These noise-canceling headphones silence the world better than most, and the mics are now actually usable on phone calls.

Top-tier noise-canceling. Fantastic audio processing and digital upscaling. 30 hours of battery life. Light and comfortable. Intuitive app-based controls. Connect two devices at once.

Somewhat drab design.

Sony continues to serve up some of the finest noise-cancelling headphones on the market – the WH-1000XM4s will be tough to beat

Dynamic; detail-rich sound; Sensational sense of timing; Lightweight; comfy and clever

No IP rating; No aptX support

Sony's terrific WH-1000XM4 headphones combine top-notch noise cancellation with audiophile-friendly sound quality.

Excellent audio performance with rich bass and detailed highs; Top-tier noise cancellation with in-app adjustments; Customizable EQ; Simple; responsive on-ear controls; Comfortable fit

Expensive; Cable lacks inline remote

There isn’t a lot of new features on the WH-1000XM4, but that’s because it is already very good. For existing WH-1000XM3 owners, there is little reason to upgrade, more so when the design is almost identical, providing little freshness to the new purchase.

One of the best active noise-cancelling implementations on headphones in the market; New feature "Speak-to-Chat" works magically well; Ability to custom EQ and save in the headphones; Excellent smartphone app features

Relatively marginal improvements that might not matter to many; Overall plastic design lacks the premium outlook; No aptX audio codec; although SBC did not fare poorly; Ambient sound not as open sounding

“Same price, even better features. Sony's WH-1000XM4 are what perfect looks like.”

Very comfortable; Excellent sound quality; Excellent noise canceling; Very good call quality; Very good battery life; Bluetooth multi-device pairing; Handy; customizable features

No aptX or aptX HD

Sony has made the best even better. With a bunch of seemingly small changes, the company has further improved its already stellar headphones. The WH-1000XM4 sounds great and the custom ANC automatically adjusts if you choose to let it.

Powerful custom ANC; Immersive sound with punchy bass; Automatic pausing when you speak; Multi-device connectivity

Pricey; 360 Reality Audio is still limited; Adaptive Sound Control requires location sharing

The best noise-canceling performance; incredibly comfortable to wear; and now easy to pair with and switch between two devices.

Touch controls work but are a little to easy to accidentally activate.

We're big fans of Sony's WH-1000XM3 headphones, which deliver first-rate ANC (active noise cancellation) and audiophile-level sound quality, so it's safe to say we've been looking forward to the new WH-1000XM4. For $349.99, the headphones deliver some notable improvements, including an automatic conversation feature that pauses the audio and turns on the ambient mic, and the ability to play audio or power down depending on whether you're wearing them. Noise cancellation is slightly improved, thanks to a specialized processor that applies ANC in real time, and audio performance remains impeccable. Simply put, these are the noise-cancelling headphones to buy if audio performance is your top priority, and they easily earn our Editors' Choice.Design Available in black or off-white, the circumaural (over-ear) WH-1000XM4 headphones look a lot like the previous model. Plush earpads and under-the-headband cushioning make them exceptionally comfortable, even during long listening sessions....

Sony's terrific WH-1000XM4 headphones combine top-notch noise cancellation with audiophile-friendly sound quality.

Excellent audio performance with rich bass and detailed highs; Top-tier noise cancellation with in-app adjustments; Customizable EQ; Simple, responsive on-ear controls; Comfortable fit

Expensive; Cable lacks inline remote

Finally someone has beaten Sony in the noise cancelling headphones department. And it's Sony! The WH-1000XM4 is the new leader.

The world's best noise cancelling has gotten even better. The audio quality is also better than the predecessor, and important functions have been included.

Still somewhat lacking in the resolution and airiness department. There are other ANC headphones with better music audio quality. Slight latency with games (aptX support has been removed).

Our first impressions of hands-on time with Sony's new WH-1000XM4 hheadphones....