If you’re scrambling for a last-minute Christmas gift that’s sure to please anyone who loves kicking back with their favourite tunes, look no further that the Sony WH-1000XM5. These once-flagship wireless headphones offer an luxurious listening experience, thanks to excellent audio quality, noise cancellation, and smart design. Better still, they’ve returned to their lowest ever price.
On Amazon US, you’ll find the WH-1000XM5 available for $248, a welcome 38% ($151) off its list price. Meanwhile, Amazon UK are selling the headphones for £199. Regardless of which region you’re shopping in, this is the most affordable these cans have ever been, making them a proper steal as a last-minute gift or regular purchase.
Sony WH-1000XM5
“Award-winning wireless headphones with premium noise cancellation, premium sound quality, crystal-clear call quality, and luxurious comfort.” – Sony
Speaking as someone that’s owned and gifted multiple generations of Sony WH-1000X, these are my go-to choice for wireless noise-cancelling headphones. While the WH-1000XM5 in particular does have a few shortcomings, they’re an unquestionably fantastic set of cans for this price.
The WH-1000XM5s marked the first headphone in the series to sport a 30mm driver. Though these are smaller than the 40mm units seen on previous models, they still pack a fabulous bassy punch. Sony builds them with a carbon fiber composite material, allowing them to provide prominently warm low frequencies without suffocating mids and highs, for a fun listening experience.
For you audiophiles out there, the WH-1000XM5 supports high-resolution audio over Bluetooth thanks to its support for the LDAC codec. Pop on your personal collection of FLACs or tune into your preferred lossless streaming service and these headphones won’t leave any musical detail off the table.
Better still, the WH-1000XM5 also support multipoint connection. I cannot stress how convenient this feature is if you’re someone that uses both their laptop and smartphone for work, as the headphones can simultaneously pair with both devices, switching at the press of a button.
Sony’s class-leading noise cancellation pushes the WH-1000XM5 over most other headphones, save perhaps its successor, the WH-1000XM6, and even the it’s a close battle. Featuring eight microphones, this setup dramatically reduces high frequency noise, keeping the buzz of your commute and office to a minimum so you can focus on your music and/or work.
Of course, comfort makes or breaks all headphones, no matter how fancy their sound quality or feature set. Weighing a mere 250g, Sony’s ‘soft fit leather’ can sit snugly around your ears and across your head for hours on end. In fact, in my experience, there will come times where you forget you’re wearing them.
You can expect around 30 hours of battery life out of the WH-1000XM5 per charge, with ANC on, leaving you plenty of juice for a full day and then some. Should you forget to fill up your headphones, though, you can quickly claw back three hours of uptime through just three minutes of charging.
Don’t forget that you’ll get a pair of WH-1000XM5s to your door all the faster via Amazon Prime. In fact, I’d say it’s a must if you plan to get the headphones delivered before Christmas. If you’re new to the service or a returning customer, we’ve got a primer (pun intended) on what benefits it brings.
