Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM4: Is it finally time to upgrade?

Tom's Guide

14 hours ago

Sonys latest over-ear noise canceling headphones have landed, and they bring some key upgrades to the table. They fold, feature excellent noise canceling, and pack in a newly designed carrying case. They're not a massive step up from the XM5, but XM4 users might have just found the perfect time to upgrade.
Sony's older XM4 are still a very solid pair of headphones that you can grab even years after their initial release. The ANC remains excellent, sound is very good, and comfort is as good as ever. They're also available at lower prices than either the XM5 or the brand new XM6 — perfect if you're looking for flagship specs at a lower price.
It's very possible that you've got a pair of Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones. They really put the marque on the map, with a host of features that made them the best wireless headphones of their day. They remain an excellent option, in fact, given that you can still buy them for what are often now much lower prices than the newer and more advanced competition.
But Sony has just released the most compelling reason to upgrade your best noise-canceling headphones to date — the Sony WH-1000XM6. They've got a new design, a new sound signature, and some of the best call quality we've ever experienced. They could be just what you've been waiting for if you've been rocking the XM4 since their first release.
So let's put the two head-to-head and find out which ones are the better pair of headphones to spend money on in 2025, or whether you should upgrade your aging cans.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony WH-1000XM4
Price
$449 / £399 / AU$699
$348 / £229 / AU$399
Colors
Black; Silver; Midnight Blue
Black; Midnight Blue; Silver
Size
Not specified
Not specified
Weight
8.9 ounces
9 ounces
Battery life (rated)
Up to 40 hours
Up to 30 hours
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support
Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC and LDAC
Special features
Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, DSEE Extreme Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, 360 Reality Audio
Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, DSEE Extreme Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, 360 Reality Audio
With the release of the XM6, Sony has raised the price of its flagship cans. They cost $449, a full $50 more than the previous model. That also makes them more than some of their key competitors, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, and the same as the brand new Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 — which I awarded 4 and a half stars.
You can also still pick up the XM5 for $399, so if you're looking for a way to upgrade without spending as much money, that might be a good way to go. You won't get all of the shiny new features of the XM6, but you get a very good pair of headphones for less money.
On launch, the XM4 were $380 — around $70 less than the launch price of the XM6. Since then they've seen significant price drops. If you shop around, you can find a pair for as little as $340, and potentially even less. Wait for sales events like Black Friday and you'll be able to pick up a pair for less than $300, making them a flagship headphones bargain.
Sony still produces the XM4 as well, so you won't have any problems finding either on Amazon or other retailers like Best Buy.
Given that the XM6 are the more expensive pair and that you can still buy the XM5, this first round is going to go to the XM4.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 present a much bigger visual update over the XM4 than they do the XM5. They've got a more minimalist style than the older headphones, with cleaner looking earcups and a completely redesigned headband.
It would be difficult to argue that they're not the better looking headset. While available in the same colors as the XM4, the XM6 wrap the headset in a more premium finish, set off by more subtle design focal points in the hinges. They're clean and attractive.
Unlike the direct successor to the XM4, the XM6 bring back the folding hinges that many users loved on their headphones. That allows for a smaller carrying case so that you can fit them into a wider range of backpacks.
That case is a big design departure from the traditional headsets we've seen from Sony as well. Instead of a zipper holding everything in place, there's now a magnetic clasp mechanism. It's harder, too, making the whole package feel more confidence inspiring.
There are some benefits to the XM4, however. The hinge mechanisms feel sturdier than the thinner versions on the XM6, and some might appreciate their more involved design.
Both headphones are extremely comfortable, with the XM6 and its wider headband doing away with the cranial pressure often found in the XM5. You'll have little problem wearing either for long periods of time.
Put the two side by side and you can see the progression — but the XM6 and their new design touches and unexpected returns to form means they take this round.
As with all of its headphone models, Sony has stuck with touch controls for the XM6. They're intuitive and easy to use. Swipe left and right to skip tracks, and double tap to pause playback.
The most useful touch control is the instant transparency mode trigger — hold your hand over the right earcup, the volume drops, and transparency mode turns on. It's very helpful to quickly order a coffee at a cafe, or grab a bus ticket.
There are two physical controls on the XM6: The power button and the ANC button. These have been redesigned. The power button is a round button, and the ANC control a small rectangle. This distinction between the two makes it much easier to work out which is which when you can't see what you're doing.
No more accidental ANC activation when you want to turn the headphones off, and vice versa.
The WH-1000XM4 share the same touch controls with the XM6, all the way down to their gestures. Much like the newer pair, they're intuitive and easy to use.
They lack the round power button for easier on-head activation and de-activation of ANC — so the XM6 take this round.
Sony went back to the sonic drawing board with the XM6, focusing on vocal clarity rather than bass response and soundstage. The result is an excellent-sounding pair of headphones, with the clearest vocals you'll find in a pair of wireless headphones.
They sound good for all genres, from R&B to classical and everything in between. Managing Editor of AV at Tom's Guide, Nick Pino, was a particular fan of the "unmatched" vocal clarity.
There are some caveats. Soundstage is restricted, and there's still the pervasive bass that Sony has become known for. They're still an excellent-sounding pair of headphones, but their sonic shortcomings are well worth noting.
The XM4 are a less refined listen than the XM6, but they retain that signature Sony low-end grunt. They don't have the vocal clarity of the XM6, but they have a wider soundstage and slightly improved bass response.
This is going to be mostly down to taste, although the XM6 manage greater control over the frequency range. As a result, the new headphones win out. It is closer than you might expect, however.
The XM6 pack in an incredible array of features, with many shared from previous iterations of the line. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.3, you get excellent codec support, including LDAC, SBC, AAC, and LC3. Then there's Sony's proprietary DSEE Extreme, which can make wireless playback sound even better.
Sony also has the best array of noise canceling modes out of just about anything. There are not just levels to the ANC so that you can dial it, but the chip inside the headphones will change the ANC dynamically depending on ambient noise levels. The GPS activated ANC that changes depending on your location is also here as a bonus.
You can also adjust the EQ with a comprehensive 10-band EQ. There are customized options as well for different genres too. The feature set is nicely rounded out by Sony's 360 Reality Audio, although it only works with Amazon Music Unlimited. There's a "Spatial Upmix" feature coming down the road, but we are yet to get our hands on it to test it out.
You'd be surprised how few features the XM4 forgo due to their age. You still get the solid Codec support, although there's no Auracast on account of the aging Bluetooth 5.0 specification.
You still get a host of noise canceling modes, although the ANC doesn't shift dynamically depending on ambient noise. There are only 5 bans in the customizable EQ. For the price, though, the feature set remains very much appreciated.
Sony's noise canceling algorithm has long kept its headphones amongst the best noise canceling headphones, and the WH-1000XM6 are no exception. They block out loads of noise and easily silence a noisy office or chaotic commute.
It might not be as big an improvement as we were hoping for over the XM5, but it still does a great job of keeping the noise out. There's a focus this time around on the high frequencies, making it easier to listen to podcasts and audiobooks in louder environments.
There are still struggles for the ANC — crying children, very busy coffee shops, and the like. Engine noise on flights might not be completely defeated either, so long-haulers may want to consider something like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones instead.
The noise-canceling performance of the WH-1000XM4 isn't as big a downgrade from the new model as you might expect, with some great noise blocking on offer. They lose out in the high-range sounds, with more voices coming through, but you'll still find relative silence in most environments while listening to music.
They struggle with really loud sounds, and sometimes noises like keyboards and sudden sounds can creep through. Loud airplane trips are also a struggle, so again, frequent flyers will want the Bose equivalent. In this case, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones.
Thanks to their superior noise-blocking ability, the Sony WH-1000XM6 take this round.
Battery life on the XM6 hasn't stepped it up all that much from the previous XM models. There are 30 hours of staying power with ANC turned on, and that rises to 40 hours if you turn it off.
Quick charge is better than ever, though. Three minutes of charge will net you an extra three hours of battery life when you run out in a pinch, which is always a nice bonus considering how much you're likely to use them.
The battery life of the XM4 is very similar to the XM6. You get 30 hours of life with ANC turned on, and then 38 if you turn the noise canceling on. There is also a quick charge function, but you need a special wall wart. 5 hours of use out of 10 minutes of charge is a nice bonus, though.
Overall, the battery life is extremely similar — although the more useful quick charge and better ANC off time gives the XM6 the win here.
It's no great surprise that at the end of it all, the Sony WH-1000XM6 take the crown between the two pairs. They sound better, have an updated design, and have more features and better noise canceling. They are the better pair of headphones.
Yet there is still a case to buy the XM4. Given their much lower price and just how close they where to the XM6 in all of our testing, they're still a very compelling buy if you're looking for good headphones without breaking the bank.
XM4 users looking to upgrade to Sony's latest flagship will find plenty of reasons to part with their cash as well — and given that your headphones are now likely closing on 4 years of use, the time might be right.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony WH-1000XM4
Price and value (5)
3
4
Design (15)
13
12
Controls (10)
7
7
Sound quality (25)
22
19
Active noise cancelation (20)
19
17
Call quality (10)
9
7
Connectivity (5)
5
4
Battery life (10)
8
8
Total Score (100)
84
78