Sony’s best headphones and earbuds now come in a very fetching pink
Sony’s WH-1000MX5 and WF-1000XM5 are now available in a brand new color
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As much as we love theSony WF-1000XM5 earbudsandSony WH-1000XM5 headphonesthey’re not much fun in the color department: earbuds likeGoogle’sPixel Buds Pro 2are much more visually entertaining, and while this month’sAirPods Maxupdatewas a little disappointing there’s no denying that Apple’s colors are more fun than those in Sony’s flagship. So it’s nice to see a new color option for both the in-ear and over-ear Sony flagships.
The new color is called Smoky Pink and as you can see it’s more of a pastel pink than a Barbie hue or the bright coral of the Pixel Buds Pro 2. That fits with the other color options – black, midnight blue and platinum silver – which are all low-key and understated.
Sonyhas helpfully provided a video to show you what pink looks like and suggested it’s for “all the girly girls!” Don’t let that put you off, though.
Why Sony’s thinking pink
I’m being a little unkind here because of course, headphones are part of your overall look. That’s particularly true of over-ears, which can ruin an otherwise carefully co-ordinated fit: some headphone colors, especially the more beige-y ones, look more hospital-issue than high fashion. And earbuds can end up overpowering the look of your earrings.
Personally I’d have loved some brighter options, but I suspect that the market Sony is going for here is looking for something more sober: if you’re travelling for business you’re probably not going to want something primary-colored that’s more kindergarten than business casual. I do think the AirPods Max colors are a bit more fun, but it’s still nice to get away from the black/beige binary of most of thebest headphones.
Looks aside, both the buds and the over-ears are Sony’s flagship models with the firm’s best-ever noise cancellation and sound quality. They’re not huge upgrades over their predecessors, but the over-ears are five-star headphones and rank among thebest wireless headphones; the in-ears are up against much more high quality competition among thebest wireless earbuds, but we still think they’re “sonically special”.
The new smoky pink versions of the Sony WF-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM5 are on sale now from the usual outlets.
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Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir,Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock bandUnquiet Mind.
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