AirPods Max VS Sony WH-1000XM5: features, differences and price

After several completely wireless Bluetooth headsets, Apple made the leap into the Bluetooth headset business with the AirPods Max, which received mixed reviews, especially for their MSRP. The AirPods Max have been regularly compared to the Sony WH-1000XM5. This new generation has a renewed design and continues to bet on brutal active noise cancellation. We put them face to face to know their characteristics, differences and prices.

Features AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5

• Design: Sony has revamped the design of its flagship headphones and now they are sleeker and more similar to the AirPods Max. Apple’s proposal, available in several colors, exceeds Sony’s by more than 100 grams, but its mesh headband is very comfortable and they don’t feel heavy even if worn for a long time.

• connectivity: The Sony WH-1000XM5 are quite complete in this section, with Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC for wireless connection, but also 3.5mm jack for wired connection. And they are recharged by USB-C, the connector that has been standardized because of its possibilities. AirPods Max can also be connected both wirelessly and wired using the Lightning connection, but they are sold separately.

• Drums: AirPods Max last up to 20 hours per charge, but they have one problem: they cannot be disabled. They go into low-power mode when placed in their case, but that’s not an ideal mechanism. For its part, the Sony can take up to 40 hours of playback without noise cancellation, about 30 hours with this function active.

• sound technology: One of the star features of the AirPods Max is Spatial Audio with Dynamic Tracking, a feature that is quite striking and interesting when used with compatible content. They also have active noise cancellation, an ambient sound mode and adaptive equalization. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are well served: ANC, ambient sound, Wired and Wireless Hi-Res AudioDSEE Extreme and adaptive sound.

• Compatibility: While the Sony can be used with Android, iOS devices, Windows computers, etc. The AirPods Max they only work properly and unfold their full potential with Apple devicesso if you’re not immersed in the business ecosystem, it’s not a fully recommended purchase.

• Others: Sony offers other great features in its headphones, such as Spotify Tap or Quick Pair with Android or Windows devices via Fast Pair and Swift Pair, or multipoint connectivity. AirPods Max can quickly switch between Apple devices and their H1 chip enables the “Hey Siri” function.

• Price: Neither earphone is cheap, but the AirPods Max have a significantly higher price (629 dollars). Sony’s PVP is 449 dollars. It’s a big difference, but there are offers that bring them very close and can be purchased at about the same price.

Sony WH-1000XM5 and AirPods Max, which one to buy?

The AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5 are some of the best and most recommended Bluetooth headphones you can buy right now. They are not cheap, but if you take advantage of the offers, you can buy them at a very good price. The point that needs to be considered in this comparison is compatibility.

If you only have Apple devices and don’t plan to switch ecosystems, the AirPods Max offer an excellent level of integration and can only be fully used with Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, etc. . If among our possessions we have computers with Windows, Android and iOS, for example, it is better to opt for the Sony WH-1000XM5, which do not limit their functionality by system.

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