Both Amazon and Best Buy have dropped the price of the newest generation Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ear noise cancelling wireless headphones to $298, a 25% savings from its original $400 MSRP. The WH-1000XM5 is considered by many to be the best noise cancelling headphones under $400 (and we agree ), better than the Bose QuietComfort and the Beats Studio Pro. It's also a significant upgrade in noise cancelling performance compared to the WH-1000XM4 that it replaces.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Headphones for $298 The previous generation Sony WH-1000XM4 was already an outstanding headphone, but the XM5 is still able to improve on several features. The most noticeable upgrade is noise cancelling performance. The XM5 has been fitted with a second processor and double the microphone count dedicated to filtering out ambient noise.
The earcups have also been redesigned so that they fit more snugly on the ear, thus creating a better seal and more effective passive noise isolation. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has also been redesigned to look a lot sleeker. Comfort has been improved as well.
The headband is wider for better weight distribution and less pressure. The earcup padding is made of a luxurious synthetic leather material that's softer and more comfortable (and provides a better seal, as mentioend above). You can easily wear these headphones for hours.
One small drawback, however, is that the XM5 can no longer be folded inward, only swivelled, so it's less compact. The Sony WH-1000XM5 retains the XM4's legendary battery life at over 30 hours on a single charge even with ANC activated. If that's not enough, the XM5 supports fast charging over USB Type-C.
3 minutes of charging will give you 3 hours of playtime. I own a pair of these headphones as well as the Bose QuietComfort 35 and, although both are excellent headphones, the Sonys look, sound, and feel superior. For a hands-on review, check out our Sony WH-1000XM5 headphone review .
Reviewer Kevin Lee pointed out that these are "hands down the best sounding and most impressive noise-cancelling headphones." Looking for more options? Check out the best noise-cancelling headphones of 2024 ..
