Sony WF-1000XM5 / Apple AirPods (3rd generation)

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

Apple AirPods (3rd generation): AirPods (3rd generation) launched in 2021 with the MagSafe Charging Case; from 2022 a version with the Lightning Charging Case was also sold. The earbuds are the same with either case. AirPods 4, AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro are separate models.

Specification	Sony WF-1000XM5	Apple AirPods (3rd generation)
Release year	2023	2021
Type	Closed, dynamic true wireless in-ear; active noise cancelling Sony	—
Driver	8.4 mm Sony	—
Frequency response	20–20,000 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	—
Codecs	SBC, 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	—
Charging	Earbuds about 1.5 hours; case about 2 hours over USB; wireless charging on the case Sony	—
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3; about 10 m range; multipoint With multipoint the earbuds stay connected to two devices at once. Sony	—
Sound features	DSEE 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 resistance	IPX4 equivalent It protects against splashing water; do not submerge. Sony	—
Weight	About 5.9 g per earbud (with M tips); case about 39 g Sony	—
Case size	About 64.6 × 40.0 × 26.5 mm Sony	—
In the box	Charging case, Noise Isolation foam tips, reference guide, USB cable Sony	—
Staying connected in the case	Earbuds 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	—
Design and fit	—	Open-fit in-ear design without silicone tips; short stem Because the earbud does not seal the canal, ambient sound is heard; fit depends on ear shape and there are no interchangeable tips. Apple
Audio technology	—	Custom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ Adaptive EQ measures what is heard in the ear with the inward-facing microphone and adjusts the tuning to the fit in real time. Head tracking anchors sound to the Apple device’s screen. There is no active noise cancellation or transparency mode. Apple
Chip and connectivity	—	H1 headphone chip; Bluetooth 5.0 Automatic device switching, “Hey Siri” and one-tap pairing work with Apple devices. Apple
Sensors and microphones	—	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone, skin-detect sensor, motion and speech-detecting accelerometers, force sensor The skin-detect sensor pauses playback when an earbud is removed. Apple
Controls	—	Press the stem once to play/pause or answer a call; twice to skip forward or end a call; three times to skip back; press and hold for Siri There is no on-bud volume control. Apple
Battery	—	Up to 6 hours of listening per charge (5 hours with Personalised Spatial Audio on); up to 30 hours with the case; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening Apple
Charging case	—	MagSafe Charging Case (MagSafe, Qi and Lightning) or Lightning Charging Case The included cable is Lightning to USB-C; there is no adapter. Apple
Sweat and water resistance	—	IPX4: earbuds and charging case IPX4 protects against splashes; it is not for submersion. Apple
Size and weight	—	Earbud (each): 30.79 × 18.26 × 19.21 mm, 4.28 g; case: 46.40 × 54.40 × 21.38 mm, 37.91 g Apple