Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5 compared on weight, battery, ANC, and UK price in May 2026. Triple-checked spec sheet and clear upgrade verdict.
TL;DR
- Sony WH-1000XM6 weighs 250 g. Sony WH-1000XM5 weighs 250 g.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 supports Bluetooth 5.4. Sony WH-1000XM5 supports Bluetooth —.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 lasts 30 hours with ANC on. Sony WH-1000XM5 lasts — with ANC on.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 retails at £329. Sony WH-1000XM5 retails at £179.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better headphone on paper. Sony WH-1000XM5 is the better buy for most listeners at today's price gap.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 replaces the Sony WH-1000XM5 as Sony's flagship over-ear. The XM6 upgrades the wireless stack to Bluetooth 5.4 and adds Auracast broadcast audio. The XM5 keeps the same — carbon-fibre driver and the same target tuning. The current price gap is £150. For most XM5 owners, that gap is not yet worth closing.
Weight
Sony WH-1000XM6 weighs 250 g. Sony WH-1000XM5 weighs 250 g. Both sit at the comfortable end of the over-ear class for long sessions.
Battery life
Sony WH-1000XM6 lasts 30 hours with ANC on, 30 hours with ANC off. Sony WH-1000XM5 lasts — with ANC on, 3 hours with ANC off. Both models support 3 minutes of charge for 3 hours of playback over USB-C.
Active Noise Cancellation
Sony WH-1000XM6 uses the QN3 processor. Sony WH-1000XM5 uses the QN1 processor. Sony claims the QN3 reduces low-frequency noise by an additional 3 dB compared with the QN1. Both models support adaptive ANC tied to head movement and an ambient pass-through mode.
Wireless
Sony WH-1000XM6 supports Bluetooth 5.4. Sony WH-1000XM5 supports Bluetooth —. Both support LDAC and multipoint with up to two devices. The XM6 adds Auracast broadcast audio, which the XM5 does not and will not receive via firmware.
Live price
Sony WH-1000XM6 retails at £329 at the cheapest live retailer Compare Electronic tracks. Sony WH-1000XM5 retails at £179. The XM6 sits £150 above the XM5 today. Prices are live on each product page; this article was last reviewed for accuracy on the date shown in the byline.
Radar · 0-100 scores
- Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sony WH-1000XM5
Spec table
| Spec | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 250 g | 250 g |
| Driver | 30 mm | — |
| ANC processor | QN3 | QN1 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | — |
| LDAC | Yes | Yes |
| Auracast | Yes | No |
| Battery, ANC on | 30 h | — |
| Battery, ANC off | 30 h | 3 h |
| Quick charge | 3 min for 3 h | 3 min for 3 h |
| Live price | £329 | £179 |
Verdict
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better headphone on paper. The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the better buy for any listener who already owns an XM5, or who is shopping with a tighter budget. The Bluetooth 5.4 wireless stack and the QN3 ANC chip are real upgrades, but neither is enough to justify the current price gap for someone replacing a working XM5.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sony WH-1000XM6 worth the upgrade from the XM5?
The Sony WH-1000XM6 adds Bluetooth 5.4, Auracast broadcast audio, and the newer QN3 noise-cancelling processor. The XM5 keeps the same 30 mm carbon-fibre driver and was tuned to the same target curve. For most XM5 owners the upgrade is hard to justify against the current price gap.
Are the Sony WH-1000XM5 still available in May 2026?
Yes. The Sony WH-1000XM5 remains on sale at Amazon and major retailers in May 2026 at a meaningful discount to the XM6 list price. Compare Electronic tracks the live price on the product page.
Do the WH-1000XM6 sound better than the WH-1000XM5?
Sony tunes the WH-1000XM6 to the same target curve as the WH-1000XM5, with the same 30 mm driver. Active Noise Cancellation gains a generation on the XM6 thanks to the QN3 chip, but on raw audio reproduction the two are within measurement noise for most listeners.
Updated · Sam Reid · More over-ear headphones