio input for the base
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
10Hz–40kHz (music), 100Hz-6.5kHz (voice)
Battery Life
Up to 36 hours
Why We Picked It
Some headsets, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, work just as well for gaming as productivity. These offer competent active noise cancellation and an excellent boom mic with strong noise isolation, as well as bundle a handy base station and two batteries that help you maintain a constant charge. This headset also supports Bluetooth for your phone and multipoint connectivity.
Who It’s For
This SteelSeries model is for gamers who work from home and want the best audio they can get for either scenario. It doesn’t have any funky angles or RGB lighting, so you don’t need to worry about not looking professional on camera.
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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Review
Best Headset/Headphones Combo
Jabra Evolve2 75
Pros & Cons
Excellent clarity from retractable boom mic
Quality audio performance with rich bass and bright highs
Good active noise cancellation
Exceptionally comfortable
App includes EQ and customization options
Expensive
Default audio sculpting won’t appeal to purists
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
20Hz to 20kHz (music), 100Hz to 8kHz (voice)
Battery Life
36 hours (music), 24 hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
The Jabra Evolve2 75 headset is an upgraded version of the excellent Evolve2 65 model that adds active noise cancellation. The new model looks a bit sleeker but otherwise offers all of the same features.
Who It’s For
If you deal with a lot of distractions at your desk, the Evolve2 75 is a worthwhile investment.
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Jabra Evolve2 75 Review
Best Lightweight Headset
Poly Voyager 5200
Pros & Cons
Long battery life.
Won’t fall off your ear.
Long range.
Built-in voice commands.
Completely reversible.
Solid noise cancellation.
Ear hook takes some finesse to fit perfectly over glasses.
Not quite as comfortable as previous Voyagers.
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
100Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-6.8kHz (voice)
Battery Life
7 hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
A stereo headset can feel bulky for commutes, but your average true wireless earphones can make you sound fuzzy and distant on calls. The Poly (formerly Plantronics) Voyager 5200 is a classic, simple mono earpiece you can pop in when you need to take calls and slip into your pocket when you’re out and about. Its microphone helps block outside noise on the street, and you can even use voice commands.
Who It’s For
This is a simple, stealthy headset that simply won’t get in the way. It’s ideal if you constantly need to be available for calls away from your desk.
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Poly Voyager 5200 Review
Best Modular Boom Mic
Antlion Audio ModMic Wireless
Pros & Cons
Excellent sound quality.
Clever design.
Limited to PC and PS4.
Expensive.
No onboard gain adjustment.
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
50Hz-20kHz (voice)
Battery Life
12+ hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
The Antlion Audio ModMic Wireless saves you the trouble of having to swap between headphones and a separate headset for calls. It’s a modular boom mic that attaches semi-permanently to your headphones and pairs with a USB adapter that you attach to your computer. The result is a big boost in sound quality over that of most headphones’ pinhole mics.
Who It’s For
If your favorite headphones don’t have a good built-in microphone and you need to make calls for work, this modular Antlion model is worth your money. The USB adapter means you can’t use it on the go, but its magnetic mount makes it easy to pop the microphone on and off at will.
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Antlion Audio ModMic Wireless Review
Best for Work and Play
Jabra Evolve2 85
Pros & Cons
Crisp boom microphone
Plush earcups
Full, clear audio
Several configurations available
Expensive
Noise cancellation isn’t on par with top competitors
Desktop app requires adapter to work
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
20Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-8kHz (voice)
Battery Life
Up to 37 hours
Why We Picked It
Jabra has a full range of enterprise-focused wireless headsets, and the Evolve2 85 is one of its most adaptive models. This over-ear headset is just as adept at taking business calls as it is playing your favorite tunes. It sounds excellent, has a clear extendable boom mic, and includes a dedicated button for opening Microsoft Teams notifications.
Who It’s For
Enterprise headsets like this are pricey and the Evolve2 85 is no exception. If you need to sit at your desk and take calls all day—and perhaps take a break to listen to some music—the Evolve2 85 is worth the investment thanks to its long-term comfort and crystal clear sound.
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Jabra Evolve2 85 Review
Best Noise-Cancelling Mic
BlueParrott B550-XT
Pros & Cons
Excellent mic clarity with solid intelligibility even in loud situations.
Comfortable.
Can be controlled by voice using app.
Expensive.
App could be more useful.
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
150Hz-6.8kHz (music and voice)
Battery Life
Up to 24 hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
The BlueParrott B550-XT workplace headset has a noise-cancelling mic that keeps your voice clear on calls no matter what’s in the background. It also has an IP54 rating, which means it can handle dust and rain.
Who It’s For
If you work outside in noisy environments, the B550-XT is a worthy choice. It just might be a bit overkill for a typical desk job.
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BlueParrott B550-XT Review
Most Rugged Headset
BlueParrott C300-XT
Pros & Cons
Wideband audio allows for strong voice clarity.
Effective noise-canceling mic.
Excellent range.
Rugged build.
Cumbersome customization and firmware update process.
App doesn’t always recognize paired earpiece.
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
20Hz-20kHz (music), 150Hz-6.8kHz (voice)
Battery Life
Up to 10 hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
The BlueParrott C300-XT is one of the smallest and sturdiest headsets on this list. It features a mic that cancels outside noise fairly effectively, as well as an excellent IP65 rating.
Who It’s For
This is the small earpiece to take to any jobsite where you might get dirty or wet. You can tuck it into a pocket when you don’t need it and confidently rinse off any dirt or mud that accumulates when you get home.
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BlueParrott C300-XT Review
Best Enterprise Wireless Earphones
Poly Voyager Free 60+
Pros & Cons
Excellent sound quality
Novel touch-screen charging case
Both AAC and AptX support
Mics don’t match the quality of a boom
Average noise cancellation
Finicky touch controls
Expensive
Specs & Configurations
Frequency Range
20Hz-20kHz (music), up to 7kHz (voice)
Battery Life
8 hours (music), 5.5 hours (talk)
Why We Picked It
Conventional headsets offer excellent voice quality with their boom microphones, but true wireless earphones have become extremely popular for their portability and convenience. The Poly Voyager Free 60+ is an enterprise-focused pair that integrates a USB transmitter to connect with a computer and a phone at the same time. The earphones also include active noise cancellation and a unique charging case with a touch screen. They generally work well, but their mics don’t offer nearly as clear a signal as one at the end of a boom.
Who It’s For
The Voyager Free 60+ headset is a decent option for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the bulk of a conventional model when they’re on a call. They flawlessly switch between computer and phone connections, as well as have excellent sound quality.
Learn More
Poly Voyager Free 60+ Review
Buying Guide: The Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2024
What’s the Difference Between Bluetooth Headsets and Headphones?Stereo headphones aren’t just for listening to music. They also make calls, often quite well. So, if you’re thinking about some wireless headphones to rock out to, you might not need a separate Bluetooth headset. Keep in mind that stereo headphones can sometimes be bulky and might not block distracting environmental noises competently.
Jabra Evolve2 75 (Credit: Jabra)
The stereo headsets in this roundup, by contrast, are lighter and often have boom mics that easily isolate your voice. We compare the two options more decisively in our roundup of the best headsets and headphones for your home office.Call Quality and Noise CancellationCall quality is an issue in both directions; a headset might sound full and crisp in the earpiece but then transmit a thin, robotic version of your voice to the person on the other end. Make sure that the headset you choose has good (or at least acceptable) outgoing call quality.How well the other person can hear you when you’re in a speeding car with the windows down or in your office on a VoIP call can quickly separate the good performers from the bad. Headsets with two or three mics usually perform the best because at least one of those detects and cancels ambient noise with adaptive digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms.You definitely pay a premium for advanced noise cancellation, but depending on your needs, that feature might be worth it. We test noise-cancelling performance in every one of our reviews. For more on noise cancellation, head over to our roundups of the best noise-cancelling headphones and the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds, as well as our article on how we test noise cancellation.
BlueParrott C300-XT (Credit: BlueParrott)
Battery Life, Comfort, and RangeA guiding principle with mono headsets: If you don’t want to charge, go large. Bigger headsets mean more room for bigger batteries. Comfort is a highly subjective matter. The best in-ear headsets have a range of fit styles—for instance, several different sizes of eartips, plus an option for an over-the-ear hook. If you absolutely can’t bear to put something in your ear, go for over-the-ear stereo headphones.
Recommended by Our Editors
Most Bluetooth headsets offer about 30 feet of range before the signal starts popping badly or devolving into digital artifacts. Larger headsets with stronger antennas have a bit more range. BlueParrott’s products, for instance, tend to have respectable battery life and range, but at the cost of size and weight.How Much Should You Spend on a Bluetooth Headset?The sweet spot for a mono Bluetooth headset is around $100 and you can often find discounts that bring the price down a bit if you shop around. A quality stereo headset generally runs between $150 and $300. The headsets in this roundup are on the high end of that price range because we focused on the absolute best-performing devices for people who rely on their headsets all day.You can often find a decent (or even excellent) headset for under $50 because they tend to remain in retail channels for a long time after the manufacturer discontinues them. Cheaper Jabra, Motorola, and Poly headsets work fine; they just aren’t up to the performance standards of the more expensive category leaders. Typically, they are a bit clunkier and don’t offer as effective noise cancellation, but, then again, you aren’t paying a premium for them.
