Sony WH-1000XM6 / Apple AirPods 4

Sony WH-1000XM6: WH series · Over-ear

Apple AirPods 4: AirPods 4 (2024), the basic model without active noise cancellation; USB‑C charging case. The same-design AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and the AirPods Pro models are separate.

Specification	Sony WH-1000XM6	Apple AirPods 4
Release year	2025	2024
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	Charging case with USB‑C port; USB‑C cable sold separately Apple says the case is more than 10 percent smaller in volume than its predecessor. Charging with an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger is specific to the ANC model. Apple
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	—
Type	—	Open-fit (no silicone tips) wireless earbuds; USB‑C charging case This is the basic AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation. The identical-looking “AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation” is a separate product. Apple
Audio technology	—	Custom high‑excursion Apple driver, custom high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ Adaptive EQ tunes the sound to the fit in the ear. Spatial Audio needs supported content; the personal profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera. Apple
Noise control	—	Vent system for pressure equalisation; active noise cancellation only on the separately sold ANC model At launch Apple offered two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. This model has an open design that does not seal the ear canal. Apple
Chip	—	H2 headphone chip H2 enables Voice Isolation, Siri Interactions with head gestures and Personalised Spatial Audio. Apple
Microphones and sensors	—	Dual beamforming microphones, inward‑facing microphone, optical in‑ear sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers, force sensor The speech-detecting accelerometer helps detect when you are speaking; the optical sensor resumes playback when the bud is put in. Apple
Controls	—	Press the stem: once to play/pause or answer, twice to skip forward or end a call, three times to skip back, press and hold for Siri; “Siri” voice activation; nod or shake your head to answer calls Apple’s control list does not include volume adjustment on the stem. Apple
Durability	—	IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance (earbuds and case) According to Apple this is for non-water sports and exercise; resistance is not permanent and may decrease with wear. Do not charge when wet. Apple
Battery	—	Up to 5 hours listening per charge; up to 30 hours total with the case; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour listening Apple measured these figures at 50% volume with Spatial Audio off. Apple
Connectivity	—	Bluetooth 5.3 It works as a Bluetooth headset with Android and other devices, but Apple says functions may be limited. Full features require current iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS or tvOS. Apple
Size and weight	—	Earbud: 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case: 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 32.3 g Apple
Accessibility	—	Live Listen, headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations Apple