Review Verdict: The Sony WF-1000XM5 is the most refined iteration of the brand’s premium TWS earbuds in the Philippines, improving on overall design and features–at the expense of a significantly higher price tag.
Pros
-Lighter and more ergonomic
-Very flexible customization options
Cons
-Significantly more expensive than its predecessor
-App needed to access customization options
Sony is now on its third generation for the WF-1000X series, with the XM5 being the most compact iteration. While it is lighter and more compact than its predecessors, the WF-1000XM5 retains the key features of the WF-1000X series–most notably its class-leading audio quality and noise cancellation properties. Armed with a smarter processing chip, is the WF-1000XM5 a worthy option despite being significantly more expensive?
Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Philippines: Design
The WF-1000XM5 has a major visual change compared to its predecessor: from the case, they are notably smaller and have a more minimalist look with a sleek matte finish for the black color we have for this review.
While the overall look of the WF-1000XM5’s case looks more generic than its predecessors, we appreciate the minimalist approach to its design–with the LED light being a simple dot in front of the case, while the back has the pairing button and USB-C port.
The minimalist approach is further seen with the earbuds, where Sony also made them more compact and more ergonomic while retaining some of the key design aspects of the WF-1000X series–specifically the grille for the microphones. With our review unit in black, the generous area for the touch controls is in black, while the body has a glossy finish with Sony branding.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Philippines: User Interface
Like its predecessor, the WF-1000XM5 is very customizable–though you will need to install Sony’s Headphones Connect app on either your iOS or Android device. The app has the majority of the customization features for the WF-1000XM5 including tweaking the noise canceling settings, customizing how the touch panels work, and personalizing the sound stage to suit their needs.
While the WF-1000XM5 is dependent on the app to maximize its functionality, the nice thing about Headphones Connect is that you can back up your settings using your Sony Account. This feature allows you to implement the same settings should you intend to use the WF-1000XM5 on another Android or iOS device. Should you use them on other devices instead, the WF-1000XM5 remembers the settings you made through the Headphones Connect app.
As for the touch controls, you can choose to map either side for noise-canceling features or for music playback/call handling. There are volume controls on the WF-1000XM5, where you tap either side four times to lower (left side) or increase (right side). Unlike the implementations made by other brands, using the volume control feature is more straightforward–you’ll hear a beep if you’ve inputted the volume controls properly.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Philippines: Audio Quality
Despite being significantly more compact than its predecessors, the WF-1000XM5 does deliver the same sound quality that we’ve appreciated from the WF-1000XM4. Noise cancellation, however, is better on the WF-1000XM5, and this is partly due to the newer V2 and QN2e processors.
Similar to their predecessors, the main selling point of the WF-1000XM5 is how its noise cancelation feature adapts to the environment around you. It’s a handy feature to have, as there are instances where you want to max out noise cancelation (ie. while inside the plane), and there are times when you need to be aware of your surroundings (ie. walking on the street).
In the different noise cancelation profiles the WF-1000XM5 offers, audio quality is consistently good across the board–with very good detail for the mids and highs, especially if you really want to immerse yourself with the vocals and instruments of the song you’re listening to.
Since the WF-1000XM5 is smaller and lighter, these provide a more comfortable fit for prolonged periods. We’ve used the WF-1000XM5 for watching different KDrama series on Netflix, listening to music while working, and canceling noise while inside the airplane, and we barely felt any discomfort or ear fatigue when wearing them for hours.
Since it is more comfortable to wear the WF-1000XM5 compared to its predecessor, it also impressed us with battery life. We tried watching Heart of Stone on our tablet, which is around 2 hours long, followed by around an hour’s worth of YouTube content–and the WF-1000XM5’s battery only went down from 100% to 70%, even with noise cancelation on.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Philippines: Conclusions
While the WF-1000XM4 is already good on its own, the WF-1000XM5 improves on that with a lighter and more compact design that is more comfortable to wear–along with a more minimalist design that still retains the signature look of the WF-1000X series.
The only con we can think about the WF-1000XM5 is its price. At Php 17k, it is Php 3k more expensive than the WF-1000XM4 and Php 2k more expensive than Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro. However, given all the features it has onboard–especially its smart noise cancelation features–the WF-1000XM5 is one of the best TWS earbuds in its class.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Review Philippines: Price
The WF-1000XM5 is priced at Php 16,999 and is available at Sony Authorized Dealers nationwide, the Official Sony Lazada Store, and the Official Sony Shopee Store.
