A:
Headphones are a very personal choice based on sound quality, comfort, and style. And for many, not in that specific order. What is a must for your laptop is knowing if it has a standard phone jack or mini jack, and if the headphones have the same size audio jack. While you can always get an adapter, they all introduce static over time. So a matching phone jack is the first thing to check. I traveled a lot for business and have more headphones than would make sense for many. The best are noise isolation types. I've had both over ear and on ear from Bose and feel they are among the best. While the nod goes to the over ear types, the on ear are smaller easier to stow away. Bulk is a big deal if you want to travel light, so you should consider inner ear phones as well if they are comfortable for your use. I also have a pair of Altec inner ear phones and like them a lot. Great broad sound reproduction although base suffers with this style of headphone. The other down side is obvious lack of sound isolation. The cables are also a large concern for heavy users. Avoid any headphone with wires that are not soft. Those that have a wide flat cable seem to withstand the test of time and hard use. Price is also a consideration. Recently I purchased a pair of Sony ZX-Series over the ears headphone for my grandson. They are not Bose, or the fancy hip hop types that the kids are using. Nor are they the popular Beats, but they are perfectly fine. Good enough for 8 year old abuse. For myself, I've settled for the Bose over ear sound isolation when working. For the morning run, I've settle on a pair of 'Jays' inner ear that are also used for short air trips. (and the on ear Bose for longer trips). The Jay's are Moderately priced. Good sound reproduction (they also have a app for Android or iPhone use that delivers optimal sound reproduction for this type of headphone) they have a standard phone jack along with flat cables. Net, net the combined pair of over and inner ear fit a specific range of needs. Hope this helps you narrow down your choice.