Sony WH-1000XM6 / Apple AirPods (3rd generation)

Sony WH-1000XM6: WH series · Over-ear

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 WH-1000XM6	Apple AirPods (3rd generation)
Release year	2025	2021
Driver	30 mm Sony	—
Bluetooth	5.3 Sony	—
Bluetooth profiles	A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; TMAP, GMAP, PBP for LE Audio About 10 m line-of-sight range; Power Class 1. Sony	—
Codec	SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Sony	—
Frequency response	Wired and on: 4–40,000 Hz; LDAC 96 kHz: 20–40,000 Hz Over Bluetooth at 44.1 kHz sampling the range is 20–20,000 Hz. Sony	—
Impedance / sensitivity	Wired, on: 48 Ω, 103 dB/mW; off: 16 Ω, 102 dB/mW Sony	—
Rated battery life	Music: up to 30 hours with ANC, 40 hours without ANC Sony	—
Rated talk time	Up to 24 hours with ANC, 28 hours without ANC Sony	—
Charging	About 3.5 hours; 9 V / 2.3 A with a USB Power Delivery adapter Charge between 5 and 35 °C; use between 0 and 40 °C. Sony	—
Connections	Bluetooth; 3.5 mm audio; USB-C charging Sony	—
Weight	Approximately 254 g Sony	—
Gaming audio	GMAP support · firmware 3.1.5 Added by the 30 June 2026 update; requires a compatible phone and game. Sony	—
LE Audio requirement	LC3; Low latency mode in Sound Connect LE Audio is unavailable in the default Prioritize Sound Quality mode. Sony	—
Water protection	Not waterproof Not designed for rain or wet use. Sony	—
Earlier software fix	2.1.0: recording/playback in some iPhone apps and missing call audio 21 August 2025 release note; not a fix for every connection issue. 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