Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 vs Momentum True Wireless 3: What’s the difference?

Sennheiser’s latest flagship true wireless is upon us, and we’re guessing you’re wondering if it’s an upgrade on the previous model?

The fourth iteration of Sennheiser’s premier true wireless brings a number of upgrades and fine-tuning over the previous model, a true wireless pair we thought were good enough to score five stars.

Do another five stars beckon? You’ll have to wait for our verdict to see if they’re as good if not better, but what are the differences to look out for when comparing the Momentum True Wireless 4 to the Momentum True Wireless 3?

They have jumped up in price

Let’s start with the obvious difference. The Momentum True Wireless 3 went on sale at £219.99 / $249.95, which at the time undercut wireless earbuds from the likes of Sony, Bose, and Apple.

That’s changed for the Momentum True Wireless 4, which has gone up by £40 / $50 to £259.99 / $299.95. That puts it more in line with recent true wireless options from Sony and Bose, but also means that if you’re upgrading from the previous model, you are paying more.

That being said, the Momentum True Wireless 4 launch at a less expensive price than the Momentum True Wireless 2 did in some markets (£279 / $299) back in 2020.

They have Auracast and LE Audio support

Not heard of Auracast or LE Audio? These are the latest Bluetooth technologies that could have a massive impact on how we interact with devices in public spaces, as well as delivering high quality audio while using less energy.

With Auracast, you could be at an airport and tune into a (compatible) screen and have airport announcements beamed directly to your ear. LE Audio aims to produce better audio than SBC Bluetooth streaming while using less bandwidth and energy, potentially reducing battery usage in the process.

Both these technologies are still in the process of being adopted by displays and devices. Think of Auracast and LE Audio support as future-proofing these earbuds.

Momentum TW4 compatible with Snapdragon Sound

Here is another technology earmarked for the future. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound aims to deliver the highest possible audio quality by connecting to other compatible devices through an aptX Lossless connection. The intention is to listen to audio at lossless quality over Bluetooth, which has been something of a holy grail for audio brands.

The caveats are that you’ll need a) a high quality music service and b) be in a place free from wireless interference for the best performance. We remember the wireless connection being excellent on the Momentum True Wireless 3, but aptX Lossless will place more of a demand in terms of bandwidth over a Bluetooth connection.

The Momentum TW4 have better water resistance

Despite having what seems to be the same design as the Momentum TW3, Sennheiser has improved the water resistance from IPX4 to IP54.

It looks as if Sennheiser has achieved this by sealing up the spaces in and around the microphones to ensure the new Momentum True Wireless passed the certification process. So you could use these earphones for the gym, a run, or be calm in the knowledge that when it rains, the Momentum True Wireless 4 won’t suffer from getting damp.

Battery life has not changed

It was the case in the past that an easy way of upgrading a headphone was to extend battery life, but it would appear that many audio brands are trying to be more efficient by using less power to deliver a better all-round experience.

That means that the Momentum TW4 match the Momentum TW3 for battery with 28 hours in total. That’s no bad thing in our books.

There is a new colour option

Black and white finishes have become the staple of headphones, and to be honest we’re crying out for a little variation. Sennheiser’s solution is to offer a copper version of the Momentum True Wireless 4 that’s a change from the graphite colourway the Momentum TW3 had.

It’s perhaps not quite a stand out look, but in-keeping with the upmarket and minimalist look the Sennheisers are going for.