Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Sony WH-1000XM4 delivers near-flagship performance at a significantly lower price than the XM5. It shares the same core strengths — industry-leading ANC with Dual Noise Sensor technology, 30-hour battery with ANC enabled, multipoint connection to two devices, and Speak-to-Chat. A quick 10-minute charge provides up to 5 hours of playback. The foldable design makes it more travel-friendly than the XM5. Customize your sound via the Sony Headphones Connect app with built-in EQ and presets.
Pros
30-hour battery with ANC — 38 hours without
Foldable design — better for travel than the XM5
Multipoint connection and Speak-to-Chat
Sony Headphones Connect app with EQ
Fast charging — 10 min for 5 hours playback
Significant savings vs the XM5
Cons
Call quality slightly weaker than the XM5
ANC marginally less adaptive than the XM5
Older design — heavier than the XM5
Editorial Reviews (1)
B
June 08, 2026
Near-Flagship Performance at a Smarter Price
The Sony WH-1000XM4 may be a generation behind the XM5, but in 2026 it remains one of the best value propositions in noise cancelling headphones. The ANC performance is exceptional — nearly identical to the XM5 in real-world conditions — and the 30-hour battery, multipoint connection, Speak-to-Chat and LDAC support are all present.
The foldable design is a practical advantage over the XM5 for frequent travellers. Sound quality is dynamic and detail-rich, with DSEE Extreme upscaling improving lower-quality audio streams noticeably. The auto-play/pause sensor that detects when you remove the headphones is a small but genuinely useful quality-of-life feature.
The main weaknesses are the touch controls — unreliable at times and position-dependent — and call quality that, while improved from the XM3, still falls short of the XM5's microphone system. The ambient sound mode is also less natural than competitors like AirPods Max.
The foldable design is a practical advantage over the XM5 for frequent travellers. Sound quality is dynamic and detail-rich, with DSEE Extreme upscaling improving lower-quality audio streams noticeably. The auto-play/pause sensor that detects when you remove the headphones is a small but genuinely useful quality-of-life feature.
The main weaknesses are the touch controls — unreliable at times and position-dependent — and call quality that, while improved from the XM3, still falls short of the XM5's microphone system. The ambient sound mode is also less natural than competitors like AirPods Max.
Tech
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
~$287.31 check current price
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