Sony released its superb WH-1000XM3 noise-canceling headphones in 2018, and they still frequently top lists for the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. But competitors haven’t been sitting idle: Bose’s Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are neck and neck with Sony for noise cancellation and...

Sony’s best noise-canceling capabilities yet; Improved voice quality; Support for two simultaneous Bluetooth connections

USB-C port cannot be used for audio; No significant design changes after two years; Cold-weather improvements are unproven

If you have the money and want a top-tier pair of headphones for modern life, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are the way to go. The combination of high quality Bluetooth codecs, great sound, improved noise cancelling, good battery life, and smart features like autopause and Bluetooth multipoint makes these the...

Great noise cancelling; Great sound quality; Bluetooth multipoint is super convenient; Multiple Bluetooth codecs supported (SBC; AAC; LDAC); Bluetooth 5.0; Battery life is great; Comfortable and has hinges for folding; Auto-pauses when you take them off

Price is still expensive; Double-tap to pause didn't always work; Slightly less comfortable than the WH-1000XM3; Battery life is down from the previous version; Custom button controls either the Assistant OR noise cancelling

But for $349, I want more precision from the touch control panel and it’d be nice to get some additional colors. If you want slightly stronger ANC and a more precise audio experience with a more modern look, you should check out the $339 Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.

Excellent audio quality; Powerful active noise cancelling; Light; comfortable frame; 30 hours of battery life; Plethora of sound customization options

Finicky touch controls

Active noise canceling headphones like Sony’s new WH-1000XM4 have quickly gone from a luxury to a must-have, as our homes evolve into remote offices and schoolrooms. At the same time, with most travel on hold, what we expect from a set of isolating headphones has changed dramatically.

Excellent active noise cancelation; Multipoint Bluetooth pairs 2 devices at once; 30+ hours of battery; Almost every item on the WH-1000XM3 wishlist is answered

Not waterproof

The successor to the Sony WH-1000XM3 from 2018, one of the most popular over-ear headphones with noise-cancelling ever, has been eagerly awaited. Sony already conquered and successfully defended a top position in the market since the introduction of this product series in 2017 (MDR-1000).

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is the successor to what are widely considered to be the best active noise cancelling headphones on the market.

Fantastic noise cancelling; Very accurate sound for ANC headphones; Proximity based auto play/pause; LDAC codec support; Terrific app experience

Edge-AI upscaling doesn't add much; Touch controls still have a learning curve; You can't use LDAC with multipoint Bluetooth

The XM3s represented, at the time of their introduction, the pinnacle of noise-cancelling headphones, but the field has moved on, with Bose coming back into the fray with its al-new NC700s and Bowers & Wilkins with the PX7s.

+ Comfortable fit over long listening sessions and better weight distribution; improved finishing and padding make it an even more premium feeling product; improved sound quality over the XM3; improved noise cancelling offers the feeling of your own personal ‘bubble of solitude”; control app which...

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

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.

The world of noise-canceling headphones is getting increasingly competitive. While the likes of Apple have started releasing their own models, companies like Sony and Bose continue to refine and develop their headphones.