Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Roundup: What 8 Experts Say

Who it’s for

The Sony WF-1000XM5 targets listeners who want Sony’s detailed, analytical sound signature in a smaller shell than its predecessor, the WF-1000XM4. It has since been succeeded by the Sony WF-1000XM6, which RTINGS says further improves ANC and microphone performance 1. Sony’s own announcement describes the earbuds as approximately 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the WF-1000XM4 2. TechRadar calls the resulting fit “very comfortable and secure earpieces” 3, and RTINGS’ pros list separately credits a “well-built and stable fit” 1.

That fit isn’t universal, though. Tom’s Guide’s reviewer needed to size up to the largest included eartip to get a good seal, something they didn’t need to do with the WF-1000XM4 or the Apple AirPods Pro 2, and lists the smaller earbud size as a con affecting fit 4. The same review found footstep vibrations audible through the earbuds even with ANC on, making them a poor match for running — not a fit problem, since the buds themselves stayed in place without slippage 4.

Buyers who juggle two Bluetooth sources at once are covered: Sony lists multipoint pairing as a feature 2, and Digital Trends confirms multipoint works alongside the earbuds’ LDAC codec support 5. Sony rates the WF-1000XM5 IPX4, which the company markets as handling splashes and sweat; the charging case and eartips aren’t rated 2. Buyers chasing the single best noise canceling on the market should look at the alternatives below, and anyone who runs regularly should weigh the footstep-vibration issue noted above 4.

What reviewers praise

Sound quality is a strength across most of what’s cited here, though not every reviewer agrees — see the disagreement below. What Hi-Fi? credits it with “class-leading levels of detail and clarity” 6, and its review separately calls the earbuds Sony’s most accomplished and analytical wireless earbuds to date 6. TechRadar scored sound quality 4.5 out of 5 and describes the listen as lively, full-bodied and enjoyable 3. Tom’s Guide and Digital Trends both list sound quality among their top pros, calling it outstanding and top-notch respectively 45.

Noise canceling also draws consistent praise, even where it isn’t rated the very best in class (see the ANC split below). SoundGuys measured the WF-1000XM5 attenuating more than 30 dB of low-frequency outside noise below 1 kHz 7, and TechGearLab’s lab tests scored noise cancellation 8.6 out of 10, the second-highest mark in its five-earbud comparison group, though TechGearLab’s own review says its ANC is less powerful than the team would like against noise like an office, airport or subway 8. RTINGS’ pros list separately calls out excellent overall noise isolation, which it attributes to the form-fitting memory-foam eartips rather than the active canceling circuitry 1.

Battery life earns unusually strong marks given Sony’s own rating of 8 hours with ANC on 2. SoundGuys measured 9 hours and 32 minutes of continuous playback in its own bench testing — over an hour longer than its WF-1000XM4 measurement — though SoundGuys tested a pre-production unit on pre-release firmware and doesn’t state whether ANC was on during the test 7. TechGearLab measured 14.0 hours with ANC off at 75% volume, two hours past Sony’s 12-hour ANC-off rating, and the longest of five earbuds it tested alongside the Apple AirPods Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Google Pixel Buds 2a 8.

Call quality is a standout for two reviewers: Digital Trends lists superb call quality among its pros and reports background traffic, construction and wind noise masked to the point of being inaudible to the other party during testing 5, and The Verge calls voice-call performance much clearer than the WF-1000XM4’s: colleagues on Google Meet calls heard only a small amount of echo even against background noise, and coffee-shop phone calls got similarly positive feedback 9.

Common criticisms

Connectivity is TechRadar’s most notable complaint: its reviewers experienced more than one or two Bluetooth drop-outs across different review units and continents during testing, something they say didn’t happen with control sets from Bose and Technics — though TechRadar notes most of its testing used an early beta version of the companion app, which it says could account for some of the issues 3. Digital Trends separately reported Bluetooth, noise-canceling and call-quality weaknesses on the pre-production units it first reviewed, and says its current review reflects the production hardware, which it rates highly for noise canceling, call quality and connection stability 5. TechGearLab reports no notable connectivity issues 8.

RTINGS calls the microphone mediocre, noting that recordings lack depth while loud, sustained background noise overwhelms the mic’s noise handling 1. TechGearLab’s lab testing scored call quality just 5.1 out of 10, the lowest of the five earbuds in its comparison group, and says a subway-noise call test produced audio that cut in and out, even though quiet-room and office calls fared better 8.

Fit complaints appear in three reviews: Tom’s Guide lists the smaller earbud size as hurting eartip seal for some ears 4, Digital Trends’ sole listed con is that the fit “isn’t super secure” 5, and What Hi-Fi? also lists fit as a con, saying it wanted grippier tip material for a more secure seal 6. TechGearLab adds that while it found the foam eartips comfortable, they proved less durable than silicone, showing wear after repeated insertions and collecting dirt quickly on waxy ears 8.

The Verge’s reviewer describes the glossy earbud finish as a genuine day-to-day frustration because it’s harder to grip out of the case than the matte finish of the WF-1000XM4, especially with sweaty or greasy fingers 9. The same review lists Sony’s companion-app extras as less polished than competitors’ equivalents 9. Tom’s Guide separately reports that 360 Reality Audio personalization repeatedly failed to recognize its reviewer’s ears during setup, though it notes this may be tied to a beta version of the companion app 4.

The Verge flags an unresolved concern carried over from the WF-1000XM4: widely reported battery-reliability complaints on Reddit. It cites a large, well-maintained Reddit thread on WF-1000XM4 battery issues and says Sony had not responded to its request for comment on whether the issue was addressed for the WF-1000XM5 as of publication, adding that it will be watching WF-1000XM5 battery longevity over time 9.

Where reviewers disagree

Reviewers split on how the WF-1000XM5’s noise canceling stacks up against Bose. TechRadar found ANC fine rather than eyebrow-raising and says the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II beats it for noise cancellation outright 3. What Hi-Fi? agrees Bose still has an edge, describing the Sony’s effect as noticeably softer and less intrusive than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 6. The Verge, Digital Trends and RTINGS reach a different conclusion: The Verge rates the WF-1000XM5’s ANC as good as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and the second-generation AirPods Pro, calling the subjective gap “like flipping a coin” 9; Digital Trends found the two just as capable for day-to-day use, once fitted with the best-matching eartip 5; and RTINGS says the WF-1000XM5’s overall noise isolation is on par with the Bose, crediting the memory-foam eartips more than the ANC for it 1.

Sound quality is another point of disagreement with the praise above: TechGearLab’s lab-based comparison scored the WF-1000XM5’s sound quality 7.4 out of 10 — the lowest of the five earbuds it tested alongside the Apple AirPods Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Google Pixel Buds 2a — finding the out-of-the-box tuning “pleasant, if a little flat” and the bass lacking power and warmth 8.

Battery life looks like a split between measurement and expectation, but the two don’t actually conflict. Tom’s Guide lists battery life as a con because it remains the same as the predecessor’s rated 8 hours with ANC on, with no generation-over-generation improvement 4 — that’s a complaint about Sony’s unchanged rating, not a measurement 2. SoundGuys’ own bench testing measured 9 hours and 32 minutes on a single charge, about 90 minutes longer than that rating, though SoundGuys doesn’t state the ANC condition for that test 7. One source describes the spec; the other measured the hardware, and beat it.

The earbuds’ weight also isn’t settled. Sony’s Help Guide lists 5.9 g per earbud including a size-M eartip, and TechGearLab independently measured almost the same, 5.95 g 108. TechRadar’s own spec table instead lists 4.2 g per earbud, disagreeing with both Sony’s figure and TechGearLab’s independent measurement 3.

Alternatives

Reviewers considering the WF-1000XM5’s closest noise-canceling rival broadly point to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. TechRadar and What Hi-Fi? both say Bose still has an edge in noise canceling 36, though The Verge and Digital Trends rate the two as close to even, the latter once fitted with the best-matching eartip 95.

Against the Apple AirPods Pro 2, SoundGuys found the WF-1000XM5 reduces noise better, especially in the mid and high frequencies, but rates the AirPods Pro 2’s out-of-the-box sound closer to its own target curve 7. Digital Trends independently rated the WF-1000XM5’s ANC as comparable to the AirPods Pro 2’s for day-to-day use, once fitted with the best-matching eartip 5.

Against the Technics EAH-AZ80, a similarly priced rival, TechRadar gives the Technics the edge for treble sparkle but calls the bass comparison too close to call, framing the choice as refined hi-fi sound with the Technics versus bass and enthusiasm with the Sony 3.

Buyers weighing the WF-1000XM5 against Sony’s own lineup have two comparisons to consider. Against its direct predecessor, the WF-1000XM4, TechRadar reports battery life is maintained rather than improved 3, while What Hi-Fi? describes a shift toward more clarity and detail at the expense of the WF-1000XM4’s richer, fuller bass — a change its reviewers say grew on them with extended listening 6. RTINGS notes the WF-1000XM5 has since been succeeded by the Sony WF-1000XM6, which the outlet says further improves ANC and microphone performance 1.

Price has shifted since launch. The WF-1000XM5 launched at an MSRP of $299.99 in July 2023 2, and What Hi-Fi? notes UK street price has since dropped as low as £149 during sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday 6.