This Sony WF-1000XM5 Black Friday deal makes me regret buying AirPods Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / Sony)

Earlier this year, my colleague Daryl Baxter convinced me to buy AirPods Pro 2. Just a few months later, I’m filled with regret as I look at the only device in my life that still uses a Lightning cable.

Don’t get me wrong, the AirPods Pro 2 are fantastic, and the USB-C version would solve most of my problems, but ever since Sony revealed the WF-1000XM5, I’ve wanted to pick up a pair. Now, for Amazon’s Black Friday sale, these awesome-looking in-ear buds are available for $248 — that’s a $50 saving on a pair of earbuds that have only been out a few months.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 are Sony’s flagship earbuds, and just like their headphone counterpart, the WH-1000XM5, are a stunning piece of kit. I've used the headphones, and the consensus on these is that they're just as good. That means they’ve got some of the best noise cancelation on the market, combined with a beautiful new design that I honestly prefer to Apple’s earbuds.

After seeing this deal, I’m genuinely contemplating selling my AirPods Pro 2 and picking up Sony’s counterpart to try something new and get rid of my Lightning cables for good.

Don't be like me

Not only are the sound specs on the XM5s top tier but call quality and mic quality are significantly better on Sony’s 2023 offering. Sony says the earbuds use an AI-based algorithm that will improve mic noise canceling and isolation.

Usually $299, this is the lowest-ever price we’ve seen for these earbuds, and we don’t expect to see them cheaper throughout Black Friday. Just writing this article has made my buyer’s remorse significantly worse, and I fully expect to have nightmares this evening about the Lightning port that still haunts my life despite upgrading my iPhone to USB-C.

Black Friday is just getting started, and iMore has you covered throughout the biggest shopping event of the year.

Save money with Black Friday sales

Grab bargains on Apple devices this Black Friday

If you're looking for the best Black Friday Apple deals as the annual sales season kicks off, we've got you covered. From now right through to Cyber Monday on November 27, we'll be serving up the best offers on iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, HomeKit smart home devices and more. Save a small fortune by checking back on our daily deals coverage.

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.