WIRELESS HEADPHONES

With active noise-canceling other sonic tech moving at a rapid pace, this is a fascinating category

Sony WF-C700N ₹8990

If you're looking for a discreet pair of wireless earbuds that don't look or feel bulky, these Sonys could be for you. Their dimensions are impressively small, making the more expensive WF-1000XM5 look like a couple of boulders by comparison. This could partly be explained by the fact they use a 5mm driver, where the WF-1000XM5 boasts a much larger 8.4mm 'Dynamic Driver X'.

We are big fans of the comfort levels provided by WF-C700N. The Sonys slide in and twist into place in the lower portion of your outer ear. They don't dig in and instead just nestle in place, with the flexible silicone eartips finishing the job and providing an excellent seal. The net result is that they are easy to live with.

Smaller earbuds can sometimes be tricky to get into place, but the ever so subtly textured surface used here allows you to get a grip and manoeuvre the buds into place with minimal fuss.

Those circular pads you see on the outside of each earpiece aren't touch-sensitive surfaces but are in fact physical buttons, their functions customizable through Sony's Headphones Connect app.

Like many Sony wireless earbuds, the WF-C700N offer Sony's Adaptive Sound Control feature which allows the earbuds to switch listening modes automatically depending on your location.

Power and drive Battery life is an acceptable seven and a half hours of playtime on a single charge with active noise cancelling turned on (this rises to ten with ANC off). While not as advanced as the XM5, these Sonys still prove more than competitive with noise-cancelling at this level, too.