Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation): AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation; USB-C case with speaker and wireless charging. The AirPods 4 without ANC and the AirPods Pro models are separate.
Sony WH-1000XM5: WH-1000XM5; colours vary by region: black, silver, midnight blue, pink and platinum. The later WH-1000XM6 is a separate product.
| Specification | Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation) | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2024 | 2022 |
| Chip | Apple H2 headphone chip Apple | — |
| Noise control | Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness Apple | — |
| Audio | Custom high-excursion Apple driver; high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; vent system for pressure equalisation Apple | — |
| Microphones and sensors | Dual beamforming microphones and inward-facing microphone; Voice Isolation; optical in-ear sensor; motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers; force sensor Apple | — |
| Battery life | Earbuds: 4 hours with ANC on, 5 hours with noise control off; with case: 20 hours with ANC on, 30 hours off; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening Apple | — |
| Charging case | Charges via USB-C, an Apple Watch charger or a Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My Apple | — |
| Durability | IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance Apple | — |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 Apple | — |
| Size and weight | Earbud 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 34.7 g Apple | — |
| Driver | — | 30 mm dynamic driver, closed back, neodymium magnet Sony |
| Frequency response | — | Bluetooth: 20 Hz–20 kHz (44.1 kHz), 20 Hz–40 kHz with LDAC (96 kHz/990 kbps); wired: 4 Hz–40 kHz Sony |
| Bluetooth and codecs | — | Bluetooth 5.2; SBC, AAC, LDAC; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; multipoint (two devices) Sony |
| Noise cancelling | — | Active noise cancelling; Integrated Processor V1 and HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1; 8 microphones in total (4 noise-sensing per earcup) Sony |
| Call microphones | — | 4 beamforming microphones; AI-based noise reduction, wind noise reduction Sony |
| Battery | — | 30 hours of music with noise cancelling on, 40 hours off; 24/32 hours of calls Sony |
| Charging | — | Full charge in about 3.5 hours via USB; about 3 hours of playback from 3 minutes with a USB-PD adapter Sony |
| Controls and sensors | — | Touch panel on the right earcup; NC/Ambient button on the left; wear sensor; Speak-to-Chat Sony |
| Spatial audio | — | DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio support Sony |
| Impedance and sensitivity | — | 48 Ω when on, 16 Ω when off; 102/100 dB/mW Sony |
| Weight and in the box | — | About 250 g; soft collapsible carrying case, 1.2 m L-shaped cable (3.5 mm), USB charging cable Sony |
| App | — | Sony Sound Connect: equaliser, shortcut settings, listening history, Safe Listening Sony |