Sennheiser Momentum 5 earbuds let you swap batteries yourself — a feature Apple's AirPods still lack

Sennheiser has officially unveiled the Momentum 5 True Wireless, its latest flagship in-ear headphones. The new earbuds are designed to compete with top-tier models from Bose, Sony, and Apple's market-dominating AirPods, but they bring one standout feature that sets them apart: a user-replaceable battery system in both the earbuds themselves and the charging case.

According to the company, the batteries can be swapped out using only a compact screwdriver, a move that significantly improves repairability at a time when most wireless earbuds are designed to be discarded once the battery degrades. Lilika Beck, President of Sennheiser Consumer Hearing, called the achievement a "major breakthrough," balancing compact size, high-fidelity acoustics, and a replaceable battery. She added that the Momentum True Wireless 5 proves "cutting-edge performance does not have to sacrifice longevity."

On the audio front, the Momentum 5 features Sennheiser's signature 7mm TrueResponse dynamic drivers. They support Bluetooth 6.0 with the aptX Adaptive codec, enabling hi-res wireless audio up to 24-bit/96 kHz, provided the streaming source is compatible.

The previous generation, the Momentum True Wireless 4, earned a 4.5-star review from the publication a couple of years ago, and the new model is expected to build on that foundation. While the audio quality is unlikely to disappoint, the replaceable battery is the headline feature that sets the Momentum 5 apart in a market where even the most popular earbuds, like Apple's AirPods, do not offer such repairability.