The Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are the next generation of the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless. A few changes in design and performance have provided an elevated experience compared to their predecessor. Physically, these premium buds have a smaller, more rounded shape and use memory foam ear tips, allowing them to block out a lot of background noise passively. Not everyone will like how they feel and fit, especially if you have small ear canals. Their noise cancelling (ANC) system has also improved, and there's been some sound re-tuning to help balance out the predecessor's recessed treble.
Our Verdict
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are great for sports and fitness. Although they don't have stability fins, these lightweight buds won't fall out during tough reps at the gym. They're also well-built and are IPX4 certified, so they can survive splashes of water without taking damage. Their continuous battery life will last through most extended workouts, too. That said, their memory foam ear tips can cause fatigue if you don't get a good fit or have small ear canals.
Excellent overall noise isolation.
IPX4 certified for water resistance.
- Well-built and stable fit.
Foam eartips may be uncomfortable for some.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are great for travel. These lightweight buds are easy to take with you on the go. Their ANC system can block out the low rumbles of bus engines well, and with the ANC on, they last over eight hours continuously. There are a couple of additional charges in the case if you run out of juice on a trans-continental flight. That said, not everyone will find their memory foam ear tips comfortable due to the pressure they apply on your ear canal.
Excellent overall noise isolation.
- Well-built and stable fit.
Foam eartips may be uncomfortable for some.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are good for office work. They're equipped with an ANC system that can easily block out background noise like chatty coworkers and the hum of computer fans. They also support multi-device pairing, allowing you to stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously. If you like to listen to audio at high volumes, others around you won't hear it. However, while their memory foam ear tips will form a firm seal once properly fitted, some people may find that the tips put too much pressure on their ear canal, which can be uncomfortable.
Excellent overall noise isolation.
- Well-built and stable fit.
- Supports multi-device pairing.
- Mic has poor recording quality.
Foam eartips may be uncomfortable for some.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are Bluetooth-only buds with high latency on PCs, so you'll experience noticeable audio/visual desync.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are truly wireless buds; you can't use them wired.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 have great audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response deviates minimally from their warm sound profile. While there is some frequency and phase response mismatch in the high treble, they're on the edge of the hearing range and are unlikely to be audible. Aside from the higher frequency deviations, the L/R drivers are well-matched, resulting in a gapless stereo image with accurate positional cues. The buds also don't produce high levels of distortion, so audio is reproduced without unintended timbral coloration. As in-ear headphones, they bypass the pinna and won't improve immersion through interactions with your outer ear.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are amazing for noise isolation. Their ANC system supplements the solid passive isolation of their ear tips, resulting in mitigation of noises from rumbling engines to whistling passersby. They also don't leak much audio, barely exceeding the noise floor of a quiet room.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 have a mediocre microphone. Recordings will lack depth when capturing your voice, while loud, sustained noises overwhelm the mics' onboard noise handling, making you unintelligible.
The Sony WF-1000XM5's frequency response consistency is great. If you take the time to find the ear tips that provide you the best in-ear seal, the headphones' behavior will closely match our frequency response measurements.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 26, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 24, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Mar 12, 2026:
We've mentioned the Sony WF-1000XM6 in the Popular Headphone Comparisons section of this review.
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Updated Feb 27, 2026:
The Recording Quality section was updated to compare the Nothing Ear (3)'s microphone.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony WF1000XM5 come in a couple of color variants: 'Black' and 'Silver'. We tested the Black variant; you can see our model's label here. If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are the successor of the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless, and there have been a few improvements to their design and performance worthy of their premium price tag. Their noise isolation performance has improved greatly, putting them on par with heavy hitters like the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless. They've since been replaced by the Sony WF-1000XM6, which add further improvements to the ANC and microphone performance. A large reason behind their capabilities is their form-fitting memory foam ear tips rather than their ANC, as this allows them to easily and passively isolate you from a significant amount of sound. However, those memory foam ear tips can feel a bit invasive compared to the Apple AirPods Pro 3, which also provide powerful ANC. The WF-10005 sound has also balanced out a bit, with a bit more treble, lessening the overall dark sound of their predecessor.
Check out our picks for the best noise cancelling earbuds, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, and the best Sony headphones.
The Sony WF-1000XM6 feature incremental upgrades on the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless. The headline here is their improved ANC system and re-tuned sound, so if you're an XM5 owner who's happy with the sound and ANC performance, it might not be worth upgrading. The upgrades to the ANC do propel the XM6 to the top-tier of noise cancelling in-ear buds, though; they're highly effective at tamping down on external noise across the entire frequency spectrum. Depending on your ear shape and size, the new design could be a step backwards in terms of ergonomics, though. Their larger size means they can easily pop out of smaller ears. Otherwise, the newer generation introduces Bluetooth LE connectivity and improves mic quality while retaining the same battery life. Some will find that the recycled material used for the XM6 buds and case feels cheaper and less solid.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless and the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are both premium wireless in-ears with similar strengths. Choosing between them is a matter of personal preference. Both buds are great for commuting and travel as they have a comfortable fit, decent battery life, and excellent overall ANC performance. You can also tweak the sound profiles of both buds to your liking via their EQ. However, the Sony headphones are slightly better for those who prioritize taking phone calls due to their superior noise-handling performance.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless and the Sony WF-1000XM5 are flagship options from their respective manufacturers that cater to similar usages despite their different designs. The Bose are over-ears, while the Sony are buds with an in-ear fit. You might immediately gravitate towards one design over another, and both are comfortable in their own right, though the Bose's thick padding is great for long-haul flights. That said, the Sony headphones have the edge regarding portability and stability, and their lightweight design is an advantage for sports and fitness. Interestingly, they have somewhat comparable sound profiles: both are warm-sounding, with elevated bass and smooth highs. The Sony deliver audio more consistently, though, and have better-matched drivers. Otherwise, two further differentiating factors are ANC and battery life. The Bose have the edge in both regards, with a superior noise isolation performance and a longer continuous (and total) battery life. The Bose even has a better mic that renders your voice more clearly for calls.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 and the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are similar earbuds. While the Sony are less expensive, there are some performance tradeoffs: their battery life is a shorter 8.75 hours compared to the Technics' 12.2 hours, their virtual surround feature requires specific applications (like Sony's 360 Reality Audio Live) compared to the more ubiquitous Dolby Atmos required by the Technics, and they have less customizable controls. Both earbuds have comparable, top-tier ANC systems that handily tackle noise from airplane cabins to busy streets.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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