Are Sony’s Latest Noise-Canceling Earbuds the Best of Their Kind?
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We judge all headphones and earbuds on a scale of 10, analyzing the categories we think are most important: sound, comfort, design, battery performance, and, if applicable, special features. Here's how the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds stack up.
Sony’s long-anticipated WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds are replacing the stellar WF-1000XM3 at the top of the tech giant’s product range. The new iteration brings a host of improvements like next-level sound and noise cancellation, a more durable build, and longer battery life, to name a few exciting bits. At $279.99, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds are also $50 pricier than the previous generation.
I spent more than a week testing the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds, and they excelled in every way. These are the best noise-canceling earbuds I have experienced yet, and well worth their hefty price tag. Here’s our official Sony earbuds review, including everything you need to know about their design, ergonomics, sound, and battery performance.
SCORES
Sound: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Battery Performance: 10/10
Overall Score: 9/10
The Sony WF-1000XM4 at a Glance
Best-in-class noise cancellation
Top-tier sound with abundant customization tools
8 hours of battery life with noise cancellation
IPX4 rating for water resistance
Sound: 10/10
The WF-1000XM4 earbuds deliver outstanding sound, whose quality is a rock-solid contender for the product category’s best. The buds pack new audio drivers, a sophisticated processor, and an AI-powered upscaling engine which can make lower-quality content sound better.
Combined with support for high-resolution audio streaming codecs, the abovementioned bits allow the buds to deliver a superb listening experience. Their audio output is perfectly balanced, detail-rich, and close to the sound of a wired headset a discerning audiophile would be proud to own.
Rather impressively, you can fine-tune the sound of the WF-1000XM4 buds to your exact liking via the Sony Headphones mobile app. In addition to choosing from available equalizer presets, you can create a couple of your own. I personally liked having one with amplified bass for my favorite downtempo tracks, and another with toned-down low range and slightly boosted highs for classical music and jazz tracks.
The elaborate sound customization tools set the Sony WF-1000XM4 apart from its true wireless rivals. Other high-priced earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, and Master & Dynamic MW08 don’t offer such functionality.
The noise cancellation of the WF-1000XM4 is the best I have encountered on true wireless earbuds to date. Thanks to cutting-edge tech and proprietary foam ear tips that also help block ambient noise, the buds brought me closer to experiencing complete silence than any rival. They effortlessly tuned out the endless traffic din from the busy Manhattan street underneath my living room window, as well as my air conditioner’s noise during an abnormally hot early June weekend.
A smart feature dubbed adaptive sound control can adjust the earbuds’ noise cancellation, as well as their ambient mode (essential for outdoor use and commuting) depending on your actions. I also tip my hat to Sony for bringing the speak-to-chat feature — one of my favorite bits about the WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones — to its latest true wireless earbuds. The functionality will temporarily pause the playback and activate ambient mode when you need to have a short in-person conversation.
When it comes to call quality, the WF-1000XM4 performed better than the previous iteration and is more in line with the expectations set by their price tag. Each bud has a pair of microphones, a bone-conduction sensor for superior voice detection, and futureproof Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. Call and virtual meeting participants heard me loud and clear while testing the product.
Comfort: 8/10
It wouldn't be a Sony earbuds review without evaluating comfort. With an ergonomic shape, a lightweight build (they weigh a rather reasonable 7.3 grams each), and soft ear tips, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds are comfy and perfectly suitable for prolonged use. I spent full workdays without feeling the need to take a break from wearing them. I was also pleasantly surprised that Sony’s app can help you find the right set of ear tips by measuring the quality of their seal.
The buds’ touch controls are dependable and fully customizable. Out of the box, the right bud controls playback and calls, while the left one manages the noise cancellation. Depending on your preferences, you can switch the setup, replace one of them with volume controls, or disable the touch surface on each bud altogether.
Design: 8/10
By making the WF-1000XM4 water-resistant with an IPX4 rating, Sony addressed one of the biggest shortcomings of the previous iteration. The buds are as durable as some of their big-name competitors, so there’s no need to fret about using them in the gym or during rainy walks. However, if you plan to use the product primarily for working out, be mindful that there are more durable options to consider, including from Sony.
The earbuds have an understated design with contrasting gold accents —a Sony calling card for years. You can order them in silver or black with a matching charging case.
Battery Performance: 10/10
Between charges, you can expect up to 8 hours of playback from the Sony WF-1000XM4 with noise cancellation, and an even more epic 12 hours with the feature switched off. The buds’ phenomenal battery performance is vastly better than the 6-hour battery life with noise-cancellation of the Bose QuietComfort, as well as the 4.5-hour battery life of the AirPods Pro.
The impossibly compact charging case of the earbuds holds a duo of additional full charges for a total of up to 36 hours’ worth of tunes. In addition to rocking a fast USB-C connector, the accessory is also compatible with wireless charging.
Overall: 9/10
I’d pick the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds over any similarly priced rival for their incredible sound and bliss-inducing noise cancellation alone. Their design, durability, and battery performance are also commendable and so are their app-enabled features and controls.
Sporting the exact same price tag, the bulkier Bose QuietComfort earbuds have top-notch noise cancellation with more customization options and stellar call quality. However, the Sony earbuds have better sound you can personalize, and much longer battery life.
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