A good pair of wireless earbuds is a great investment. Even better is a pair of the best noise-cancelling earbuds – perfect for keeping out the hubbub of the world around you.
Fortunately, one pair of earbuds has dominated both of those categories. Since it launched in 2021, the Sony WF-1000XM4 has been the top pick for an all-round choice, offering a solid balance of sound quality, battery life and appearance.
Now, rumours about it's successor – the Sony WF-1000XM5 – have emerged. While there isn't a great deal of difference in the leak, there are a couple of upgrades which should make the new model even more appealing.
The information comes from popular tech insider, Roland Quandt, via WinFuture. Quandt enjoys a brilliant reputation for leaking information, putting a good degree of kudos on these claims.
So, what's new? First, the buds themselves are said to be shaving off a few grams. The buds for the XM5 are listed at 5.9g, down from 7.3g on the XM4. That should help the buds to feel even more comfortable in use – perfect for longer listening sessions.
There's also an update in the charging department. No, the battery life doesn't look to have changed – that's still rated at 24 hours for the case, with no information about the buds on their own. That might be a bit disappointing, but we do get a useful change to compensate.
According to the leak, a three minute burst of charge will provide enough power to run the buds for an hour of listening. That's down from five minutes on the XM4, and should make it easy to get a quick bit of use out of them in a pinch.
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There's no word yet on price or a launch date, though they are expected to drop soon. Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the coming weeks and months, then.
Sam Cross is an award-winning journalist, with nine years of experience in the media industry. His work can be found in publications as diverse as Oracle Time, Metro and Last Word on Sports.
Here at T3, Sam is best known as the brand’s go-to guy for all things luxurious – from exquisite watches to fine fragrances; the latest performance vehicles to intricate audio equipment, and more.
He’s often found travelling around the world to test new launches, complete with high-end backpacks and suitcases in tow. And when he’s not adding to his air miles, Sam can be found in front of a video camera, bringing his distinctive brand of storytelling to T3’s social media channels.
Sam also loves all things analogue including listening to music on vinyl or cassette, and photography on vintage film cameras.