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XM4 VS XM6
Sony released the WH-1000XM6 in May 2025. By every objective measure, they are the better headphones. Better ANC, better sound, lighter, smarter. And yet, almost a year on, my Sony WH-1000XM4 are still on my desk, still on the plane, still doing the job. I have held the XM6 in person. I am still not upgrading. Here is why.
This is the honest comparison from someone who actually uses the XM4 every day, who has tested the XM6, and who bought the XM4 over the XM5 deliberately when they were still sold side-by-side. If you are trying to decide whether to spend around £400 on the XM6 or around £199 on the XM4, this is for you.
The Quick Answer
Buy the Sony WH-1000XM4 at around £199 if you want excellent ANC, great sound, 30-hour battery, and the most substantial-feeling Sony flagship of the XM range. It is the value pick and it has held up brilliantly.
Buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 at around £400 (though it dips well below that in sales) if you want the latest QN3 processor, best-in-class noise cancellation, the new foldable hinge design, and you do not mind paying more for what is realistically a 15 to 20% improvement.
For most people, the XM4 at around half the price is the smarter buy in 2026.
Sony WH-1000XM4: Why It Is Still on My Head
The WH-1000XM4 launched in 2020. By any reasonable measure they are now an old headphone. They also remain one of the best wireless ANC headphones you can buy in 2026, and at around £199 versus their £380 launch price, they are extraordinary value.
Tech Specs
| Driver | 40mm dynamic, liquid crystal polymer diaphragm |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, multipoint (2 devices) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 hours |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes for 5 hours |
| Weight | 254g |
| Foldable | Yes, with semi-rigid case |
| Processor | QN1 |
| UK price | From £199 |
The Sound
The XM4 has a warm, slightly V-shaped sound signature. Bass is prominent and satisfying without overwhelming the rest of the spectrum, the mids sit slightly recessed, the treble is present but never harsh. It is a tuning designed for enjoyment rather than reference accuracy, and it succeeds completely at that job. For pop, hip hop, electronic, podcasts, audiobooks, films and pretty much everything that is not classical or acoustic jazz, the XM4 sounds full, rich and properly involving.
LDAC support is the killer feature. If you have an Android phone or a digital audio player that supports LDAC, you get hi-res-quality wireless audio that is genuinely close to what wired listening can offer. iPhone users get AAC, which is fine but not as good.
The ANC
This is what made the XM4 a hit and it is still genuinely excellent in 2026. On flights it handles engine drone with the kind of authority that makes long-haul travel meaningfully less exhausting. In a café it removes the bottom-end rumble of conversation and crockery while preserving enough of the room that you do not feel sealed off. On a train it kills the rolling-stock noise. The XM6 has measurably better ANC, but the XM4 is still good enough for almost any real-world scenario.
The Build
This is where the XM4 quietly outperforms the newer models. The XM4 has a heft to it. The plastic feels denser, the headband feels more substantial, the hinges feel like they are not going to give up anytime soon. The XM5 (the model in between) was lighter but felt cheaper, and the XM6 has gone slightly back towards the XM4’s substance, but it still does not match it.
Sony WH-1000XM6: What Has Actually Changed
The XM6 is the model Sony launched in May 2025, replacing the divisive XM5. It is unambiguously the best wireless ANC headphone Sony has ever made, with one significant caveat: it costs around twice what the XM4 costs at full price.
Tech Specs
| Driver | 30mm dynamic, redesigned for XM6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, multipoint |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 hours (up to 40 with ANC off) |
| Quick charge | 3 minutes for 3 hours |
| Weight | 254g |
| Foldable | Yes, redesigned hinge |
| Processor | QN3 (7x faster than XM4’s QN1) |
| Microphones | Multi-mic array with 6 AI beamforming mics for calls |
| UK price | From £400 (often less in sales) |
What Is Genuinely Better
The QN3 processor is the headline upgrade. Sony claims it is seven times faster than the QN1 in the XM4, and the practical result is best-in-class ANC. Sudden sounds (a slammed door, a dog barking) are caught and suppressed faster than the XM4 can manage. In a noisy office or on a busy train, the XM6 holds the bubble of silence more consistently.
The AI beamforming microphone array is meaningful for calls. If you take a lot of calls in noisy environments, the XM6 is noticeably better at isolating your voice and rejecting background noise. For pure music listening this difference is much smaller.
Quick charge is faster: 3 minutes gets you 3 hours, versus the XM4’s 10 minutes for 5 hours. Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio support is future-proofing.
What Has Not Improved
Battery life with ANC on is still 30 hours. Weight is still 254g. Sound quality is technically refined but most people would struggle to hear a meaningful difference in a blind test.
The Build Is the Issue
This is what stopped me upgrading when I held the XM6. The build feels lighter and slightly less substantial than the XM4. Not bad, just less reassuring. The XM5 was widely criticised for feeling flimsy and the XM6 has improved on that, but the XM4’s heft remains my favourite of any Sony flagship I have used. For a £400 product, the XM6 should feel like a £400 product. It feels like a lighter version of the £200 XM4.
WH-1000XM4 vs WH-1000XM6: Side By Side
| WH-1000XM4 | WH-1000XM6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Processor | QN1 | QN3 (7x faster) |
| ANC quality | Excellent | Best in class |
| Battery (ANC on) | 30 hours | 30 hours |
| Quick charge | 10 min = 5 hrs | 3 min = 3 hrs |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Call mics | 5 | 6 AI beamforming |
| Weight | 254g | 254g |
| Foldable | Yes | Yes (redesigned) |
| Build feel | Substantial | Slightly lighter |
| UK price | ~£199 | ~£400 |
Should You Upgrade from XM4 to XM6?
If you already own the XM4 and they still work, almost certainly not. The improvements are real but they are not £400 of real. You are paying for a 15 to 20% better experience at twice the price. Keep the XM4 until they actually fail.
If you take many calls in noisy environments and the call quality matters professionally, the XM6 is meaningfully better. That is the one use case where the upgrade actually pays off.
If you fly often (long-haul, multiple times a year) and you want the absolute quietest cabin experience available, the XM6’s improved ANC is worth considering. But the XM4 is still excellent at this and most people will not feel the difference enough to justify the price.
Should You Buy the XM4 Instead of the XM6 in 2026?
For most buyers, yes. The XM4 at around £199 represents the best value in the wireless ANC headphone market in 2026. You get 80 to 85% of the XM6’s experience for around half the money. The £200 you save covers a Spotify subscription for two years, or a year of physical CDs, or a half-decent DAC, or a flight somewhere your headphones will earn their keep.
If money is genuinely no object and you want the best, the XM6 is the better headphone. But for almost everyone reading this, the XM4 is the smarter buy.
What About the WH-1000XM5?
The XM5 was the model between these two and was the unloved middle child of the range. It was lighter than the XM4 but felt cheaper, lost the foldable design that made the XM4 brilliant for travel, and never really won over fans. With the XM6 now available, there is no reason to consider the XM5 unless you find one significantly discounted (around £150 or less).
The Honest Conclusion
Sony released a better headphone in 2025. They also released a more expensive headphone, in the same year as the cost of living continues to bite, and it does not feel as solid as the model it replaces. The XM4 has aged into the role of best-value flagship and shows no sign of giving it up.
I will upgrade when my XM4 actually die. Given the build quality and how well they have held up, that is not happening soon.
For the rest of my home audio setup including the headphones I monitor on at the desk, read Three Headphones, Three Jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sony WH-1000XM6 worth the upgrade from the XM4?
For most people, no. The XM6 is roughly 15 to 20% better in ANC, call quality, and processor speed, but costs roughly twice as much (£400 vs £199). If you take heavy professional calls in loud environments, or fly long-haul frequently, the upgrade may be justified. For everyone else, the XM4 remains the smarter buy in 2026.
Does the WH-1000XM4 still get software updates?
Yes. Sony has continued to push firmware updates to the XM4 well into 2026. They are still supported through the Sony Sound Connect app, and feature parity with the XM6 (where the hardware allows) is being maintained.
Why is the WH-1000XM4 still being sold in 2026?
Because it sells. The XM4 has become Sony’s mid-range value flagship by accident, and Sony has continued to manufacture and stock it because the demand is there. At around £199, they fill a price segment the XM5 and XM6 do not.
Is the WH-1000XM6 better than the AirPods Max?
For most users, yes. The XM6 has better battery life (30 vs 20 hours), better ANC in most situations, broader codec support including LDAC, and works equally well with all phone platforms. The AirPods Max has tighter Apple ecosystem integration if you are an iPhone user, but the XM6 is the better headphone on its own merits.
What is the best Sony WH-1000 model to buy?
For value, the WH-1000XM4 at around £199. For best available, the WH-1000XM6 at around £400. Skip the XM5, which is the weakest model in the recent range. The XM4 is what most people should buy in 2026.
What is the difference between the Sony XM4 and XM6?
The XM6 has a newer QN3 processor (Sony says seven times faster than the XM4’s QN1), best-in-class noise cancellation, a redesigned foldable hinge, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, and better call microphones. The XM4 has a bigger 40mm driver, a more substantial build feel, and costs around half as much. Battery life and weight are the same on both. In short: the XM6 is technically better, the XM4 is far better value.
