Be it home office, home schooling or video telephony – alternative work and school methods are increasingly finding their way into our offices, classrooms and living spaces. It is all the more important that the equipment fits and does not make everyday life even more difficult.
The constant further development in the telecommunications and technology industry always offers new features and innovations in the field of headsets and headphones. It is therefore not so easy to keep track of the current offer. In order to enable each individual user to have a productive and rich-sounding work environment, TECHBOOK has been looking for the best headsets for use in the home office and homeschooling.
What should be considered when buying a headset?
In-ear or over-ear, wireless or wired? Headsets are available in different designs, with different types of headphones and with functions that make everyday work and school life easier or that make gaming fun. Especially those who make a lot of phone calls or take part in video conferences for work need a technical companion that lasts a long time, and telephone headsets with a charging station are therefore recommended. Wireless Bluetooth models, on the other hand, ensure flexibility without cable clutter.
A headset with noise canceling, which filters out and dampens annoying noises, helps with external noise such as street noise, children screaming or the construction site next door. Last but not least, wearing comfort also plays a major role when used for several hours: Headphones should not pinch or cause headaches and come in in-ear, over-ear and over-ear versions.
To make the choice easier, TECHBOOK looked around the headset market and found the best headphones in each category.
Best Bluetooth Noise Canceling Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4
Brand quality that convinces: With the Sony WH-1000XM4, a Bluetooth headset is purchased that sets itself apart from the competition primarily due to its powerful noise cancelling, good sound quality and its pleasant wearing comfort. Other plus points are the long battery life of up to 30 hours and the numerous settings in the manufacturer’s own app. The Sony WH-1000XM4 does not use aptX digital audio technology. Instead, the headset features LDAC – a Sony alternative for high-quality wireless audio. The headphones make up for the relatively high price by not only promising a quiet working environment, but also being suitable for telephoning thanks to the multipoint connection and speak-to-chat function.
Features of the Sony WH-1000XM4
Advantages and disadvantages of the Sony WH-1000XM4
Rating at idealo: grade 1.6 | 3 out of 5 stars
Per
- + Strong noise cancellation
- + Excellent sound
- + Long talk time plus audio cable included
- + Good wearing comfort
cons
- – Not waterproof
- – Relatively high price
The premium headset: Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro focuses on excellent sound quality through THX Spatial Audio, powerful noise cancellation and clear microphone transmission – all features that are important in the home office or home schooling. Added to this are the easy handling, the high wearing comfort and the practical THX spatial audio app. With more than 15 hours of talk time, the headset can also be used with a cable. Plus point: If you also spend time on the computer with gaming in addition to the home office, it is worth buying the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, as the headphones are also suitable as gaming headsets. This establishes the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro as a premium product for work and play afterwards.
Features of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Advantages and disadvantages of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Rating at idealo: grade 1.6 | 5 out of 5 stars
Per
- + THX Spatial Audio and app
- + Impressive sound quality
- + Also suitable for home office or home schooling
- + Detachable microphone
cons
- – Not compatible with all game consoles
The cheapest headset for homeschooling: Logitech H390 USB headset
Headsets have not only become the standard at work, the practical sound transmitters are also suitable for homeschooling or distance learning. The motto for pupils and students is often: good quality for a small budget. The Logitech H390 USB headset is in the lower price range and still offers a good sound in the range of 20 to 20,000 hertz that doesn’t sound tinny or unnatural. With the included USB cable, the headset can be quickly connected to the computer and installed using the driver. Students are happy: the Logitech H390 USB headset is comfortable on the ear even during long Skype sessions and therefore offers an inexpensive alternative for home study.
Features of the Logitech H390 USB headset
Advantages and disadvantages of the Logitech H390 USB headset for computers
Per
- + Very good value for money
- + Pleasant sound
- + USB port
- + Also ideal for people who wear glasses
cons
- – Auricles relatively small
- – Despite noise canceling, background noise comes through
The most flexible over-ear headset: Philips Fidelio L3/00
With its Philips Fidelio L3/00 headset, the Dutch technology company joins the top tier of over-ear headphones. Although there is still some room for improvement with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), the headphones impress with their top sound, which particularly clearly reproduces voices and competes with the Sony WH-1000XM4 with its rich sound. Without ANC, the headphones last a whopping 38 hours – even if some wearers might find the impressive weight of 365 grams and the large ear cups a bit uncomfortable in the long run. Conclusion: Thanks to the clever control on the touchpad, the Philips Fidelio L3/00 is a lot of listening fun and the headset also convinces as a very good Bluetooth solution for everyday work.
Features of the Philips Fidelio L3/00
Advantages and disadvantages of the Philips Fidelio L3/00
Rating at idealo: Grade 2.0 | 4 out of 5 stars
Per
- + Powerful and detailed sound
- + Long battery life
- + Easy to use thanks to the touchpad and the Philips Headphones app
cons
- – Active noise canceling still room for improvement
- – Relatively difficult
The most practical telephone headset for everyday business: Jabra Evolve2 65
Who doesn’t know this: after a long phone call, the headset battery dies and the next call is already waiting. To avoid this scenario, the Jabra Evolve2 65 rests on its charging cradle during phone breaks. In addition, it performs excellently among on-ear headphones with a runtime of between 50 and 60 hours. If you still want to perceive the outside world, you can rely on the monaural version with an earpiece. The Jabra Evolve2 65 is also available with two ear cups for a little more quiet – even if the passive noise insulation of the competition allows significantly less background noise. The headset has its own app for this, which allows the listening experience to be calibrated.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Jabra Evolve2 65
Rating at idealo: grade 1.7 | 4.5 out of 5 stars
Per
- + Excellent battery life
- + Jabra app with equalizer
- + Very light
cons
- – Noise insulation somewhat inferior
- – Stiff microphone
- – Slightly expensive as an on-ear model
Conclusion
Be it for calls in the home office, video conferences or distance learning via PC – headsets have evolved from rigid ear cups to practical high-tech devices that score with numerous features in everyday office and school life. Noise canceling, the type of headphones and last but not least the wearing comfort and the battery life throughout the day play a major role.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones prevailed in the test with their particularly powerful noise insulation and impressive sound quality – even if cheaper alternatives such as the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro are becoming more and more involved in the headset market.
More worth knowing articles about headsets and headphones
More information on the subject of headsets and headphones can be found in numerous other articles from TECHBOOK: guidebooks, product tests and purchase recommendations – there is something for everyone here!