WEDEMARK, September 21 — Sennheiser’s newest flagship earbuds can have their batteries replaced, and that single design decision has reshaped how one reviewer ranks the entire true wireless market. Philipp Briel published his assessment of the Momentum True Wireless 5 on 17 September 2026, a 13-minute read in which he concludes the manufacturer has claimed the throne as the best ANC in-ear headphones on the market. The model itself was unveiled in August 2026, succeeding the Momentum True Wireless 4.
Briel positions it as the best TWS in-ear headphones of 2026.
A battery you can actually swap
For the first time in the Momentum line, the batteries can be swapped out in both the earbuds and the charging case. The case job is the simpler of the two. Loosen a single Phillips-head screw (PH000) on the bottom, slide the base to the side, and pull out the battery cell.
The earbuds ask more patience. Two tiny screws on each side must be loosened before the housing can be carefully prised open with the included tool.
Briel frames this as addressing the most predictable cause of failure for true wireless earbuds, the deteriorating built-in battery after a few years of use, rather than glossing over it. He considers the swappable-battery design the most significant update over the predecessor, ahead of changes to controls or sound.
A new shape, and a slimmer case
Gone is the eye-catching stabilizing fin from the previous model. Sennheiser replaced it with a wingless, bean-shaped housing. The charging case was completely redesigned as well.
It now stands upright, is significantly slimmer, and is barely noticeable in a pants pocket. Textured plastic replaces the fabric cover of the previous generation.
Briel found it pleasantly grippy but not quite as high-quality as the MTW4’s fabric. Weight moved in both directions. The earbuds are slightly heavier at about 7 grams each, against about 6.2 grams for the MTW4.
The case is noticeably lighter and more compact at 55 grams instead of 66 grams. In everyday use testing, the earbuds sat comfortably for several hours without annoying pressure.
Briel found them significantly more comfortable despite the absence of the fourth edition’s flange, while noting that comfort is a matter of personal preference. Sennheiser states that in its own user tests, 73 percent of participants found the new design more comfortable than the old model with the fin, a figure the reviewer agrees with. Getting that fit right takes some work.
Briel writes that the fit benefits from actually using the app’s built-in fit test feature, which took several attempts before the fit was validated as optimal. The MTW5 ships with four sizes of silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, L), and the round nozzle shape allows third-party tips.
Connectivity and what comes next
On the technical side, the MTW5 carries Bluetooth 6.0 with aptX Lossless, noticeably improved active noise canceling, and Dolby Atmos with head tracking. For listeners across the region weighing a purchase that lasts, the repairability angle is the one to watch. Whether other manufacturers follow Sennheiser down the swappable-battery road is the question that will shape the next round of true wireless releases.
