Home / Tech / Noise cancelling headphones / Compare
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless vs Sony WF-1000XM5
Too close to call: the right one depends on your home.
The verdict in 10 seconds
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless suits you if
- You want long listening sessions and rarely want to think about charging
- You care most about rich, balanced sound you can tweak to taste
- You wear glasses or want something comfortable for hours on a plane or at a desk
May not suit you if
- You need the deepest possible quiet against engine or airplane rumble
- You take lots of calls in noisy places
- You want headphones for workouts or a compact pair that folds up small
The Sony WF-1000XM5 suits you if
- You commute or fly often and want the drone of engines and traffic quieted
- Sound quality matters most to you and you like adjusting the sound in an app
- You use an Android phone and switch between two devices
May not suit you if
- You have small or sensitive ear canals that dislike snug foam tips
- You want the very strongest noise cancelling available in earbuds
- You're deep in the Apple world and want the smoothest iPhone experience
The short version
These are closely matched, so pick by what your home needs. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless suits you if you want long listening sessions and rarely want to think about charging. The Sony WF-1000XM5 suits you if you commute or fly often and want the drone of engines and traffic quieted.
We researched 18 expert reviews, analyzed 35,782 owner ratings and comments across 16 sources for the two, and cross-checked them into one verdict, so you don't have to.
See the evidence
The scoreboardProduct Review score 79 vs 79 · reliability 49 vs 81
| Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | Sony WF-1000XM5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Product Review score | 79 | 79 |
| Experts | 89 | 87 |
| Owners | 85 | 71 |
| Reliability | 49 | 81 |
| Report problems | 20% | 8% |
| Evidence | 7 reviews · 595 comments | 11 reviews · 506 comments |
| Typical price | $213–$350 | $248–$330 |
● marks the better number on each row.
Experts vs ownersExperts 89 vs 87 · Owners 85 vs 71
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Sony WF-1000XM5
How we reached each verdictThe numbers behind each model's score
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
All 7 hands-on expert reviews praise the battery life and comfort, and sound is the standout for owners, with 64% of 595 owner comments praising it versus 5% complaining. Noise cancelling splits the experts: 4 of 7 call it very good to excellent, while 3 say it trails Sony and Bose, especially on low rumbles, though 22% of owners praise it and only 6% criticize it. Call quality draws complaints from 3 of 7 reviewers, and claimed battery life varies widely in testing, from about 30 to 62 hours. The reliability score of 49 is the weak spot: 20% of owner comments mention some failure, though only 4% specifically report units breaking or dying and 6% cite hinge or build issues, so long-term durability evidence is mixed rather than conclusive.
Sony WF-1000XM5
All 11 expert reviews we read were hands-on, and they rate these earbuds clearly higher (expert score 87) than owners do (71), across 506 owner comments, 462 of them first-hand. Sound is the standout: 34% of owners praise it and nearly every reviewer calls it excellent, while 19% of owners praise the noise cancelling, yet at least four reviewers say Bose's rival blocks more noise. Fit is the recurring catch, with at least six reviewers raising seal, pressure or small-ear problems and 4% of owners complaining about comfort. Failure mentions are low at 8%, but long-term durability is untested, and the brand-store rating rests on only 19 votes, so that number is thin.
Where each one falls shortThe most common complaints
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
- Noise cancelling trails top Sony and Bose models, especially on low rumbles
- Mediocre call quality in noisy settings
- Touch controls can be oversensitive or unresponsive, and the design doesn't fold
Sony WF-1000XM5
- Hard to get a good seal; foam tips can feel tiring
- Glossy, slippery earbuds and case
- Noise cancelling trails Bose; call quality is inconsistent
Quick answers
Which is better, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or the Sony WF-1000XM5?
Neither, clearly. They're closely matched, so choose by your floors, pets and budget.
Based on: Product Review score 79 vs 79.Which is more reliable?
The Sony WF-1000XM5. It's the least likely of the two to give you trouble.
Based on: Reliability 49 vs 81; problems mentioned by 20% vs 8% of owners.Which is easier to live with day to day?
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless. It's the one people are happiest with once it's home.
Based on: Owners score 85 vs 71, from ratings and comments.Which is cheaper?
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless usually costs less.
Based on: Typical prices: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless $213–$350; Sony WF-1000XM5 $248–$330.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes a score.