As per its earlier invitation, Sony officially launched the WF-1000XM5 earbuds today. The earbuds are the brand’s latest and newest product in its personal audio lineup, and the direct successor to the WF-1000XM4, which launched in 2021.
In terms of design, the WF-1000XM5 is nearly identical to its predecessor, save for some minor changes. The memory foam eartips, for starters, appear to be thinner but somewhat more durable. For another matter, the undercarriage of the earbuds now sports a glossy sheen now.
As for the internal specifications of the WF-1000XM5, Sony has spared no expense with the technology these earbuds come loaded with. Specifically, each earbud houses a new Dynamic Driver X, a 2nd generation HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e, as well as a new Integrated Processor V2. All of which allows them to process and output 24-bit audio processing and audio amplification.
Circling back to the eartips of the WF-1000XM5, it still seems to be made from the same polyurethane material that was introduce with the WF-1000XM4. That isn’t a bad thing and they do a wonderful job at noise isolation, but we do wonder if Sony addressed the issue of structural integrity and durability with these new earbuds. On a related note, they also come with the brand’s world-class ANC function.
As this is an audio product from Sony, the WF-1000XM5 also supports the brand’s suite of audio enhancements, including LDAC, DSEE Extreme, 360 Reality Audio, and Hi-Res Audio. That list also includes the Speak-to-Chat function that automatically pauses all media playback the minute the earbuds detects any speech coming the wearer.
Battery-wise, Sony is boasting up to eight hours of battery life on a single charge with the WF-1000XM5, with an additional 16 hours or two charges stored inside the charging case. Additionally, the casing provides 60 minutes of playtime for just three minutes of charging and like its predecessor as well, it support Qi wireless charging.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 will be available starting from August 2023, although when exactly has yet to be announced. As for pricing, the earbuds will retail at an SRP of RM1,399.
(Source: Sony)
