Sony WH-1000XM3

Excellent sound quality and comfort ; Noise canceling is best in class ; Generous battery life

A premium price Google Assistant isn’t very useful ; Touch controls are still finicky

Excellent audio performance with superb bass depth and high-frequency clarity. High-quality noise cancellation. App includes adjustable EQ and ANC controls. Plush, comfortable fit.

Expensive. ANC affects sound signature slightly. Cable lacks inline remote.

To reiterate, Bose still offers the best overall noise cancellation on the market. But Sony's WH-1000XM3 headphones are a very close second in the ANC performance department, and they offer a better audio experience. For plenty of users, this will sway...

Extraordinary noise canceling ; Pillowy comfort ; USB-C charging and stupendous battery life ; Best sound from Sony’s 1000X yet

Touch controls are still a pain ; Bass response could be cleaner and more defined ; Pads get sweaty on warm days ; Irritating blinking LED status light on left ear cup

Even as Sony ascends to the throne of the undisputed noise-canceling champion, compelling rivals are already in the works. The title of best pair of headphones in this class seems to be changing hands every few months, which is a function of the...

Exceptional sound either wireless or wired. ; Effective, adjustable, noise cancellation technology. ; Touch-sensitive controls are a dream. ; Light and supremely comfortable. ; Excellent battery life. ; Longer charge cable. 9-inches? Are you kidding?!...

Longer charge cable. 9-inches? Are you kidding?! ; Would be perfect if touch sensitive controls worked in wired mode too.

The Sony WH-1000XM3 are, without a doubt, some of the best wireless headphones that I have heard to date.

Noise cancelation is incredibly good ; Comfort levels allow for hours of use ; Huge battery life and fast USB-C charging ; Sony has fixed most Mark 2 frustrations

Status LED is frustrating ; Multipoint Bluetooth could be more elegant ; No on-ear sensor

Exceptional noise cancellation. Good battery life. Deliver audio consistently. Comfortable fit. Great active features and app support with graphic EQ.

Mediocre microphone recording quality. Slightly bulky design. No microphone usage on a wired connection. No multi-device pairing capability. Closed-off soundstage.

The Sony WH-1000XM3 are satisfactory for neutral listening. While their high-bass range is slightly overemphasized, yielding a slightly boomy quality to some tracks, their exceptionally well-balanced mid-range and good treble accuracy results in clear,...

Very comfortable and sleek design ; Excellent audio quality when powered ; Industry-leading active noise cancellation ; Easy to use app and gesture controls ; Solid battery life and quick-charge capability

Audio quality is only average when the headphones are not powered ; Minor learning curve required to master gesture controls ; Very slight high-frequency distortion when the volume is cranked

As it stands, I recommend the WH-1000XM3’s to anyone looking for premium noise-cancelling headphones. These are not only an improvement over last year’s already great cans, they’re better than the previous gold standard: the Bose QuietComfort 35 II....

Comfortable and premium looking design. ; Great active features and app support. ; Excellent noise cancellation.

Poor latency for watching videos. ; Slightly bulky design.

Excellent, customizable noise cancellation ; Customizable EQ audio settings ; Long 30 hour battery ; Google Assistant integration ; Amazing sound quality ; Very comfortable

Ambient noise is too noisy on phone calls ; Touch buttons are a bit tricky to use

The noise cancellation technology on these headphones are the best we’ve ever tested