Sony today unveiled its latest pair of noise-cancelling wire-free buds, the WF-1000XM4s. Succeeding 2019's excellent XM3s, the XM4s could even better thanks to addressing a few of their predecessor's quirks.
While the XM3s offered top-tier sound and noise-cancellation - especially for a pair of wire-free earbuds - in our review, we found that they could get uncomfortable during extended listening sessions, weren't fond of the lack of sweat resistance, and found the case overly bulky. Sony has however seemingly tackled all three issues.
To start, the XM4s have an all-new design that's smaller and said to feature a more stable and ergonomic fit. While every ear is different, hopefully this addresses the comfort issues we found with the XM3s. In a similar vein, the case is smaller, with a 40% reduction in size.
And while the XM3s didn't have any water resistance rating, the XM4s are rated IPX4. This means they're capable of surviving sweat, splashes, and light rain without any issues.
In terms of battery, Sony says you'll get eight hours of charge with noise-cancelling switched on, and the case will provide a further 16 hours of use. A 5 minute top-up can give up to 60 minutes of playback.
The Sony WF-1000XM4s will be available in Australia from mid-July for $449.95 in a choice of black or platinum silver.
Alex Choros
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