Sony has refreshed its top Walkman music players, and the flagship now costs almost $6,000.
Sony announced three new models on October 15, 2026: the NW-WM1ZM3, the NW-WM1AM3 and the NW-ZX900. In the US they cost $5,899, $2,999.99 and $1,899.99. Pre-orders opened the same day through Sony, B&H and Crutchfield. The WM1AM3 and ZX900 can also be pre-ordered on Amazon.
These are dedicated music players. They run Android, stream over Wi-Fi and play your own hi-res files. Sony's pitch is cleaner sound than a phone, plus long battery life that does not drain your phone.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | Sony announces all three players in the US and Europe. US pre-orders open |
| October 16, 2026 | Sony announces the players in Japan and Asia |
| October 25, 2026 | Last day to enter Sony Japan's lottery for a 100-unit WM1ZM3 bundle, per ASCII |
| November 2026 | European release for the WM1ZM3, per Sony Europe |
| November 27, 2026 | Release date in Japan, per ASCII |
| January 12, 2027 | Release date shown on Amazon US for the WM1AM3 and ZX900 pre-orders |
Release dates differ by region and retailer. Sony's US press release does not give a ship date. Amazon US currently shows January 12, 2027 for the WM1AM3 and ZX900. If you need one sooner, check the ship date at the store before you pre-order.
NW-WM1ZM3 vs NW-WM1AM3 vs NW-ZX900: specs
| NW-WM1ZM3 | NW-WM1AM3 | NW-ZX900 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US price | $5,899 | $2,999.99 | $1,899.99 |
| Canada price | $8,259.99 CAD | $4,199.99 CAD | $2,659.99 CAD |
| Screen | 5.5-inch Full HD | 5.5-inch Full HD | 5-inch Full HD |
| Storage | 256GB | 128GB | 64GB |
| Main chassis | Gold-plated 99.99% pure copper (OFC) | Aluminum alloy | Aluminum alloy |
| Rear chassis | Copper (OFC) | Gold-plated copper (OFC) | Gold-plated copper (OFC) |
| Internal wiring | Kimber Kable, from Sony's DMP-Z1 | Hand-soldered copper (OFC) | Not listed |
| Power supply | Dual large capacitors | Dual large capacitors | Low-noise LDO regulator |
| Battery, local MP3 | Up to 35 hours | Up to 35 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| Battery, streaming | Up to 31 hours | Up to 31 hours | Up to 35 hours |
| Weight | About 670 g | About 425 g | About 345 g |
| Software | Android 16 | Android 16 | Android 16 |
| US pre-order | Sony, B&H, Crutchfield | Sony, B&H, Crutchfield, Amazon | Sony, B&H, Crutchfield, Amazon |
Prices, chassis, wiring and US battery figures come from Sony's US press release. Storage, weight and Android version come from ASCII's coverage of the Japanese launch.
Where sources disagree:
- Battery. Sony's US release says the WM1 models last up to 35 hours playing 128kbps MP3 files and up to 31 hours with streaming apps. ASCII's Japanese report lists about 35 hours streaming and 31 to 33 hours of local playback. Both agree the ZX900 lasts longer, at up to 40 hours of local MP3 playback. Battery tests usually use a balanced headphone connection, so your numbers may differ.
- Release date. Europe gets November 2026, Japan gets November 27, and Amazon US shows January 12, 2027.
What is new
Bigger screens. Both WM1 models move from a 5-inch to a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, according to ASCII. The ZX900 keeps a 5-inch size but goes from HD to Full HD. Sony says album art is now larger and the home screen can be customized.
Hi-res upscaling for streaming apps. Sony's DSD Remastering Engine converts normal music files to an 11.2MHz DSD stream. Before, it only worked on music stored on the player. Now it also works on Wi-Fi streaming apps. This matters if you mostly use a streaming service.
Better power and noise parts in the WM1 models. The single large capacitor is replaced by two. The digital section sits under a milled copper block with about 34% more mass than before. Sony also added a look-ahead noise shaper to its S-Master HX amplifier, and a larger copper coil in the balanced output filter.
More Bluetooth codecs. Sony keeps LDAC and adds LC3 and aptX Adaptive, per ASCII. That means better wireless sound with more headphone brands, not just Sony's.
They are heavier. ASCII reports the WM1ZM3 weighs about 670 g, up from 490 g for the last model. The WM1AM3 goes from 299 g to about 425 g. These are not small pocket players anymore.
No plastic in the box. Sony says the packaging uses no plastic, apart from coatings and adhesives.
Where each one wins
- NW-WM1ZM3 wins on materials and storage. It has the copper chassis, Kimber Kable wiring and the most storage at 256GB. It also costs about twice as much as the WM1AM3.
- NW-WM1AM3 wins on value for a WM1. It gets the same new WM1 circuit upgrades, the 5.5-inch screen and 128GB, for about half the flagship's price.
- NW-ZX900 wins on battery, weight and price. It is the lightest, lasts the longest and still gets the DSD Remastering Engine for streaming. It has the least storage at 64GB.
Note that Sony has not published storage expansion details in the sources we used. If you have a large music library, check for a microSD slot on the product page before buying.
Which should you buy?
- Buy the NW-ZX900 if you want a dedicated hi-res player with long battery and the new streaming upscaling, and $1,899.99 is your limit.
- Buy the NW-WM1AM3 if you use wired headphones with a balanced cable and want the WM1 power and noise upgrades and the bigger screen.
- Buy the NW-WM1ZM3 only if money is not a concern and you want the copper flagship. The jump from the WM1AM3 costs almost $2,900.
- Buy the NW-A306 instead if you just want a Sony Walkman with Wi-Fi streaming and long battery. It is a current, much cheaper model.
- Wait if you are unsure. No reviews are out yet, and Amazon US does not show shipping until January 12, 2027.
Pairing a player with headphones? See our Sony WH-1000XM4C vs XM6 vs CH730N guide or the Technics EAH-A1000 vs Sony XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra guide. You can also line up products side by side with our compare tool.
Other tech news this week
- Beats released a Pokémon Beats Pill speaker for $149.99 on October 15. Read our Pokémon Beats Pill vs Beats Pill guide.
- Fairphone announced the Fairbuds 2 for $119 with LDAC, coming to the US on November 2. See our Fairbuds 2 vs Fairbuds guide.
- Xreal launched the 1 Pro+ AR glasses at $599. Our Xreal 1 Pro+ vs One Pro vs 1S guide has the details.
Sources
- Sony Electronics press release via PR Newswire: new Walkman NW-WM1ZM3, NW-WM1AM3 and NW-ZX900
- Sony Europe press centre: NW-WM1ZM3 and NW-WM1AM3
- ASCII: Sony unveils NW-WM1ZM3, NW-WM1AM3 and NW-ZX900
- AudioHead: Sony Walkman 2026 lineup debuts
- Analytics Insight: Sony's nearly $6,000 Walkman
- Bloomberg: Sony debuts $5,900 gold-plated Walkman
- Amazon: Sony NW-WM1AM3 listing
- Amazon: Sony NW-ZX900 listing
Image: Sony Walkman NW-WM1ZM3, via Sony.
