Our favorite last-gen Sony headphones are $150 OFF during Best Buy's Back to School sale

As part of its back-to-school sale, Best Buy has launched a $150 discount on the Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones, marking a certified good deal for those who don't mind going last-gen.

Despite being older than the top-rated Sony WH-1000XM6, the WH-1000XM5 headphones include nearly identical hardware, albeit at a substantially lower price and with regular price drops like this. They feature a powerful sound profile with advanced active noise cancellation (ANC), impressively long battery life with fast charging, as well as a range of other features like multi-point connection. The current deal is available for all four of the device's colors, which include Black, Blue, Silver, and Smoky Pink.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones: $398.00 $248.00 at Best Buy

End of summer back-to-school deals are going live left and right, including a $150 discount on these powerful last-gen wireless headphones at Best Buy. While they may not be the latest-gen version of Sony's top noise-cancelling headphones, they still hold up in 2026, offering plenty of high-quality listening modes that most casual users will find mind-blowing.

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✅Recommended if: you're looking for a powerful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones with comfortable ear cups and a battery life that can handle long periods of listening; you're looking for headphones for around $250 but you still want to get a high-quality pair with access to high-res listening codecs; you're looking for headphones with high-quality microphones for video conferencing, phone calls, and easy-to-use voice commands.

❌Skip this deal if: you need headphones with a dust and water resistance rating for concern-free outdoor excursions in a variety of weather conditions; you're not looking for industry-leading audio quality and you'd prefer to go with something even more affordable than these, even at this discounted rate; you'd prefer a smaller overall design that's easy to stow for optimal portability.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 may be our top pick for the best headphones on the market today, but they're not that different from their predecessor. The Sony XM5 offer super comfortable speaker cups, up to 30 hours of battery life, and fast charging that can replenish up to 3 hours' worth of battery life in just 3 minutes. Built with eight different mics, these sport a powerful ANC suite, and crystal-clear audio for phone and video calls.

While they aren't known for being very collapsible or easy to stow, the WH-1000XM5 headphones do still come with a carrying case that can at least protect them when transported in a backpack or other bag.