Apple AirPods Pro 3 / Sony WF-1000XM5

Apple AirPods Pro 3: MagSafe charging case (USB-C) with speaker

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

SpecificationApple AirPods Pro 3Sony WF-1000XM5
Release year20252023
Announcement and saleAnnounced 9 September 2025; in stores 19 September 2025 Apple—
ChipsApple H2 in the earbuds; second-generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip in the charging case Apple—
Audio hardwareCustom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier Apple—
Noise controlActive Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness

Apple says ANC is up to 2x more effective than AirPods Pro 2. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency to suit the surroundings and needs iOS 18 or later.

Apple		—
Spatial audioPersonalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking

Creating a personal profile requires an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.

Apple		—
Ear tipsFoam-infused silicone tips; five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L

XXS is new in this generation.

Apple		—
Heart rate sensingOptical heart rate sensor (PPG) in the earbuds; infrared pulsed 256 times per second

Used during workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone and requires iOS 26. It is not a medical measuring device.

Apple		—
Microphones and sensorsDual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone; skin-detect sensor, motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers

The speech-detecting accelerometer senses the wearer talking through bone vibration; Voice Isolation suppresses background noise.

Apple		—
Hearing featuresHearing Test, Hearing Aid, Hearing Protection

The Hearing Aid feature is FDA-authorised for adults 18+ with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss; availability varies by country.

Apple		—
Live TranslationLive Translation (beta) with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone on iOS 26

Apple notes the feature is not available in every region or language.

Apple		—
ControlsStem press and swipe: play/pause, calls, mode switching, volume; “Siri” voice command

Press and hold switches listening modes; swiping up or down changes volume.

Apple		—
Battery (earbuds)Up to 8 hours with ANC at 50% volume; 7.5 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking; 6.5 hours in workouts with heart rate; 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode

Apple measured these in July–August 2025 with pre-production units and software; results vary with settings and environment.

Apple		—
Battery (with case)Up to 24 hours total with ANC; 5 minutes in the case gives about 1 hour of listening Apple—
Charging caseUSB-C, MagSafe, Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My; lanyard loop

A USB-C cable is not included in the box.

Apple		—
DurabilityIP57 (IEC 60529); earbuds and charging case

Not for water sports. Resistance may decrease over time; do not charge when wet.

Apple		—
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3

Per SoundGuys testing, codecs are SBC and AAC; there is no lossless wireless streaming.

Apple		Bluetooth 5.3; about 10 m range; multipoint

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

Sony
CompatibilityLatest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS; basic Bluetooth headphones on other devices

On non-Apple devices adaptive modes, hearing features and firmware updates are unavailable.

Apple		—
Size and weightEarbud (each) 30.9 × 19.2 × 27.0 mm, 5.55 g; case 47.2 × 62.2 × 21.8 mm, 43.99 g Apple—
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
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