Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
Side by side comparison of two of the best headphones on the market. Same category, different priorities.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Still one of the best noise canceling headphones you can buy at this price point.
How do the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WH-1000XM5 compare, spec for spec?
| Spec | Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 | Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $399 |
| Rating | 4.7 (45,200) | 4.6 (22,450) |
| Type | In ear | Over-ear |
| Noise cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | 6h (30h with case) | 30 hours (ANC on), 40 hours (ANC off) |
| Driver | Custom Apple | 30mm carbon fibre composite dome |
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Should you buy the Apple AirPods Pro 2 or the Sony WH-1000XM5?
Both are strong picks in the headphones category. Here's how to decide:
Get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 if...
Adaptive Audio, seamless Apple device switching and hearing aid features in iOS 18+.
Get the Sony WH-1000XM5 if...
These headphones are genuinely excellent. Reviewers across the board agree the sound quality is a big step up from the previous generation. You get punchy bass that stays controlled, clear mids and detailed highs without things getting harsh. It's the kind of tuning that works for basically any genre. The ANC is outstanding too. Eight mics and dual chip processing means it erases most of what you don't want to hear. Plane engines, office chatter, street noise. Gone. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra edges it slightly in raw noise blocking but it's close. Call quality is also genuinely impressive. Four beamforming mics and AI noise reduction mean people on the other end actually hear you clearly, even outdoors in wind. Comfort is another strong point. They're light at 8.8 ounces and the earpads are soft enough for hours of use. Heads on the smaller side may feel more headband pressure though, and the ear cups can get warm after a while. Battery life sits at 30 hours with ANC on and 40 without, which is plenty. The 3 minute quick charge getting you 3 hours back is genuinely useful. The main frustrations are real though. These headphones don't fold up compact like the previous generation did. They only fold flat, so the case is bigger and they're harder to stuff in a bag. The build also feels slightly less premium than before, with more plastic and no metal sliders. No aptX support is an annoyance if you're not on Android. And at $399 you should know the newer XM6 exists and is better in almost every way, though it costs $449 and the XM5 regularly drops to around $300. At that discounted price these are an absolute steal.