While Sony flagships consistently land in the podium rankings for best noise cancelling, the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless represent the affordable end of the spectrum featuring active noise cancellation (ANC). The effortlessly pocketable package is lightweight and kitted with an IPX4 rating against water splashes for the buds, allowing you to run for the bus in the rain and reduce the noise of your commute. So how much does Sony's tech-savvy trickle down into its more entry-level range of true wireless earbuds?
Our Verdict
The Sony WF-C700N are decent for neutral sound. Their default sound profile is slightly warm and has enough bass to provide ample thump and rumble to hip-hop and EDM. Voices and instruments sound clear and detailed, but the highs are dark and somewhat veiled. Fortunately, the companion app lets you change the sound to your preferences via graphic EQ and presets.
- Graphic EQ and presets in-app.
- Bad passive soundstage.
The Sony WF-C700N are good for commuting and travel. Their lightweight build won't put undue pressure on your ears, and their long continuous battery life will last you a long bus ride or flight. Their in-ear design also won't leak any audio to passengers around you. While their ANC does a good job of isolating you from background conversations, it's less impressive at reducing the rumble of a loud bus or plane engine.
- Lightweight and decently comfortable.
- Long continuous battery life.
- ANC can't block out low-frequency noise very well.
The Sony WF-C700N are great for sports and fitness. Their lightweight build and stable in-ear fit will keep them in place during a brisk jog or moderate workout. They don't have stability fins, so more intense workouts will displace their fit, requiring readjustment to make them sit comfortably again. Their battery lasts nearly eight hours per charge, and they have an IPX4 rating against water splashes, so you can take them on long hikes without worrying about damage. Their ANC doesn't do a great job cutting out ambient noise from loud traffic or passing buses and trucks.
- Lightweight and decently comfortable.
- Rated IPX4.
- Stable in-ear fit.
- ANC can't block out low-frequency noise very well.
The Sony WF-C700N are decent for use at the office. They barely leak any audio, and their ANC does a good job of cutting out coworker chit-chat and whiny PC fans. Their lightweight and deep in-ear fit makes them comfortable enough for all-day wear, but using the control scheme can create a suction-like feeling in your ear canal, which can be annoying. Depending on use, it's not likely that their roughly 8-hour battery will make it through a whole shift without needing a recharge.
- Lightweight and decently comfortable.
- ANC can't block out low-frequency noise very well.
The Sony WFC700N are Bluetooth-only headphones; their latency is too high for wireless gaming. They also lack a gaming mode and low-latency codecs to mitigate audio/video lag.
The Sony WF-C700N are truly wireless Bluetooth headphones; you can't use them wired.
The Sony WF-C700N are okay for calls. The mic makes your voice sound clear, if lacking body. Their isolation helps you to focus on a call without too much outside interruption from passersby. They don't leak too much audio, which keeps the call private. However, the mic tends to pick up background noise and makes your voice sound unclear when it tries to filter out the noise, and the caller will hear quite a bit of your environment.
- Lightweight and decently comfortable.
- ANC can't block out low-frequency noise very well.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 18, 2026:
We referenced the Sony WF-C710N in the Comfort box.
- Updated May 07, 2024: This review has been refreshed and updated to reflect the current guidelines.
- Updated Mar 20, 2024: We've updated this review to indicate that, with firmware update 2.0.0, these earbuds now have Bluetooth Multipoint compatibility. We've adjusted their score in Bluetooth Connectionas a result and updated the text to mention this.
- Updated May 18, 2023: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony WF-C700N come in four color variants: 'Black', 'White', 'Sage Green', and 'Lavender'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see our unit's label here. If you come across another variant, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WF-C700N are noise cancelling wireless Bluetooth earbuds. Essentially, they're an upgraded version of the Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless, with better controls and ANC. Compared to more expensive earbuds in Sony's lineup, like the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless, which have better ANC and a longer continuous battery, the WF-C700N don't reduce as much noise, and their charging case only stores one extra charge. Still, you can access the same app from the manufacturer, including their virtual surround sound feature and an equalizer to fine-tune their sound.
If you're interested in a pair of wireless earbuds, check out our articles on the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100, the best earbuds for running, and the best noise cancelling earbuds.
The Sony WF-C710N are the sequel to the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless, and offer some small but worthwhile upgrades. The C710N pulls ahead with slightly better ANC performance, and have a mic that better distinguishes your voice from noise around you. The C710N also use touch surfaces instead of physical buttons for control input, which you may or may not prefer. It's worth noting that we think the C710N are more comfortable, and they have a noticeably longer battery life. Apart from that, both pairs offer similarly warm sound profiles, and both come with graphic EQs in the companion app.
The Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless and the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless are extremely similar headphones. Their design and build quality are nearly identical, but the WF-C700N has active noise cancellation (ANC). This lets them cut out more background noise than the WF-C500 can passively. However, this impacts their battery life, and the WF-C700N only lasts half as long on a single charge as the WF-C500.
The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are better than the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless. The LinkBuds S' ANC does better to cut out low-frequency noise, like a passing truck or loud bus engine. They're also more comfortable since their touch controls don't require as much pressure to activate them, unlike the WF-C700N's physical buttons, which can create a plunging feeling in your ear canal. While both buds last around the same time on a single charge, the LinkBuds S have just over double the extra charges in their carrying case. Both headphones' mixes can be changed via the companion app's graphic EQ and presets.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless and Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless are both budget-friendly noise cancelling earbuds with the same IPX4 rating against water. The Anker have more effective ANC with adaptive modes. They sound more excited by default but have EQ in the app to adjust to taste. Their controls are touchpads, their case is chunky but shorter, and the buds have stems. The Sony are light with fewer charges in their case. Their companion app has a virtual soundstage which is more capable than the Anker's but requires compatible streaming service support. They use buttons for the controls instead of touchpads. Their ANC, unfortunately, is less impressive, but it isolates high-pitched noise well.
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