Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are maybe probably the most anticipated noise-canceling headphones of 2022, and a brand new leak claims to have revealed their new design and key specs.

TechnikNews out of Germany, citing an unnamed “retail source,” says the successor to the immensely fashionable WH-1000XM4 will function a redesign and enhancements to battery life, amongst different updates. If this leak is correct—as all the time, be cautiously skeptical about these kinds of issues—the WH-1000XM5 will rise up to 40 hours of battery life, one other 10 hours on high of the earlier three fashions, placing it close to the highest of its class. Also, the 1000XM5 will supposedly absolutely recharge in 3.5 hours, or about half-hour longer than earlier than—not a nasty tradeoff for the additional juice.

Renders supposedly offered to TechnikNews reveal a extra refined design, with the 1000XM5 sporting a sleeker profile than the 1000XM4, one which jogs my memory extra of the Bose 700. As the renders present, skinny arms now connect with the earcups and are separate from the headscarf. There additionally appears to be extra padding on the earcups, which might make one of the crucial comfy pair of headphones round even cushier. The new design actually seems extra trendy, although I’d have appreciated extra colour choices past black and silver(ish).

The WH-1000XM5’s three microphones have supposedly been repositioned, and an NC/AMB button will change the CUSTOM one. I assume most folk have been utilizing the CUSTOM button to modify between ANC and ambient modes anyway, so this transformation is extra about clearing up any ambiguity. The 1000XM5 headphones are additionally mentioned to function new drivers and two processors for managing noise cancellation, to go together with the bigger battery.

The WH-1000XM5 headphones are poised to be one of the crucial important headphone releases of the 12 months. For context, shopping for noise-canceling headphones pre-2016 was once straightforward, with everybody merely buying the newest Bose QuietComfort mannequin and having fun with their class-leading noise cancellation and nice sound high quality. Then Sony launched the MDR-1000X, and all the pieces modified. Finally, Bose had a challenger.

Since then, Sony has launched one critically acclaimed and commercially profitable pair of noise-canceling headphones after the subsequent, and sooner or later, even topped Bose. Now everybody desires in on the celebration, and Sony finds itself within the unenviable place of defending the throne in opposition to the likes of the Apple AirPods Max and the Bose 700.

That’s the place the WH-1000XM5 are available, and we gained’t have to attend for much longer to see how these cans stack up. While we don’t have a agency launch date, the XM5 was unearthed in FCC documents a number of months again, suggesting an imminent launch.