Following a Product of the Year is never easy, let alone a device that has won that accolade two years running. But it looks like Sony has done it.
The WF-C710N are official, and they offer all sorts of improvements over their predecessors, the WF-C700N.
Such as? How do better noise cancellation, longer battery life and new touch controls grab you?
Here's everything you need to know.
Sony WF-C710N: price and release date
There's good news on this front. The Sony WF-C710N cost the same £100 / $120 / AU$200 as their predecessors.
And you won't have to wait long to get your hands on them. They're available to pre-order now, and will ship next week.
That's pretty much two years to the day since the WF-C700N arrived.
Sony WF-C710N: design and features
The WF-C710N don't look massively different to their predecessors, but there is one notable design change: the new see-through blue finish.
It's pretty swish. The WF-C710N also come in black, white and pink.
The earbuds are slightly larger than the WF-C700N, and Sony has replaced the press buttons with touch controls.
This opens up access to a wide range of features such as playback controls, volume controls, and virtual assistant support (in this case, Google Gemini and Apple Siri).
Bluetooth 5.3 is on board (up from 5.2 on their predecessors), and they support the same SBC and AAC codecs as the C700N. There's still no aptX or LDAC support, but at this money, that's to be expected.
Sony has added two microphones to each earbud. It claims this will make the noise cancellation more accurate.
The C700N launched without Bluetooth Multipoint, but it arrived via a subsequent software update. The C710N get it at launch – this lets you connect wirelessly to two devices and switch between them seamlessly without having to re-pair the 'buds.
Voice pick-up tech should make your calls clearer. And they have the same IPX4 rating as their predecessors.
Battery life is also much improved. Sony says they can run for 30 hours with active noise cancellation (ANC) activated and for 40 without (these figures include the charging case).
- What is Bluetooth 5? All the details
- aptX explained: what is it?
- What is LDAC? How do you get it?
- What is Bluetooth Multipoint? How does it work?
Sony WF-C710N: sound
Sony says that the WF-C710N use the same Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) for audio processing and the same 5mm driver as the WF-C700N.
It didn't explicitly say that means they will sound the same as the WF-C700N. We'll have to wait until our review to find out.
Not that that would be a bad thing. The C700N sound phenomenal for the money, especially in the bass department.
"It's not just the weight, depth and solidity of the notes that impresses, it's also the layers of detail the Sony uncovers and their ability to paint the notes with believable texture," we wrote in our review.
But the low end never dominates the sound profile. Sony maintains the balance throughout, with great timing and organisation.
We're looking forward to getting a review sample so we can see how they compare.
Having said that, we wouldn't mind hearing a greater dose of clarity, spaciousness and precision to their presentation.
A little more refinement in these areas to broaden out that sonic canvas and give the WF-C710N buds a touch more room to express themselves would make for an irresistible recipe.
Sony WF-C710N: early verdict
We are seriously excited about these new affordable noise-cancelling Sony earbuds.
There's a good reason the WF-C700N are such an immensely popular and acclaimed set of buds, and why they won Product of the Year two years running.
If you want the balance of great sound at an affordable price, they are the undisputed winners in an overcrowded market.
Fingers crossed Sony can build on this already impressive foundation with the WF-C710N.
Stay tuned for a review soon.
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