Sony WH-1000XM4 vs WH-1000XM3: Which headphones should you buy this Black Friday?

(Pocket-lint) - When it comes to wireless sound cancelling headphones, Sony has been astatine the apical of its crippled for a fig of years now.

Its 1000X bid took galore by astonishment erstwhile archetypal introduced, but are present considered to beryllium among the best.

The latest generation, the Sony WH-1000XM4, comes with the astir precocious features, but if your fund isn't large is it inactive worthy buying astir for the erstwhile procreation instead?

We comparison the differences betwixt the 2 to assistance you marque that determination - and with Black Friday discounts apt connected some models, you tin marque definite you get the close headphones for you.

What's different?

Visually, some the XM3 and XM4 headphones are precise similar. However, determination are immoderate plan tweaks for comfort, a caller spot to amended progressive sound cancellation, and a fewer further features that marque it easier to interact with the extracurricular world.

Support for a wider scope of euphony technologies besides makes a difference.

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Design and build

• Sony WH-1000XM4 weight: 254g
• Sony WH-1000XM3 weight: 255g

Determining the differences betwixt the Sony WH-1000XM4 and XM3 headphones visually is tough. They travel successful the akin colour options and stock the aforesaid plan notes.

But, the XM4s are much comfy to wear. The earpads are 10 per cent larger, truthful softer. And the headband has slimmed to trim weight, albeit fractionally.

There is besides a smaller spread betwixt the earcups and the arms, to guarantee little audio bleed.

In each different regard, though, they are peas successful a pod. Well built, robust and casual to deterioration for agelong periods.

Battery and charging

• Sony WH-1000XM4: Up to 30 hours (NC), 38 hours (NC off), afloat complaint successful 3 hours, 5 hours worthy successful 10 minutes
• Sony WH-1000XM3: Up to 30 hours (NC), 38 hours (NC off), afloat complaint successful 3 hours

Claimed artillery beingness is the aforesaid connected some headsets - up to 30 hours with sound cancelling switched on, 38 with it disconnected - though the MX4 handles things a small otherwise that volition marque beingness easier.

Both tin beryllium charged from level to afloat successful astir 3 hours, utilizing USB-C. But, the XM4 is susceptible if being recharged for astir 5 hours of playback with conscionable 10 minutes of complaint time.

In addition, the XM4 comes with a proximity sensor successful the near earcup that, erstwhile coupled with interior question sensors, tin intermission playback erstwhile you region the 'phones. Music volition commencement again erstwhile you enactment them backmost on.

Alternatively, if you permission them disconnected for 15 minutes, they volition powerfulness down entirely.

Audio tech and ANC

• Sony WH-1000XM4: 40mm dome benignant drivers, DSEE Extreme, QN1 processor, Bluetooth Audio
• Sony WH-1000XM3: 40mm dome benignant drivers, DSEE HX, QN1 processor, aptX and aptX HD support

Both models usage akin 40mm dome benignant operator units, but the mode audio is processed is somewhat improved successful the caller heaphones - particularly erstwhile it comes to compressed record types.

While the WH-1000XM3s utilise DSEE HX tech to analyse and heighten MP3s and the like, making them dependable person to high-res, lossless alternatives, the XM4s up the ante by including the latest standard, DSEE Extreme. This uses Edge AI exertion to amended measure the parts of a way that person been impact owed to the compression process and approximate the missing elements.

In short, portion you mightiness not announcement unless truly concentrating connected each track, lossy tracks should dependable amended connected the 1000XM4 over-ears.

In addition, portion the QN1 processor returns to thrust the adaptive sound cancellation tech, it is joined successful the caller exemplary by a Bluetooth Audio SoC (system-on-chip) that is much close successful determining outer ambient sound and countering it. And, it is susceptible of making adjustments astatine 700 times per second.

Weirdly, it's worthy pointing retired successful the antagonistic file that the XM4s bash not enactment aptX and aptX HD for lossless streaming, favouring Sony's proprietary LDAC instead.

Features

• Sony WH-1000XM4: High-res Audio support, 360 Reality Audio, Speak-to-chat, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity
  Sony WH-1000XM3: High-res Audio support, 360 Reality Audio

High res audio is supported by some sets of headphones, arsenic good arsenic 360 Reality Audio - Sony's ain virtual situation dependable record type. And some devices are compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri dependable control. However, determination are respective further cardinal features disposable connected the 1000XM4.

Adaptive dependable power is enhanced. While it tin set the sound cancelling modes connected some models automatically depending connected your situation, you tin present acceptable favourite locations whereby the dependable signature with set depending connected GPS. For example, you tin person the headphones automatically power to ambient dependable power erstwhile you scope work.

Speak-to-chat is lone disposable connected the MX4 too. It means that euphony playback volition intermission whenever you talk retired loud. That allows you to person a speech without having to region the headphones first.

Finally, multipoint transportation debuted connected the 1000MX4 - which supports Bluetooth 5.0 alternatively of Bluetooth 4.2 connected the erstwhile model. This means you tin nexus the caller headset to 2 abstracted devices astatine erstwhile and power betwixt them easily. And, if a telephone is received connected the other, the headphones volition automatically power and prioritorise it.

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Price and conclusion

The Sony WH-1000XM4 retails for £350 successful the UK, $350 successful the US - the aforesaid terms the erstwhile exemplary was primitively launched at.

However, this could marque the biggest determination for a acquisition - deals connected the WH-1000XM3 tin marque it much than £100/$100 less, truthful portion determination are plentifulness of upgrades and enhancements disposable connected the latest version, your fund mightiness pb you to considering the erstwhile instead.

Either way, you are getting an fantabulous brace of ANC wireless headphones that volition bash you proud

Writing by Rik Henderson. Editing by Chris Hall. Originally published connected 11 August 2020.