Side-by-side compare
Compare the headphones that matter.
Up to four products, every spec aligned, the winner of each round highlighted — so the right pick is obvious.
Comparing2 products Headphones
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ComparZone verdict
The WH-1000XM5 takes the overall win.
Highest composite score at 9.0/10 — edging out the AirPods Max by 0.5 points. Best suited for overall. Scroll for the full breakdown.
Category wins · 13 attributes
WH-1000XM56
AirPods Max2
WH-1000XM5Best for overall
AirPods MaxBest for Apple ecosystem users
Performance profile
All 2 products overlaid · hover a name to isolate
Sony
WH-1000XM5
Apple
AirPods Max
Category-by-category
Brightest bar leads each attribute
Price comparison
Starting price · lowest highlighted
Full specifications
Winning value highlighted per row
Audio6 specs
Type
Over-ear closed-back
Over-ear closed-back
Driver Size(mm)
30 mm
40 mm
Frequency Response
4 Hz – 40 kHz
Apple-tuned dynamic
Codec Support
LDAC / AAC / SBC
AAC / SBC / USB-C lossless
Hi-Res Audio
Yes
Yes
Spatial Audio
Yes
Yes
Battery2 specs
Battery Life (ANC)(hr)
30 hr
20 hr
Quick Charge
3 min = 3 hours
5 min = 1.5 hours
Connectivity1 specs
Multipoint
Yes
No
Design2 specs
Weight(g)
250 g
385 g
Water Resistance
None
None
Noise Cancelling2 specs
Active Noise Cancellation
Yes
Yes
ANC Microphones
8
9
Why pick each
Standout strengths at a glance
#1
Sony
WH-1000XM5
9.0
“The all-round ANC benchmark: class-leading noise cancelling, rich tunable sound, and excellent call clarity.”
Noise Cancelling 9.5
Features 9.3
Wins Active Noise Cancellation
Wins Battery Life (ANC)
Best for overall · wins 6 specs
#2
Apple
AirPods Max
8.5
“Premium machined over-ears with seamless Apple integration, strong ANC, and excellent spatial audio.”
Noise Cancelling 9.0
Sound 8.8
Wins ANC Microphones
Wins Driver Size
Best for Apple ecosystem users · wins 2 specs