Price: A 10% Bump
Whether it's the upgraded tech within or the tariffs placed on goods from Japan, Sony hasn't said, but the new buds cost more than the old ones. The WF-1000XM5 earphones launched at $299.99, which is still their retail price today. The WF-1000XM6 costs $30 more at $329.99. That's not a huge increase, but every dollar counts these days.
Winner: WF-1000XM5
Design: Change Isn't Always for the Best
Sony made some pretty substantial design changes for the XM6. Both models use Sony's stem-free, bud-style shape, but the XM6 earbuds are slightly larger than the XM5s. Sony says the larger footprint is meant to better match the natural contours of your ear, though it introduces some trade-offs. The XM5s came with a mostly glossy finish, while the XM6 swaps that out for an all-matte look.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)Both models have an IPX4 water resistance rating, which is good for sweat and light rain, though neither extends that protection to the charging case. In the box, both buds ship with four pairs of eartips (XS, S, M, L) and a short charging cable.
I prefer the design of the previous-generation earbuds.
Winner: WF-1000XM5
Comfort: Size Often Matters
Bigger earbuds usually don't translate to better comfort, and this is a good example. The WF-1000XM5's smaller, lighter buds sit securely in your ear without fuss. The XM6 buds, which have a larger shell, don't quite lock in as naturally, especially when you're moving around. You can find a solid fit with the XM6, but it takes more trial and error with the supplied eartips.
Neither pair is uncomfortable. Both use foam tips that create a good seal once you find the right size. But when it comes to ease of fit and everyday wearability, the XM5's more compact form gives it an advantage.
Winner: WF-1000XM5
Cases: River Rock vs. Oval Block
The WF-1000XM5's charging case is a quiet highlight. It's a smooth, compact, case shaped like a stone you find at the bottom of a stream. It's genuinely easy to pocket without thinking about it. Sony takes a different direction with the XM6's case, opting for a larger, blockier model with sharper edges along the top and bottom. It's not massive, but the redesigned version doesn't feel like an improvement, especially since the larger size doesn't translate into longer battery life.
Wired and wireless charging are supported in both cases, which you'd expect at this price point, though neither carries an IP rating for dust or water protection.
For everyday carry, the XM5's case is simply more refined and easier to carry. The XM6 case isn't a deal-breaker, but it's one of those situations where the newer model doesn't clearly improve on the older one.
Winner: WF-1000XM5
Bluetooth and Connectivity: One and the Same
The XM6 and XM5 each connect to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3. Both support multipoint, which lets you connect to two devices at once, a useful feature if you're bouncing between your phone and laptop. Codec support lines up identically, too, with AAC, SBC, LDAC, and LC3 all present on both.
Day to day, connectivity performance feels comparable between the two. Both pair with your phone quickly and hold a stable connection without issues. If you were hoping the XM6 buds would see a Bluetooth 6.0 upgrade, well, they don't, but a tie isn't a bad thing.
Winner: Tie
Battery: No Upgrades Here
Nothing has changed between the two generations, which is disappointing. Both earbuds give you eight hours of continuous listening with active noise cancellation on and a total of 24 hours combined with the charging case.
Given that the XM6's case is physically larger than the XM5's, it's reasonable to expect the extra real estate to translate into more battery life, but that's just not the case.
Winner: Tie
Mobile App: The Same Sony
Both the WF-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM5 pair with Sony's Sound Connect app, which works across Sony's entire audio lineup. It's a well-built companion app with a reasonable selection of features and controls, including the ability to set location-based scenes that automatically adjust audio settings based on your location. The earphones also share the same 10-band EQ, making it easy to customize the audio to your preferences.
Winner: Tie
Noise Cancellation: A Slight Difference
The XM6 improves on the XM5's noise cancellation, and you can hear the difference when you compare them side by side. The XM6 handles low-end rumble a bit more effectively, but it isn't the same generational leap Sony pulled off with its over-ear WH-1000XM6 headphones. Fit matters here, too. The larger body of the XM6 buds doesn't always create as consistent a seal as the XM5, and seal quality has an enormous impact on ANC performance. The XM6 wins this category, since it is an upgrade, but not by as much as I'd hoped.
Winner: WF-1000XM6
Transparency: A Bit More Natural
Neither the XM5 nor the XM6 sets the bar for excellence in transparency mode, but both are still pretty good. The XM5 buds' ambient sound mode gets the job done but introduces some hiss and doesn't handle higher frequencies all that well, which makes everything sound a bit processed rather than natural. The XM6 improves on that to a degree, but still doesn't deliver the kind of natural sound you get from the likes of the AirPods Pro 3.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)Both models let you activate Quick Attention mode with a long press, temporarily piping in ambient sound for quick conversations without cycling through noise modes. It's a practical feature and works identically on both. The XM6 has a slight edge in overall ambient sound quality, but transparency mode remains an area where Sony trails the best in the business.
Winner: WF-1000XM6
Sound: Fresh Drivers for the Win
Both the WF-1000XM5 and XM6 buds sound excellent, but the redesigned drivers of the XM6 earphones make for a slightly better audio response. The XM6s deliver impressive audio across the board, including smooth bass that's present without overwhelming everything else, detailed highs, and strong instrument separation. The default tuning leans a touch heavy in the high-mid range, which adds energy to certain tracks, but is easy to rein in via the app's EQ. Sub-bass is particularly noteworthy, with a round fullness that most wireless earbuds simply can't match. Whether you're listening to electronic, hip-hop, or classical, the XM6 earphones sound confident and well-tuned.
The XM5s still sound great, too, but the XM6s come across as a little smoother and more detailed.
Winner: WF-1000XM6
Mics: Good for Calls
Both earbuds handle phone calls and video meetings just fine. The XM6's mics capture decent depth and clarity, and voices come through clearly and are easy to understand, though they aren't the strongest with higher frequencies. The XM5 lands in a similar range and sounds perfectly acceptable.
Neither generation will replace a dedicated microphone, but both are adequate for everyday use. The XM6 has a slight edge in overall clarity, but the difference is marginal enough that mic quality alone really shouldn't be what drives a purchasing decision between the two.
Winner: WF-1000XM6
Verdict: Should You Upgrade?
When you tally up the scores, it's a tie—bet you didn't expect that! The fact that the new WF-1000XM6 earbuds don't win every category is disappointing—and the reason we gave them a lower 4-star score than their 4.5-star predecessors. The fact is, the three-year-old WF-1000XM5 earbuds look better, offer a more comfortable fit, and have a more portable charging case. I would have been perfectly happy for Sony to change nothing about the design and fit, leaving the upgrades strictly internal.
Don't get me wrong, the WF-1000XM6 earbuds are very good. They sound excellent, fit well enough, and offer better noise cancellation than their predecessors. If you like Sony earbuds and are ready for a new pair, definitely go for the latest model—just don't expect them to be dramatically better. Meanwhile, the older pair is still available for about $250 and remains worth buying if you want to save some cash.