The Sony WH-1000XM3 are excellent noise canceling headphones. The WH-1000XM4 is the latest model, with improvements and a higher street price. Which one is the best to buy? Computer!Total tested on headphones and catch up with you in this Sony WH-1000XM3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 comparison.
Sony released the WH-1000XM3 in the summer of 2018 for 379 euros. At the time of writing, you can buy the headphones for less than 249 euros, sometimes on sale for 220 euros. The WH-1000XM4 launched in the summer of 2020 costs 379 euros. What improvements does the fourth generation offer for the extra cost of 150 euros? I tested both models together for a month and discovered striking differences. It turns out that the WH-1000XM4 is not better than its predecessor on all points.
Recognizable design with handy innovation
Hold the headphones next to each other and you will see that they are very similar. Not only in terms of shape, color and placement of the connections, but also in terms of headband, weight and size. Too bad for those who don't like the design. I think the design is sleek and modern and I find both models very comfortable. They're light, seal my ears well, and use convenient gesture control via the ear cups.
An interesting innovation in the WH-1000XM4 is that it automatically pauses the music when you remove the headphones. When you put it back on, the music continues. This simply works great. The WH-1000XM3 lacks this feature. Not a deal breaker, but I do miss it when I come down from the WH-1000XM4.
Incidentally, the WH-1000XM4 can also automatically pause the music when you start talking. The headphones use microphones and smart software for this. Unfortunately, that software is too stupid, or just too smart. The headphones pause when I laugh at a funny comment in a podcast or sing along unnoticed on the bike. That quickly bothered me, so I turned the feature off in the companion app.
Better noise canceling
The biggest difference between the headphones is in the noise canceling. Both models use special microphones and smart software to block out ambient noise as much as possible, so you can listen to your music, podcast or movie more quietly. The WH-1000XM3 does that very well but the WH-1000XM4 definitely performs better. In particular, lower tones such as the hum of the engine in the bus or the moving train are dampened more effectively and are therefore less audible. Sony attributes the improvement mainly to a new processor and updated software. If you are looking for the best noise canceling headphones, you should choose the WH-1000XM4.
Sony WH-1000XM3 vs WH-1000XM4: sound quality
The second big improvement is the sound quality. I really like the sound of the WH-1000XM3, with a lot of bass, clear vocals and a clear middle. Actually, I have nothing to complain about this model. If I put the WH-1000XM4 on, I do hear some difference, in a positive sense. The fourth generation comes across as more neutral and realistic, with more focus on the instruments and hip background sounds in dance music. There is enough bass, but less than on the WH-1000XM3. At least, on the default settings. Both headphones can be adjusted to your own liking via the equalizer in the Sony app. So no difference in that area, but the WH-1000XM4 still sounds better. According to Sony, this is due to a new audio processor that is not included in the WH-1000XM3.
Battery life
According to Sony, both the WH-1000XM3 and the WH-1000XM4 last thirty hours on a single battery charge. That is a very long time, but it also means that the new model is no better in this area. In practice I have noticed that the WH-1000XM3 lasts a little longer. The difference is small with one or two hours, but the fourth generation is therefore losing it. Charging is fast on both headphones via the USB-C port.
Two connections at once
A very handy improvement is that the WH-1000XM4 supports two Bluetooth connections at the same time. The WH-1000XM3 can be connected to one device at a time. That is not useful if you watch a movie on your tablet and receive a call on your phone, because you have to take the headphones off to bring the phone to your ear. With the WH-1000XM4 you can easily and quickly switch between the movie and hands-free calling. The headphones support bluetooth 5.0, compared to 4.2 on the WH-1000XM3.
No more aptX support
Less nice is that the WH-1000XM4 is not suitable for the aptX codec. This codec routes higher-resolution audio from your device to your headphones, making music sound better than the older AAC codec. The WH-1000XM3 supports aptX, but its successor does not. That's because aptX is a technology from Qualcomm, and the WH-1000XM3 has an audio chip from Qualcomm. The WH-1000XM4 contains an audio chip from the competing MediaTek.
Both the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4 are compatible with two other codecs: AAC and LDAC. Note that WH-1000XM4 only supports two connections simultaneously via AAC and not via LDAC.
Conclusion: buy WH-1000XM3 or WH-1000XM4?
As you can read, both the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4 are excellent noise canceling headphones. At the time of writing, the fourth generation is about 150 euros more expensive and I think that is a considerable additional cost. That extra cost is reflected in better noise canceling, better sound and the addition of useful functions such as automatic pause and playback and support for two Bluetooth connections at the same time. The older, cheaper WH-1000XM3 has an advantage in two respects. This model lasts longer on a battery charge and is suitable for the aptX codec. In conclusion, I recommend the WH-1000XM3 to most people because of its good value for money. The headphones are affordable and very good, and can last for years with normal use. If you want the latest model with the associated improvements, then you will come to the WH-1000XM4. That is also a good buy, although I think the current surcharge of 150 euros is too high. If the price difference decreases, the WH-1000XM4 is recommended over its predecessor.
Knowing more? Read our extensive Sony WH-1000XM3 review here and the Sony WH-1000XM4 review here.
