Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) / Sony WH-1000XM4

Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C): AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C); 2023 version. The 2022 Lightning-case version has the same earbuds but a different case; AirPods Pro 3 is a separate model.

Sony WH-1000XM4: WH-1000XM4 closed over-ear wireless headphones; Black, Platinum Silver and Blue. The WH-1000XM3 (previous) and WH-1000XM5 and XM6 (later) generations are separate models.

SpecificationApple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)Sony WH-1000XM4
Release year20232020
ChipApple H2 in the earbuds; Apple U1 in the case

The U1 chip lets Find My show the direction and distance of the case precisely.

Apple		—
Sound and noise controlCustom high-excursion Apple driver and amplifier; Active Noise Cancellation; Adaptive Audio; Transparency mode; Conversation Awareness; Voice Isolation

Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency based on surrounding noise; Conversation Awareness lowers the music when you start speaking.

Apple		—
Spatial audio and EQPersonalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; vent system for pressure equalisation Apple—
Hearing healthHearing Test; Loud Sound Reduction

The Hearing Test runs with a compatible iPhone; availability depends on country and software version.

Apple		—
Microphones and sensorsDual beamforming microphones and an inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor; motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers; touch control Apple—
ControlsPress once: play/pause, calls; twice: skip forward; three times: skip back; press and hold: switch modes; swipe: volume Apple—
Battery lifeUp to 6 hours per charge with ANC (5.5 hours with Spatial Audio); up to 30 hours total with the case; about 1 hour from 5 minutes of charging Apple—
Case chargingMagSafe charger, Apple Watch charger, Qi-certified chargers or USB-C

The case has a speaker for Find My and a lanyard loop.

Apple		—
DurabilityEarbuds and case rated IP54 for dust, sweat and water

IP54 protects against splashes and sweat but not immersion, and resistance can decrease over time.

Apple		—
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.3

With non-Apple devices they work as basic Bluetooth earbuds; most settings need an Apple device.

Apple		—
Size and weightEarbud 30.9 × 21.8 × 24.0 mm, 5.3 g; case 45.2 × 60.6 × 21.7 mm, 50.8 g Apple—
Ear tipsSilicone; XS, S, M, L Apple—
Noise cancelling—HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1; two noise-sensing microphones per cup; adaptive sound control

QN1 works with a new Bluetooth audio chip to sample ambient noise many times a second and cancel it with an inverse signal.

Sony
Driver and frequency—40 mm dome-type driver (CCAW voice coil, aluminium-coated LCP diaphragm); wired 4–40,000 Hz; Bluetooth 20–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz), with LDAC 20–40,000 Hz (96 kHz, 990 kbps) Sony
Bluetooth and codecs—Bluetooth 5.0; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC, AAC, LDAC; about 10 m range

LDAC enables up to 990 kbps with compatible Android phones; iPhones use AAC.

Sony
Multipoint—Simultaneous connection to two Bluetooth devices with switching between them

For example, you can switch between a phone and a laptop without re-pairing.

Sony
Battery and charging—Up to 30 hours with NC on, 38 hours off; full charge in about 3 hours over USB-C; about 5 hours of playback from 10 minutes

The 5-hours-from-10-minutes figure is given with the optional AC adaptor.

Sony
Wired use—Detachable cable of about 1.2 m with OFC strands and gold-plated 3.5 mm plug Sony
Microphones—Five microphones for Precise Voice Pickup Sony
Smart features—Wear detection sensor; Speak-to-Chat; DSEE Extreme

The wear sensor pauses music when the headphones come off. Speak-to-Chat stops music and lets in ambient sound when you start talking. DSEE Extreme tries to upscale compressed files in real time with AI.

Sony
Design—Closed dynamic, circumaural; cups swivel inward to fold into the carry case Sony