The globally-famous Japanese tech giant Sony just unveiled its newest noise-canceling earbuds, the Sony WF-SP800N. Apart from the new earbuds being water-resistant, how else are they different from the similarly-priced
The Sony WF-SP800N pack a lot of features, including dust and water-resistance, digital noise-cancellation, and Sony's EXTRA BASS. With IP55 rating, you can use the WF-SP800Ns for workouts and water activities without issues.
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Sony WF-SP800N vs WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds Comparison Chart
| Model | Sony WF-SP800N | |
|  | |
| Price | Check Price at Amazon.com | Check Price at Walmart.com |
| Charging Case Dimensions | 75 x 48 x 20 mm | 80.7 x 40 x29.2 mm |
| Type | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Special Features | Active Noise Cancellation, Waterproof, EXTRA BASS | Active Noise Cancellation with HD noise-canceling |
| ANC Levels | 3 | 3 |
| Customizable EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Runtime | Up to 9 hours Additional 9 hours more from the charging case with ANC on Up to 26 hours with ANC off | Up to 6 hours Additional 18 hours more from the charging case |
| Quick Charging | 10 minutes for up to 1 hour more | 10 minutes for up to 90 minutes more |
| Water Resistance | IP55 | N/A |
| Bluetooth | Version 5.0 | Version 5.0 |
| Extra Bass | Yes | No |
| Auto-Pause | Yes | Yes |
| Audio Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Touch Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Controls | Yes | Yes |
| App Control | Sony Headphones Connect | Sony Headphones Connect |
| NFC Pairing | Yes | Yes |
Color Options | Blue, Black, Orange, White (varies by region) | Black, Silver |
Release | 2020 | 2019 |
Design and Build
While they have similar profiles and high-quality build, the WF-SP800Ns look more robust than the sleek WF-1000XM3s
Both the WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3s are designed with Sony’s Ergonomic Tri-hold structure that’s typical in in-ear headphones. However, these noise-canceling earbuds are marketed towards different types of users, and their design and build reflect that. The WF-1000XM3s and their matte finish look more sleek and elegant, but the WF-SP800Ns sport a more robust build. Designed with active users in mind, the new Sony SP800Ns are equipped with ear hooks to ensure a more secure fit. The WF-1000XM3s also fit snugly but may need adjustment from time to time when working out, running, or training.Â
Both the Sony WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3s have a responsive touch panel on each earbud for touch controls. Their cases are compact and can fit most pockets, but the WF-SP800N’s is slightly smaller. When it comes to colors, the new WF-SP800Ns come in more vibrant colors like orange and blue. Meanwhile, the WF-1000XM3s are available in black and silver.
Noise Cancellation
Both Sony wireless headphones offer active noise cancellation, but the WF-1000XM3s work slightly better
Both the WF-Sp800N and the WF-1000XM3 wireless headphones are equipped with Sony’s top-notch noise-canceling essentials. These include the following:
- digital noise-cancelingÂ
- Adaptive Sound Control that can detect your activity and adjust noise-cancellation and ambient settings automatically
- Ambient Sound Mode for instances where you need to hear your surroundings
- Quick Attention feature which lets in ambient sound or turns the volume down so you can talk to someone with a tap of a finger
While they both feature digital noise-cancellation, the WF-1000XM3’s is slightly better as they are equipped with Sony’s HD Noise-Canceling Processor QN1e and Dual Noise Sensor Technology. With that said, both work well with blocking out external noise. When it comes to audio calls, their ANC can work wonders for the call quality. This makes your voice sound clearer for the person on the other line.Â
Equipped with Sony's topnotch noise-canceling capabilities and audio quality, the Sony WF-1000XM3s are the perfect commute and work companion. With NC off, the WF-XM3s can provide up to 32 hours of usage.
Audio Quality
The Sony WF-SP800Ns boast EXTRA BASS whereas the WF-1000XM3s deliver a cleaner, neutral profile
The Sony WF-SP800N earbuds come packed with special features, and Sony’s EXTRA BASS is one of them. Expect deep, punchy bass that is perfect for headphone users who often listen to pop, EDM, or rap music. Even with deep bottom-ends, their highs and are sharp and undistorted. In contrast, the Sony WF-1000XM3s offer a more neutral profile that may appeal to a wider range of listeners. Where the WF-1000XM3s shine is in their crisp vocals and clear sound separation.Â
Whatever your preferred sound profile is, both Sony noise-canceling earbuds let you customize their EQ settings through the Sony Headphones Connect app. You can choose from EQ presets or play with the EQ settings to achieve the sound profile that best suits your taste. Â
The Sony WF-SP800N pack a lot of features, including dust and water-resistance, digital noise-cancellation, and Sony's EXTRA BASS. With IP55 rating, you can use the WF-SP800Ns for workouts and water activities without issues.
Set up and Controls
Both the Sony WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3s use Bluetooth 5.0 and offer touch, voice, and app controls
Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, both the Sony WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3 have solid and stable connectivity. Unlike most wireless earbuds that have master and slave connection, the WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3 simultaneously send the sound to both left and right earbuds. This allows for a more reliable connection and better audio latency performance. Furthermore, they have NFC connectivity, which makes pairing to any iOS or Android device a breeze.Â
Both the WF-SP800N and the WF-1000XM3s can be set up with smart voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. They can further be controlled through touch features on each earbud or through the Sony app. Should you have your preferred touch features, you can customize them on the Sony app as well.Â
Battery Life and Additional Features
With ANC on, the Sony WF-SP800Ns offer up to 18 hours of battery life whereas the WF-1000XM3s give up to 24 hours of playtime; the WF-SP800Ns are splash and dust-resistant
The Sony WF-SP800N wireless earbuds can run for 9 hours with ANC on and their charging case adds 9 hours of extra juice. A quick 10-minute charge will give you 60 minutes of runtime. Meanwhile, the WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds deliver up to 6 hours of battery life, but their charging case packs 18 hours more of battery life. You’ll get an extra 90 minutes of playtime when you charge the 1000XM3s for 10 minutes.
For users who live an active lifestyle and love the outdoors, the IP55-rated WF-SP800Ns are the better fit. The WF-SP800Ns are dust and water-resistant, so you can wash them under the sink or get drenched under the rain while wearing them. In contrast, the WF-1000XM3s are not water-resistant and are more for home, office, or travel use. Â
Verdict
The Sony WF-SP800N are more versatile than the WF-1000XM3s, but the latter have slightly better ANC
Equipped with Sony's topnotch noise-canceling capabilities and audio quality, the Sony WF-1000XM3s are the perfect commute and work companion. With NC off, the WF-XM3s can provide up to 32 hours of usage.
The Sony WF-SP800N pack a lot of features, including dust and water-resistance, digital noise-cancellation, and Sony's EXTRA BASS. With IP55 rating, you can use the WF-SP800Ns for workouts and water activities without issues.
With water and dust-resistance, extra bass, and digital noise-cancellation, the Sony WF-SP800Ns are packed with more features than the WF-1000XM3s, which means the former SP800Ns offer better value for your money. If you plan on using your wireless noise-canceling earbuds for workouts, the WF-SP800Ns are a no-brainer. However, if you only want to use them for casual use at work, home, or during commutes, then the WF-1000XM3s and their slightly better noise-cancellation are the better fit for you.Â
FAQs
The Sony WF-1000XM3s have slightly better ANC, but the Sony WF-SP800N are more versatile as they are water-resistant.
Yes, the WF-SP800N are IP55-rated, which means they can withstand splashes and they’re sweat-proof.
Sony released the WF-1000XM3s in 2019 while the WF-SP800N were released in 2020.
The Sony WF-SP800N noise-canceling earbuds feature Sony’s EXTRA BASS and are water-resistant. On the other hand, the WF-1000XM3s are not water-resistant, but they have better noise-canceling than the WF-SP800N.