Skullcandy Skullcandy Hesh ANC Noise Canceling Wireless Review

The Skullcandy Hesh ANC gets you ANC and Tile tracking for under $100, but every performance metric sits around the 50th percentile—it's the definition of average. Strong social proof means buyers like the value, but don't expect it to excel at any one thing. Consider it a budget feature play, not a performance powerhouse.

The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is a $94 headphone that's all about the value proposition. It lands in the 86th percentile for social proof, meaning a lot of people are buying and reviewing it, but its performance metrics are a different story. Across the board, it sits right around the 48th to 50th percentile for sound, ANC, battery, and comfort. That's the definition of average. You're getting a full package with 40mm drivers, active noise cancellation, and Tile tracking, but you shouldn't expect it to compete with the big names on pure performance.

Performance-wise, these are the definition of middle-of-the-road. Every key metric—sound quality (49th percentile), ANC effectiveness (48th percentile), microphone quality (48th percentile), and battery life (48th percentile)—clusters right around the median. That means for every headphone that's worse, there's one that's better. The 40mm drivers deliver sound, but it's not particularly detailed or expansive. The ANC cuts some noise, but don't expect library silence on a busy commute. At 22 hours, the battery is fine, but not a standout. It's competent, not exceptional.

At $94, the value argument is straightforward. You're paying for a checklist of features—ANC, Tile tracking, folding design—that typically costs $200 or more. The trade-off is that the actual performance of those features is merely average. If your budget is strict and you want the box ticked for 'has noise cancelling,' this is your play. But if you care more about how well the ANC works than the fact that it exists, your money might go further elsewhere.

Stacked against the giants, the gap is clear. The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra are in a different league for ANC and sound quality, but they cost three to four times as much. A more direct budget competitor might be something like the Anker Soundcore Life Q series, which often beats these on pure ANC performance for a similar price. The Hesh ANC's real advantage is its social proof and brand recognition at this price point, not its technical scores. Against the Beats Studio Pro, you're sacrificing significant sound and build quality for a much lower price.

Skip the Hesh ANC if your primary use is for work calls or in a noisy office. It scored an abysmal 6.7 out of 100 for work, likely due to its mediocre microphone (48th percentile) and so-so ANC. Also, if you're a stickler for audio fidelity or need best-in-class noise cancellation, its 49th percentile sound and 48th percentile ANC scores mean there are much better options, even if you have to stretch your budget a bit.

We can recommend the Skullcandy Hesh ANC with one big caveat: manage your expectations. If you need a sub-$100 headphone with every modern feature and you're okay with middle-of-the-road performance, it's a sensible buy. The high social proof score (86th percentile) suggests most buyers in that category are satisfied. But if you prioritize sound quality, effective noise cancellation, or long-term durability, the data shows its median percentiles just don't compete. Look at it as a feature-packed entry ticket, not a destination.