Sony’s WF-1000XM3 true wireless in-ears are a steal at $97 in the US

Sony’s WF-1000XM3 manage to squeeze in the hubbub-hushing tech while maintaining a relatively compact, if slightly elongated, shape. They easily rival Apple’s AirPods Pro and thanks to a deal are now half the price of Apple’s top in-ears at $97 from Amazon US – a saving of 58%.

These earphones won our best headphone gong in the Stuff Awards 2019 and, though they’ve since been superseded by the WF-1000XM4s, they’re still a force to be reckoned with. Coincidentally, the WF-1000XM4s are also available on a deal at £159, down from £250 in the UK or for $178 in the US, a saving of 36%.

Any music played through the XM3s sounds superb, the noise-cancelling delivers dutifully and, thanks to a patented Ergonomic Tri-hold Structure they stay right where you want them – a joy to behold in your lug holes. Check out our five-star review of the XM3s.

They’re not as discreet as some of the more bullet-shaped alternatives, but with various types and sizes of earbud included they’re comfortable and fit well, with a grippy-but-not-too-grippy coating helping to hold the 8.5g buds in.

In terms of noise cancellation, the XM3’s active system takes things to another level, with the added bonus of consuming very little power. With it switched on you’ll get six hours out of them, eight when it’s turned off.

Play some music and the XM3s are organised, agile and punchy, with a fair bit more dynamism than their competitors too. They simply serve up the music in as realistic a fashion as possible. Even call quality is half-decent, despite the mics being a fair distance from your mouth.

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