Sony WF-1000XM5 Review: The ANC King Still Sits on the Throne

Some products win on hype. The Sony WF-1000XM5 wins on merit. When we lined it up against the AirPods 4, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen in our 2026 earbuds guide, the result wasn't close: nothing else does silence, sound, and stamina this well in one pocketable package.

It's not the cheapest pick — at $278 it costs nearly twice what some perfectly decent earbuds go for. But if you're buying earbuds to hear less of the world and more of your music, this is exactly where the money should go.

Who it's for

• Commuters and frequent flyers who want maximum noise cancelling without over-ear bulk
• Android users — you get LDAC high-res audio that iPhones simply can't use
• Office and hybrid workers bouncing between laptop meetings and phone calls
• Anyone burned by "good enough" ANC that still lets the airplane engine hum through

Key specs

• Active noise cancelling driven by two dedicated processors and eight microphones
• Up to 8 hours of listening with ANC on; 24 hours total with the charging case
• LDAC high-res audio support (Android), plus AAC and SBC
• Multipoint Bluetooth — stay connected to two devices at once
• Sony Sound Connect app: custom EQ, adjustable ANC, speak-to-chat auto-pause
• IPX4 splash resistance for workouts and weather
• Touch controls and voice assistant support
• Wireless charging case with USB-C fast charge (about 3 minutes for an hour of playback)

Why it actually wins

The noise cancelling is the main event. Eight microphones feed two dedicated processors that erase engine drone, office chatter, and subway rumble better than anything else in our guide. Bose gets close. Nothing else does. Put these in on a flight and the cabin shrinks to a whisper.

The sound backs it up. Out of the box the XM5 leans warm and full — bass with actual weight, vocals that sit forward, treble that stays smooth instead of hissing. Flip on LDAC on an Android phone and the detail opens up another notch. iPhone users get AAC, which still sounds excellent; you just don't get the high-res tier. The Sound Connect app's EQ is genuinely useful, not decoration: real bands, real presets that sound like they were tuned by people who listen.

The battery outlasts your day. Eight hours with ANC on is a full workday plus a commute, and the case adds two more full charges. The quick-charge trick — a few minutes plugged in before a flight — genuinely bails you out.

Calls are good, not legendary. Voices stay clear on windy streets thanks to the mic array, and multipoint means your laptop meeting hands off to your phone without a thought. Bose edges it slightly on call quality, but this is more than fine for Zoom and the sidewalk.

See how the XM5 beats AirPods 4, Samsung, and Bose →

Want the full side-by-side? Our wireless earbuds comparison guide lines up all four contenders on sound, ANC, battery, and price — zero sponsored picks.