I've spent a lot of time testing headphones, and I always find a new favorite with every new release. But one pair of headphones will always hold a special place in my heart, years after their launch: the Beats Solo 3 on-ear headphones. The Solo 3 awakened my passion for headphones; they were the first pair I spent more than $50 on. I bought a Rose Gold pair in high school with the money from my first job, and they stuck with me throughout college.
I have had the new M5-powered Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR headsets sitting on my desk for several weeks. These are expensive, cutting-edge pieces of hardware. Apple's version is $3,499! Samsung's headset is roughly half that-still a pretty penny at $1,800. Mustering the energy to don them has been a task. You can watch movies, play immersive games, and get some work done with multiple virtual screens.
The Brooks Ghost 17 ($150) continues the legacy of its predecessors as a shoe that exceeds the sum of its parts. This reliable shoe's refined design does not have huge frills, but its balance between quality, comfort, performance, and durability yields high marks. While more expensive than the previous version, the Ghost 17's price point is still worth the investment for road runners training for any distance.
