Forget Black Friday, Sony’s Award-winning budget earbuds have dipped to a new lowest price

By Ainsley Walker
published

Our favourite budget buds are cheaper than ever – perfect for a Christmas stocking filler gift?

Sony WF-C500
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Sony’s five-star, Award-winning WF-C500 earbuds have hit a new lowest price, edging out the Black Friday discounts we recently saw.

Down to just £44 at Amazon, the WF-C500 present an absolute steal at this price. You will be hard-pressed to find a more musically impressive set of wireless earbuds at this price – hence the pair winning a 2023 What Hi-Fi? Award for the best budget buds.

With another dip in price bringing them to less than half the price of their original RRP of £90, these buds are better value than ever before. 

Sony WF-C500 was £90now £44 at Amazon (save £46) For anyone looking to get a cheap, functional, solid-sounding pair of buds that won't let them down, Sony’s WF-C500 earbuds are a safe bet. The C500 offer Bluetooth 5.0 and some of the best sound you'll get for around the £50 mark, with solid bass and some serious musicality considering the price. Battery life is solid and the inclusion of Sony's DSEE sonic upscaling tech is the absolute icing on the cake. Deal also available at John Lewis

Sony WF-C500 was £90 now £44 at Amazon (save £46)
For anyone looking to get a cheap, functional, solid-sounding pair of buds that won't let them down, Sony’s WF-C500 earbuds are a safe bet. The C500 offer Bluetooth 5.0 and some of the best sound you'll get for around the £50 mark, with solid bass and some serious musicality considering the price. Battery life is solid and the inclusion of Sony's DSEE sonic upscaling tech is the absolute icing on the cake.
Deal also available at John Lewis

View Deal

In our five-star review of Sony’s WF-C500 earbuds, we were impressed with the sound quality across high, mid, and low frequencies. We said, “The bass the Sony buds can generate is properly shaped and controlled, and carries plenty of detail regarding texture and timbre”. We also noted that treble sounds are “just as detailed and informative, and they have just enough bite and crunch to remain a spirited listen”.

There’s an impressive level of neutral tonality on display, along with fine levels of detail and insight not often seen in earbuds at this price. 

While the WF-C500 buds can be bettered when it comes to battery life, 10 hours on a single charge should be plenty for most users. If not, the accompanying charging case doubles that time to 20 hours of playback.

Some alternatives may offer a punchier and more ‘exciting’ listen, but very few strike a more convincing sonic balance. It’s no wonder these buds earned a five-star rating and, to top it off, took home one of our coveted Awards this year.

MORE: 

Christmas Gift Guide 2023: the best gift ideas for music, film and tech fans

Best wireless earbuds 2023: budget and premium

Ainsley Walker
Staff Writer

Ainsley Walker is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He studied music journalism at university before working in a variety of roles including as a freelance journalist and teacher. Growing up in a family of hi-fi enthusiasts, this naturally influenced his interest in the topic. Outside of work, Ainsley can be found producing music, tinkering with retro tech, or cheering on Luton Town.