True Wireless
Sony WF-1000XM5
81Outstanding
$250
Full review dataSony WF-1000XM5 vs Sony WF-1000XM6: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Sony WF-1000XM6 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 85. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Sony WF-1000XM6 - Outstanding overall at around $278.
True Wireless
Sony WF-1000XM6
85Outstanding
$280
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Sony WF-1000XM6 leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- Sony WF-1000XM5
- Sony WF-1000XM6
HearWiki score
81
85
Sound
8.8
9.3
Noise cancelling
8.7
9.2
Battery
8.0
8.4
Calls
6.5
8.4
Value
8.2
8.1
Price (USD)
$250
$280
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Sony WF-1000XM6 (2026) against Sony WF-1000XM5 (2023). The Sony WF-1000XM6 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid.
- WF-1000XM52023
- WF-1000XM620263 yr newer
What differsWF-1000XM5WF-1000XM6
- ANC type
- Hybrid
- Adaptive
Platform
Level on: Bluetooth, Top codec, LE Audio (LC3), Multipoint pairing, Wireless charging, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app, Water resistance.
Specifications
WF-1000XM5WF-1000XM6
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $250
- $280
- HearWiki score
- 81
- 85
- Released
- 2023
- 2026
- Availability
- Still sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 8.4 mm dynamic
- 8.4 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 8.4 mm
- 8.4 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 40 kHz
- 20 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- 32 Ω
- -
- Sensitivity
- 102 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 12 h
- 12 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 8 h
- 8 h
- Battery incl. case
- -
- 24 h
- Full charge time
- 90 min
- 90 min
- Quick charge
- 5 min → 1 h
- 3 min → 1 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- Yes
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- hybrid
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- touch
- Voice assistant
- Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
- Google Assistant
- Weight
- 5.9 g
- 6.5 g
- Case weight
- 39 g
- 47.1 g
- Water resistance
- IPX4
- IPX4
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 6
- 8
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
What reviewers said
Sony WF-1000XM5
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are high-end wireless earbuds that excel in active noise cancellation, delivering up to 12 hours of playback (or 8 with ANC on).
- Pro:Excellent ANC performance
- Pro:Long battery life (12h, 8h with ANC)
- Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 5.3
- Con:Pricey at around $248
- Con:No official water resistance beyond IPX4
- Con:Touch controls may require adjustment
Sony WF-1000XM6
The Sony WF-1000XM6 true wireless earbuds deliver a top-tier audio experience with adaptive noise cancellation and a robust feature set, including LDAC support and multipoint connectivity. They perform exceptionally well for music and calls, though their premium price and case size are minor trade-offs. With strong battery life and IPX4 water resistance, they are a versatile, high-performance choice for most listeners.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Rich, detailed sound with LDAC support
- Pro:Solid battery life and wireless charging case
- Con:Premium price point
- Con:Included ear tips may not suit all ear shapes
- Con:Charging case is somewhat bulky
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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