The Sony WF-1000XM4 are remarkable in almost every way. They provide excellent noise cancellation, easy listening neutral sound signatu...

Excellent combination of passive noise isolation and active, adaptive noise cancellation, Foam ear tips are very comfortable, IPX4 sweatproof, BT 5.2 and LDAC for high-res, Sound quality that is hard to beat

No Qualcomm aptX codecs, For deep pockets that don’t care about the price, No multipoint or NFC pairing

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are the complete package, offering first-rate sound quality, effective ANC and numerous useful features

Excellent audio quality; Smart, effective noise cancellation; Useful quality-of-life features;

No multipoint pairing; Fit can be a bit fiddly;

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are the complete package, offering first-rate sound quality, effective ANC and numerous useful features

Excellent audio quality; Smart, effective noise cancellation; Useful quality-of-life features;

No multipoint pairing; Fit can be a bit fiddly;

Our favourite true wireless earbuds can be snapped up for a mere £159 in one of the best Black Friday headphones deals going

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are the complete package, offering first-rate sound quality, effective ANC and numerous useful features

Excellent audio quality; Smart, effective noise cancellation; Useful quality-of-life features;

Fit can be a bit fiddly;

The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are the complete package, offering first-rate sound quality, effective ANC and numerous useful features

Excellent audio quality; Smart, effective noise cancellation; Useful quality-of-life features;

Fit can be a bit fiddly;

Sony’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to its very highly rated WF-1000XM3 noise-canceling true wireless earbuds is finally here. The WF-1000XM4 cost $280, and they address even our very few critiques of the XM3 with a laundry list of improvements — some big, some small. Has Sony once again established a new benchmark for the true wireless world, or does it still have some work to do? Let’s get into it. Editor’s note: Sony updated the WF-1000XM4 in March 2023 with new firmware that enables Bluetooth Multipoint. It hasn’t changed our score, but we’ve updated this review to reflect the enhancement. First of all, big props to Sony for creating packaging that should be adopted as an industry standard. The XM4 come in a tiny box that eschews all the flashy labeling and glossy prints you’ll see on boxes from companies like JBL and Soundcore. As a result, every piece can be recycled or composted. The only hint of plastic is in the thin exterior wrapping band that holds the two halves of the box...

Great sound quality; Good battery life; Excellent noise cancellation; Wireless charging;

May not fit small ears; Slightly lacking in high-end detail;