Sony WH-1000XM3

Overview

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 category evolving and improving faster than anything else in tech. Yes, that means any purchase you make today is liable to be surpassed by an even better model pretty soon, but it also means we’re all getting better choices when going out to get our next pair of headphones.

-- As reviewed by The Verge

There is a new version available:

Sony WH-1000XM5

Check out the reviews, price history, pros/cons and more.

See it on Amazon: $328

Best Headphones 2020

Chosen by our editors as one of the best products in its category.

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 58 expert reviews

Excellent:

53
Good:

4
Average:

0
Bad:

1

TechSpot is supported by its audience. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Last revision on March 11, 2022

Reviewers Liked

Extraordinary noise canceling
Pillowy comfort
Generous battery life (30 hours)
Sony has fixed most Mark 2 frustrations
Lots of personalization options via the app

Reviewers Didn't Like

Irritating blinking LED status light on left ear cup
A premium price Google Assistant isn't very useful
App can cause some confusion in mode selected
Mediocre call quality
No on-ear sensor

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

While they’re not an all-out upgrade on the WH-1000XM2, the Sony WH-1000XM3 make a lot of subtle tweaks to an already amazing pair of noise-cancelling headphones.

By TechRadar on July 03, 2020

I'm an audio geek, what codecs does it support?For those fussy about sound quality, one of the most enticing features of Sony's noise-canceling headphones is that they support a wide range of codecs - easily one of the widest. The new WH-1000XM3 is no...

By hardwarezone.com.sg on November 30, 2019

The Sony WH-1000XM3 is a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones that is suitable for anyone and everyone.

By pokde.net on November 26, 2019

The WH-1000XM3 are a worthy successor to the popular WH-1000XM2 headphones, improving on them in a few subtle ways with the addition of USB-C charging and new ear pads.

By Android Authority on October 14, 2019

100

With the Sony WH-1000XM3 excellent sound quality meets the best noise-cancelling tech in the world, while the 'extra' features are useful without being gimmicky. In short, these are brilliant.

By T3 Magazine on July 24, 2019

If money's no object, then you'll struggle to do better than the Sony WH-1000XM3. Not only do they sound great, but they offer 30 hours of listening time and have excellent noise cancelling built-in that really helps immerse you in your music or podcast. Even better, if you want to temporarily let outside noise in such as an announcement at a station, you can just cover the right ear to do that.

By goodhousekeeping.co.uk on May 10, 2019

Sony hasn’t just stepped up to the plate amidst an ocean of challengers in the active noise-cancelling headset market. They’ve set a new benchmark and established themselves as the king of the hill, with a device that is comfortable, years ahead of the curve and capable of obliterating any noise that you can throw at it. The Sony WH-1000XM3 is pretty much the best headset that I’ve ever used.

By CriticalHit on April 24, 2019

Having used the previous Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones, I had my doubts about the latest entry in the series. Sony’s needed a big leap forward to not only catch but actually surpass the benchmark set by the Bose QC 35 II. But somehow, Sony managed to deliver a pair of headphones which surpassed everyone’s expectations. Simply put, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is the best Bluetooth headphones you can buy with active noise cancellation.

By phandroid.com on April 20, 2019

100

Aside from slightly fiddly touch controls, there’s really very little to complain about here. The noise cancellation is still absolutely unmatched, and it’s backed up audio that’s almost as good. Throw in reliable Bluetooth connections, 30-hour battery life, and (joy of joys) USB-C charging, and these are basically the best wireless headphones around right now.

By techadvisor.co.uk on March 29, 2019

100

Sony hits the high notes with its third-generation noise cancelling wireless headphones; these are the best wireless ANC headphones around.

By Expert Reviews on January 16, 2019

Load More Reviews…

Sony WH-1000XM3

Overview

Pros & Cons

Reviews

Similar To

Price: $349

Sony WH-1000XM5

TechSpot Metascore

Reviewers Liked

Reviewers Didn't Like

Competitors and Related Products

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Bose QuietComfort QC 35 II

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3

Jabra Elite 85h

JBL Live 650BTNC

Nuraphones

PSB Speakers M4U 8

Philips Fidelio NC1

Expert reviews and ratings