Sony WF-1000XM5 / Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Sony WF-1000XM5: WF-1000XM5 · Black, Platinum Silver, Smoky Pink; colours share the same hardware

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro: Galaxy Buds2 Pro (2022); Graphite, White and Bora Purple. The Galaxy Buds Pro (2021), Buds2 and Buds3 Pro are separate models.

SpecificationSony WF-1000XM5Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro
Release year20232022
TypeClosed, dynamic true wireless in-ear; active noise cancelling Sony—
Driver8.4 mm SonyCustom coaxial 2-way speaker (tweeter + woofer)

In a coaxial design the tweeter and woofer share one axis, aiming to keep sound from coming from two separate points.

Samsung
Frequency response20–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz); 20–40,000 Hz with LDAC at 96 kHz / 990 kbps

The extended range applies only with LDAC-capable sources, mostly Android phones.

Sony		—
CodecsSBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3

LDAC carries more detail at a high bit rate; LC3 is the efficient codec designed for LE Audio. The profile list includes LE Audio profiles (TMAP, CSIP, MCP, VCP, CCP).

Sony		—
Battery (music)Up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, 12 hours with it off

The figures are for one charge of the earbuds.

Sony		—
Battery (calls)Up to 6 hours with noise cancelling on, 7 hours with it off Sony—
ChargingEarbuds about 1.5 hours; case about 2 hours over USB; wireless charging on the case Sony—
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3; about 10 m range; multipoint

With multipoint the earbuds stay connected to two devices at once.

Sony		—
Sound featuresDSEE Extreme, Ambient Sound mode, Quick Attention

DSEE Extreme aims to restore detail lost in compressed music. Quick Attention lowers the music and lets outside sound in while a finger is held on the earbud.

Sony		—
Water resistanceIPX4 equivalent

It protects against splashing water; do not submerge.

Sony		IPX7 (earbuds; up to 30 minutes in 1 m of fresh water)

The charging case is not water resistant; beach and pool use is not advised.

Samsung
WeightAbout 5.9 g per earbud (with M tips); case about 39 g Sony—
Case sizeAbout 64.6 × 40.0 × 26.5 mm Sony—
In the boxCharging case, Noise Isolation foam tips, reference guide, USB cable Sony—
Staying connected in the caseEarbuds may stay connected while in the case

Sony attributes this to earbuds not seating fully in the case or dirty charging contacts, and suggests opening and closing the case, updating the firmware and wiping the contacts with a dry cloth.

Sony		—
Sound quality—24-bit Hi-Fi; 360 Audio with Direct Multi-Channel

24-bit audio only works with Samsung Galaxy devices running One UI 4.0 or later and in supported apps. 360 Audio positions sound according to head movement.

Samsung
Noise cancelling—ANC; 3 high-SNR microphones (2 outer + 1 inner); Ambient Sound; Voice Detect

According to Samsung, cancellation is 40% better than the Buds Pro (50 Hz–1 kHz average). Voice Detect switches to ambient mode and lowers media volume when you start speaking.

Samsung
Connectivity and codec—Bluetooth 5.3; Auto Switch; Samsung Seamless Codec HiFi, AAC, SBC

The Seamless Codec is only used with Samsung phones; other phones fall back to AAC or SBC. Android 8.0 and more than 1.5 GB of RAM are required; some features are missing on non-Samsung devices.

Samsung
Battery—Earbuds 61 mAh, case 515 mAh (typical); with ANC on 5 hours / 18 hours with case; ANC off 8 / 29 hours Samsung
Talk time—With ANC on 3.5 hours / 14 hours with case; ANC off 4 / 15 hours Samsung
Sensors—Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, Hall, touch, Voice Pickup Unit (VPU) Samsung
Size and weight—Earbud 19.9 × 21.6 × 18.7 mm, 5.5 g; case 50.1 × 50.2 × 27.7 mm, 43.4 g Samsung