Rankings
The Sony WH-1000XM5 delivers flagship-level ANC, high-resolution audio, and long battery life in a premium over-ear package. Its comfort and feature set are excellent, though the lack of a folding design and water resistance limit its travel suitability.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 (Silver) is a premium wireless over-ear headphone delivering industry-leading ANC, LDAC high-resolution streaming, and a suite of smart features. It offers long battery life, multipoint pairing, and app-based customization, though it lacks aptX support and water resistance.
The white Sony WH-CH720N mirrors its black counterpart, offering a lightweight, comfortable design with long battery life and solid ANC at a budget price. Premium features like LDAC and multipoint are present, but the build feels plasticky and the headphones are not foldable.
The Sony ULT WEAR is a premium over-ear wireless headphone aimed at bass lovers, offering strong ANC, long battery life, fast charging, and eco-friendly recycled-plastic construction. It adds multipoint Bluetooth, voice-assistant integration, and a foldable design, but its bass-forward sound and touch controls may not suit audiophiles.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 offers top-tier ANC, high-resolution audio support, and a suite of customizable features in a comfortable, foldable package, ideal for travelers and audiophiles. Minor drawbacks include treble sibilance and a tighter earcup fit for some users.
The Sony MDR-ZX110NC is a budget-friendly on-ear headphone that offers active noise cancellation and an impressive 80-hour battery life on a single AAA cell. Its foldable design and clear sound make it suitable for travel, though it lacks a microphone and premium build features.
| Attribute | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
35 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 80 hoursbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 100.1 gbest | 254 g | 254 g | 250 g | 255 g | 150 g |
30 mm | 40 mmbest | 30 mm | 30 mm | 40 mmbest | 30 mm | |
50 hoursbest | 38 hours | 40 hours | 40 hours | 50 hoursbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 3 minutesbest | 10 minutes | 3 minutesbest | 3 minutesbest | 10 minutes | — |
| ↓ lower better | 325 Ω | — | 48 Ω | 48 Ω | 32 Ωbest | 220 Ω |
108 dB SPL | 105 dB SPL | 103 dB SPL | 102 dB SPL | 100 dB SPL | 115 dB SPLbest | |
— | — | 10 mbest | 10 mbest | 10 mbest | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audio(5) | ||||||
Driver Size (mm) | 30 mm | 40 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm | 40 mm | 30 mm |
Frequency Response (Hz) | 7-20000 Hz | 4-40000 Hz | 20-40000 Hz | 20-40000 Hz Hz | 5-20000 Hz | 10-22000 Hz |
Impedance (Ω) | 325 Ω | — | 48 Ω | 48 Ω | 32 Ω | 220 Ω |
Sensitivity (dB SPL) | 108 dB SPL | 105 dB SPL | 103 dB SPL | 102 dB SPL | 100 dB SPL | 115 dB SPL |
Noise Cancellation Type | Active Noise Cancellation | Active | Active | Dual Processor ANC | Active | Active Noise Cancellation |
Connectivity(2) | ||||||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | — |
Supported Audio Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | LDAC, AAC, SBC | LDAC,AAC,SBC,LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | — |
Build & Design(2) | ||||||
Weight (g) | 100.1 g | 254 g | 254 g | 250 g | 255 g | 150 g |
Foldable Design | false | true | true | false | true | true |
Battery & Power(3) | ||||||
Battery Life (ANC On) (hours) | 35 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 80 hours |
Battery Life (ANC Off) (hours) | 50 hours | 38 hours | 40 hours | 40 hours | 50 hours | — |
Fast Charge Time (minutes) | 3 minutes | 10 minutes | 3 minutes | 3 minutes | 10 minutes | — |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the WH-CH720N for its impressive battery life, solid ANC, and robust connectivity, noting it as a strong value proposition for budget buyers. Criticisms focus on its plasticky build, lack of auto-pause, and a bloated app.
Users love the headphone's long battery life, comfortable fit, and clear sound, especially for commuting and study sessions. Common complaints include pairing hiccups, the absence of a carrying case, plastic creaking, and overheating after extended use.
“Extremely comfortable for all-day wear, even with glasses.”
“Battery lasts forever-charged once a week with daily 3-4 hour use.”
“Noise cancellation is surprisingly good for the price.”
Professional reviewers universally rank the WH-1000XM4 among the best noise-cancelling headphones, highlighting its superior ANC, long battery life, LDAC high-resolution streaming, and comfortable design.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the WH-1000XM4 for its powerful ANC, impressive battery endurance, and convenient Speak-to-Chat, while noting issues with call quality in windy settings and touch-control sensitivity.
Professional reviewers universally commend the WH-1000XM6 for its unrivaled ANC performance, deep and clean bass, and the flexibility of a 10-band EQ, while noting sibilant treble and a narrower soundstage.
Everyday users rave about the superior noise cancellation, punchy bass, and crystal-clear call quality, especially praising the rapid quick-charge feature.
Professional reviewers laud the WH-1000XM5 for its unmatched ANC performance, refined sound signature, and robust feature set including LDAC and multipoint Bluetooth. While the audio and call quality set a new benchmark, critics note the loss of a foldable design and a premium feel compared to earlier models, making the price premium feel less justified for some.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the headphones for their magical noise cancellation, superior sound, and comfort during long wear, while repeatedly mentioning the quick-charge convenience. Common complaints focus on the lack of portability due to the non-foldable design, overly sensitive touch controls, and the absence of sweat resistance or iOS EQ support.
Professional reviewers highlight its impressive low-end response, solid ANC for the price, and hands-free Alexa, while noting the bass-forward tuning and touch-control sensitivity as drawbacks.
Everyday users love the comfort, powerful bass boost, effective ANC, long battery life with rapid charging, and travel-friendly foldable design, but complain about overly sensitive touch controls and lack of water resistance.
Professional reviewers highlight the MDR-ZX110NC's standout battery endurance and effective low-frequency noise suppression, praising its foldable, lightweight construction and comfortable earcups. They note the lack of a microphone and inline controls as limitations.
Users consistently praise the headphones for their exceptional battery life, clear sound, and affordability, especially for airplane travel. Common complaints focus on the lack of a microphone, absence of inline controls, and discomfort from the on-ear fit after prolonged use.
