Most people appreciate the freedom of wireless headphones – where you can walk, run, move and dance without the bother of cables and wires. Others may prefer to immerse themselves in the high fidelity sound that wired headphones provide.

Are these the only differences between wireless and wired headphones? No. There are pros and cons to both types. Let’s take a look.

Price

If you’re on a tight budget and looking for wireless headphones, you may notice that wireless headphones are significantly more expensive than wired headphones. This is because wireless technology is more expensive. But if you need portability, mobility and the convenience of being able to connect with family, friends and colleagues wherever you are, then wireless headphones may be worth the extra cost for you. Wireless headphones may also include some cool functions that justify the higher price. Some wireless headphones allow you to play, skip or pause your music and manage calls without the need of pulling out your mobile phone or MP3 player from your pocket or bag.

On the other hand, wired headphones are cheaper. And in terms of price ratio to performance, the wired headphones usually take the lead here, as well. While they may not provide the convenience of wireless freedom or other cool features, many headphones do come with in-line remote control that enables you to adjust the volume, skip or pause your music and manage calls. You don’t need to charge corded headphones, but a broken wire can be a problem.

Battery Life

It’s not necessary to think about battery life for wired headsets. But, when it comes to wireless headphones, battery life is an important consideration. Look for models that have power-saving features and be sure your wireless headphones come with a wall charger as well as a USB charger.

Compatibility

With wireless headsets, compatibility is also something you need to think about. If you have an older Bluetooth-enabled device and you are planning to buy a wireless headphone, be sure to look into the version of Bluetooth that your device supports.

Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality, if your music is in MP3 format, you probably won't notice much difference between wireless and wired headphones, but if it is stored in ALAC/FLAC/WAV, sound differences may be more distinguishable. Generally speaking, most wired headphones provide better sound quality than wireless. But with the latest advances in wireless technology, sound quality has improved quite a bit with wireless headphones.

Cables

When looking at wired headphones, you do not have to look into battery life but you do have to take note of wire quality. Broken wire or over stretched cables are one of the main reasons why most headphones with non-detachable wire break.