How to Spot Fake Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds
The engraved 1000X Series logo on the fake box uses the wrong font, but the untrained eye may not spot this difference. See the comparison below.
Removing the top revels the headset inside a plastic bag. The real model has a small paper cage around the case. Sony does not use any plastic in their packaging.
After removing the plastic bag, things become less obvious. At first glance everything seems correct. The shape, size, and colour look authentic. Flipping the earbuds around to the back, again we have a USB type-C port and a pairing button.
The fake case has 4 differences compared to the real one:
- Top logo is incorrect, silver instead of gold, and the font is not the same
- Gap between the lid and the lower half is larger in the rear, especially around the hinge
- Pairing button on the back is not flush with the case
- Front LED hole is larger and visible even when not turned on
The misaligned USB-C port on the fake is my doing, as I had taken the case apart and it did not go back together like it would normally. The rear ‘pairing’ button on the fake does nothing apart from turning the front case LED on and off. Deceptive and clever.
