AT A GLANCE
DRIVERS 8mm
NOISE CANCELLING Dual-hybrid ANC
WATER RESISTANCE IPX4
BATTERY 6.5/19.5 hours (earbud/case)
PRICE $349
Panasonic may be late to the true wireless earbuds party, but it’s touting something that few other brands offer: hybrid noise cancellation. And at a launch SRP of $349, it’s not too hard on the wallet either, matching the admittedly aging Sony WF-1000XM3 while undercutting higher-priced competitors like the Apple AirPods Pro and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.
At first glance, the RZ-S500W doesn’t look anything special. It's plain, the nondescript charging case comes in black or white matte plastic, with no extra flair.
Things start to pick up once you lift the lid. The RZ-S500W buds are pleasantly round, made of soft matte plastic with a half-ring metal embellishment running along the edges. The holes on this metal strip house the LEDs and mics needed for noise cancellation, which is an attractive way to combine both form and function.
Despite all the holes, the RZ-S500W is IP4X rated. This makes it a decent pair of workout buds, and I could take it for several runs without any issue.
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