AirPods Are Cool, but You Could Be Missing Out on Solid Quality Headphones for a Fraction of the Cost

CNET’s People’s Picks survey says Apple AirPods are the most-owned headphone brand among readers, but Sony topped the overall rankings.

Sony led key categories including active noise cancellation, sound quality, battery life, and comfort.

The article compares AirPods Max with Beats Studio Pro and says Beats delivers many Apple-ecosystem perks plus strong sound and battery life for much less.

Bottom line: shop by how you’ll use the headphones, not by brand name alone, because Sony, Bose, Beats, and others can match or beat AirPods on value.