Airpods Pro 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM5 – Which is the king of headphones?

The evolution that most wireless headphones have experienced today is truly shocking if we compare them with the models from several years ago. Especially those who design leading brands that always remain at the forefront. In this article, we compare two of the most popular in-ear wireless headphones of the moment: the Airpods Pro 2 and the Sony WF-1000XM5.

There is no doubt that Apple and Sony are the two great technological leaders, and they also hold leadership in the wireless headphones market. Furthermore, their models could not be more different. To start, the Airpods Pro 2 maintain Apple’s characteristic design, with silicone temples and pads, in addition to their white color. On the other hand, the Sony WF-1000XM5 opt for a smaller design, without temples, and with foam pads.

Both headphones have the most advanced features: active noise cancellation, ambient mode, adaptive sound control and spatial audio with head tracking. In addition, both integrate 6 microphones and are capable of recognizing our voice when we speak to automatically stop the music. When it comes to autonomy, the Sony headphones surpass the Airpods, although it is true that both have a charging case that makes this aspect less important in the decision.

To help you choose which of the two headphones is best for you, keep reading our review!

Airpods Pro 2 vs Sony WF-1000XM5 – Comparison Table

What if we compare two of the most innovative small wireless headphones on the market? In the following table, you can see what the most important differences are between Apple and Sony headphones:

It is easy to distinguish each brand

At first glance, it is very clear which brand each of the wireless headphones is from, since they have totally different design lines. The Airpods Pro 2 maintain the white color so characteristic of the brand, as well as the design of the headphones with thin temples. In addition, they have silicone pads in 4 different sizes.

For its part, the Sony WF-1000XM5 can be purchased in black and silver, and opt for a shorter design, without temples and with a more oval shape. As for the pads, there are also 4 sizes, only instead of silicone, they are made of polyurethane foam. Which is better? It depends on each person. We particularly find Sony’s foam pads more comfortable, but that’s very subjective.

Both have a charging case

Another thing we instantly see is that both wireless earbuds are equipped with a charging case. In the case of Airpods, they have the MagSafe case, while the Sony ones charge with Qi technology. The point is that, in both cases, we must add the autonomy provided by the case to the original autonomy. This makes the difference in autonomy lose relevance when making the purchase decision.

However, there are differences between the two. The Airpods Pro 2 have a battery life of about 6 hours with ANC and 9 hours without ANC, which extends to 30 hours thanks to the case. On the other hand, the Sony WF-1000XM5 have a range of 8 and 12 hours respectively, which becomes 24 hours with wireless charging. On the other hand, both can run fast charging.

Active noise cancellation, common functionality

We are not surprised to see that both the Airpods Pro 2 and the Sony WF-1000XM5 have active noise cancellation and ambient mode. That is, in both we can completely isolate ourselves from outside noise, or leave it in the background. Furthermore, they do it exceptionally in both cases, it is difficult for us to choose which of the two does it better. Perhaps we would opt for the Sony because they offer better performance in canceling low frequencies.

It should also be noted that the two models have improved their predecessors very significantly in terms of noise cancellation. Among other things, because both integrate a total of 6 microphones, 3 in each earpiece, which means that the ability to isolate external noise improves between 20 and 30% compared to previous models of each brand. And, also, because both have updated their respective processors.

Adaptive sound and spatial audio on both headphones

Another proof that we are looking at two of the most complete wireless headphones of the moment is that they both have more advanced features, such as spatial audio and adaptive sound control. The first allows them to keep the audio in the foreground when we move our head.

For its part, adaptive audio allows us to configure the level of noise cancellation we want in different environments, so that the headphones themselves recognize each one and activate it automatically. Regarding equalization, in both cases it is adaptive, but it is true that Sony allows a greater level of customization thanks to the app.

Automatic voice recognition, for convenience

We want to highlight another feature that we also find in the two wireless headphones, and that we think is a great advance in comfort. In fact, since we tested it, it is an important decision criterion for us. We are not going to say that it is eliminatory, but it has a lot of weight. We are talking about the ability to detect our voice so, when we start a conversation, pause the music or lower the volume so that we can talk without having to remove the headphones. In the case of Sony, it is the function called Speak-to-Chat. Apple also includes it in the Airpods Pro 2, although without a specific name.

How resistant are they to water and dust?

As you know, the level of resistance to these two external agents is measured with the IP index followed by two digits, and it helps us know to what extent they resist splashes of water or specks of dust without being damaged. In this case, it is also one of the differences between the two models. The Airpods Pro 2 have an IP54 level, while the Sony WF-1000XM5 have an IPX4 level. That is, both have the same water resistance (a medium tolerance, with which they can withstand splashes that are not very intense), but only the Airpods have certified resistance to dust. Perhaps, if you usually go to the beach with them, the Airpods Pro 2 are better for you.

Compatibility with other devices

It is no secret that Apple is a fairly inbred brand, which “ties” its followers to expand the Apple ecosystem without allowing other devices to enter. For this reason, the Airpods Pro 2 are not compatible with Android smartphones, while the Sony WF-1000XM5 can be used with both iPhones and Android phones.

Controls: touch and voice

Before finishing, let us tell you that both headphones have voice control, since they integrate a virtual assistant, and touch controls. Depending on the touches you give on them, they will execute one function or another automatically. At first, this may be more complex, but once you get used to it it is really comfortable.

Should we opt for the Airpods Pro 2 or the Sony WF-1000XM5?

This is the big doubt we have after having analyzed the features of both wireless headphones. If one thing has become clear to us, it is that both are among the most complete models in each range, which makes the decision difficult, since they are tied in many features. And, in those that are not, there is not a huge difference in performance. On the other hand, both are in a fairly similar price range, although there may be some more marked differences depending on specific offers.

So how to choose between them? If you have an iPhone or you usually use other Apple devices, our recommendation is that you continue with the Airpods Pro 2, because you will be able to optimize their use much more on the rest of the brand’s devices. And, if you have an Android phone, we would encourage you to opt for the Sony WF-1000XM5, since Airpods cannot be synchronized with Android smartphones.

As you can see, the decision is actually simpler than it seems, since there is neither of the two that clearly stands out above the other in sound quality and audio technology. From here, you decide!