Obviously, there’s no shortage of choice if you need a good pair of headphones — Amazon has hundreds of products on sale right now. But if you want the best in this category, you’ll need to pick up Sony’s WH-1000XM4. These headphones are nothing short of incredible, and while they came out three years ago, they still hold up incredibly well.
Sony rolled out the WH-1000XM5 last year, and they’re also on sale, going down to $298 at the moment. While I usually advocate getting the latest, the WH-1000XM4 are just as good, and considering they’re now available for just $198, you’re getting a much better value. The XM5 are better, but are they worth an additional $100? No.
Sony did all the right things with the WH-1000XM4. They have a lightweight design, and the ear pads are very comfortable even with extended use. The swivel design means you can get a secure fit without too much of an effort, and they fold down easily, making them a great choice for portability.
And when it comes to active noise cancellation, these headphones truly stand out. You get excellent isolation even if you’re in a noisy environment, and these are particularly well-suited to flights. I clocked hundreds of hours of travel time on the XM3, and these go even further at blocking ambient noise.
All the other extras are present: you get multi-device connectivity, a rock-solid connection over Bluetooth 5.0, and if you still make regular calls, these have five built-in mics that do a great job picking up your voice. And they easily last over 20 hours, so you’ll ideally need to charge once a week — and there’s fast charging tech if you’re in a hurry.
Then there’s the sound. The WH-1000XM4 still hold their own when it comes to audio quality, delivering a vibrant soundstage with a highly engaging bass. I recommend using a utility like Wavelet to get the best out of the sound of the XM4. Anyway, the WH-1000XM4 continue to be an easy recommendation, and coming in at $198, you’re getting an unbeatable value right now.
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