10 Best School Headphones 2020: For Enhanced Learning

"Back to school" right today might mean anything from post-secondary courses, distance learning at home or any combination of the two, depending on where you live. However, it's a fair bet that students in any circumstance still need new headphones, whether for checking in on Zoom-based courses, or only listening to music between courses. With so many models to choose from, it can be tough to determine which cans to get. Keeping that in mind, we are highlighting a number of our highest-rated cans -- all of them wireless, but perhaps not all pricey -- to help limit your choices this back-to-school season. Subscribe to the TVs, Streaming and Audio newsletter, receive notifications and see related stories on CNET. Note that I have fully reviewed or anecdotally tested each the headphones listed below (click the hyperlinks for additional information ). I have comprised IP (ingress protection) evaluations for the wireless models. Anything in IPX4 or over could be considered sweatproof. Read more:  Best   laptops for high school pupils in 2020 which are in stock Juan Garzon/CNET Sony's WH-1000XM3, the third generation of Sony's exceptional wireless noise-canceling headphones, features a much more comfortable fit and much greater performance compared to its predecessor: It's got perfect sound quality for listening to audio. With a solid battery lifetime these over-ear wireless headphones really are now our top-rated pick for sound cancellation, edging out the pricier Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. While these over-ear cans record for $350, they frequently get discounted for closer to $280. 

 And it's doubly important to seek out that reduction: Using a next-gen version of this pair of wireless headphones have been seen on Twitter, we anticipate the XM4 successor to arrive later this season. Read our Sony WH-1000XM3 review. Angela Lang/CNETWater-resistant: Yes (IPX4 rating -- splashproof). Samsung's Buds Plus look essentially the same since the first Galaxy Buds, however, their battery life is rated at 11 hours for music playback (up from 6), plus they pack double drivers for greater sound and an additional microphone in every bud to assist with outside noise reduction while making forecasts. I was amazed with the sound. The sound quality is detailed and smooth, with profound, well-defined bass. The sound is richer and more spacious than the first Galaxy Buds. Well-respected Austrian audio company AKG, that Samsung obtained when it purchased Harman, is behind the audio. While the original Buds were "tuned" by AKG, these would be a great upgrade over the originals -- and there with what you get together with the Jabra Elite 75t, if not even a touch better. They use Bluetooth and support AAC (there is now an program for iOS consumers ) and Samsung's scalable codec, which will be similar to aptX but is still proprietary to Samsung Galaxy phones. Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus review.