The WF-1000XM3 are a groundbreaking pair of fully wireless earbuds.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 is great-sounding AirPods alternative, especially if you want active noise-cancelling.

Awesome sound. Amazing noise-canceling abilities. Automatic ambient sound adjustment. Excellent build. Comfortable. Convenient touch-based on/off features. Great battery life. Optimized for Google Assistant.

With the WF-1000XM3, Sony has brought its true-wireless earbuds up to the level of its best-in-class headphones. Powerful noise-cancellation, improved Ambient Sound mode and incredible sound quality make these the best option under $300. And really, they're probably your best bet at any price.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 are now about one year old, yet they still are among the top “true wireless” earphones on the market. Their signature is relaxing while still delivering lots of details with great technical ability. The sound alone makes the WF-1000XM3 worth their asking price – which currently sits around €150-180 in Europe. But what really sets these earphones apart is their fantastic ANC, which removes noise so effectively that after a while you actually forget how noisy the world is. Pair that with great battery life and you get a pair of earphones that I can wholeheartedly recommend – at the current price they’re almost a steal, compared to what they offer.

The WF-1000XM3 sound excellent for true-wireless headphones, with a premium look and feel. They have effective active noise cancellation, decent battery life and USB-C charging (with a quick-charge feature). Touch controls.

Those who spend most of their time on planes, meanwhile, will probably still find a traditional headphone design more comfortable and – with a cable – more flexible, too. Still, with a separate Bluetooth adapter, the fact that the WF-1000XM3's are much more compact than any over-the-ear ANC headphones could make a big difference in your bag.

I've grown to love the Sony WF-1000XM3s. Their sound is rich and warm and I love listening to music on it. I love the blanket of noise cancelation when walking around in the real world. But it's been a rainy summer here, and I despair every time I have to take them out of my ears in anything but perfect weather.

Sony’s latest true wireless earbuds are its best AirPods rival yet

Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 are satisfactory for neutral sound. They have a well-balanced sound profile with a touch of boom, which fans of EDM and hip-hop may enjoy. However, they're missing a bit of low-bass, so mixes lack some thump and rumble. Also, they come with fairly large tips, which makes it hard to get an airtight fit and could affect how they sound, especially in the bass range. Luckily, the companion app gives you access to a graphic EQ so you can tweak the sound to your liking.

Sony's WF-1000XM3 true wireless earphones deliver excellent noise cancellation and strong audio performance, tempered by some easily avoidable shortcomings.

Sony’s hit a home run with the WF-1000XM3. Terrible name, excellent set of earbuds. Packing genuinely impressive noise cancelling technology, brilliant sound, rock-solid connectivity and even long battery life into wireless earbuds is something of an achievement.

The WF-1000XM3 offer superb audio, a better design and terrific noise cancellation. They’ve been replaced by the WF-1000XM4, but they remain an excellent pair of earbuds – and they’re now much cheaper than when they first went on sale

A new benchmark for true wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM3s combine effective active noise-cancelling with a real sense of musicality

Top notch design, class-leading noise-cancelling and decent battery life make the Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Headphones a worthy purchase, even if they have been usurped by the WF-1000XM4.

If you’re looking to block out noise and don’t want to ruin the fro, nothing beats Sony’s true wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM3