Sennheiser's new MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 earbuds give you more for the same price

Wireless earbuds have come a long way over the last few years, especially at the premium end, and Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM True Wireless lineup has still managed to hold its own largely because sound quality has always been the main attraction.

Two years after the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4, the company is back with the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5. The core idea is familiar, right down to the same 7mm dynamic driver, but Sennheiser has upgraded almost everything around it. You’re getting Bluetooth 6.0, aptX Adaptive, Snapdragon Sound, and aptX Lossless, along with support for high-resolution playback up to 24-bit/96kHz. So, if you already listen to lossless music on a compatible phone, these buds are built to make better use of it.

That same focus on everyday use carries over to calls. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 combine six microphones, two bone-conduction voice sensors, and AI processing to separate your voice from everything happening around you. That should mean fewer moments where the person on the other end hears traffic, cafe chatter, or wind more clearly than they hear you.

Sennheiser is also trying to make the wireless connection itself less finicky. A new selectable “robust mode” is designed to keep things steadier in places crowded with wireless devices, like airports or busy train stations. And if you want something a little more immersive, Dolby Atmos with head tracking is here too. Compatible music and movies can feel more spatial as you move your head, rounding out an already fairly stacked audio package.

The more unusual upgrade, though, is one you probably won’t appreciate until a few years down the line. Sennheiser has made the batteries in both the earbuds and charging case user-replaceable. That could help the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 last much longer than the average pair of wireless earbuds, where battery wear often forces you to replace the whole thing even when everything else still works perfectly well.

You should have plenty of listening time before that becomes a concern. Sennheiser claims up to 12 hours from the earbuds themselves and up to 40 hours in total with the wireless charging case. An eight-minute quick charge can also add roughly another hour of playback.

The physical design has also received some attention. The earbuds have been reshaped using data from thousands of ears to improve comfort. The case is narrower too, which sounds like a tiny change until you’re trying to squeeze it into a tight pocket — particularly the frustratingly small pockets found on plenty of women’s jeans.

The MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 will be available in Cream, Graphite, Copper, Denim, and Lavender. They start shipping in the US on September 3 through Sennheiser’s official website and select retailers for $299.95.

What makes that price easier to swallow is that Sennheiser hasn’t raised it. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 also launched at $299.95, so the better ANC, improved calls, stronger connectivity, replaceable batteries, and slimmer design come at no extra cost. That means you’re simply getting a lot more for the same money.