Wireless earbuds comprise a vibrant and ever-growing product category. It's often hard to make yourself heard in such a saturated market, with the likes of Apple, Beats, and other behemoth brands competing for supremacy.
Well, Sony's all-new WF-1000XM3 completely wireless earbuds mark a turning point in this space. They're the first completely wireless earbuds that offer a flawless noise-canceling experience coupled with great sound — without requiring users to make any major compromises.
I spent well over a week testing the Sony WF-1000XM3 completely wireless earbuds and, without saying too much, now consider them the new gold standard for noise-canceling earbuds.
Below are a few good reasons why.
They Have the Best Noise-Canceling Tech
The noise-canceling capabilities of the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds are nothing short of spectacular and truly in a league of their own. They can tune out ambient noise better than any competitor, including neckband offerings that are nowhere near as compact and comfortable. I tip my cap to Sony for achieving this feat in a completely wireless product.
You can adjust the noise-canceling level by simply tapping on the left earbud. You can fine-tune it to your exact liking via Sony’s mobile app. Rather impressively, there’s also the option to let the WF-1000XM3 earbuds automatically adjust to noise-canceling experience based on your activity and surroundings.
They Sound Superb
I wasn’t surprised to discover that the WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds deliver sound with exceptional quality. The audio is impressively clear and distortion-free — even at high volume. The buds can upgrade compressed content to near-High Resolution Audio quality, courtesy of a cutting-edge sound enhancement engine. The audio quality during phone calls is excellent, too.
You can adjust the sonic experience to match your preferences, as well as the type of content you plan to enjoy via Sony’s mobile app. I like that the latter has several handy audio presets (bass boost, treble boost, vocal), along with the option to manually adjust the equalizer settings, in case you're nitpicky about your tunes.
Unlike their Sony WF-1000X predecessor, which was plagued by connectivity issues, the WF-1000XM3 maintained a robust connection with an iPhone, as well as an Android smartphone during my testing. They performed just like I would expect from a product in this price range.
They're Stylish
The WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds are pleasantly understated. Both color variants have a Sony logo and a microphone pinhole with a rose gold finish. Also found in Sony’s awesome wireless noise-canceling headphones, this clever design touch adds just the right amount of flair, leaving no room for doubt that you're rocking a fine tech product.
The charging case of the earbuds is also elegant. It has a metal lid with a rose gold finish, so it suits the WF-1000XM3 perfectly.
They're Comfy
The earbuds are impressively lightweight and comfortable, especially considering the sheer amount of tech they pack. Just as you would expect from a great pair of noise-canceling buds, you can wear these for hours without even a hint of fatigue.
The touch controls of the earbuds are convenient. The left one controls the noise-canceling experience; the right earbud is in charge of the audio playback and phone calls. You can instantly tune into your surroundings by placing your finger over any earbud. The only feature that’s missing is the ability to control the playback volume.
The earbuds are also compatible with Google Assistant voice commands. All you need to do is set up the feature in the Sony app.
Lack of any water resistance is, handily, the most notable shortcoming of Sony’s latest earbuds. I simply do not recommend that you wear them in the rain or during your sweaty runs and workouts — consider other earbuds for those activities. I find the lack of an IP rating to be fair trade-off for the audio quality and the noise-canceling performance that the WF-1000XM3 earbuds offer.
They Have Excellent Battery Life
You can expect up to 6 hours of wireless playback from the WF-1000XM3 with the noise canceling switched on — enough to outperform many of today’s popular completely wireless earbuds. If you switch the noise canceling off, you can expect up an even more impressive 8 hours between charges.
The battery case of the earbuds holds two additional full charges. Depending on your use of noise cancellation, this could mean up to 24 hours’ worth of independence from charging cables. I like that the accessory uses USB-C for charging.
Wrap-Up
The Sony WF-1000XM3 deservedly received high review ratings from TechRadar, The Verge, and Wired. Everyone agrees that these are the best completely wireless earbuds, capable of tuning out your surroundings.
Sony has priced its latest creation at $230. That’s a tad steep, but worth every penny given the design, the features, and the audio performance you’re going to get. The retail package of the earbuds contains a charging cable, as well as a plethora of ear tips for finding the perfect fit.
Read More:
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