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Tech head-to-head

Sennheiser Momentum 4 WirelessvsSony WH-1000XM5

Sony WH-1000XM5 edges Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, 8.2 to 7.9. The 5 axes split 3-2, widest on Ease of use at 0.8.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Sennheiser

7.9

The listening pick, with a 60-hour battery that makes every rival figure on this page look short.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony

8.2

The all-round reference: strongest cancellation on the list with app control nobody else matches.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Ease of use, Sony WH-1000XM5 ahead 8.8 to 8.0. They come closest on Durability, 7.7 to 7.6. Left of center is Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, right is Sony WH-1000XM5.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless versus Sony WH-1000XM5 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless run left from the axis labels, bars for Sony WH-1000XM5 run right. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: Performance 8.6, Value 8.0, Durability 7.7, Ease of use 8.0, Design 7.4. Sony WH-1000XM5: Performance 9.2, Value 7.4, Durability 7.6, Ease of use 8.8, Design 8.2.Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (left)Sony WH-1000XM5 (right)PerformanceSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Performance 8.6 out of 108.6Sony WH-1000XM5 — Performance 9.2 out of 109.2ValueSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Value 8.0 out of 108.0Sony WH-1000XM5 — Value 7.4 out of 107.4DurabilitySennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Durability 7.7 out of 107.7Sony WH-1000XM5 — Durability 7.6 out of 107.6Ease of useSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Ease of use 8.0 out of 108.0Sony WH-1000XM5 — Ease of use 8.8 out of 108.8DesignSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Design 7.4 out of 107.4Sony WH-1000XM5 — Design 8.2 out of 108.2Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Leads on Value and Durability.

  • Music is the point, not just noise reduction
  • You travel without reliable charging
  • You want a multi-band EQ instead of a handful of presets

Take the Sony WH-1000XM5

Leads on Performance, Ease of use and Design.

  • Long-haul flights and open-plan offices in the same week
  • An Android phone, where LDAC actually opens
  • You want the EQ and ambient blend under your own control

What each one gets wrong

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

  • You want the strongest cancellation available at any cost
  • The plain, unstructured design puts you off

Sony WH-1000XM5

  • You need them to fold flat into a small bag
  • A hinge-free plastic frame worries you for a daily commuter

Specs, side by side

SpecSennheiser Momentum 4 WirelessSony WH-1000XM5
TypeOver-ear, closedOver-ear, closed
CodecsSBC, AAC, aptX AdaptiveSBC, AAC, LDAC
BatteryAbout 60 hrs with ANC onAbout 30 hrs with ANC on
Folding—Cups swivel, no fold

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or Sony WH-1000XM5 — which should I buy?
Sony WH-1000XM5 leads on Performance, Ease of use and Design. If Value and Durability matter more to you, take the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless instead.
Is 0.3 a real difference?
Barely. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless averages 7.9 and Sony WH-1000XM5 averages 8.2, and the total is the plain average of 5 axes, so 0.3 is what one axis moving 1.5 looks like after averaging. The axis split, 3-2, tells you more.
Which one ranks higher in "Cancellation bunches up; comfort and hinges separate"?
Sony WH-1000XM5 sits at #1 in "Cancellation bunches up; comfort and hinges separate", Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless at #4.