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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize overall sound quality and active noise cancellation, the Sony WF1000XM4 earbuds stand out, especially for music listening and air travel. However, they come with a higher price tag and may not be the best choice for gaming or TV due to lower latency performance. On the other hand, the Sennheiser 450BT headphones offer a decent sound experience at a lower cost, are foldable for portability, and have a cable option for versatility. They perform well for gaming and phone calls, but their over-ear form factor might not be as comfortable for extended wear or use during exercise as the Sony's compact, in-ear design. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.2
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
8.8
5.6
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser 450BT is good.
TV and Video
8.1
6.0
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
9.1
8.3
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is very good.
Battery
27.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$139
$220
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Sennheiser 450BT has a price of $139 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
Build Quality
8.0
8.9
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality, though the Sony WF1000XM4 has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
6.9
6.7
The Sennheiser 450BT and Sony WF1000XM4 are both only fair for phone calls.
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How the Sennheiser 450BT and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 450BT | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$139 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2020 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.2/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.9/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.1/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.1/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 27.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.3 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 240.4 Grams | 6.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Sony WF1000XM4
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What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser 450BT or the Sony WF1000XM4
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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