Sony is bringing the WH-1000XM4 back for another round. It’s been more than six years since these headphones first launched in August 2020, and now the company has released an updated version called the WH-1000XM4C, though some are calling it the M4 2nd Gen.
The new version sticks pretty close to what made the original so good in the first place. You still get the compact, foldable build and Sony’s 1000X Series noise cancellation. But there are a handful of updates for 2026. Sony returned the sound profile, added a 10-band equalizer, and introduced a new Lavender color option alongside the usual Black and Platinum Silver.
There’s a good reason Sony picked this specific model to bring back. We gave the original WH-1000XM4 a perfect score in our review, praising its comfort, sound quality, noise cancellation, battery life, call performance, and multipoint pairing support.
Sony WH-1000XM4C Features
The WH-1000XM4C now has a replaceable battery, and that might turn out to be the most practical change in the whole update. Sony added this mostly because it has to. The EU’s Batteries Regulation requires portable batteries in electronics sold in the region to be removable and user-replaceable starting February 2027, and Sony built the WH-1000XM4C to meet that rule ahead of time.
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This means a worn-out battery won’t have to spell the end for a pair of headphones that still works fine. Once the battery starts losing its capacity, owners can just swap it out. Sony hasn’t said yet what a replacement battery will cost, though.
There’s a small catch. Battery life now caps at 27 hours with noise cancellation on and 34 hours with it off. The original XM4 lasted a bit longer, at 30 and 38 hours.
Sony WH-1000XM4C Specs
The XM4C keeps the same 40mm drivers, LDAC support, DSEE Extreme upscaling, touch controls, multipoint connectivity, Quick Attention, Ambient Sound mode, and Precise Voice Pickup Technology from before.
One upgrade worth noting is the Bluetooth, which jumps from version 5.0 on the original XM4 to 6.0 here. Weight stays close to the same too, at around 253 grams, so Sony managed to fit in that replaceable battery without making the headphones noticeably heavier.
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Pricing lands at $299.99, with a fall release planned. That puts it well under the current flagship model, the WH-1000XM6, which launched at $450. Pre-orders are open now through Sony and Amazon, with shipping expected around September 23 and 24. Black and Platinum Silver will be sold everywhere, while the Lavender color will remain exclusive to Sony and Amazon.
