Just take note of this if you want an all-around pair of earbuds. While I did bring these along for a gym session and they didn’t seem to be harmed by any sweat, I can’t say with any firm confidence that they’d survive a long, strenuous session, or even some light precipitation. This could actually be a dealbreaker for some users, especially those who want earbuds for working out. I’m actually surprised this isn’t included here, considering how much attention to detail has been spent on the rest of the features. One major drawback of the WF-1000XM3s is that they don’t offer any official waterproof rating. Having a seamless, no-nonsense mechanism for these common tasks is crucial in giving you confidence in your purchase. One of the biggest gripes I had about the Jabra Elite 65t earbuds was that the earbuds just rest inside the case, and snapping open the case took a lot of force.
These magnetic touches and high-quality materials are basically musts, in my opinion. The earbuds feature similar materials, and Sony has made sure to include magnets inside the case to suck the earbuds back in. The lid opens easily and quickly snaps shut in a really satisfying way. The case is made of a soft-touch matte plastic with a sleek copper-toned lid. The look and feel of these earbuds is the most enjoyable aspect of owning them. Durability and Build Quality: Sleek, premium, and durable These earbuds took everything I threw at them completely in stride, from bass-heavy hip-hop music to the lightest acoustic tunes. There are definitely more customization options than if no eartips were involved. The running theme of these earbuds is clearly a middling one, and because comfort and fit are largely subjective to a specific listener, I can’t knock Sony too much on this point. At 0.3 ounces, they’re also not the heaviest nor the lightest I’ve tried. I also think that, though they aren’t the tightest around, they do feel really stuffy when wearing them. This makes them a little more precarious than I’d like for a premium pair of true wireless buds. So they aren’t just sitting there dangling.īut I was a little disappointed to see that, even though Sony has chosen an elongated enclosure, they haven’t included an outer-ear wing or fin-like some other brands. On one hand, they employ silicone ear tips (with three size choices, and three size choices of foam tips, too) so they will fit snug into your ear. The Sony WF-1000XM3s sit right in the middle of the pack for comfort. I am an extremely tough customer when it comes to the fit of my earbuds-a fact that is further amplified when the earbuds are true wireless and could fall to the floor. Overall, this category is a win in my book. I like that the earbuds don’t disappear into your ear, but I also like that they look more “normal” than the dangling-stem variety. Most other manufacturers have opted to either make earbuds into dangling stems like Airpods, or to create the smallest possible footprint, like the Galaxy Buds. For both the case and the earbuds, Sony has taken the path less traveled for true wireless earbuds. The eartip itself comes off this outer shape at a biased angle to better align with your ear canal so that when you’re wearing them, they sit flat and straight against the side of your head. Most of the build is comprised of a flattened, pill-shaped enclosure with Sony’s logo and the noise-canceling mic array sporting the copper accent. The earbuds themselves are also pretty unique from a design perspective. However, the magnetic lid sits flat on the top of the case and is copper-colored, providing a really nice accent to the matte plastic. The case itself is very similarly shaped to an AirPods case, only bigger and wider. This is carried through to the battery case in a really pleasing way. They’re available in two colors, black or silver, but those colors feature Sony’s classic copper accent tone in various places. The first thing I noticed when unboxing the WF-M3s is that they have really picked up where Sony left off with the WH-100XM3 over-ear cans. Lifewire / Jason Schneider Design: Definitely sleek, definitely Sony