Sony 1000X Series WH-1000XM4C

The Sony WH-1000XM4C nails connectivity and noise cancelling, with Bluetooth 6.0, multipoint, and ANC that's among the best you can buy. Battery life is a solid 27 hours with a 3-minute quick charge for an hour of playback. Music performance is the weak spot at 77.3 out of 100, and comfort is just average. At $298-300 USD, it's a great commuter and call headphone, but music lovers should look elsewhere.

The connectivity story here is basically best-in-class. Our database puts it at the 100th percentile for connectivity, which means nothing else in this category touches it right now. Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint means you can be paired to your laptop and phone simultaneously, and it'll switch to whichever one starts making noise first. For work calls and music breaks, that's a genuine quality-of-life upgrade. LDAC support is also here, so Android users get high-bitrate wireless audio without much fuss.

Sound quality sits at the 97th percentile, which is impressive but comes with a caveat. The 40mm dynamic driver covers 4Hz to 40kHz, and with LDAC you're getting a lot of detail. But the music score of 77.3 suggests the tuning leans more toward clarity and call performance than pure musicality. Think crisp vocals and clean instrument separation rather than thumping bass or a warm, lush presentation. It's a headphone that sounds great on a podcast or a conference call, and perfectly good for music, just not the last word in emotional engagement.

Against the Sennheiser HDB 630, the Sony wins on connectivity and ANC, but Sennheiser typically brings a more refined, music-first tuning. The HDB 630 is also likely to be more comfortable for long sessions, given the XM4C's average comfort score. If you're a music lover who occasionally takes calls, Sennheiser makes a strong case. If you're a commuter who occasionally listens to music, the Sony's ANC and multipoint are hard to beat.

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 is the luxury option. It costs significantly more, but you're paying for premium materials and a sound signature that's widely considered among the best in wireless headphones. The Sony can't match that musicality, but it does beat the Px8 on connectivity and probably on call quality too. The Apple AirPods Max 2 is the wildcard. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, the seamless device switching and spatial audio are compelling. But the Sony is lighter, foldable, and has better battery life. The JBL Tune 670NC is the budget alternative, and while it can't touch the Sony's ANC or connectivity, it's a fraction of the price.

Pricing is a bit of a puzzle here. In the US, you're looking at $298 to $300. In Canada, it's CAD 428 to 430. That's not cheap. It's actually knocking on the door of the original WH-1000XM4's launch price territory, which makes you wonder what the 'C' in the name is really saving you. You do get Bluetooth 6.0, which the older XM4 doesn't have, and IPX4 water resistance, which is genuinely useful. But the music score suggests Sony spent the budget on connectivity and ANC rather than audio tuning.

Compared to the competition, the value proposition depends on what you care about. The TOZO HT3 costs a fraction of this and offers surprisingly decent ANC for the money. The Sennheiser HDB 630 and Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 both cost more but deliver stronger music performance. The XM4C sits in a weird middle ground: premium connectivity and ANC, but mid-pack comfort and music. If calls and commutes are your life, it earns its keep. If you're mostly listening to music at a desk, there are better ways to spend this much.

Sony's WH-1000XM4C is a bit of an odd duck in the 1000X lineup. It borrows the name and a lot of the noise cancelling DNA from the legendary XM4, but it's positioned as a slightly more accessible take on the formula. You get the same foldable design language, multipoint Bluetooth, and that signature Sony ANC, but with a few corners trimmed to hit a friendlier price point. The result is a headphone that feels familiar but has its own personality.

Who's this for? Commuters, office workers, and anyone who spends a lot of time on calls. Our scoring backs that up. Commute performance lands at 90 out of 100, calls at 86.8, and work at 86.4. Music listening is the weakest area at 77.3, which tells you Sony prioritized the practical, everyday stuff over pure audiophile indulgence. That's not a knock, it's a focus.

What makes it interesting is the spec sheet. Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC support, IPX4 water resistance, and a 27-hour battery with a genuinely useful quick charge. Three minutes on the charger gets you an hour of playback. That's the kind of feature that saves your commute when you forgot to plug in overnight. And at 253 grams, it's light enough to forget you're wearing it, mostly.

If music is your main thing, skip this. The 77.3 music score is fine, but at $298 to $300, you can get headphones that sound noticeably better. The Sennheiser HDB 630 or Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 will give you a richer, more engaging listening experience, though you'll pay more for the Px8. If you're on a budget, the TOZO HT3 delivers decent ANC and sound for a fraction of the price.

Also skip it if comfort is your top concern. The 51st percentile comfort score means it's just average. If you wear headphones for 8+ hours a day, you might find the XM4C gets uncomfortable. Look for something with plusher ear pads and a lighter clamp. And if you're already happy with the original XM4, the upgrades here aren't dramatic enough to justify a repurchase unless you specifically need Bluetooth 6.0 or IPX4.

For commuters and office workers, the WH-1000XM4C is a strong pick. The ANC is genuinely excellent, the multipoint Bluetooth is flawless, and the quick charge is a lifesaver. The 27-hour battery means you can go days without thinking about the charger. And at 253 grams with a foldable design, it's easy to toss in a bag and go. If your day involves trains, buses, open offices, and back-to-back calls, this headphone was built for you.

For music-first listeners, it's a harder sell. The 77.3 music score isn't bad, but it's not what you'd expect at this price. You're paying for connectivity and ANC excellence, not audio bliss. If you want a headphone that makes your playlists sing, look at the Sennheiser HDB 630 or stretch for the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. If you want a headphone that makes your commute bearable and your calls clear, the XM4C delivers.