Save $110: As of September 8, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones can be yours for $289.99 on Amazon, providing a 28% discount off their $399.99 retail price.

Having tested headphones professionally, I can share my experience with the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and how they stack up against others available, and I am quite pleased with my choice.

While many back-to-school headphone sales have wrapped up, you can still snag the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $289.99 at Amazon, which means a $110 reduction from their standard price. Although this isn’t their best historical price nor the lowest they’ve been recently—having dropped to $264.99 just last week—it is indeed an improvement over the $299 price they’ve been holding.

This promotional price is also more budget-friendly compared to the $450 Sony WH-1000XM6 launched earlier this year. The XM6 does provide enhanced ANC, audio quality, and foldable ear cups, yet my analysis of the XM5 versus XM6 revealed no notable performance disparities. The XM6 may appeal more to those in pursuit of superior sound quality or frequent flyers (thanks to its convenient folding ear cups), but the differences in noise cancellation and audio quality are slight, making both pairs of headphones suitable for work, studying, or commuting.

With identical 30-hour battery life and comfort, the choice between these headphones primarily hinges on cost. If an older model doesn’t bother you, I believe the $160 savings is quite significant.