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It’s tough to do anything for the full duration of a long-haul international flight, but on a recent trip from New Jersey to Tokyo, I had an essential gadget with me that kept me cool during the flight itself and a longer than expected two hours on the tarmac delay: Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5 over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.
While a cozy pillow or blanket might have come in handy, these wireless headphones were the true heroes. I rocked them for over 14 hours on this long-haul flight with noise cancellation and an adaptive mode engaged while playing music. At $400, these high-end cans deliver a top-tier feature set, but now is your best time to score them as Amazon kicks off its Black Friday 2023 deals.
Right now, Amazon’s first official day of its 11-day sale, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are down to the lowest price we’ve ever tracked at just $328—a record $72 off the usual price tag in black, silver (which is an off-white), and midnight blue.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones, $328 (was $400) at Amazon or Sony
The first requirement for rocking a pair of headphones for multiple hours on end is comfort. The WH-1000M5 boasts oversized ear cups, much like AirPods Max, that reduce pressure on or around your ears, thanks to the fact they don’t clamp down and offer ample padding through cushioning memory foam.
Normally, even on shorter flights, I sometimes find myself adjusting earbuds or competing over-ear headphones to reduce a stuffy feeling or even just discomfort on my head; that wasn’t the case with Sony’s this time.
Sony improved the comfort of the top-band with the XM5s, even though it is physically smaller than the one on the previous WH-1000XM4s ($248, was $284, at Amazon). It doesn’t instantly fade away like the unique canopy mesh of AirPods Max, but after about an hour or so, I could forget it was there. It also didn’t exude pressure or discomfort, which is a win.
You must leave some room to bring these over-ear headphones along, as they don’t fold in half. It’s not a dealbreaker, as the case is fully protective and includes spots for a charging cable or wired audio adapter–both of which come in the box.
Aside from comfort, blocking out the engine's roar is critical, especially on a long flight. Sony’s WH-1000XM5 still offers some of the best active noise cancellation on the market, powered by eight microphones, two processors, and a ton of custom processing. Essentially, these listen for external sounds and stop them in their tracks. It’s pretty impressive, and it lets me get some peace and quiet to work and relax on the flight.
These will provide the same effect whether you’re up at 32,000 feet, working in a library, or even at a bustling coffee shop in a city. You can even let the WH-1000XM5 intelligently adjust the level of noise control via the companion Sony Headphones app for Android or iOS. You can even place your hand over the right earcup to enter an “Ambient Sound” mode to let some external noise in. This was handy for chatting with fellow passengers and the flight crew.
Audio sounded terrific here, whether it was “Ghosts” by Bruce Springsteen, “History Books” by The Gaslight Anthem, “bad idea right?” by Olivia Rodrigo, or “Shake It Off (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift. You can even adjust the audio mix in real-time via the companion app, though you won’t find the exclusive Olivia Rodrigo listening modes—those are only on the custom LinkBuds S ($198 at Amazon).
The most impressive thing about the WH-1000XM5 is the epic runtime with listening modes. In my full review, I got these to stretch over 31 hours with a listening mode disengaged, but in terms of a real-world test, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 lasted for well over 14 hours in the air, swapping between the listening modes. Thanks to multipoint Bluetooth, I connected them to my iPhone 15 Pro Max and a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
I didn’t need to plug them in the air or on the ground, but if I had to, I could use the included USB-C cable to get three and a half hours of listening time in just three minutes. Simply, the WH-1000XM5 offers crazy battery life that can’t be matched.
Now, there has never been a better time to get Sony’s WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones at a record-low price. You even get your choice of color! Whether you’re bracing yourself for some long-haul flights this holiday season or want headphones that you can count on for many months and years to come, the XM5s fit the bill.
You can score Sony’s WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear Headphones in black, silver, or midnight blue on Amazon or shop directly from the brand.
