In this post, I'll be reviewing the Sony WH-1000XM3/1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Headphones. WH-1000XM4 is the newer version that replaced the WH-1000XM3 but they are almost identical in many aspects. The newest version is the WH-1000XM5, however you can save quite a bit of money by opting for the WH-1000XM4 instead.
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I purchased my Sony headphones back in 2021 (at full price) and have been using them since. Considering they were a significant investment, I had my doubts when I purchased them and I wondered how well they would hold up over time, especially since they're made of plastic. This isn’t a full review of the headphones but rather a review of their durability and performance over the years.
Battery Life
The WH-1000XM3/1000XM4 were originally rated for an impressive 30 hours when first launched and I regularly achieved those numbers when my headphones were new. 4 years later, I can confirm that they are still holding up quite well. I regularly fly to Mauritius from Montreal which includes a total of 19 hours of flying and there is still some juice left in those batteries after using it for my entire trip with Active Noise Cancelling on. I’d say the battery still holds a charge of at least 20 hours which should be more than enough for most people. It seems you can DIY a battery replacement as well but I have not felt the need to do so.
Build Quality
Since purchasing them, I was not impressed with the build quality of these headphones. They are made of plastic and they often creak which made them feel cheap and had me questioning their durability. While the creaking is still there a few years later, it has not worsened, nor has any parts loosened.
Nothing has faded or peeled away. The leather lining is still intact, as is the soft sponge covering the components. It will occasionally develop an odour after extended use but I simply clean it with an alcohol based disinfectant spray and that always gets rid of of the smell. It’s a good idea to disinfect them regularly anyway for sanitary reasons.
The leather ear cups show no signs of wear or damage
The headband is still sturdy though it does creak
Sound Quality and Active Noise Cancellation
The sound quality is fantastic and little details and more nuanced instruments are audible when listening to music. The bass is thunderous and significantly better than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones when I tested them side by side.
Microphone/Calls
The microphone quality has always been excellent and I've used them for my work Teams Calls for years because they easily outperform Apple's AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro has undesirable background noise and based on feedback from my colleagues, they’ve mentioned that my voice is less clear when using Airpod Pros for Teams calls. I tried some Teams recordings and there is more crackling with the AirPods.
Main Issue
Over the years, the only downside I’ve noticed is the lack of multi device connection as these headphones cannot connect to more than one device at a time. This means for example, if you are listening to music from your computer, you cannot answer a phone call from your cell phone similar to how Apple AirPods has seamless integration with iPhones and Macs. This is however not a “bug” but rather a lack of a useful feature.
The carrying case is sturdy and despite tossing it in my backpack or carry-on over the years, it has held up well and prevented any damage to the headphones.
Summary
I think these headphones still provide excellent value and if you are on a budget, you can still look at the WH-1000XM4 (or WH-1000XM3) over the WH-1000XM5. They are durable and even after 4 years, the battery still lasts for 20 hours.