Sennheiser's new Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones bring a number of changes including a design that's noticeably different to the previous version.

Sennheiser has unveiled the Momentum 4 Wireless as its new noise-canceling headphones, but how do they differ from the Momentum 3 Wireless? Sennheiser is a household name in the audio industry and its lineup covers a wide range of products. Earlier this year, the company announced the Momentum True Wireless 3 as its flagship earbuds. This was then followed up with the TV Clear, the company's first pair of earbuds under its TV headphones line.

Momentum Wireless refers to Sennheiser's line of premium over-the-ear wireless headphones and the new Momentum 4 arrive as a successor to the 2019 Momentum 3 Wireless. The new cans will be going up against the likes of Apple's AirPods Max, Bose's QC45 and 700 Noise Canceling Headphones, and the Sony WH-1000XM5.

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The design of the Momentum 4 Wireless is a strong deviation from the Momentum 3 Wireless, with the headphones now looking a lot like the competition. The foldable and slideable ear cups have been replaced with ear cups that swivel. Sennheiser has also replaced the genuine leather used for the headband and ear pads with PU leather while the wires connecting the two ear cups are no longer visible. Sennheiser has also redesigned the carrying case too, which now appears to be sturdier than the previous generation's case. The overall change in design is likely to result in mixed reactions. For those that do decide to buy a pair, they still have the option of choosing between two colors - Black and White.

Despite the new look, the Momentum 4 retains the 42mm transducer system of the Momentum 3 Wireless. The headphones have Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) like the Momentum 3, but Sennheiser claims that it has been improved. There is also a transparency mode for when wearers need to let ambient sounds in. Calls should be clearer on the new headphones now that there are two beamforming microphones on each side. Users will also notice a big change out of the box, as there are no longer any physical button controls, save for the power button and a pairing button. Instead, Sennheiser has opted to go with touch controls. Due to this, playback, volume control, activating and controlling ANC, and switching to transparency mode are all done by touching and swiping on the ear cups. Not everyone will consider this to be an upgrade as it will take a while to get used to gestures compared to the ease of pressing a button or moving a switch.

A significant upgrade that the Momentum 4 Wireless brings is better battery life. The headphones provide up to 60 hours (with ANC) of listening time on a single charge, which marks a significant bump from the 17 hours of the Momentum 3 Wireless. In addition, the new model also charges faster. A full charge now takes 2 hours instead of 3 hours, and a 5-minute charge will provide up to 4 hours of playback. Charging is via a USB-C port, and this port can also be used for wired connection if owners don't want to use the 2.5mm audio jack on the right ea rcup.

Despite all the new features and upgrades, Sennheiser has priced the Momentum 4 Wireless at $349.95, making them $50 cheaper than the Momentum 3 Wireless were at launch. The new Momentum 4 Wireless noise-canceling headphones can be pre-ordered now and will be available for open sale on August 23.

NEXT: Which AirPods Have Active Noise Cancellation? Source: Sennheiser 1, 2

Habeeb enjoys writing about the consumer technology space and has a keen interest in wearables, Android smartphones and tablets, and Chromebooks. When he's not writing, he's catching up on the latest TV shows and movies.