Sony WF-1000XM5 Review: How Do These Premium Earbuds Stack Up?

The Sony WF-1000XM5s are the latest true wireless earbuds from Sony, succeeding the popular XM4s from 2021. Priced at $299, these premium ‘buds pack in upgrades like a sleek new design, improved comfort, enhanced audio drivers, and boosted noise canceling capabilities.

But how do the XM5s actually perform compared to competitors from Apple, Google, and Samsung? After extensively testing them, here’s my in-depth review covering the design, sound quality, features, and overall value.

Design – Compact and Sleek

Sony completely revamped the design with the XM5s. The new model comes in black or a silvery white color. The smooth semi-glossy finish gives them an elegant look.

The outward facing mics are now flush with the surface for a leaner profile. And Sony managed to shave off 25% of the size compared to the XM4s.

Comfort and Fit – Better for Smaller Ears

With the reduced dimensions, the XM5s should fit more ears comfortably. Sony also includes small, medium, and large sizes of their unique expanding foam eartips.

Overall, the XM5s are among the most comfortable earbuds I’ve tested thanks to the lightweight ergonomic shape and foam tips. However, the AirPods Pro 2 still edge them out slightly in long-term comfort.

Here’s how I rank the comfort of top earbuds:

1. AirPods Pro 2
2. Sony XM5
3. Pixel Buds Pro
4. Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

The foam tips effectively block out sound and stay put during workouts. The only downside is they make my ears slightly sore after 1+ hours of continuous wear.

Charging Case – Sleek and Pocketable

The charging case also has an attractive smooth pebble-like design that’s 15% smaller than the XM4 case. It easily slides into a pants pocket.

My only complaint is that it protrudes more than the super slim AirPods Pro 2 case when pocketed. But otherwise, the case has a premium feel and portable shape.

Technology Upgrades

Internally, the XM5s receive several tech enhancements:

• Bluetooth 5.3 for reliable connectivity
• Multi-point pairing to two devices simultaneously
• New more powerful 8.4mm dynamic drivers (larger than AirPods Pro 2 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro)
• Dual processor noise canceling system
• Precise Voice Pickup using beamforming mics and AI

These upgrades contribute to the stellar sound quality and noise cancellation which I’ll cover next.

Sound Quality – Simply Superb

The Sony XM5s instantly impressed me with their lively, balanced sound signature right out of the box. The spatial imaging and separation between instruments is amazing.

Vocals sound crisp and clear. And there’s a satisfying punchy bass that you can feel without it muddying the mids and highs.

After testing all the top earbuds, here’s how I rank sound quality:

1. Sony XM5
2. AirPods Pro 2
3. Pixel Buds Pro
4. Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

The Sony’s LDAC codec and equalizer settings in the app let you customize the sound further. But even stock, the well-tuned drivers and hardware deliver superb audio.

Noise Canceling – Best in Class

The noise canceling on the XM5s outperforms all the other earbuds I’ve tested, including my previous favorite – the AirPods Pro 2.

Low droning sounds like fans are reduced to a faint whisper. And ambient noise from traffic and crowds gets cut down dramatically. But getting a tight seal with the right size eartips is crucial for max noise reduction.

Here’s how I rank the noise canceling of top true wireless earbuds:

1. Sony XM5
2. AirPods Pro 2
3. Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
4. Pixel Buds Pro

The transparency/ambient mode isn’t as natural sounding as the AirPods Pro 2, but it works fine for hearing your surroundings when needed.

Call Quality and Microphone

Callers said I sounded extremely clear, even with loud background noise playing and a fan pointed directly at my head. The beamforming mics lock onto your voice nicely.

Microphone quality is on par with the AirPods Pro 2 and Pixel Buds Pro in my experience. All deliver excellent call clarity that’s a step above most earbuds.

Controls – Intuitive Gestures

Tap gestures on each earbud handle playback and sound controls:

• Left: Play/pause, track skip, ambient sound toggle
• Right: Volume, call actions, voice assistant

The touchpads are responsive without being overly sensitive to accidental taps. Smart gestures like shaking your head to decline a call work great too.

My only request would be swipe gestures for volume control instead of the current repeated tap method. Swiping up or down is more intuitive than repeated taps in my opinion. But otherwise, the XM5 controls work well.

Battery Life – As Advertised

Sony managed to preserve the same impressive battery specs as the XM4s:

• Earbuds: 8 hours listening time (ANC on)
• Case charges earbuds ~2 additional times
• Total listening time: 24 hours

Actual battery life depends heavily on your settings. With max volume, ANC, and LDAC codec, I squeezed about 6 hours per charge. Quick charging provides 1 hour of playback from just 3 minutes in the case.

So while your mileage may vary, the XM5 battery life stands among the best for true wireless earbuds.

Final Verdict

The Sony WF-1000XM5s deliver elite noise canceling and sound quality in a compact, comfortable design. Reasons to buy include:

Pros

• Superb, lively sound performance
• Best-in-class noise cancellation
• Improved comfort and fit
• Reliable touch controls and call quality
• Long battery life

Cons

• Expensive $299 price tag
• Some ear soreness during long listening sessions
• Ambient mode not as natural sounding as competitors

While the steep $299 cost pits them against heavy hitters like the AirPods Pro 2, the Sony XM5s more than hold their own. Their lively sound and phenomenal noise canceling outshine even the competition.

If you want absolutely top-tier audio, noise canceling, and comfort in a compact pair of earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM5s will not disappoint. They are truly a cut above when it comes to premium true wireless sound.