✦ SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARE

AirPods Max vs Px7 S2e vs WH-1000XM5: which is better?

AirPods Max, Px7 S2e and WH-1000XM5 compared side by side across 73 specs and 9 scored categories — every winner highlighted, so the right pick is obvious.

3 PRODUCTS · 73 SPECS · 9 SCORED CATEGORIES · LIVE RE-RANKING

COMPARING

3 / 4

HEADPHONES

Add or remove products — every chart and spec row re-ranks live.

APPLE

AirPods Max

$549

STRONG CONTENDER

BOWERS & WILKINS

Px7 S2e

$399

BEST FOR SOUND QUALITY

← TOP PICK

SONY

WH-1000XM5

$399

BEST OVERALL

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⚡ COMPARZONE VERDICT

The WH-1000XM5 takes the overall win.

Highest composite at 9.0/10 — 0.4 ahead of the Px7 S2e. Tightest race: sound, just 0.4 apart. Scroll for the category-by-category breakdown.

View best price →

CATEGORY WINS · 9 SCOREDTIES SHOWN GREY

SOUN

NOIS

COMF

BATT

FEAT

VALU

SOUN

NOIS

BATT

AirPods Max×0

Px7 S2e×3

WH-1000XM5×6

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)STRONG CONTENDER

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2eBEST FOR SOUND QUALITY

Sony WH-1000XM5BEST OVERALL

01 · SCORE RADAR

Performance profile

CLICK A PRODUCT TO ISOLATE ITS SHAPE

LARGEST GAPSound Quality — Px7 S2e leads by 9.1

TIGHTESTSound — only 0.4 between the top two

02 · CATEGORY BREAKDOWN

Category showdown

AIRPODS MAPX7 S2EWH 1000XM5

SoundiWH-1000XM5 · +0.4

AIRPODS MA8.8

PX7 S2E0.0

WH 1000XM59.2

Noise CancellingiWH-1000XM5 · +0.5

AIRPODS MA9.0

PX7 S2E0.0

WH 1000XM59.5

ComfortiWH-1000XM5 · +0.4

AIRPODS MA8.2

PX7 S2E8.6

WH 1000XM59.0

BatteryiWH-1000XM5 · +1.2

AIRPODS MA7.9

PX7 S2E0.0

WH 1000XM59.1

FeaturesiWH-1000XM5 · +0.6

AIRPODS MA8.7

PX7 S2E7.8

WH 1000XM59.3

ValueiWH-1000XM5 · +0.4

AIRPODS MA7.4

PX7 S2E8.1

WH 1000XM58.5

Sound QualityiPx7 S2e · +9.1

AIRPODS MA0.0

PX7 S2E9.1

WH 1000XM50.0

Noise CancellationiPx7 S2e · +8.0

AIRPODS MA0.0

PX7 S2E8.0

WH 1000XM50.0

Battery LifeiPx7 S2e · +8.0

AIRPODS MA0.0

PX7 S2E8.0

WH 1000XM50.0

03 · VALUE MAP

Price vs performance

TOP-LEFT IS THE SWEET SPOT

SCORE PER $100 · RANKED

01WH-1000XM52.26BEST DEAL

02Px7 S2e2.16

03AirPods Max1.55

Map shows current starting prices · trends show tracked street prices. Check live deals before deciding.

04 · THE FULL SHEET

Full specifications

73 SPECS · ALL SHOWN

SPECS

AirPods Max$5493W8.5

Px7 S2e$3993W8.6

WH-1000XM5$3992W9.0

Typei

Over-ear closed-back

Over-ear

Over-ear closed-back

Driver SizeMMi

40 mm← TIED BEST

30 mm

Frequency Responsei

Apple-tuned dynamic

10 Hz - 30 kHz

4 Hz – 40 kHz

Codec Supporti

AAC / SBC / USB-C lossless

SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD

LDAC / AAC / SBC

Hi-Res AudioiSAME

Yes

Spatial Audioi

Yes← BEST

Yes

Battery Life (ANC)HRi

20 hr

30 hr← TIED BEST

Quick Chargei

5 min = 1.5 hours

15 min = 7 hours

3 min = 3 hours

Has A WirediSAME

—

Has A WirelessiSAME

—

Bluetooth VersioniSAME

—

Has Aptx AdaptiveiSAME

—

Has AptxiSAME

—

Has LdaciSAME

—

Has LdhciSAME

—

Has Bluetooth Le AudioiSAME

—

Has Aptx Low LatencyiSAME

—

Has Aptx HdiSAME

—

Has Aptx LosslessiSAME

—

Has AaciSAME

—

Has AuracastiSAME

—

Audio LatencyiSAME

—

Maximum Bluetooth RangeMiSAME

—

Has Fast PairingiSAME

—

Supports Bluetooth Pairing Using NfciSAME

—

Multipointi

Yes← BEST

Yes

FitiSAME

—

Has A Detachable CableiSAME

—

Is Designed for KidsiSAME

—

Can be FoldediSAME

—

Has a Tangle Free CableiSAME

—

Travel Bag is IncludediSAME

—

Has an Open-Back DesigniSAME

—

Cable LengthMiSAME

—

Has Stereo SpeakersiSAME

—

WeightGi

385 g

307 g

250 g← 19% lighter

Water ResistanceiSAME

None

Build QualityiSAME

—

Sound QualityiSAME

—

Release DateiSAME

—

Has A Noise-Canceling MicrophoneiSAME

—

Has Ambient Sound ModeiSAME

—

Has In/On-Ear DetectioniSAME

—

Number Of MicrophonesiSAME

—

Has A Mute FunctioniSAME

—

Multipoint CountiSAME

—

Has A Control Panel On The DeviceiSAME

—

Can Be Used As A HeadsetiSAME

—

Has An In-Line Control PaneliSAME

—

Value-for-MoneyiSAME

—

Warranty PeriodYEARSiSAME

—

Noise IsolationiSAME

—

ComfortiSAME

—

Active Noise CancellationiSAME

Yes

ANC Microphonesi

9← BEST +13%

Battery LifeHOURSiSAME

—

Charge TimeiSAME

—

Has Usb Type-CiSAME

—

Has A Battery Level IndicatoriSAME

—

Has Wireless ChargingiSAME

—

Battery PoweriSAME

—

Has A Solar Power BatteryiSAME

—

Has A Rechargeable BatteryiSAME

—

Has A Removable BatteryiSAME

—

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)iSAME

—

Lowest FrequencyHZiSAME

—

Highest FrequencyHZiSAME

—

Driver Unit SizeMMiSAME

—

ImpedanceOHMSiSAME

—

Supports Spatial AudioiSAME

—

Sound Pressure LevelDB/MWiSAME

—

Has A Neodymium MagnetiSAME

—

Has Passive Noise ReductioniSAME

—

ROW WINS

05 · WHICH ONE IS FOR YOU

Pick by persona

RE-RANKS LIVE AS YOU ADD OR REMOVE PRODUCTS

THE ALL-ROUNDER

Best overall

WH-1000XM5SONY9.0

ALL GROUPSEQUAL WEIGHT

Best total score across weighted category factors.

RUNNER-UP · Px7 S2e (8.6)

FOR VALUE SEEKERS

Best bang for buck

WH-1000XM5SONY9.0

SCORE ÷ PRICELIVE PRICES

Strongest score-to-price ratio from the available price data.

RUNNER-UP · Px7 S2e (2.2)

PRIORITY · SOUND QUALITY

Best for sound quality

Px7 S2eBOWERS & WILKINS9.1

SOUND QUALITY WEIGHTEDCONF 87%

Best visible score in the sound quality category group.

RUNNER-UP · AirPods Max (0.0)

PRIORITY · NOISE CANCELLATION

Best for noise cancellation

Px7 S2eBOWERS & WILKINS8.0

NOISE CANCELLATION WEIGHTEDCONF 77%

Best visible score in the noise cancellation category group.

RUNNER-UP · AirPods Max (0.0)

06 · BOTTOM LINE

Why pick each

STRENGTHS · AND ONE HONEST TRADE-OFF

#3APPLE0.0

AirPods Max

“Premium machined over-ears with seamless Apple integration, strong ANC, and excellent spatial audio.”

Noise Cancelling 9.0

Sound 8.8

Wins Active Noise Cancellation

Wins ANC Microphones

TRADE-OFFHeavy at 385g

STRONG CONTENDERBest price →

#2BOWERS & WILKINS0.0

Px7 S2e

“A luxury hi-fi wireless headphone with refined sound, premium materials, and aptX Adaptive hi-res support.”

Sound Quality 9.1

Comfort 8.6

Wins Battery Life (ANC)

Wins Multipoint

TRADE-OFFANC trails Sony and Bose

BEST FOR SOUND QUALITYBest price →

#1SONY0.0

WH-1000XM5

“The all-round ANC benchmark: class-leading noise cancelling, rich tunable sound, and excellent call clarity.”

Noise Cancelling 9.5

Features 9.3

Wins Weight

TRADE-OFFNo longer folds flat

BEST OVERALLBest price →

Still deciding? The WH-1000XM5 is the safest pick.

COMPOSITE 9.0/10 · WINS 6 OF 9 CATEGORIES

Buy the winner →

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e vs Sony WH-1000XM5: which is best?

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is our overall pick, scoring 9.0/10 against 8.6/10 for the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e — a 5% edge. Current starting prices span $399–$549. The score weighs category-specific headphones attributes, spec wins, price signals, and data confidence — not sponsorships.

Sony WH-1000XM5 leads overall with a 9.0 total score.
Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) wins 5 comparable specs with a 7% weighted win rate.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e has the strongest high-impact advantage in Battery Life (ANC).
Sony WH-1000XM5 has the best visible score-to-price balance based on available starting price.

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)8.5/10

Premium machined over-ears with seamless Apple integration, strong ANC, and excellent spatial audio.

Pros

+ Premium machined aluminum build
+ Seamless Apple ecosystem pairing
+ Excellent head-tracked spatial audio
+ Strong ANC

Cons

− Heavy at 385g
− Very expensive
− Awkward Smart Case

Best for: Apple ecosystem users · Spatial audio fans · Premium build seekers

“The best pick for committed Apple users who want premium materials and seamless spatial audio. Weight, price, and the awkward case are the downsides.”

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e8.6/10

A luxury hi-fi wireless headphone with refined sound, premium materials, and aptX Adaptive hi-res support.

Pros

+ Refined, detailed, musical sound
+ Premium materials and elegant design
+ aptX Adaptive 24-bit hi-res support
+ Very comfortable plush earpads

Cons

− ANC trails Sony and Bose
− 30-hour battery is only average for the price
− Fewer software features than rivals

Best for: Audiophiles wanting refined sound · Buyers who value design and materials · Android users with aptX Adaptive devices

“The Px7 S2e is for buyers who treat headphones as a hi-fi component first and a gadget second. The sound is wonderfully refined and the build feels genuinely premium, but the ANC and feature set trail Sony and Bose, and 30 hours of battery is merely adequate.…”

Sony WH-1000XM5WINNER 9.0/10

The all-round ANC benchmark: class-leading noise cancelling, rich tunable sound, and excellent call clarity.

Pros

+ Class-leading noise cancellation
+ Rich, customizable sound with LDAC
+ Excellent call clarity
+ 30-hour battery with quick charge

Cons

− No longer folds flat
− Premium price
− Not water resistant

Best for: Frequent travelers · Office and focus work · Hi-res music listeners

“The best all-rounder for most people: superb ANC, customizable sound, and the clearest calls in the class. It no longer folds flat and the price stays premium.”

Frequently asked questions

Which is best: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e or Sony WH-1000XM5?

By ComparZone's weighted scoring of category-specific headphones specs, the Sony WH-1000XM5 scores highest overall (9.0/10, 0.4 points ahead of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e). It is the better all-round pick, but the right choice depends on your priorities — the spec table above shows exactly where each one wins.

What are the main differences between these headphones?

The biggest measurable differences are Battery Life (ANC), Codec Support, Type — with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e leading on Battery Life (ANC). The grouped spec sheet above marks the winner of every comparable spec.

Can I compare other headphones on ComparZone?

Yes — ComparZone supports dynamic comparison pages for any 2 to 4 headphones from the same category, with verified specs, transparent scores, and live prices. See the related comparisons below or build your own from the category page.

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