You can now find many different wireless earbuds in the market. However, the Apple AirPods Pro and the Sony WF-1000XM4 can be considered the best of the best. Offering many useful features, both earbuds can come in handy.
However, when it comes to making a decision between Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM4, you might get stuck. Since both the earbuds are equally as good, we decided to compare them in terms of different features to see which one should you get.
Today, we will be looking at the sound quality, design, and other features for both Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sony’s WF-1000XM4!
Table of Contents
Battery Life and Charging
While using wireless earbuds, it is very important that they have a long battery life that can last you a long time. When we compared Apple Airpods Pro to Sony WF-1000XM4, we found that the latter had much better battery life. All battery life metrics are with ANC enabled. For a complete charge cycle, Airpods Pro lasted for a little more than 4 hours of continuous use while the Sony WF-1000XM4 had a playtime of over 8 hours.
If we look at reserve batteries, Airpods Pro’s case is able to push total battery life to 24 hours of charge as well. The Sony WF-1000XM4 case also provides a total of 24 hours of use within its charging case. Total battery life is equal for both earbuds. The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds will just hold their charge much longer require less tie in its case.
Design and Fit
It is important that the design and fit of your earbuds match your requirements. When it comes to design, Apple keeps it classy with its white earbuds. The earbuds have a long, angled stem that has a glossy finish. The shape of the Airpods Pro is ideal for anyone who is clumsy. These earbuds can be easily removed or inserted. However, the long stem can sometimes get stuck in your mark or jewelry. Your mileage may vary. If the prior gen Airpods worked, you’ll have no issue with the Apple Airpods Pro.
Apple Airpods Pro is also touch and pressure-sensitive. This allows you to control your earbuds with just one slight touch. The earbuds also come with silicone ear tips so that they can sit well inside your ears.
On the other hand, Sony offers a variety of color options for its earbuds. You can get the Sony WF-1000XM4 in either black or white. The earbuds come in a more traditional design that is stemless. This allows you to have a large surface area for touch controls.
These touch panels allow you to change songs, activate noise cancellation, and accept, or end calls. Even the shape of the earbuds contours the inside of your ear so that they are comfortable to wear.
In terms of comfort, both earbuds come with three different ear tips. However, they differ in material for both earbuds. Sony ear tips are made up of a hybrid foam mix while the Apple earbuds come in a silicone form.
Connectivity and Playback
When it comes to connectivity, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is more compatible with Bluetooth codecs as compared to the AirPods Pro. It uses Bluetooth 5.2 as its main support system. Sony also allows you to choose from SBC, AAC, and LDAC for connectivity. You can even use the Sony Connect app to change the settings for sound quality or connection stability.
On the other hand, the AirPods Pro makes use of Bluetooth 5.0 which is extremely functional when it comes to using power efficiently. The only downside is that the AirPods Pro can only provide you with SBC or AAC binaries.
Sound Quality
The main thing that you should look at while buying earbuds is their sound quality. If we compare the results of the two earbuds, we see that the Sony WF-1000XM4 have better sound quality overall. Both have a slightly dynamic sound signature, but the WF-1000XM4 has slightly better detail and soundstage. They also have the added capability of a HiFi audio codec (LDAC). That’s in addition to the Headphones Connect app to find the best sound quality which allows for more tweaking of the EQ than Apple’s Airpods Pro.
Both earbuds sound great even if we give the Sony WF-1000XM4 the edge. Both are versatile enough that you can listen to many versatile genres of music, without compromising the sound quality. One downside to Apple Airpods Pro is that it can have lower bass than most people would have liked. Sony’s earbuds should definitely be your choice if bass is what you’re looking for.
Active Noise Cancelling
When it comes to active noise cancellation, both earbuds offer this feature. In fact, they do a great job at removing sounds of different frequencies. If we compare, we see that the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds easily cancel out low-frequency sounds such as loud traffic noise or engine sounds. Whereas, Airpods Pro lags behind in removing such sounds completely.
Both the earbuds also come with an ambient sound mode. This is known as the transparency mode by Apple. Due to this feature, you are aware of your surroundings as well.
In the WF-1000XM4, the transparency mode can be adjusted to 20 levels. You can even choose to focus on different sounds. However, the transparency mode feels more natural on the Airpods Pro. You might not even feel like you are wearing any earbuds. Both the Airpods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM4 have solid ANC functionality, but over-the-head phones should still be the choice for real ANC capability.
Unique Features on Apple Airpods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM4
While we have compared many features for both the earbuds, they also come with some unique features of their own. The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are processed by Sony’s highly advanced Integrated Processor V1 Chip. This chip offers many different features and modes of listening that you can explore.
While playing music on the Sony WF-1000XM4, you can automatically pause it by simply taking the earbuds out. The music starts itself once you place the earbuds back in. You can even use the touch control for volume, playback, and much more.
The Sony Earbuds also have a speak-to-chat feature that pauses music once it realizes that you are speaking. This allows you to have easy conversations. The Adaptive Sound Control can easily detect your movements and help alter the sound settings accordingly.
The earbuds are also compatible with the Google fast pair that allows you to pair over a wide variety of Android or Microsoft devices.
Moving on to the Apple AirPods Pro, we see that they are powered by an H1 chip that helps enhance the whole sound experience. This chip allows for easy connections and easy pairing to your devices. You can even switch between Apple devices easily.
The Apple Airpod Pro earbuds come with Dolby sound that offers a high-quality listening experience. You can also use the “Siri” command system through the earbuds.
In Conclusion: Sony WF-1000XM4 vs Apple Airpods Pro
After putting the two earbuds into comparison, we have seen that both of them offer high functionality with some really great features. That being said, The Sony WF-1000XM4 offers better noise cancellation and better battery life. We also prefer the overall sound quality of the WF-1000XM4 over the Airpods Pro. That includes the added functionality through Sony’s Headphones app. At the same time, Apple does include a few specific features that sweeten the pot for iPhone users. This may sway some iPhone users, but we see Sony’s WF-1000XM4 as the better headphones overall.
Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM4: FAQs
Which pair of earbuds have better ANC?
While both the earbuds offer great active noise cancellation, Sony WF-1000XM4 takes the lead for this. It even cancels out low-frequency sounds such as traffic noise and so on. This enables you to enjoy your music without any disturbance.
Are these earbuds water resistant?
Both the earbuds are water-resistant. The Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple’s Airpods Pro are IPX4 water-resistant. That means that they can withstand damages from splash or even sweat. You should refrain from using either pair of earbuds in a pool or shower
Can the Airpods Pro connect to Android devices?
Lucky for you, the Apple Airpods Pro are not exclusive to iOS devices. In fact, you can connect them with any Bluetooth supporting device, even Android phones. However, when you connect them with android devices, you will not get all of the features.
Keith Collins has been writing for over 15 years for various publications. He’s a lover of music, home theater, and excellent sound quality. His fondness for technology in addition to his non-stop curiosity fuels his writing ventures.