Headphones—like the Sony WH-1000XM3s, which Amazon is running a fantastic deal on for Prime Day—have a way of bringing out the inner snob in everybody. I say this with the utmost love and affection, since I’ve learned a ton from my very in-the-know co-workers over the last few months about what to look for and what to avoid when shopping for a new set.
For instance, I’ve learned that wired Apple earbuds are considered total garbage (bummer for me, since I still like mine). I’ve also discovered that when it comes to buying wireless headphones—i.e. apparently the only kind worth having—you need to pay attention to obvious things like comfort, but also features like noise-cancelation. After all, not everybody in the office needs to know when you’ve got Oops…I Did It Again! and the rest of Britney’s catalogue playing on loop, you know?
Enter: the Sony WH-1000XM3 noise-canceling over-ear headphones. According to our in-house audiophiles, these wireless headphones really are in a category all their own. They even knocked the legendary Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II headphones off the top spot in our list of the best noise-canceling headphones ever. Right now on Amazon, you can get these world-class over-ear headphones on sale for just $298, which is a discount of $52 when compared to their regular retail price of $349 and only about $20 more than the best price we’ve ever seen for them.
Understanding the WH-1000XM3s
This deal is even more remarkable when you consider that the Sony WH-1000XM3s have such a cult-like following online. Since they came out late last summer, experts from all over (not just here at Reviewed) have raved about these headphones, since they manage to completely outperform the Bose QC 35IIs in the noise-cancellation department.
The reason? They come with a nifty little feature that Sony refers to as “Adaptive Sound Control.” In short, that means they’re smart and pick up your surroundings. So whether you’re walking down the street or working in a busy office, these headphones will adjust the level of active noise-cancellation (ANC) to fit your setting. You can even adjust ambient sound settings using Sony’s custom Headphones Connect app.
Another thing about the WH-1000XM3s that folks really love, beyond their extensive battery life and long-term wearability, is that they’re touch controlled. So sure, it means you can change up the volume or stop your playlist from going on if you need to, but in truth, this touch control functionality is a lot cooler than just that. If you enable “Quick Attention” mode (just place your head over the ear cup), you can pause whatever it is you’ve been listening to so you can chat with people. It’s super convenient if you hate taking your headphones off and on when you need to chat with a co-worker really quickly or checkout somewhere.
Why they’re worth it
Now if you’re like me, all these seemingly high-tech features might seem pretty intimidating at first, but rest assured, everyone agrees that the Sonys are designed to be extremely user-friendly and have a minimal learning curve. Whew.
If you’ve been curious or meaning to upgrade your headphone game, you don’t want to sleep on this deal, since you’re getting these highly coveted headphones for under $300. There’s a chance they might be cheaper tomorrow or Tuesday during Prime Day, but that also means they might sell out, so wait at your own risk. All the other sales we’ve seen on the Sony WH-1000XM3s have been through Drop, and while those discounts have been good, you still have to wait several weeks to actually get them delivered and in your possession.
Not the case with Amazon Prime, though. If you order these bad boys right now, not only are you saving $52, but you could get them as quickly as tomorrow. Talk about a great way to start your week.
