Same Sony app
Sony WF-C710N
- 8.5 hours per charge
- Light and easy to wear
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Catch: Lets more voices and clatter in
About half the price
Cheaper alternatives to the Sony WF-1000XM5
Three cheaper pairs that keep most of the XM5's quiet and comfort.
Updated November 5, 2026
Hi-res for Android
EarFun Air Pro 4
- aptX Adaptive plus LDAC
- Wireless charging case
Lowest price
CMF Buds Pro 2
- Handy dial on the case
- LDAC at a tiny price
The original
Sony WF-1000XM5
Worth it if: You want Sony's best sound for less than the XM6
- Small, light buds that sit comfortably
- Balanced, controlled sound
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Not worth it if: Foam tips slip in your ears
Fairly priced
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What are you actually paying extra for with the WF-1000XM5?
What the extra money buys
- Small, light buds that sit comfortably
- Balanced, controlled sound
- Clear calls, even in wind
- 8 hours with noise canceling on
Worth it if
- You want Sony's best sound for less than the XM6
- You often call from windy streets
- You stream LDAC from an Android phone
Not worth it if
- Foam tips slip in your ears
- You want the very quietest buds
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
Sony WF-C710N
Sony's cheaper pair keeps the Headphones Connect app, the EQ and pairing with two devices, so moving down feels familiar. Tom's Guide wore it for eight hours without trouble and rated its quiet highly for the price. What Hi-Fi heard a musical sound but noted that higher-pitched noise like chatter gets past it more than with pricier buds.
EarFun Air Pro 4
The Air Pro 4 keeps two things XM5 owners like, LDAC and a wireless charging case, and adds aptX Adaptive. Reviewers at Android Central liked how it felt over long sessions and called the tuning balanced and lively. PC Gamer said it copes with fans, wind and rumble but lets sudden sounds through, and its microphone sounded tinny.
CMF Buds Pro 2
The CMF Buds Pro 2 cost a small slice of the XM5 and still bring LDAC and two-device pairing. Stuff found its quiet better than most cheap buds and calls fine next to a busy road. Expert Reviews heard strong but sometimes muddy bass and middling noise canceling, and the touch controls were unreliable.
Final recommendation: The Sony WF-C710N is the closest swap: same app, longer battery, about half the money. Android listeners who care about codecs get aptX and LDAC on the EarFun Air Pro 4. On a tight budget the CMF Buds Pro 2 still block a fair amount. Keep the WF-1000XM5 if you want Sony's richer sound and clear calls outdoors without paying for the XM6.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Affordable | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Battery per charge, noise canceling on (claimed) | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8.5 hours | Up to 7.5 hours | Up to 6.5 hours |
| With the case, noise canceling on (claimed) | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 35 hours | Up to 26 hours |
| Weight per bud | 5.9 g (0.21 oz) | 5.2 g (0.18 oz) | – | 4.9 g (0.17 oz) |
| Fit | Sealed, foam tips | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX5 | IP55 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Is the WF-1000XM5 still worth it now that the XM6 is out?
At a real discount, yes. Reviewers still rate its sound and comfort highly, and it lasts the same 8 hours with noise canceling on. The XM6 blocks a little more and has an extra mic per bud, so it's worth it only if the price gap is small.
Do the XM5 buds fall out easily?
They can for some people. What Hi-Fi found the fit less secure than Bose buds with wings, because the XM5 rely on foam tips and a twist into place. Trying each of the four tip sizes, including the extra-small one, usually fixes it.
Is the WF-C710N as quiet as the XM5?
No. It handles low engine rumble well for the money, but higher sounds like voices and keyboards get through more. For a calm office or a bus ride you may not notice much; on a noisy subway the XM5 is clearly calmer.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the Sony WF-1000XM5 with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Sony: WF-1000XM5, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-1000XM5 review, HIFI.DE: Sony WF-1000XM5 im Test, Sony Canada: WF-C710N specifications, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-C710N review, Tom's Guide: Sony WF-C710N review, EarFun: Air Pro 4, Android Central: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, PC Gamer: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, CMF by Nothing: Buds Pro 2, Expert Reviews: CMF Buds Pro 2 review, Stuff: CMF Buds Pro 2 review.