Both Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are two of the leading wireless headphones on the market. They both offer premium quality, excellent sound, and superb noise cancelation. Both are fantastic options options and have great popularity in different areas areas. It is up to your needs and ecosystem to choose which is the best among them. view more
Design and comfort
Sony WF-1000XM5: it is more traditional and offers a very comfortable experience. The Sony significantly reduced the size and weight compared to the WF-1000XM4, making it more relaxed and less bulky. It comes in four sizes of memory foam ear tips (XS, S, M, L), which are excellent for creating a strong seal for noise cancellation. But it swells out faster and causes discomfort during extended use.
Apple AirPods Pro 2: it has an iconic stem-style design. It is slightly much lighter than the XM5. It comes only in white. It is praised for its comfort and long listening sessions. It comes in 4 sizes of silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L). The silicon tips are much easier to clean and are durable. Some find it more comfortable during exercise due to its stem-style design, but it cannot absorb sweat. It can not fall during exercise.
Winner: The Sony’s comfort has improved significantly in the XM5, but the stem-style design and silicon tips make the AirPods Pro 2 more comfortable.
Sound Quality
The Sony WF-1000XM5 offers very decent sound quality, surpassing that of the XM4. It does not overwhelm the bass and clear vocals. It supports high-resolution audio with LDAC codex. It can deliver high-quality sound over Bluetooth for suitable devices. It is known for its crystal-clear sound.
Apple AirPods Pro 2: It offers a natural and well-balanced sound signature with rich bass and clear high notes. Many praised their overall sound quality as excellent, with a balanced and aesthetically attractive middle. It offers superb spatial(in-space) audio integration for Apple users.
Winner: Both offer a high-quality sound. But the Apple AirPods Pro 2 offers more natural and well-balanced sound quality with superb spatial (in the space) audio integration for Apple users.
Active Noise Cancelling(ANC)
Sony WF-1000XM5: It is considered one of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, especially for blocking out consistent, low-frequency sound. It effectively reduces the wind sound. The ambient sound mode is clear and crisp. Allowing you to hear your surroundings.
Apple AirPods Pro 2: The noise cancellation of this model is much more impressive than that of the previous model. It excels at reducing the broad spectrum of ambient noise. Transparency mode is highly praised because you can easily listen to your surroundings without taking your headphones off. Conversion awareness can automatically lower the playback volume when you start speaking.
Winner: both are the top-tierANC headphones. The Sony XM5 has a slight edge in Noise cancellation, as it offers pure noise separation. On the other hand, the AirPods Pro 2 provides a natural sound experience and adaptive audio.
Battery Time
Sony WF-1000XM5:
- It provides up to 8 hours of playback with Active Noise-Cancelling on.
- Up to 24 hours of total listening time with a charging case.
- Quick charging: 3 minutes of charge can provide 1 hour of music playback.
Apple AirPods Pro 2:
- It gives up to 6 hours of listening with active noise-cancelling ON.
- It gives up to 30 hours of total listening time with the MagSafe charging case.
- 5 minutes of charging provides you almost 1 hour of music playback.
Winner: The Sony WF-1000XM5 offers significantly more battery life per charge compared to other earbuds. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 battery case offers a substantial amount of battery life, allowing for extended total listening time.
Charging Case
Sony WF-1000XM5:
- Smaller and lighter charging case than its predecessor.
- It also supports USB-C charging and wireless charging.
- It lacks the built-in speaker of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 case.
Apple AirPods Pro 2:
- It features a MagSafe charging case with a built-in speaker for status alerts and Find My functionality.
- It includes a Lanyard loop.
- It supports a MagSafe charging case, Apple watch charger, Qi-certified charger, and USB-C connector.
Winner: Apple offers more advanced charging cases to its users, such as Find My functionality, which provides significant peace of mind for Apple users.
Connectivity and Ecosystem integration
Sony WF-1000XM5:
- Offer multipoint connectivity. Allowing to connect with two different devices (mobile and laptop) and smooth switching.
- Bluetooth 5.3.
- Works well with iOS and Android.
- The Speak-to-Chat feature automatically stops the music when you start talking.
Apple AirPods Pro 2:
- Smooth integration within the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch).
- Bluetooth 5.3.
- Instant pairing and automatic switching between Apple devices.
- Hey, Siri voice activation.
Winner: The Apple AirPods Pro 2 offers some fantastic features for Apple users. For everyone else, as well as Android users, Sony provides a lot of amazing features.