Introduction
When Sony released the WH-1000XM4 in 2020, it immediately and decisively claimed the top position in the premium wireless headphone market — a position it held for two years until the XM5's arrival. That dominance was earned: the XM4 delivered the best ANC, best sound quality, and best feature set available at the time, wrapped in a compact, foldable design that the XM5 would later abandon.
Four years after its release, the WH-1000XM4 is still a formidable product. It remains available at street prices around $248, offers codec support (LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, AAC, SBC) that exceeds the XM5's roster, and packs into a more travel-friendly form factor. For buyers who don't need the latest generation's last 10% of ANC improvement, the XM4 delivers 90% of the flagship experience at 30% less cost.
In the current market, the XM4 is best understood alongside the XM5, Bose QC Ultra, and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: it trails the newest flagships in some areas but remains the right purchase for many buyers in 2025.
The XM4 is not the best headphone available. But at its current price, it may be the best value.
Design & Comfort
The XM4's design has aged better than its raw specifications might suggest. The 3-axis folding mechanism is genuinely clever — the ear cups rotate, swivel, and fold flat, allowing the headphones to compact into a remarkably small footprint that slides into the included semi-rigid molded case. By contrast, the XM5's flat-fold stores less efficiently, and its soft case offers less protection. For frequent travelers who value a well-protected, compact package, the XM4 still wins on portability.
Build quality is solid. The matte plastic construction matches Sony's aesthetic across the XM series, with brushed accents on the headband and slider. Ear cushions use Sony's pressure-relieving foam that has become a reference point for comfort in the category — years after release, replacement pads remain widely available, which matters for long-term ownership.
At 254 grams, the XM4 is essentially identical in weight to the Bose QC Ultra and only slightly heavier than the XM5 (250g). The weight distribution is comfortable for sessions up to 3 hours; longer sessions may cause mild ear fatigue from the cushion seal rather than head pressure.
The right ear cup uses Sony's touch control surface: swipe forward/back for tracks, swipe up/down for volume, tap for play/pause, hold for voice assistant. The controls are responsive and intuitive. The same caveat applies as to the XM5: glasses frames and thick hair can cause accidental triggers, particularly the swipe-to-skip gesture.
Sound Quality
The XM4's 40mm dynamic drivers produce a warm, musical sound that Sony has refined across multiple generations of the XM series. The tuning is consumer-oriented rather than reference: bass is present and well-defined, with a slight low-mid warmth that makes bass guitar and kick drum satisfying without becoming boomy. The midrange is clear and forward, benefiting vocals and acoustic instruments. High-frequency extension is smooth and controlled.
The XM4 supports the widest codec roster of any Sony flagship: LDAC (990 kbps, 24-bit/96kHz), aptX HD (24-bit/48kHz), aptX (352 kbps), AAC, and SBC. The XM5 dropped aptX and aptX HD in favor of a cleaner LDAC/AAC/SBC set. For Android users with aptX HD-capable devices who are not using LDAC (e.g., when battery conservation takes priority), the XM4 maintains better-than-AAC quality in a way the XM5 cannot match.
DSEE Extreme, Sony's AI upscaling for compressed audio, is present and effectively improves the resolution of Spotify and Apple Music streams. The improvement is subtle but consistent in listening comparisons — compressed artifacts in high-frequency percussion and spatial imaging are softened and rendered more naturally.
In direct comparison with the XM5, the XM4's sound is slightly warmer and less revealing in the upper midrange and high frequencies. The XM5's redesigned 30mm drivers have a fractionally more detailed top end. For most casual listeners, this distinction is not meaningfully audible. For listeners actively comparing, the XM5 produces a marginally more sophisticated presentation.
Noise Cancellation
The XM4's ANC system uses four microphones in a feed-forward/feedback topology, combined with Sony's HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. At the time of release, it was the best ANC system in a consumer headphone. Today, the XM5's 8-microphone array and the Bose QC Ultra's CustomTune system are measurably superior — but the gap is smaller than the specification count suggests.
In real-world use on commuter trains and aircraft, the XM4 attenuates low-frequency noise effectively, reducing cabin roar and rail rumble to a background hum. In coffee shops and offices, it suppresses ambient conversation significantly, though the XM5 produces a more complete silence. The practical difference is noticeable in side-by-side comparison but not always obvious in day-to-day use.
Adaptive Sound Control uses Sony's algorithm to switch between ANC modes based on your detected activity (sitting, walking, transit), a useful automation for commuters. The feature is present on both XM4 and XM5 and performs similarly.
Speak-to-Chat auto-pauses music and activates ambient mode when the microphone detects you speaking outward — the same feature as the XM5, working equally well. Wear detection triggers an immediate pause when one ear cup is lifted. Both features contribute significantly to daily usability.
Battery & Connectivity
The XM4's 30-hour ANC battery and 10-minute quick charge (5 hours of playback) remain competitive with all but the longest-battery competitors. Reviewers have measured the XM4 at 29.5 hours at 70 dB with ANC active — within 2 hours of the XM5's measured 30.8 hours. Without ANC, rated life extends to 38 hours.
Multipoint Bluetooth connects to two devices simultaneously and handles switching reliably. This feature, which was a significant differentiator when the XM4 launched, is now common across the premium segment. The Bluetooth 5.0 implementation performs well within its specification, though range and interference resistance are modestly behind Bluetooth 5.2+ competitors in congested environments.
USB-C charging is universal. No wireless charging is included, but at this price point that is an expected trade-off.
Verdict
The Sony WH-1000XM4 occupies an unusual position in the 2025 headphone market: it is a four-year-old product that still provides one of the strongest value propositions in its category. The XM5 is the better headphone — improved ANC, better drivers, better call quality — but at $248 versus $349, the XM4 costs $101 less and delivers broadly similar real-world performance. The bonus of a superior carry case, better portability, and wider codec support makes the cost-per-feature calculation favorable.
The XM4 is the right choice for budget-conscious buyers who don't want to compromise on sound quality or features, for travelers who prioritize the compact folding design, and for Android users who want the flexibility of aptX HD alongside LDAC. The XM5 is the right choice when only the best will do.