After several recent leaks, Sony unveiled its new premium WH-1000XM5 headphones with an all-new refined design and countless upgrades. While everything is a little better than the previous generation, they cost $399, a $50 price increase over the 1000XM4s.
Sony makes arguably some of the best noise-canceling headphones available, but the all-new Sony WH-1000XM5 raises the bar. Not just with the improved rotating stem and comfortable headband, but in terms of sound quality, microphones, battery life, and noise cancellation.
While initial leaks suggested a new processor for improved ANC, Sony actually added a second processor to these headphones. Thanks to that secondary chipset, the 1000XM5 is even better with “mid and high-frequency noises” you’ll experience around town, in an office, or day-to-day.
The company promises 30 hours of battery life with ANC enabled and 40 hours without. As usual, they charge over USB-C and take a little over three hours to fully recharge.
Sony opted for a refined design similar to what we’ve seen from Apple and Bose. The new sliding and rotating stem design certainly look good, but they’re made of plastic, not metal. And while that may be a turnoff for some, it’ll also ensure the 1000XM5s are lightweight and comfortable.
Other changes include a smaller 30-millimeter driver inside each earcup, compared to the bigger 40-mm option from the XM4. That might sound like a downgrade to some, but Sony says this new and improved driver delivers vastly improved and unrivaled sound clarity, natural tones, and tight bass reproduction.
With these latest Sony headphones, there are also eight microphones. Yes, we said eight. Four of those are for ANC, while the other four deliver highly refined voice call quality. That’s because those four mics use beamforming technology and AI noise reduction algorithms to improve voice clarity.
Sony’s usual high-end flagship features remain, including the touch controls on both earcups and plenty of app customization controls. The new stem style does mean they no longer feature a folding design for portability, so keep that in mind before you buy.
The new Sony WH-1000XM5 costs $399, comes in Black or Silver, and will be available starting May 20th. Pre-order yours now from the link below.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones
The new and improved Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver industry-leading noise cancellation and an improved design, but at a higher price tag.
Source: Sony