Home Wireless Earbuds Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4

Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4 Review

Last updated on Mar 30, 2024   8 minute read
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Sony WF 1000XM4

Sony WF 1000XM4

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Reasons why you might like the Sony WF 1000XM4

Overall Score 8.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 4 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 7.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4 Review In Summary

Category Features Sony WF 1000XM4 Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX4
weight 7.1g 10.6g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 6mm 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 105dB/mW
POWER battery life 8hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 16hours 24hours
charge time 1.5hours 1hours
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.3
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
has aptx hd
MICROPHONE number of microphones 4only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4 Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony WF 1000XM4 IPX4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4

IP ratings is the level of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IPX4, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

In comparison to the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), Sony WF 1000XM4 have a rating of IPX4 meaning that we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust) and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

Sony WF 1000XM4 7.1g
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a weight of 10.6g . We take in account a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to move with.

The Sony WF 1000XM4, at 7.1g weigh less than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with a difference -3.5g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is a major difference since wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds together.

Sony WF 1000XM4 also is true wireless because it has no wires linking the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have sweat resistance

Sony WF 1000XM4's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have stereo speakers, what this means is that Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 also have stereo speakers

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

ANC makes use of advanced technology to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero which results in a reduced level of noise.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have ANC which makes either of the devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Each operate with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your commute or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) stay tightly in place, creating a sound seal that reduces background noise and also prevents the earbuds voice audio from leaking out .

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that both tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony WF 1000XM4 6mm
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size determines the loudness of the earbuds.

Sony WF 1000XM4 driver unit is 6mm in diameter, which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 5mm , as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony WF 1000XM4 20Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it.

Sony WF 1000XM4's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices can produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

Sony WF 1000XM4 40,000Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20,000Hz

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates high recognizable frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.

Sony WF 1000XM4's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this implies that Sony WF 1000XM4 can generate a clearer and crispier treble than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sound Pressure Level

Sony WF 1000XM4 105dB/mW
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

SPL, is the level of pressure of sound, measured in decibels, dB, Sony WF 1000XM4's measurement is 105dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Power

Battery Life

Sony WF 1000XM4 8hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony WF 1000XM4's battery life is more than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 2 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony WF 1000XM4 16hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony WF 1000XM4's charging case has a battery life of 16 hours, less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 8 hours

Charge Time

Sony WF 1000XM4 1.5hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours

It takes 1 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for long periods.

Sony WF 1000XM4 takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 0.5 hours

Has Wireless Charging

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a compatible charging pad.

Sony WF 1000XM4 also support wireless charging, take note of the charging standard of a device.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging status of your device and case.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you tell the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sony WF 1000XM4 support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Sony WF 1000XM4 v5.2
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony WF 1000XM4 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, older than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony WF 1000XM4 10meters
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sony WF 1000XM4 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Has Aac

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work well with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Ldac

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Has Aptx Hd

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony WF 1000XM4 4only
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have 6 microphones.

Sony WF 1000XM4 microphones are 4, less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 2 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a noise-canceling microphone. This is useful in noisy areas.

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises to still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but would still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Sony WF 1000XM4 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

If misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a find earbuds feature.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge the earbuds.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Sony WF 1000XM4 2only
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 have a multipoint count of 2, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Bluetooth multipoint is useful because you can be on one call and not miss notifications from another device.

Has A Mute Function

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too support this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

With the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 also have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 also have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony WF 1000XM4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) come with a special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them inside your bag without a casing can easily damage them.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.