How do you make our long-running picks for the best over-ear headphones and best wireless earbuds even better? Releasing them in a cool new shade of pink certainly doesn’t hurt. That’s exactly what Sony’s done with its new Smoky Pink versions of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and WF-1000XM5 earbuds, both of which are up for preorder now.
The Sony WH-1000X5 are our favorite headphones, thanks to their excellent sound quality, dependable noise cancellation and long battery life.
Sony's flagship earbuds are our best-tested true wireless earbuds and pack many of the same great features that make their over-ear cans our favorite, with especially stellar audio and ANC.
I got to check out these new variants ahead of their October release date, which was like seeing an old friend in a fancy new suit. The “smoky” in Smoky Pink is fitting; the new color is subdued and almost salmon-like, rather than, say, the hot pink you’ll find on the new iPhone 16. I’m always happy to see headphones offered in a wider range of attractive colors, especially since the WF-1000XM5 earbuds were previously only available in black and silver.
This is an especially ideal time for the XM5 headphones to get a new color, as one of their main competitors — Apple’s ubiquitous AirPods Max — just got refreshed with USB-C charging and a fresh suite of hues that include an attractive blue, purple and orange.
The Smoky Pink shade is launching in collaboration with popular K-Pop group Le Sserafim, who can be seen rocking the new shade in Sony’s futuristic music video ad campaign. If you’re in the market for a new pair of headphones or earbuds — and really love a chalky pink — this is a great time to jump on either of the best Sony headphones that we’ve tested. Preorders are up now, with the new colors expected to ship in mid-October.