Apple and Sony are two of the world’s most popular and reputed brands. Sony is now an established player in the audio devices market and on the other hand, Apple is very new as compared to Sony in the audio devices market. Today we will compare the two products from both of the brands. When the brands are so popular and reputed then it is a tough task for consumers to choose one product from two popular brands, then we are here to help you. Today we will compare both of the products to know which one is better for you.
Pros and Cons
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO |
| Very accurate sound for ANC headphones. | Good active noise cancelling. |
| Great noise cancelling. | Superb sound quality. |
| Legit audio upscaling. | Improved design and fit. |
| Price is still expensive. | Expensive. |
| Not great for calls. | Charges via lightning cable. |
General
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO | |
| Price | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Release date | 14 September 2020 | October 27, 2019 |
| Type | Closed, dynamic | In Ear |
| Colors | Black, Silver | White |
| Battery life | 30 Hours | 4.5 Hours Buds 24 Hours Case |
| Weight | 254 g | 51 g |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, NFC | Bluetooth |
Today we will compare two very popular products from the global earphone or headphone market. Today we will compare the Sony WH-1000XM4 and AirPods Pro. Though both of the products are wireless both come from two different segments, Sony WH-1000XM4 comes in the segment of over-ear or overhead headphones segment on the other hand the Airpods Pro comes in the true wireless earbuds segment. In this article, we will compare both these products from every possible aspect to know which one better choice for you.
Design
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO | |
| Type | Closed, dynamic | In Ear |
| Wireless | Yes | Yes |
| Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 254 g | 51 g |
| Foldable Design | Yes | No |
Both of the products come in very different segments so they are very different in terms of design. Sony WH-1000M4 is a proper wireless over-ear headphone whereas the Airpods Pro is a true wireless earbud so in terms of size, design, and weight both of the products are very different. Also, both products are served in the market at very different price points.
Firstly we will talk about the design of the Sony WH-1000XM4, it is a big size over-ear headphone. It is the successor of Sony WH-1000XM3, because of that it is very identical in terms of design with M3. The material used for the headband and band is very good and gives the feeling of premium-ness. Also in terms of comfort, the cushioning material used for the earpads is very good and very comfortable for long hours of use. The design language used for the Sony-1000XM4 is very simplistic and focused on practicality.
Now, we will talk about the design of the Apple Airpods Pro, we all know that Apple is always known for the minimalistic and simple yet modern design language. The same thing is carried out here in the design of the Airpods Pro. The Airpods Pro is very simple in design but looks very splendid. The Airpods Pro is a true wireless earbud so it is a very compact design, smaller in size, and light in weight as compared to the XM4.
In terms of built quality, both products are good, durable, and sturdy inbuilt quality. The comfort and fitting of both products are also very good. But in terms of fitting the XM4 is good because of its headband design. Otherwise, both are very good in terms of design and you won’t find any issue regarding fit and comfort from both of the products.
Features
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO | |
| USB | USB-C | USB-C |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Music Controls | Yes, Touch Sensor | Yes |
| Quick Charge | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
Both of the products come on a very different price point so here so differences in terms of features also. Both of the earphones/headphones come with ANC. But the ANC of XM4 is so good that Airpods Pro can’t be matched its quality. Sony is famous for its ANC earphones/headphones and they work very well.
Airpods Pro comes with the touchpads so it has a touch sensitivity that comes with the single, double, triple tap, and tan and holds functionality, which can be useful for the audio control, volume control, and for receiving of the end the call. On the other hand, the XM4 comes with physical buttons and they have also the same functionalities as Airpods Pro. The XM4 also comes with the proximity sensor which works quite well and is very useful.
When we talk about the sound quality then the XM4 clearly outshines the Airpods Pro. Its Bass, treble, and vocals are very good and very stable. Also, you get full access to both of the brand’s official apps from which you can control the audio controls and other functionalities and you can also control equalizer from the app.
Battery
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO | |
| Battery Type | Li-polymer | 3 Lithium ion |
| Battery Life | 30 Hours | 4.5 Hours Buds 24 Hours Case |
| Charge Time | Approx. 3 Hours | Approx. 1.5 Hours |
| Charging Port | USB-C | USB-C |
The Airpods Pro gives you overall 29 hours of battery life, 5 hours of battery life of earbuds, and 24 hours of additional battery life with the charging case. Also, you will get 2 hours of battery life with the 10 mins of charge with the quick charging. It charged with the Lighting Fast charging cable.
On the other hand, XM4 offers 30 hours of total battery life. You also get 5 hours of battery life with 10 mins of charge with a special quick charging adapter. It charged with the USB-Type-C cable.
Connectivity
| 1000XM4 | AIRPODS PRO | |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | No |
| Multi-Device Connection | Yes | Yes |
Both devices work with Bluetooth 5.0. The Sony WH-1000M4 offers support to the SBC, AAC, and Sony’s LDAC codec which is very good and will improve your Bluetooth device streaming experience. But unfortunately, the Airpods Pro only offers support to the AAC and SBC and also does not support the Aptx or Aptx HD codec support which is kind of weird.
Because of the use of Bluetooth 5.0 both of the devices offer very good, stable, strong, and solid connectivity you won’t find any issues regarding connectivity from both of the devices.
Which is better!
If you like big-size headphones that will have good bombastic bass and sound quality with very good active noise cancellation then you will surely go for the Sony WH-1000M4. But if you a compact size earbud with good sound quality and okay sort of noise cancellation and also comes on a mid-range price point then you should definitely go for the Airpods Pro.
