Sony WF-1000XM6

An odd twist on the in-ear tale

- 

Sony has taken a big leap with the design of its latest wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds, smoothing them out into a far less unique oval shape than the previous generation's, one that looks good but doesn't have a great deal of personality.

They now seem smaller in some ways, but they're still pretty bulbous on the in-ear portion, and they fit in the ear in a roughly vertical orientation that at least feels nice and comfortable.

And while they're sure to be some of the most popular non-Airpod earbuds out there in 2026, it's not all good news. The charging case, for example, is very different to the last generation, which was rounded off and slimmed down impressively. This time around, Sony has gone with a blockier design that's substantially taller, has sharper edges, and is more annoying to get into or out of a trouser pocket. There's also a confusing disparity between the textures of the two colours available. The silver-grey buds are finished in the sort of matte texture that you'd associate with recycled plastic; by contrast, black pairs have a smoother, more polished texture - one that looks and feels more premium.