Audio & Headphones
Sony WH-CH720N Review: Budget Headphones With Flagship Battery Life
- Brand:
- Sony
- Ages:
- 13+ years
- Updated:
- 2026-07-11
The verdict
The WH-CH720N is what a budget ANC headphone should be: genuinely long battery life and usable noise cancellation without a flagship price tag, at the cost of premium materials and top-tier ANC strength.
Pros
- Massive battery life — up to 35 hours with ANC on, or 50 hours with it off, well beyond most headphones at this price
- Genuinely usable active noise cancellation for a sub-$150 headphone, noticeably reducing traffic and ambient noise
- Very lightweight at 192g, making it comfortable for long wear
- Frequently discounted below $100, making it one of the best value ANC headphones available
Cons
- Build feels plasticky compared to Sony's higher-end XM-series, with less premium materials throughout
- Only supports SBC and AAC codecs — no LDAC or aptX for higher-resolution streaming
- ANC doesn't come close to matching the WH-1000XM5's cancellation depth in loud environments
- No auto-pause-when-removed wear sensors like the pricier Sony models offer
This review is based on Sony's published specifications for the WH-CH720N and the consistent findings across independent reviews and owner feedback, focused on how it performs as a budget alternative to Sony's flagship XM-series headphones.
The battery life is the real headline
Up to 50 hours without ANC, and still around 35 hours with it engaged — this is genuinely best-in-class runtime for the price, and it's the single most-cited reason reviewers recommend it. Quick charging adds an hour of playback from just 3 minutes on the charger.
Where the budget shows
The trade-offs are predictable: it doesn't feel as premium in hand as Sony's pricier models, and the noise cancellation, while genuinely useful for everyday noise, doesn't match the WH-1000XM5's depth in truly loud environments like airplane cabins. Codec support is also limited to the basics.
Who it's for
Best for anyone who wants dependable ANC and exceptional battery life without spending flagship money — students, commuters, and office workers in particular. Skip it if you want the strongest possible noise cancellation or premium build materials; that's the XM5's job.
Frequently asked
- How does the ANC compare to the WH-1000XM5?
- It's noticeably weaker — the WH-CH720N reduces common ambient noise like traffic and HVAC hum well, but it can't match the XM5's cancellation in genuinely loud environments like airplanes.
- What's the real battery life?
- Sony rates it at up to 35 hours with ANC on and up to 50 hours with ANC off, which independent testing has generally supported — among the best runtimes in its price class.
- Does it support high-resolution audio codecs?
- No — it only supports SBC and AAC, so listeners wanting LDAC or aptX for higher-resolution Bluetooth streaming will need to look at a pricier Sony model.
- Is the Sony WH-CH720N worth buying?
- Yes, for buyers who want strong battery life and usable ANC on a budget. It's not worth it if you need flagship-level noise cancellation or premium build quality — the WH-1000XM5 is the better fit there.
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