Sony’s WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones unveiled

Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones have been on top since their debut with the WH-1000XM3 in 2018. The company has improved its powerful Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), sound quality and design even further in the WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM4 costs $350, shipping later this month.

The M4 has a refreshed matte coating, but the coating doesn’t modify the overall look. The company has slenderized the headband cushion and modified the curve to offer a better fit. On the previous model, the headband was a more oval shape, with a slicker plastic coating.

Sony says the WH-1000XM4 delivers excellent sound and the custom ANC automatically adjusts if you enable it. By enabling the feature, it can know your location using geo-location access, and put on your preferred level of noise-cancellation or ambient sound passthrough depending on where you are. The headphones are surprisingly lightweight with a comfortable design.

In the M4, there’s multiple device pairing through which you can connect it with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. This makes switching between devices seamless — be it handling a call or music. Another new addition to the M4 is Speak-to-Chat, the feature automatically pauses the audio and activates ambient sound when you start talking. It then resumes your music 30 seconds after you’re done speaking. Plus, it can automatically trigger the pause action when you take it off.

Sony didn’t stretch the battery life on the M4. The audio accessory has a 30 hours of battery life, which is an industry-standard in itself for wireless headphones. And a 10-minute charge can hold for up to 5 hours of battery life, thanks to quick charging.

Sony always has been improving the quality and features on its headphones. The new upgrade only has a few changes compared to its predecessor, but that makes it even better. You can pre-order the WH-1000XM4 today in either black or silver color options.