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Sony WF-1000XM4 · Official Sony WF-1000XM4 product photograph; complete supplied canvas and background preserved.

Sony · WF earbuds

WF-1000XM4

Released June 2021

Wireless noise-cancelling earbuds with foam ear tips, LDAC playback and a Qi charging case.

Model history · 2 models, 2019–2021

2019WF-1000XM3 Compare
2021WF-1000XM4

Type: In-ear
Noise cancelling: Yes
Battery: 8 h
With case: 24 h
Best codec: LDAC
Weight: 7.3 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the detailed, balanced sound, effective noise cancelling and useful app controls. Fit can take some adjustment, though What Hi-Fi? finds them comfortable once seated. Battery life divides opinion: What Hi-Fi? rates it strongly, while TechRadar considers the total endurance ordinary.

From techradar.com, whathifi.com and expertreviews.co.uk

Specifications

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Sound

Type: In-ear
Noise cancelling: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes
Driver size: 6 mm
Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC and LDAC
Chip: Integrated Processor V1
Drivers: 6 mm drivers with high-power neodymium magnets
Noise cancelling detail: Feedforward and feedback noise-sensing microphones on each earbud; Ambient Sound Mode, Quick Attention, Adaptive Sound Control and automatic wind noise reduction
Audio features: DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio with compatible services; Bluetooth frequency response of 20 Hz–20 kHz at 44.1 kHz sampling, or 20 Hz–40 kHz with LDAC at 96 kHz and 990 kbps

Battery

Listening time (maker's claim): Up to 8 hours
With the case: Up to 24 hours
Wireless charging: Yes
Battery life detail: With DSEE Extreme off, the manual lists AAC playback up to 8 hours with noise cancelling or 12 hours off; SBC up to 7.5 hours on or 11 hours off; LDAC up to 5 hours on or 6 hours off. LDAC with DSEE Extreme set to AUTO and noise cancelling on is up to 3.5 hours. The launch release claims 24 hours with the case with noise cancelling, or 36 hours off; talk time up to 5.5 hours with noise cancelling and 6 hours off.
Charging case: USB-C and Qi wireless charging; about 1.5 hours to charge the earbuds and 3 hours for the case
Fast charging: 5 minutes of charging gives about 1 hour of playback

Design

Weight (each earbud): 7.3 g
Water and sweat resistance: IPX4
Bluetooth: 5.2
Two devices at once: Yes
Controls: Touch controls for playback, volume and sound modes; Quick Attention lowers music volume while a finger is held on the left earbud; Speak-to-Chat pauses music and admits outside sound when speech is detected; wear detection pauses playback when an earbud is removed
Microphones: Dual noise-sensing microphones per earbud; Precise Voice Pickup uses beamforming and a bone-conduction sensor for calls
Fit and ear tips: Polyurethane foam Noise Isolation Earbud Tips in S, M and L; an app test checks the seal
Case weight: About 41 g; the UK support specifications put this under an unqualified weight heading, while the manual distinguishes the case from each 7.3 g earbud with M tips fitted
Water resistance detail: IPX4 for the earbuds only, excluding the sound outlets, ventilation holes and microphone holes; the charging case is not water resistant
Works with: Bluetooth A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP; Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair; the current manual describes two-device multipoint, which Sony's firmware notes list as an added feature; LDAC needs a compatible source
Colours: Black, Silver; official press photo shows Silver
In the box: Earbuds, charging case, Noise Isolation Earbud Tips in S, M and L, USB-A to USB-C charging cable

Pros and cons

Pros

LDAC playback and two-device multipoint with updated software
Qi wireless charging and USB-C charging for the case
Up to 8 hours with noise cancelling, 24 hours including the case

Cons

IPX4 covers the earbuds; the charging case is not water resistant
LDAC with noise cancelling reduces the maker's claimed listening time to 5 hours with DSEE Extreme off
No aptX codec support