Apple AirPods 4 / Sony WH-CH720N

Apple AirPods 4: AirPods 4 (2024), the basic model without active noise cancellation; USB‑C charging case. The same-design AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and the AirPods Pro models are separate.

Sony WH-CH720N: WH-CH720N closed over-ear wireless headphones; black, white, blue and pink. The WH-CH710N (previous generation), WH-CH520 (no ANC) and the WH-1000X series are separate models.

Specification	Apple AirPods 4	Sony WH-CH720N
Release year	2024	2023
Type	Open-fit (no silicone tips) wireless earbuds; USB‑C charging case This is the basic AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation. The identical-looking “AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation” is a separate product. Apple	—
Audio technology	Custom high‑excursion Apple driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ Adaptive EQ tunes the sound to the fit in the ear. Spatial Audio needs supported content; the personal profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera. Apple	—
Noise control	Vent system for pressure equalisation; active noise cancellation only on the separately sold ANC model At launch Apple offered two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. This model has an open design that does not seal the ear canal. Apple	—
Chip	H2 headphone chip H2 enables Voice Isolation, Siri Interactions with head gestures and Personalised Spatial Audio. Apple	—
Microphones and sensors	Dual beamforming microphones, inward‑facing microphone, optical in‑ear sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers, force sensor The speech-detecting accelerometer helps detect when you are speaking; the optical sensor resumes playback when the bud is put in. Apple	—
Controls	Press the stem: once to play/pause or answer, twice to skip forward or end a call, three times to skip back, press and hold for Siri; “Siri” voice activation; nod or shake your head to answer calls Apple’s control list does not include volume adjustment on the stem. Apple	—
Durability	IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance (earbuds and case) According to Apple this is for non-water sports and exercise; resistance is not permanent and may decrease with wear. Do not charge when wet. Apple	—
Battery	Up to 5 hours listening per charge; up to 30 hours total with the case; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour listening Apple measured these figures at 50% volume with Spatial Audio off. Apple	Music up to 35 hours with NC on, 50 hours off; calls up to 35 hours NC on, 40 hours off; about 3.5 hours to charge over USB Sony
Charging	Charging case with USB‑C port; USB‑C cable sold separately Apple says the case is more than 10 percent smaller in volume than its predecessor. Charging with an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger is specific to the ANC model. Apple	—
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3 It works as a Bluetooth headset with Android and other devices, but Apple says functions may be limited. Full features require current iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS or tvOS. Apple	—
Size and weight	Earbud: 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case: 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 32.3 g Apple	—
Accessibility	Live Listen, headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations Apple	—
Noise cancelling	—	Active noise cancelling with Integrated Processor V1 and Dual Noise Sensor; Ambient Sound mode Microphones inside and outside each cup sample noise to generate an inverse signal; Ambient Sound mode lets you hear surroundings without removing the headphones. Sony
Driver and frequency	—	30 mm dynamic driver; 7–20,000 Hz (JEITA); 20–20,000 Hz over Bluetooth (44.1 kHz) Sony
Bluetooth and codecs	—	Bluetooth 5.2; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC and AAC; about 10 m range AAC works well as the default codec on iPhones; no high-bitrate codec is listed. Sony
Multipoint	—	Connection to two Bluetooth devices at the same time For example, you can switch between a phone and a laptop without re-pairing. Sony
Wired use	—	Detachable cable of about 1.2 m with gold-plated L-shaped 3.5 mm plug; passive operation When the battery runs out you can keep listening passively over the cable. Sony
Microphone and processing	—	Precise Voice Pickup beamforming mic; wind noise reduction structure; DSEE DSEE tries to restore high frequencies lost in compressed music files. Sony
Impedance and sensitivity	—	NC on 325 Ω / off 31 Ω (1 kHz); NC on 108 dB/mW / off 99 dB/mW Sony
Weight	—	About 192 g Sony