Sony WF-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: which premium earbuds are better?
Sony WF-1000XM5
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC
Battery life: Eight hours (24 total)
Voice control: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Weight: 5.9g (per earbud)
Sony WF-1000XM5 buds have raised the bar once again, offering the most accomplished, astonishingly detailed and powerful sound yet. Improved ANC, smaller and lighter design, and a strong set of features make them appealing to all.
For
Class-leading detail and clarity
Top-notch precision and timing
Comfortable, discreet design
Excellent feature set
Against
Could feel more secure in fit
Apple AirPods Pro 2
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Codecs: AAC, SBC
Battery life: Six hours (30 total)
Voice control: Siri
Weight: 5.4g (per earbud)
The AirPods Pro 2 surprised us with a brilliantly subtle, dynamic and easy-going sound that vaulted it to five-star status. They're seamless in use, noise-cancelling is hugely improved and they are clear contenders as they've never been before.
For
Clear, open and musical
Natural with voices
Seamless in use
Good noise-cancelling
Against
Many features restricted to iOS devices only
Customisable ANC modes would be useful
Sony's new flagship wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM5, are here and they have made quite a five-star impression. With a streamlined design, improved noise-cancelling, more user-friendly features and a new sound profile that's both impressive and surprisingly different from what we've heard before, they're the most accomplished buds Sony has made yet.
We've already compared the new XM5 buds with their Award-winning predecessors, the WF-1000XM4, as well as pitched them against the brilliant Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II ANC earbuds. But now it's Apple's turn, with the five-star AirPods Pro 2nd Generation to going head-to-head with Sony's new rising star.
Both flagship earbuds offer different features, a different design and a different sonic signature, so which is the right one for you and your money?
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: price
Apple surprised us when the new AirPods Pro 2 launched in September 2022 at the exact same £249 / $249 / AU$399 pricing as the original Pro pair (which launched in 2019).
This has been the sweet spot for a brand's flagship buds for a while, although that's recently changed with price hikes all around. You can find the AirPods Pro 2 on fairly regular deals now if you shop around, and even bigger discounts are available if you hold out for the Black Friday sales.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are a tad pricier than the older XM4s and the AirPods Pro 2, launching in August 2023 for £259 / $299 / AU$TBC. It's not the hugest price difference by far, but if you're counting your pennies (and this is still admittedly a significant amount to pay for a pair of wireless earbuds) and want the best deal right now, the AirPods Pro 2 just about edge it over the XM5 in pure price terms.
**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: design and comfort
Here's where it gets interesting because the Sonys and AirPods subscribe to completely different design languages. Sony goes for the fully rounded bud design with eartips protruding from the main body, while Apple's bud-and-stem design for its AirPods is now iconic and much-imitated.
Both designs have merits and quibbles, and a huge chunk of your decision on which pair to buy will start with which design fits you better. We largely find both the XM5 and AirPods Pro 2 to offer a comfortable and good fit – they both come with four sizes of eartips, both now offering a smaller XS (or SS) tip to offer more flexible options for a wider range of ears. They're easy to wear over long listening periods compared with other models, too. However, the same views aren't shared by all: some on the What Hi-Fi? team don't get along with the AirPods design, while others have found the Sony XM5 to be not quite as secure a fit as they'd like. It really depends on your personal preference (and the shape of your ears!)
We can't find fault with the build quality, though, as being premium flagship buds, both are made to a high standard. Apple's all-white-only finish is neat and sturdy, while the XM5's newly glossy finish is sleek and feels more premium than before.
The AirPods Pro 2 are smaller and lighter (each bud weighs 5.3g compared to the XM5's 5.9g), but we have to applaud Sony for making the XM5 approximately 20 per cent lighter and approximately 25 per cent smaller than the older WF-1000XM4. It makes a huge difference to the new, slimmer profile and they don't protrude out of the ears so much either.
The charging case for Sony has been reduced in size too. Apple's is very pocketable as well, and has nifty features like a speaker that emits chimes to indicate charging or when using precision finding to locate them, a lanyard loop and the ability to engrave a Memoji onto it. Sony is less frivolous, but it does offer the XM5 in more colour options: black and silver.
What about controls? Apple finally added on-ear volume controls to its AirPods line with the Pro 2nd generation, which involves swiping up or down on the touch-capacitive stems. You can also pinch those stems to swap between ANC and Transparency modes (or switch off entirely), skip tracks, play/pause, accept calls and more.
Sony XM5, meanwhile, houses all touch controls on buds. For the first time though, you can adjust playback, sound modes and volume all at the same time through various taps on the buds (most buds and the previous XM4 asked you to choose two out of three options, for instance). You can configure this all through the Sony Headphones Connect app and we find all controls are responsive, just as they are on the AirPods Pro 2. You can also use gestures (shake or nod your head) to accept or reject an incoming phone call on the XM5, which works well but might make you feel rather ridiculous.
For the slightly more premium design and extra features and colours, we'll give this round to the Sony XM5, but we can't stress enough just how seamless the AirPods Pro 2 are to use with iOS devices.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: features
Many of Apple's flagship features found in the AirPods Pro 2 are locked into its own ecosystem: if you have an iPhone and use Apple Music to stream tunes, you'll get the very best results out of the Pro 2. These include the various customisation features you can adjust through the iPhone's settings, the near-instant one-tap pairing, Audio Sharing (the ability to play audio simultaneously through two sets of AirPods), FindMy location, Siri voice control and playing spatial audio with dynamic head tracking when listening to Dolby Atmos tracks in Apple Music. Androids users don't quite get the full complement of features.
That's not the case with the Sony XM5, whose Headphones Connect app is fully furnished with all customisation options for both Apple and Android users. There are some XM5 features that are locked into specific services and devices, though, mainly where they concern 360 Reality Audio and LDAC codec compatibility.
Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio immersive tracks (an alternative to Apple's Spatial Audio) are available on streaming services such as Tidal and Deezer, but the XM5 now adds Head Tracking abilities for the first time, although this new feature is only available to Android users.
The Sony XM5 also continue to support Sony's own LDAC format, which allows hi-res audio files up to 32-bit/96kHz to be transmitted at data rates of up to 990kbps – that's higher than standard SBC or AAC codecs, or aptX HD (Sony doesn't support any aptX codecs). Note that this only works when streamed over Bluetooth from a compatible source, such as Sony Walkmans, select Android phones and portable hi-res players.
Additionally, the XM5 use Sony's DSEE Extreme audio processor to upscale low-bitrate music to near hi-res quality. Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro 2 still don't support any higher-quality codecs, sticking with the standard codecs despite Apple Music offering lossless 24-bit tracks.
Outside of that, Sony brings back plenty of features we enjoyed in the XM4 for all. Speak-to-Chat and Quick Attention return, which drops the volume or pauses songs to let you have a conversation without removing the buds entirely. The AirPods Pro 2nd Gen don't detect your voice when speaking like the Sonys do, but they do pause playback of any song when an earbud is removed, and resume playing when placed back in. Sony has this feature too; both buds also offer a handy ear-tip fit test to ensure you've got the best seal for fit and sound.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: Battery life
Battery life on the Sony WF-1000XM5 buds lasts an impressive eight hours on a single charge with ANC turned on, with a total of 24 hours available with the charging case. There's been no increase here: these are the same battery life numbers as the older XM4 model, which might be disappointing for those wanting more – but it's competitive at this level.
The AirPods Pro 2 offer six hours in the buds by comparison, but you get a longer 30 hours in total from the charging case. Those extra hours will no doubt come in handy for longer journeys (and save us from having to charge up the buds too frequently). Both buds support wireless charging, but note that the AirPods Pro 2 still use the Lightning connector (for now, changes in EU regulations are due in 2024) while XM5 uses USB-C.
**Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 2**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: Call quality
One of the biggest acoustic design changes Apple made in the AirPods Pro 2 was to reposition the mics and vents for improved airflow. This affected the effectiveness of ANC and overall sound quality, as well as call quality. The inward-facing mic was also redesigned, with voice enhancement algorithms added in to ensure your voice sounds more natural when on a call – and it certainly does so during our tests.
In the new XM5, Sony has done even more work to ensure clearer voice call quality, especially in windy environments. The design itself incorporates a wind noise reduction structure, an AI machine learning-enhanced noise reduction engine that helps maintain clarity, and there's even a bone conduction sensor that detects when you're speaking. Phew.
All that means is that, in practice, wind noise is greatly subdued and our voice sounds very detailed and clear to the person on the other line, even more so than when using the AirPods Pro 2 in similarly busy and windy conditions when outdoors.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: noise-cancellation
Both Apple and Sony have promises improved noise-cancelling over their previous generations and they succeed to our ears. For Sony, a new integrated processor V2 and HD Noise Cancelling processor QN2e aim to reduce outside noise by a 20 per cent improvement over the XM4. The WF-1000XM5 has three mics rather than two on each bud and focuses on reducing low-frequency noise even more.
With Apple, it promises ANC that's twice as effective over the original Pro model. The new H2 chip powering the AirPods Pro 2 combines with the new 'optimised' placement of the acoustic vents and mic that improves airflow, to deliver a more comfortable noise-cancelling effect.
Both earbuds offer an effective dimming of outside noise when ANC is activated. Background noise is reduced to a mere murmur on the AirPods Pro 2, while XM5 manages to suppress just a bit more low-level noise when outdoors. We like Apple's Adaptive Transparency Mode that damps down sudden, high-frequency noises (such as a passing siren or the harsh screeching of the London Underground) so it's not as harsh on the ears, but it's a shame that you can't adjust any ANC or Transparency noise level here.
You can adjust the level of Ambient noise in the XM5, and Sony additionally offers an Adaptive Sound Control feature. This learns and adjusts the level of noise-cancelling and ambient sound depending on how you use them and in which locations you regularly visit. It's a clever bit of technology that's worth investigating.
We also like how Apple and Sony offer less of that vacuum-like feeling that you normally hear in ANC buds – the AirPods Pro 2 offer a more 'airy' feeling when ANC is deployed than the XM5, so that's one to consider if you're after a more subtle noise-cancelling effect. However, those wanting a more severe silencer would be better served by the Bose QC Earbuds II.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5 (just)**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: sound quality
Here comes the real difference-maker: sound. The AirPods Pro 2 are the first in-ear Apple buds to earn five stars from us, and enthusiastically so. It's a far more grown-up, rhythmically adept and powerful sound than we've heard before from the AirPods line. Apple's intention was to deliver the excellent premium AirPods Max over-ear headphones sound in a pocketable form, and has done so with success in the Pro 2. It's a neutral sound profile, with natural clarity and warmth to voices, all peppered with greater weight, detail and more dynamic subtlety.
Inside each bud is a custom low-distortion, high-excursion driver, and the aforementioned repositioned vents go a long way in adding a more open, airy sense of space. It's a very likeable and engaging sound from the start, with richness and a great sense of drive and agility – we actually preferred it to the old Sony XM4 favourites.
But how do they compare with the new Sony WF-1000XM5? Sony uses a completely new driver here, called Dynamic Driver X, which is larger (8.4mm compared to 6.4mm on the older XM4) and uses two different materials for the high and low frequencies. Sony says the larger size means the driver doesn't need to move as much as the smaller driver, which helps reduce mechanical noise.
Sonically, the XM5 are terrifically accomplished. There's a stupendous sense of power and drive, the timing is spot-on, and dynamic shifts are handled with subtlety and aplomb in equal measure. The edges of notes are precisely and crisply delivered, making easy work of more complex arrangements (Radiohead, Rachmaninov) while also delivering plenty of nuance and texture in a sombre Nick Cave track.
There is a newfound level of detail that's really quite special. The XM5 are more analytical than any other earbud we've heard, and it's an approach that might come at the expense of fluid musicality that might be preferable to some. The XM5 show a tremendous sense of control and authority, with a larger sound and more weight to the bass. The AirPods Pro 2 still have plenty of energy and their less-demanding presentation makes for an easier listen, but the treble is a touch rolled off in comparison and they can't quite reach the same heights as the new XM5.
While the AirPods Pro 2 are still an enjoyable, fun and easy-to-listen-to pair, the XM5 are a clear step ahead when it comes to outright clarity, detail resolution and precision.
**Winner: Sony WF-1000XM5**
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs AirPods Pro 2: verdict
If it's the absolute best-sounding wireless earbuds you want for your money, the answer is clear: the Sony WF-1000XM5 offer a new level of performance that's really impressed us, even if its more 'hi-fi'-like sound comes at the expense of the original XM4's sense of fun. Next to the AirPods Pro 2, however, it's pretty clear-cut when it comes to sound quality.
The XM5 have a greater set of features that work for a wider range of devices, but the AirPods Pro 2 still offer a convincing, seamless performance for those that are locked into the iOS ecosystem. While they differ greatly in design, the fit and comfort are top-notch – as long as you get the right fit for you. The Apple buds are the cheaper pair at the moment (especially if you find a good deal), but if you're able to plumb for the very best at this premium price range, the Sony XM5 won't disappoint.
MORE:
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
And our Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: which should you buy?
Looking for an alternative? These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy
I spoke to Apple to find out the secret behind the AirPods Pro 2’s audio success
