Sony’s WH-1000MX5 and WF-1000XM5 are now available in a brand new color
(Image credit: Sony)
As much as we love the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds and Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones they’re not much fun in the color department: earbuds like Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are much more visually entertaining, and while this month’s AirPods Max update was a little disappointing there’s no denying that Apple’s colors are more fun than those in Sony’s flagship. So it’s nice to see a new color option for both the in-ear and over-ear Sony flagships.
The new color is called Smoky Pink and as you can see it’s more of a pastel pink than a Barbie hue or the bright coral of the Pixel Buds Pro 2. That fits with the other color options – black, midnight blue and platinum silver – which are all low-key and understated.
Sony has helpfully provided a video to show you what pink looks like and suggested it’s for “all the girly girls!” Don’t let that put you off, though.
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Why Sony’s thinking pink
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.
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 new smoky pink versions of the Sony WF-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM5 are on sale now from the usual outlets.