Sony has released three new Walkman music players, its first new Walkman hardware in several years, and none of them is cheap. Prices run from $1,899 to $5,899, pre-orders are open, and Sony hasn’t said when they’ll ship or whether they’re coming to Europe at all.
Bloomberg first reported the launch on Thursday.
The line-up
NW-WM1ZM3, $5,899. The flagship has a chassis made from 99.99% pure oxygen-free copper, plated in gold. Even the screws are gold-plated, which Sony says improves grounding and sound quality. It weighs 670g, up from 490g on the model it replaces, so it’s heavier than most phones by a wide margin.
NW-WM1AM3, $2,999. Aluminium body with a gold-plated copper back.
NW-ZX900, $1,899. The cheapest of the three, built from the same aluminium and gold-plated copper. It moves to Android 16 (from Android 12 on its predecessor) and gets a 1080p screen, up from 720p.
All three run Android, so streaming apps work alongside locally stored files.
AI for your MP3s
Sony says the players use AI to identify the genre of compressed tracks and restore high frequencies lost in compression. It’s a feature for the people who’d buy a $5,899 player and still play MP3s, which isn’t many. Sony also quotes battery life using 128kbps MP3 files, a format few buyers in this price bracket are likely to use.
Who it’s competing with
Sony’s top model sits well above most of the high-end players on the market:
- Astell&Kern SP4000: $4,290
- Cayin N8iii: $3,999
- iBasso DX340 and FiiO M27: both under $1,799, cheaper than Sony’s entry model
The question every audiophile product invites is whether people can hear the difference. The evidence is mixed at best. A 2013 survey of 151 listeners found 52% preferred lossy files over lossless ones. At this price, Sony is selling materials, craftsmanship and the Walkman name as much as sound.
Sony has done this before
This isn’t Sony’s first gold Walkman. In 2016 it launched the NW-WM1Z, a gold-plated copper player priced at over $3,000. Ten years on, the price of the flagship has nearly doubled.
Why Europe may have to wait
Sony hasn’t announced EU pricing or a release date, and regulation may be part of the reason.
From 18 February 2027, EU rules require portable batteries in electronic devices to be removable and replaceable by the user. Spare batteries must stay available for five years after the last unit is sold, and third-party compatible batteries have to work. Sealed devices like these Walkmans fall under the rule.
Sony’s sustainability messaging could also face scrutiny. The company says the packaging for all three models contains no plastic, but a footnote excludes coatings and adhesives and says this varies by region. The EU’s ban on unsubstantiated generic environmental claims took effect on 27 September 2026, 18 days before the launch.
The takeaway
The new Walkmans aren’t really meant to compete with your phone. They’re aimed at collectors and audiophiles who will pay for copper, gold and heritage. Whether European buyers get the chance depends on how Sony handles the battery rules.
Headphones sold separately.
