Written by Lucas
Edited on
7 October 2025
·
08:29
Compare the Sony WH-1000XM3 to the Sony WF-1000XM3
The Sony WH-1000XM3 and the Sony WF-1000XM3 are 2 completely different products, with almost the same specifications. That makes it difficult to choose between the 2 products. In this article, we'll explain more about these headphones and earbuds to make it easier for you to choose. For example, the earbuds are more compact in size but the headphones provide better noise canceling.
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Retail price Sony
279,-179,-
Retail price Sony
279,-199,-
Sony WH-1000XM3
- Via Bluetooth, you can wirelessly stream music from your smartphone or tablet.
- Active noise canceling reduces annoying ambient noise and white noise.
- The Smart Listening function adjusts the strength of the noise canceling to your activity.
- The headphones come without a 6.3mm adapter.
Compare the Sony WH-1000XM3 to the Sony WF-1000XM3
| WH-1000XM3 | WF-1000XM3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wearing method | Over-ear | In-ear |
| High-end noise canceling | Yes | No |
| App | Yes | Yes |
Wearing method
WH-1000XM3: over-ear
The WH-1000XM3 are the popular headphones from Sony. These headphones have soft ear cushions and extend over your ears. Because the ear cushions are soft, the wearing comfort is excellent. As you can read in the review down below, the only downside is that your ears will start to bother you during a long listening session. That's because the ear cups aren't that deep, so they come up against your ears.
WF-1000XM3: in-ear
The WF-1000XM3 are the earbuds from the XM3 series by Sony. These earbuds are in-ear. To improve the wearing comfort, we recommend you try the extra sizes of earbud tips that are included. That way, the earbuds are more comfortable to wear and stay in your ears better.
Noise canceling
WH-1000XM3: high-end noise canceling
The WH-1000XM3 is one of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. These headphones manage to reduce nearly all unwanted noise both on the go and at the office. That way, you can focus on your music when you're on the go and on your work when you're at the office.
WF-1000XM3: good noise canceling
The WF-1000XM3 has the same noise canceling chip as the headphones. Does that mean that the noise canceling is just as good? No. The earbuds don't close off your ears completely, something that the over-ear headphones do manage. This is one of the reasons that the noise canceling isn't as impressive as that of the headphones. But all in all, the WF-1000XM3 have good noise canceling for earbuds.
Sound quality
WH-1000XM3: adjusting via app
The sound coming from the WH-1000XM3 is high quality. The headphones manage to produce both a clear treble and a clear bass. The bass stands out especially, because it's powerful and deep at the same time. If you want to emphasize the bass even more, you can download the Sony Headphones Connect app. This gives you access to an equalizer, so you can adjust the sound to your own preference.
WF-1000XM3: adjusting via app as well
Just like the headphones, you can adjust the sound of the WF-1000XM3 completely to your own preferences via the app. And just like the headphones, the sound quality of the earbuds is impressive. It might be slightly less due to the difference in size, but the earbuds manage to produce a nice and powerful sound.
Conclusion
When you put the 2 products side by side, it's clear that the headphones provide better noise canceling and a better sound quality. The noise canceling on the earbuds simply doesn't compare. The earbuds also aren't as comfortable to wear, but they are more compact in size. If you're looking for earbuds with fairly good functions, the WF-1000XM3 are a good choice for you.
Article by Lucas
Audio Expert.
