If you’ve missed the AirPods Max sale yesterday, don’t fret. Some best alternatives to the Apple headphones are on sale right now. For instance, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are considered as popular and capable as the AirPods Max, and they are heavily discounted on Amazon and Best Buy.
The limited sale has three colorways of the Sony WH-1000XM5 currently listed for $329, which is the second-best price recorded. This saves you $71 (18 percent) off the usual listing at $399.
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What makes the Sony WH-1000XM5 preferred Bluetooth ANC headphones to buy
The Sony WH-1000XM5 (review) came on the scene in 2022, making them quite dated. Despite that, they are still phenomenal over-ear headphones to purchase, especially considering at their reduced rate.
Sony gave them notable upgrades including in exterior and interior. The overall design of the headphones have gone more modern and sleeker along with wider cushions on the ear pads. This change alone adds more comfort for longer listening session along with a better passive noise isolation.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 has a much thinner headband and hinges / © NextPit
The ear cups themselves come with an array of sensors and are touch-sensitive controls, while a new one-tap touch control is now supported for Spotify. On top of that, the headphones are compatible with Android and iPhone, so you are sure to fully utilize all the features including the extensive equalizer and fast pairing.
In terms of sound, our colleague who tested the wearable favored the V-shaped audio signature in the Sony WH-1000XM5. This means the output is well-balanced while slightly giving emphasis to bass and treble, with the overall audio being clean and precise.
Additionally, the ANC in the headphones perform admirably. The noise-canceling works are very effective in blocking ambient and industrial noises while limiting the distortion that affects the audio quality. If you’re the opposite, you can also like the transparency mode which supports customization and multiple profiles.
A fully charged WH-1000XM5 can also provide a robust playtime. In our testing, the 40 hours battery life is achievable when ANC is disabled, and this is slightly reduced at 30 hours, which is still an impressive value. The only gripe you should keep in mind, though, is the slow charging that takes around 3 hours and a half from 0 to 100 percent.
Do you think the Sony WH-1000XM5 are commendable with these features? Let us know in the comments.
