Overall Score 6.6 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Sony WF 1000XM3 | Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | ✗ | ipX4 |
weight | 17g | 10.6g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
wingtips included | ✓ | ✗ | |
sweat resistance | ✗ | ✓ | |
has an earbud foam | ✓ | ✗ | |
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 | 20,000hz | 20,000hz | |
has a neodymium magnet | ✓ | ✗ | |
POWER | battery life | 8hours | 6hours |
battery life of charging case | 24hours | 24hours | |
charge time | 3.5hours | 1hours | |
battery power | ✗ | 49.7mah | |
has wireless charging | ✗ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✗ |
bluetooth version | v5 | v5.3 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
supports bluetooth pairing using nfc | ✓ | ✗ | |
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 | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
warranty period | 2years | ✗ | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings is the rank of protection given by an enclosure, against solids and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).
Having a value of IPX4, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s rating is read as, the first value of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have a weight of 17g . We take in account a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to carry.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), at 10.6g
weigh less than the Sony WF 1000XM3 with a difference -6.4g
True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, Sony WF 1000XM3 are true wireless for this case since they have no wires. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires connecting the pair of earbuds .
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also is true wireless since it has no wires connecting the two earbuds .
The Sony WF 1000XM3 come with wingtips, these are reserved for earbuds for workouts and are usually an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a better fit.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are resistant to sweat
An earbud foam is designed to be ultracompact and lightweight, with little interference with earrings, spectacles, hats, or hairstyles. The Sony WF 1000XM3 have an earbud foam for some people it is more comfortable than the in-ear foam.
Sony WF 1000XM3 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Sony WF 1000XM3's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation uses advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving zero therefore "diluting" the noise.
Sony WF 1000XM3 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have ANC which makes both earbuds ideal for flights and morning commutes. Each work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your travel or that enhances your chill time.
Sony WF 1000XM3 sit well in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces background sounds well as preventing the device sound from leaking out at the same.
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which implies that they reduce ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.
Sony WF 1000XM3 driver unit is 6mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass.
The driver unit is the component that makes sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the device.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter,
making them have a larger driver unit than that of Sony WF 1000XM3 by 5mm
, many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound.
The Sony WF 1000XM3's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio component generates low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
both devices produce equal bass
The Sony WF 1000XM3's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio component generates high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices generate equal treble
Sony WF 1000XM3 have neodymium magnets, when used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output while using less power. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, using high magnetic flux.
Sony WF 1000XM3's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is
less than that of Sony WF 1000XM3 by 2 hours
. Every time you recharge your device, 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.
This is given by the vendor, and Sony WF 1000XM3's case is said to have a charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s charging case has a battery life of 24 hours,
equal to that of the Sony WF 1000XM3
It requires 3.5 hours to fully charge the Sony WF 1000XM3's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for long periods.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) takes 1 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of Sony WF 1000XM3 by 2.5 hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery power is 49.7mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just put down on a supported charging pad.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. Its lights show the charging state of your device and charging case.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.
Sony WF 1000XM3 use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
Sony WF 1000XM3 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) has a Bluetooth version of 5.3,
newer than that of Sony WF 1000XM3
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Sony WF 1000XM3
Sony WF 1000XM3 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony WF 1000XM3 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 Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 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.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 support fast Bluetooth pairing using NFC so it can communicate with other devices over Bluetooth. You can fastly pair devices without entering a code by simply holding one device next to the device with which it is to be paired.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have 4 microphones.
While the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) microphones are 6,
more than that of Sony WF 1000XM3 by 2
. More microphones result in better sound quality and help the device to filter out noise.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out background sounds from the earbuds' sound.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.
Sony WF 1000XM3 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even when wearing the earbuds
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears .
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.
When lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Sony WF 1000XM3 support the find earbuds feature.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have the find earbuds feature. Use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to locate them.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
Also the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.
The Sony WF 1000XM3, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a control panel on them.
Sony WF 1000XM3 have a warranty period of 2 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals.
Sony WF 1000XM3 have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.
The Sony WF 1000XM3 come with a special case. Carrying earphones openly, or putting them inside your bag without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have a case included, which offers safe transportation.