Why You Can Trust CNET Sony's better-sounding AirPods Pro alternative is on sale for $150 (Update: Sold out)
This rare deal on the Sony WF-1000XM3 won't last long, and there's a small catch.
A rare chance to get Sony's super popular noise-canceling earbuds for $100 less than AirPods Pro.
Hand it to Apple: The new AirPods Pro noise-canceling earbuds have won almost universal acclaim, despite the jaw-dropping $250 price tag. Surely there are cheaper options? Yep: I recently rounded up some affordable AirPods Pro alternatives, a list that includes the popular Sony WF-1000XM3 . Alas, at $228, you're not saving much.
But try this on for size: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Secondipity via Amazon has the Amazon Renewed Sony WF-1000XM3 true-wireless earphones for $149.99 -- definitely one of the lowest prices I've seen. I first spotted this deal late yesterday, so I don't know when it'll end or how much inventory is available. (My guesses: "soon" and "not much.") Take note that delivery may take about a week.
Renewed, eh? Does that mean they'll arrive with used, gross ear-tips? Nope: According to Amazon, "Renewed products work and look like new." But there's still a catch: Amazon supplies the warranty, not Sony , and it expires after 90 days.
Assuming you're OK with that, everything else you need to know can be found in David Carnoy's Sony WF-1000XM3 review. The chief takeaways: The earbuds "sound excellent" and offer active noise cancellation, but they aren't sweat-resistant, which is a definite downside if you want something you can use during vigorous exercise.
You should also read the more recent AirPods Pro review, where Carnoy notes that the "WF-1000XM3 sounds better -- its sound is bigger, smoother and more refined overall, and easier to listen to over longer listening sessions."
And at $150, it's $100 less than the AirPods Pro.
Your thoughts?
CNET Holiday Gift Guide
- Best laptops and desktops to give as holiday gifts in 2020
- The best headphone gifts for the holidays
- Best Bluetooth wireless speaker to blast for 2020
- Best TV and streamer gifts for the holidays
- The best gifts to get healthy in 2021
- Give the gift of a better, faster router for the holidays
- Best gaming gifts for the holiday season 2020
- Best gaming accessories to give as holiday gifts
- Best 2020 phones to give as gifts: iPhone 12, Galaxy S20 FE, Pixel 4A 5G and more
- Best soundbars and home audio for the holidays
- The best smart home gifts of 2020
- Best gifts for working at home in 2020
- Best toys for 2020
- Best gifts for Mom in 2020
- Best gifts for Dad in 2020
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.