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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Sony WF1000XM4 earbuds offer superior overall sound quality and comfort compared to the Steelseries TUSQ earbuds. They also have active noise cancelling, which is ideal for air travel and noisy environments. However, they come at a premium price. On the other hand, the Steelseries TUSQ costs much less, has a notably higher mic quality which is better for calls, and performs exceptionally well for gaming due to lower latency. TUSQ is wired, which could be a limitation if you prefer wireless convenience. If budget is a concern and you mainly game or take calls, TUSQ may be the better option. If you value sound quality, comfort, and noise cancellation for a variety of environments and can afford a higher cost, go for the Sony WF1000XM4. 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 Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Very good for air travel
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Steelseries TUSQ
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
9.0
7.6
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Gaming
5.6
8.5
The Steelseries TUSQ is very good for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is poor.
Phone Calls
6.7
5.2
The Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair for phone calls, while the Steelseries TUSQ is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
10.0
4.7
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Steelseries TUSQ is poor.
TV and Video
6.0
7.3
The Steelseries TUSQ is good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.3
6.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is very good for noise reduction, while the Steelseries TUSQ is only fair.
Battery
9.0 Hours
N/A
The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life. The Steelseries TUSQ does not have a battery.
Cost
$220
$40
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Sony WF1000XM4 has a price of $220 and the Steelseries TUSQ costs $40.
Build Quality
8.9
8.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Steelseries TUSQ both have very good build quality, though the Sony WF1000XM4 has somewhat better build quality.
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How the Sony WF1000XM4 and the Steelseries TUSQ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sony WF1000XM4 | Steelseries TUSQ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$220 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sony | Steelseries | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.7/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 9 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6.5 Grams | 11 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Boom | |
Shopping
Sony WF1000XM4
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Steelseries TUSQ
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Dig into reviews and images
Can Buy or Not
Aloysius Low | March 2021
"The SteelSeries Arctis Tusq is a great headset for those on a more modest budget. You can use it for gaming or music, and I daresay it's also great for Zoom meetings when you don't want to be wearing on-ear or over-ear headphones."
Get a great deal on the Sony WF1000XM4 or the Steelseries TUSQ
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.
About Steelseries
Steelseries is a Danish gaming products manufacturer founded in 2001 and owned by GN Store Nord. Beside a large variety of gaming peripherals like mice, keyboards, and mousemats, Steelseries markets the Arctis line of gaming headsets which feature integrated boom microphones and RGB lighting. Steelseries has partnered with several game publishers and studios for limited editions of their products like a line of Cyberpunk 2077 themed headsets in 2020.
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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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