If you want a powerful desktop Mac experience, but don't want a laptop or an all-in-one computer, then you may consider the Mac mini. The Mac mini is Apple's affordable desktop solution, and the latest version features the all-new M1 system-on-a-chip (SoC) from Apple. With the M1 Mac mini, you'll get blazing-fast performance over its predecessors and comparable PCs. However, the drawback of a Mac mini is you need to bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse (BYODKM). As long as you have those peripherals, you're golden! But what about sound? If you don't want to bother those around you with the best speakers, then you should consider the best headphones for Mac mini.
Small, but mighty
Apple's AirPods Pro have silicone ear tips that will fit snug and secure in your ears for hours. The sound quality is great considering the size, and the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is superb, with Transparency Mode if you need to filter in environmental noise. You'll get around five hours of listening time, but the wireless charging case can hold up to 24 hours of charge. AirPods Pro are some of the best headphones for Mac mini that money can buy.
Affordable sound
The Tribit XFree Tune is one of the best headphones for Mac mini that won't cost an arm and a leg. These affordable cans have Hi-Fi stereo sound, so your jams are going to sound great with rich bass. While there is no ANC in these, it does have passive noise reduction to help reduce environmental noise. They're lightweight, comfortable, and will last around 40 hours on a single charge.
Professional quality
Sony makes quality audio products, and the WH1000XM4 is one of them. With the WH1000XM4, you're getting the highest quality, industry-leading noise cancellation with Dual Noise Sensor technology, reducing noise by up to 20% over the previous WH1000XM3 model. The sound quality is amazing, calls are crystal clear with precise voice pickup, and there are touch sensor controls with speak-to-chat that automatically reduce volume during conversations.
Perfect for gaming
The HyperX Cloud Mix is marketed as a gaming headset, but it's also great for listening to music and other audio with its great sound quality. It can work wired or via Bluetooth, and it's lightweight and comfortable enough to wear for hours on end. It has a detachable boom mic and an inline remote control for your gaming needs. I use this one daily, so it's one of the best headphones for Mac mini around.
Functional and practical
If the AirPods Pro don't fit your ears, or you don't need the ANC, then the regular AirPods are still a great choice at a reasonable price. AirPods have an H1 chip that allows for hands-free Siri, five hours of listening time with 24 more hours with the charging case, and the sound quality is decent. You get the option of a regular or wireless charging case.
All day comfort
If you want comfort and Bose-quality sound, then the QuietComfort 35 II is an excellent pair of headphones. While this is an outdated model, it is still very popular. It has amazing sound quality, different levels of ANC, and it's lightweight and super comfortable.
Budget friendly
Anker may be well known for its power accessories (charging cables, portable battery packs, etc.), but they also make some good audio products too. The SoundCore Life Q20 headphones are lightweight and comfortable to wear and provide great sound quality with Hi-Res audio. It has a hybrid ANC so you can reduce ambient noise by 90%, and up the bass by 100%.
Like a boss
While the QuietComfort 35 II is a good headphone, the Bose 700 is a worthy successor. There are 11 levels of noise cancellation, so you can choose the amount of ANC that best suits your needs at the moment. Siri is accessible with a single button press, so you can do a variety of commands with just your voice. It's also lightweight and comfortable too — you'll barely notice them.
Max power...and price
AirPods Max are a premium, luxury headphone that integrates seamlessly with all of your Apple devices. It features fantastic sound, amazing ANC that can cancel out even the loudest background noise, and it can filter out noise that isn't your voice on calls. These are some of the best headphones around, but they do carry a big price tag too.
The best headphones for Mac mini give you peace and quiet
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The Mac mini is a great machine for work, studying, and gaming, as long as you BYODKM. But of course, you need a good pair of headphones to go with it (especially if you don't want to bother others around you), and these are some of the best headphones for Mac mini on the market right now.
Our top recommendation are the AirPods Pro because they are true wireless earbuds that are small, have a comfortable fit in the ear with the silicone ear tips, and pack in amazing sound for the size. And the best part is the ANC, which is just as good (if not better) than equivalent Bose or Sony headphones. And since these are from Apple, they'll play nicely with all of your Apple devices, including the best iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
If you're on a budget, then you can't beat the Tribit XFree Tune headphones. These are super affordable, have great sound quality for the price, and are comfortable to wear for extended periods. Plus, they have superb battery life at around 40 hours — that's impressive!
For those who can afford it, we would highly recommend the AirPods Max if you like an over-ear headphone experience. These are heavy because of the stainless steel frame, but they are super comfortable to wear for longer periods of time thanks to the mesh headband and breathable ear cushions. The sound quality is some of the best we've heard, and the ANC is top-of-the-line, especially with Transparency mode. However, we know that the price tag is a little hard to swallow, so if that's too much but you still want a great headphone, then consider the Sony WH-1000XM4. These are pretty much considered the gold standard in the market right now for the price point, and our friends at Android Central recommend them with a 4.5-star rating.
