Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review

I’d like to start off this review with an admission: I’ve had the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds in my possession for far too long. In a year where I’ve spent a fair bit of time on the road (and been waylaid by many time-sensitive GPU and laptop reviews), the Sennheisers have accidentally ended up as a long-term test sample. What this means, however, is that I’ve used them all over the world, in every scenario imaginable, and I can tell you with absolute confidence they’re the best earbuds I’ve ever used.

I’ve taken them to Taiwan, Las Vegas, Greece, and, err, Bath. I’ve also used them nightly as my bedside set for late-night YouTube watching, gotten them accidentally wet, and at one point, nearly swallowed one. They’ve been constant companions and performed in all of their duties (including resisting being consumed) with aplomb. There’s one thing I can’t entirely recommend them for, though, and it’s a bit of a catch given the name of this website—they’re not the best for gaming.

That has nothing to do with raw audio performance, you understand. Sennheiser knows a thing or two about audio engineering, and that’s reflected in the truly fabulous miniature drivers on offer here. But as someone who is sensitive to latency, Bluetooth-only buds (even ones using the most recent version of the standard) don’t quite cut it for me when it comes to fast gaming reaction times.

That’s all you get for connection options with the Momentum True Wireless 4—and while the low-latency Bluetooth mode is fine for a bit of singleplayer plinking, if you’re looking for earbuds with near-zero latency, the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds with their speedy 2.4 GHz wireless connection will cover that particular base better than the Sennys. Sad, but unfortunately, true.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 specs

(Image credit: Future)

Drivers: 7 mm TrueResponse dynamic
Frequency response: 5 to 21,000 Hz
Weight: 6.2 g per earbud
Connection: Bluetooth 5.4
Battery life: 30 hours (eight hours separate from charging case)
Durability: IP54 splash resistant
Price: $280/$200

But before you leave this review to continue your gaming earbud-related search, let me say this: If you want a refined, gorgeous-sounding, convenient-as-you-like companion for all your other audio-related duties, I can’t recommend the Sennheiser set highly enough.

They’re not cheap, mind. A set of these will run you $280/$200 at current prices, and that’s the sort of money that usually makes me suck through my teeth for a set of head-based audio bangers, no matter how good they are. Especially as, for gaming, I’d prefer something with a dongle-based wireless connection.

That being said, having used them so extensively, I can say that you get a hefty dose of heavily engineered refinement for your cash. Opening the fabric-covered charging case and looking inside reveals two magnetically-socketed earbuds that look and feel more like expensive jewellery than audio gear. You get several sets of replaceable eartips to suit your particular inner-ear anatomy, along with multiple sizes of “fins” that mount around the outer casing to grip your, err, outer-inner ear with complete comfort.

The Sennheisers look and feel expensive, from the fabric of the case to the feeling you get when you securely mount the buds in your lug holes. That might sound like a small thing, but when it comes to objects you put inside your ear canals, feel really does matter.

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The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds outside of their case on a wooden bench — (Image credit: Future)

And when it comes to sound? They’re simply sumptuous. I’ve long admired Sennheiser gear for its exceptional sonic tuning, but connecting these earbuds for the first time and listening to some of my favourite tunes gave me something of a revelation. I’m not particularly fond of earbuds for sound quality in general, but these? They really are something special.

The treble reproduction from the 7 mm TrueResponse dynamic drivers has a shiny, exceptionally clear quality that seems to beam straight into your cranium, without ever becoming harsh. Mids crunch and cut with absolute accuracy and grin-inducing warmth, while the bass is surprisingly hefty without being overblown, particularly if you give them a push with the built-in EQ found in the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app.

Here you can activate Bass Boost to give them a substantial kick, choose from a range of EQ presets, or configure a custom one of your own. You can also tweak the noise cancelling, complete with a real-time waveform that shows you exactly what noise is being taken out of the spectrum and what’s being let through. I’d go as far as to say the ANC is the best I’ve used to date when left to its own devices, as it’s given me a much-needed dose of serenity on trains, planes, and even around the pool.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds by the pool, on a book

(Image credit: Future)

Screaming children interrupting your holiday reading time? Not with the Sennheisers. And with ANC activated, a single tap of the left earbud touch controls activates Transparency mode, so you can occasionally interact with the outside world. Yes, I would like another beer. No, the kids haven’t been bothering me much. This Ian M Banks novel is excellent, thanks very much.

And then there’s the battery life. Away from their charging case, you get 7.5 hours out of the earbuds themselves with ANC off (7 with it on), which is pretty good going. The case itself can recharge the buds from empty to full three times over, extending your potential time away from the socket to 30 hours in total.

…I couldn’t sleep at night without raving about what fabulous, sweet-sounding companions the Sennheisers are for day-to-day life

What this means in practice is that, with regular usage, I find myself forgetting I need to charge them over the course of a week, sometimes even two.

I simply chuck the case in my pocket or bag whenever I leave the house, and try to remember to top it up occasionally. It’s not as good as the 40 hours of battery life you get with the SteelSeries GameBuds, but still plenty to keep you going out and about on your travels.

And the fabric finish of the case itself? It’s been exposed to sand, dirt, water, smog-filled city streets, and bags full of grating electronics gear—and still looks identical to the way it did when I pulled it from the box. I realise at this point I’m gushing, but I’ve rarely been so impressed by a piece of tech that I choose to carry it with me wherever I go. So, for balance, it’s time to deliver some critique.

Two Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds on top of their case next to a gaming keyboard

(Image credit: Future)

The touch controls, like all touch controls, can be susceptible to accidental activation. As a long-haired human, I have occasionally gone to brush my luscious locks away from my face and accidentally skipped a track, or minutely adjusted the volume. The six beamforming mics are good for earbuds, but still won’t compete with the audio capture of a proper headset microphone—and I have to mention that $280 price tag once more.

The Sennheisers are getting on for twice the price of the Arctis GameBuds, and they sit firmly at the top of our list of the best earbuds for gaming. So, given the massive price difference between the two, I’d say the SteelSeries set is the one to go for if you want all-in-one performers with genuine gaming chops.

Buy if…

✅ You want the best earbud audio quality money can buy: Rarely have I been so impressed with a set of drivers, particularly ones as miniature as these. They’re fabulous, and stack up against some of the best I’ve heard.

✅ You’re on the move a lot: I’ve used the Momentum True Wireless 4 buds all over the world, and they’ve been stalwart companions.

Don’t buy if…

❌ You’re on a budget: The Sennheisers sound and feel as high-end as high-end earbuds get, but you’re going to have to pay a pretty penny for the privilege.

❌ Latency is important: Being Bluetooth only, the True Wireless Momentum 4 set isn’t the best choice for super-speedy audio reaction times.

On that last note, though: I did put 40+ hours into Avowed using the Sennheisers, and found the latency perfectly bearable. So it’s not like they’re completely useless for gaming, but more that latency-dependent games like multiplayer shooters are going to expose the limits of Bluetooth response times, even with low latency mode enabled in the Sennheiser app.

In terms of what you can perceive, it feels like the audio is just enough behind that character’s mouth movements and distant gunshots are ever-so-slightly out of sync, and in the heat of a competitive battle, you’re likely going to notice the delay.

Depending on what games you play, however, your mileage may vary. Certainly, I’ve been accused before of being overly sensitive to latency-related audio issues. Should you be an acquaintance of mine, you’ve probably got a story about me tearing out cables and adjusting settings while everyone else was simply enjoying a movie, because it was technically out of sync, dammit. Yes, I am a wonderful person to know. Thanks for noticing.

And it must be said, we’ve recommended otherwise-brilliant Bluetooth-only audio gear before, and will again, by virtue of the fact that not everyone will be bothered by ever-so-slightly sluggish response times. For me personally, though, it’s enough to drop the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds down from the 90%+ score I want to give them, and into the more realistic mid-80s.

“Not the best for gaming” is a helluva caveat for a PC Gamer review of a $280 product, that’s for sure, and I have to take that into account. But otherwise, I couldn’t sleep at night without raving about what fabulous, sweet-sounding companions the Sennheisers are for day-to-day life. Gaming might not be their forte, and they’re expensive. But when it comes to products I will stand behind, even in the face of those considerable caveats, I can think of no better candidates than these.