It’s no secret that Sony makes some of the best headphones you can get today — its WH-1000 series has become the gold standard for over-ear ANC. We’re now five generations deep in that series, and with completely revamped styling, the Sony WH-1000XM5 certainly look like a major upgrade from 2020’s WH-1000XM4.

Appearances aside, the XM5 aren’t much of an improvement, but there wasn’t much broken in the XM4 that Sony could realistically fix for this release. The WH-1000XM5 may not be an essential upgrade from the XM4, but they’re still outstanding headphones — and my new favorites for travel.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Design, hardware, and what's in the box

The WH-1000XM5 don't look flashy, but they're a pretty big shift for Sony. After four generations of headphones that all looked basically identical, the XM5 switched it up with a fresher, sleeker aesthetic. The headband and arms that attach to the headphones' ear cups are thinner and rounder than in previous models, and the headphones no longer fold up for storage and travel, instead sitting flat in their case. Objectively, that's a downgrade — the XM5 are a little worse for travel than the XM4 were. But the larger case doesn't take up that much more space in a bag than the XM4s did.

The XM5's ear cups are made of very pleasant matte plastic in either black or silver (it's really a light gray), with faux leather padding inside the cups and across the entire headband. It's a pretty low-key look, but the XM5 are very modern and sleek compared to prior models.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are pretty comfortable. The fake leather padding is plush and pillowy, and the headphones are light enough at just under nine ounces. But every once in a while, I noticed the headband weighing on the top of my head in a way I don't typically experience in other headphones, which can cause some discomfort. However, it's never outright painful, and fixing it is simple — you just have to move the band a bit. Still, you may find yourself fiddling with the XM5 to keep a comfy fit.

There's no rated water resistance here, which isn't great for the price. These aren't the kind of headphones you'd want to wear to the gym, but it'd be good to have some assurance that unplanned sweat or rain showers won't ruin your fancy $400 headphones. In day-to-day use, it's not likely to be an issue, but it's a weird oversight that I hope Sony rectifies in the next version.

The XM5 case is just as slick as the headphones themselves, with a durable-feeling fabric finish and lots of interesting lines and angles that don't serve many purposes beyond looking cool. Because the WH-1000XM5 don't fold down like previous versions, the case is a little larger. If you travel a lot, and you're really into space optimization, that large case may be a thorn in your side.

Still, I could fit the XM5 in a tightly packed carry-on without much difficulty. Inside, there's a magnetic door covering a compartment that houses the included USB-A-to-USB-C cable and 3.5-millimeter auxiliary cable.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Sound quality and ANC

Being several iterations into a series of headphones renowned for their sound quality and ANC, the Sony WH-1000XM5 offer excellent audio and class-leading noise cancellation. Even without LDAC (more on that in a bit), the XM5 sounds exceptionally clear and detailed, particularly in high and midrange frequencies.

I was expecting a little more low-end oomph, though. Out of the box, bass and sub-bass don't have the deep, bouncy quality you'd expect in headphones like these. Sony's Headphones Connect app does feature a five-band EQ, plus a separate slider labeled Clear Bass. Tuning that last slider to +6 or so (out of a max of +10) gets the sound about where I want it, but if you're out for serious, rumbling bass, movie theater-style, you won't quite get that experience here.

If you're set on wringing the best possible sound quality out of the Sony WH-1000XM5, the headphones do support Sony's LDAC codec, but there are a few catches. For one, you must switch off Bluetooth multipoint in the Headphones Connect app to get LDAC to work.

What's more, not every music service offers streaming at a quality that can take advantage of LDAC's higher max bitrate. Qobuz and Amazon Music are among the few that do, while Spotify and YouTube Music do not. LDAC also uses extra battery versus SBC or AAC. I'm not great at hearing the nuances between different codecs, and I prefer Spotify — so I haven't gotten much use out of LDAC in my time with the XM5.

ANC in the Sony WH-1000XM5 is outstanding. It handles the usual stuff — low hums, airplane cabin noise, that sort of thing — just as well as or better than any other headphones on the market, and trickier sounds like background music or people talking are dampened very effectively. The headphones can't completely silence background noise, but with ANC on, you can hear my music pretty clearly at medium volume while using a gas-powered leaf blower. That's wild.

ANC in the XM5 is driven by the same Integrated Processor V1 Sony stuck in the WH-1000XM4, but this time, there are two working in tandem. That doesn't translate to doubly effective ANC versus the last gen, but the noise-cancelling is top-notch.

The call quality is very strong, too. Listening to recordings taken on the WH-1000XM5, my voice sounds clear with muted background noise. I've been using the headphones for lots of video meetings and phone calls, and I haven't received any complaints that I sound garbled or distant.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Features

Sony didn't skimp on bells and whistles in the WH-1000XM5. They've got Bluetooth multipoint connectivity when you're not using LDAC (which is rapidly becoming a requirement for me in high-end consumer audio gear). They also support Fast Pair and hands-free access to Google Assistant and Alexa.

You can toggle between ANC and transparency modes with a quick press of the NC/AMB button on the left ear cup, or if you need to hear something quickly, place your hand on the touch-sensitive right ear cup. That'll lower your media volume and turn on transparency as long as you keep your hand there. I love this feature; it's intuitive, works well, and is less awkward than pulling an ear cup away from your head when you just need to hear an in-flight announcement.

Sony's Speak-to-Chat feature pauses your music and flips transparency on when the headphones detect you've started talking. It works well enough, but in my experience, it can take a second or two of speaking to kick in, and it generally feels awkward to use.

I'd rather pop the headphones off if I need to talk to someone at length or, in a pinch, hold my hand over the right ear cup for the duration of the interaction. Speak-to-Chat is optional and off by default, so it's not a hindrance if you don't want it.

The Headphones Connect app offers an Adaptive Sound Control feature that analyzes your habits and automatically adjusts your ANC/transparency settings based on factors like the time of day and where you are. Switching between the two modes manually requires one press of a button, so the idea of automating the process seems a little goofy, but again, it's an optional feature that never gets in your way if you don't choose to use it.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Battery life

Sony advertises 30 hours of battery life between charges in the WH-1000XM5, with ANC on and LDAC off. That seems accurate to me. Of course, some headphones last longer, but it's hard to complain about a 30-hour runtime. The longest direct flights take about 19 hours, so no plane ride on Earth can tap the XM5's battery.

Sony says that the headphones take three and a half hours to charge from empty to full and that three minutes of charging translates to three hours of playback. That last claim is a little difficult to test as Sony doesn't offer many details, only saying it requires "an optional USB-PD compatible AC adapter." However, the headphones charge reasonably quickly with a standard 18-watt USB-C brick.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Competition

At an MSRP of $400, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are very premium as far as regular wireless headphones are concerned. Bose's Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 retail for the same $400 and offer similar audio quality and ANC — though the Sony headphones have a minor leg up on both fronts. Like the XM5, the Bose 700 also have Bluetooth multipoint, but their battery life is shorter, rated at 20 hours, and there's no support for high-quality codecs like LDAC. Because the Bose headphones are a little older, they see more frequent (and larger) discounts.

There's also the previous-generation Sony WH-1000XM4 to consider. They're still available and perform nearly as well as the XM5 in every respect. They're also $50 less expensive, with an MSRP of $350, and they go on sale more often — including a recent deal that saw them hit $228.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Should you buy them?

If you're on the hunt for a new pair of ANC headphones and cost isn't a consideration, the Sony WH-1000XM5 should be at the top of your list. They sound great, their ANC is second to none, and I think the refreshed design successfully toes the line between modern and trendy. Bass fanatics might find the low-end response a little lacking, and some travelers will be miffed the headphones don't fold down to pack away more neatly, but for most people, these headphones are an easy "yes."

That said, the previous generation Sony WH-1000XM4 are still a fantastic option and nearly as good as the XM5 in every way. The older model also goes on sale regularly, typically for about $280 and sometimes even less. You can save $100 or more by going last-gen, and considering improvements in the newer version are so minor, that's probably the smart move. But if you want the best and don't mind paying for it, the WH-1000XM5 fits the bill.

Buy them if…

• You need new ANC headphones and you've got $400 burning a hole in your pocket.
• You dig the new, modern design.

Don't buy them if…

• You need headphones that can fold up for compact travel.
• You can wait for a deal on the previous-gen WH-1000XM4. Aesthetics aside, the XM5 aren't a major upgrade, and the XM4 are always on sale.