Written by Lucas
Edited on
7 October 2025
·
10:06
Compare the Sony WF-1000XM3 to the Sony WF-1000XM4
With the Sony WF-1000XM4, Sony launched the successor of the WF-1000XM3. This successor is almost the same as its predecessor in terms of specifications, but it does have quite a number of improvements. For example, the high-end noise canceling reduces the ambient noise almost entirely and the earbuds automatically connect to your playback device. Read everything on these earbuds in this article.
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Compare the Sony WF-1000XM3 to the Sony WF-1000XM4
| Sony WF-1000XM3 | Sony WF-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise canceling | Yes | Yes |
| Water-resistant | No | Yes |
| Fast Pair | Via NFC | Automatic |
| App | Yes (without fit test) | Yes (with fit test) |
| Battery life | 6 hours | 8 hours |
Noise canceling
Sony WF-1000XM3: mid-range noise canceling
The Sony WF-1000XM3 reduces a lot of ambient noise, but not entirely. Some sounds aren't reduced very well, such as voices and wind. This means that the noise canceling doesn't stand out in every situation.
Sony WF-1000XM4: high-end noise canceling
The noise canceling of the Sony WF-1000XM4 reduces ambient noise a lot better. You can hardly hear voices through your music. And thanks to the special wind reduction technology, wind won't bother you as much.
Water-resistant
Sony WF-1000XM3: not water-resistant
The Sony WF-1000XM3 isn't water-resistant. This increases the risk of water damage after a workout and because of rain. This makes the earbuds more suitable for use at home
Sony WF-1000XM4: IPX4 certification
Thanks to the IPX4 certification, the earbuds are resistant to water. As a result, they can survive any workout and won't even have water damage after a rain shower. It's not possible to rinse the earbuds under the faucet.
Fast Pair
Sony WF-1000XM3: Fast Pair via NFC
You can connect the Sony WF-1000XM3 to your smartphone super fast via NFC. Hold the NFC point of your smartphone against the NFC point of the earbuds and the two devices will connect. Note: connecting your earbuds via NFC only works on Android phones. If you have an iPhone, you'll have to connect the earbuds to your smartphone manually every time.
Sony WF-1000XM4: automatic Fast Pair
The Sony WF-1000XM4 automatically connects to the playback device it was most recently connected to. It doesn't matter whether that's your iPhone, Windows computer, or Android smartphone. Take your earbuds out of the case and they'll try to connect to the device is was most recently connected to right away. If you connect them to a device for the first time, do so manually via Bluetooth.
App
Sony WF-1000XM3: app without fit test
In the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can adjust the settings of your Sony earbuds. So you can adjust the sound via an equalizer, which results in a personalized sound. You can't do a fit test with the Sony WF-1000XM3.
Sony WF-1000XM4: app with fit test
You have the same advantages in the app with the Sony WF-1000XM4 as you do with the WF-1000XM3, but you can also do a fit test. With this fit test, the app helps you find the right fit. So you can be sure that you're choosing the right size earbuds.
Battery life
Sony WF-1000XM3: 6 hours
The earbuds last 6 hours on a fully charged battery, so you can listen to music for almost an entire day.
Sony WF-1000XM4: 8 hours
The Sony WF-1000XM4 lasts 8 hours on a fully charged battery. That's 2 hours longer than the Sony WF-1000XM3.
Conclusion
In terms of specifications, the Sony WF-1000XM3 and the Sony WF-1000XM4 are very similar. The biggest difference lies in quality of the functions. The XM4 is water-resistant and has Fast Pair, a fit test, and a longer battery life of 8 hours. And thanks to the high-end noise canceling, ambient noise is reduced almost entirely. This makes the XM4 more suitable for use on the go.
