There are lot of wireless earbuds on the market today, from super budget options that don't tend to last very long to well-tuned audiophile IEMS. Apple's AirPods are among the most popular mainstream options, and they have a lot of selling points. But, if I know Apple, one thing they will probably never have is replaceable batteries.
That inevitably limits the lifespan of any earphone no matter how well it's designed. But the German audio specialist Sennheiser has now come along with the Momentum True Wireless 5, a premium inner-ear headphone with strong active noise cancellation, customisable sound and the ability to swap out the batteries in both the buds and the case using nothing more than a small screwdriver.
That could be a game changer when it comes to sustainability, allowing these to outlast rivals like the AirPods Pro 3, which retail at a similar price (for over-ear options, see our guide to the best wireless headphones).
The perfect wireless inner-ears for everyday use?
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Apple often gets called out for the lack of repairability of its products. The launch of an iPhone self-repair kit in 2022 did little to quell the accusations that it makes things intentionally difficult to fix, reducing tech sustainability. Three years ago in 2023, we reported on a hardware hacker who was determined to correct that by designing his own repairable homemade AirPods.
If you don't want to go to those lengths, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 are an attractive alternative. They're one of very few mainstream inner-ear headphones with a replaceable battery – the component that most tends to limit the lifespan of wireless earphones.
The vast majority of earbuds are sealed with glue or solder, making the batteries difficult or impossible to change without destroying the device. Fairphone Fairbuds are one exception, packing fully modular, screw-based, user-replaceable coin-cell batteries.
The Momentum True Wireless 5 are a more premium option. They have high-fidelity TrueResponse transducers, 3D Dolby Atmos sound, adaptive active noise cancellation, AI-powered voice isolation, automatic wind reduction and a Lossless codec option for maximum fidelity. They also have a new ergonomic design.
Sennheiser cites up to 40 hours of playtime per charge with the case, while the Smart Control Plus app allows advanced sound personalisation, with customisable EQ.
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