Sony WH-1000XM4

Based on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.

1. Q1 202693/1004.9★15 reviews

   Buyers in Q1 2026 consistently praise the XM4's noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and sound quality. Some note touch control sensitivity and mediocre call mic quality.

   • 👍Exceptional noise cancellation reliably blocks out ambient noise for travel and daily use.
   • 👍Comfortable for long wear, with lightweight design, good clamping force, and no headache reported.
   • 👍Long battery life, often exceeding 30 hours with ANC on, plus fast charging.
   • 🤔Touch controls can be oversensitive, triggering by hair or movement; call mic quality is mediocre.
2. Q4 202597/1005.0★8 reviews

   Buyers rave about these headphones for exceptional noise cancellation, sound quality, and comfort, but some report that the microphone fails on video calls like Teams and Zoom.

   • 👍Excellent active noise cancellation for travel, gym, and quiet focus.
   • 👍Rich, detailed sound quality with good bass; customizable via app.
   • 👍Comfortable for long sessions, lightweight, and durable over years.
   • 👎Microphone works poorly on Teams/Zoom calls, rendering voice inaudible.
3. Q3 202580/1004.0★5 reviews

   Buyers praised comfort, noise cancelling, and Bluetooth connectivity. One reported receiving a defective non-functioning unit.

   • 👍Excellent comfort and noise cancelling for sleeping, gym, flights.
   • 👍Great Bluetooth connectivity, easy pairing, and reliable connection.
   • 👍Outstanding sound quality and spatial audio at the price point.
   • 👎One user received a defective used unit that did not function.
4. Q2 202586/1003.9★7 reviews

   Reviewers praise the noise cancellation and comfort, though some report quality issues and one received a non-new unit.

   • 👍Excellent noise cancellation, rated best by users for blocking out loud environments.
   • 🤔Comfort is high for long wear; minor head/jaw ache and exercise slippage noted.
   • 👍Battery life is very good, with fast charging and durable build quality.
   • 👎Defect: noise cancellation works on only one ear for one reviewer.
5. Q1 202596/1005.0★3 reviews

   Buyers in Q1 2025 praise the headphones for exceptional sound quality (clean, balanced, crisp), strong noise cancelling, lightweight comfort, long battery life, and versatile Bluetooth features. A minor trade-off is the loss of smart features when using wired mode.

   • 👍Excellent sound quality: clean, tight bass, crisp mids and highs, well balanced.
   • 👍Lightweight comfort and long battery life (30-40 hours), auto on/off.
   • 🤔Bluetooth/wired trade-off: smart features (ANC, mic, controls) work only wirelessly.
   • 👍Connectivity: reliable Bluetooth, seamless multipoint between phone and PC.
6. Q2 202390/1004.7★3 reviews

   Buyers in Q2 2023 were highly satisfied, praising renewed headphones' like-new condition, superb sound, noise cancellation, and comfort. A few noted sensor sensitivity to moisture/dust causing auto power-off.

   • 👍Headphones perform like new, with great sound quality and noise cancellation.
   • 👍Comfortable fit, especially wider headband compared to newer models.
   • 👍Excellent value for money, equivalent to brand new at a lower cost.
   • 👎Wear-detection sensor sometimes triggers false auto power-off due to moisture or dust.
7. Q1 202295/1004.8★4 reviews

   Buyers praise the excellent noise cancellation, comfort, and sound quality. One user reports intermittent Bluetooth pairing issues with a TV.

   • 👍Noise cancellation is exceptional, rivaling top competitors.
   • 👍Comfortable for long wear; ear cups and low weight praised.
   • 👍Sound quality is clear with good bass, mids, and highs out of the box.
   • 🤔Bluetooth pairing sometimes drops with one user's TV; otherwise works great.

Based on 151 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.