Comparison: Sony WF 1000XM4 vs Airpods Pro – Which One is Better?

Sony and Bose have dominated the gaming headset market for quite a while, and other makers like Apple have decided to join the fray. Some of their models have already managed to get the attention of the masses.

In our comparison review, the Sony WF 1000XM4 vs Airpods Pro earbuds have been lined up. Our team has ensured that we have researched well on these two fantastic gaming models. These are wireless earbuds that come with spectacular features in them.

We will try to find which wireless ANC earbuds are worth your money. Both of the wireless earbuds come infused with intuitive pack controls, remarkable audio, and phenomenal active noise cancellation.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 earbuds come with a stunning appearance, spectacular sound quality, and powerful battery life. It comes with comes packed with helpful technology in them, and the sound quality is sublime.

Likewise, the Airpods pro is one of the top sellers for its exceptional interconnectivity with iOS devices. The earbuds have an outstanding feature set through the iOS updates frequently. The Apple earbuds are astounding and have a lot going for them.

Unusually, this time around, the Sony model is slightly expensive than the Apple unit. Though the difference is not much, Apple users might be attracted to the same brand unit. The decision of owning something that you have and mainly used as a primary case does not matter.

Our tester found the Sony unit to be designed quite well. The same be said about the Apple unit too. We have compared to several categories, including the audio and features. Not to mention, the unit were also made to extended periods of usage and spectacular battery life.

To find out the better model, you might want to read the review where we have discussed the specifications and performance, which gives you a unique listening experience. However, you may want to know the one is a better set of wireless noise cancellation earbuds.

Sony WF 1000XM4	Airpods Pro
PROS	PROS
The design of the model is opulent. The build quality is exceptional and supports the LDAC codec. Its call quality is stunning, and the microphone provides a clear voice. It has a good battery working of 8 hours. The unit comes with a spectacular noise-canceling integrated processor V1.	The model has a transparency mode for connecting and hearing. The unit comes resistant to water and sweat. It has active noise cancellation. It comes with adaptive EQ giving music to the shape of your ears. The product offers an easy setup on Apple devices.
CONS	CONS
It is more expensive than the Apple unit.	There can be a problem with the size.

SPECIFICATIONS	Sony WF 1000XM4	Airpods Pro
Name	WF-1000XM4 True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Headphones	AirPods Pro
Brand	Sony	Apple
Noise Cancelling (Active)	Yes	Yes
Connection Type	Wireless	Wireless
Wireless Connectivity	Bluetooth	Bluetooth
True Wireless	Yes	Yes
Built-In Microphone	Yes	Yes
Carrying Case	Yes	Yes
Headphone Fit	In-Ear	In-Ear
Works With	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri	Siri
Ear Tip Sizes Included	Small, Medium, Large	Large, Medium, Small
Warranty	1 year	1 Year

DESIGN & COMFORT

The design & comfort of the earbuds is going to play a crucial role in consumers selecting them. Can they live up to the expectations? Let us find out? The Sony WF 1000XM4 earbuds come in 3 pairs of memory foam ear tips.

It is in small, medium, and large sizes. Our tester thought that they are more comfortable than the Apple Airpods. That is because they are quite stable on your ears. Besides, you can instantly notice the comfort aspect of it oozing in quickly.

Since it features the wireless noise-canceling feature, it comes with the IPX4 rating. It is possible for you to wear and exercise with them. However, we found that the ear tips wear out quickly when compared to the Apple unit.

This is something that the maker might want to look into. The unit also comes with pressure vents that ensure you do not feel any discomfort at any moment whatsoever. This happens when noise cancellation is used on your model.

You can effortlessly remove your smartphone and control the playback and field calls. The earbud supports remappable touch controls and automatic ear detection for pause/play function.

The color options from Sony keep things relatively simple, like the black & copper and white & copper tons. You can choose the color that you prefer for yourself. The unit comes with a stemless earbud design.

You may be surprised to know that the device is offered with an intense footprint and provides more surface area for you to touch the controls and operate on it seamlessly. It also houses curves with contours giving you the best in the shape of your ears.

With the white glossy earbuds from Apple, the Airpods pro comes with incredible comfort. We have no complaints about that like it from a reputed brand. They are stick design is convenient because it gives you something to hold for yourself.

When you are getting down or climbing up in the bus, train, or walking around in the park, you can seamlessly remove your smartphone and control the playback and field calls. The same can be said about the Airpods earbuds where you might require the iPhone.

You can find a small imprint on each of the units that indicates it is a touch and pressure-sensitive control. The manufacturer offers you with 3 pairs of silicone ear tips from where gamers can select the pair of memory foam replacements.

Our tester felt that the stems could get caught in your mask or towel. It can cause damage to the earbud when it lands hardly on the ground. We thought of pointing out a flaw in the Airpods Pro.

Though the maker provides you with different sizes of S, M, and L, you can find yourself in trouble if they don’t fit you well. There is nothing wrong, or this does not have to be a deal breaker necessarily.

But we felt that the fit could have been improved when you have large ears. Those of you with small to medium ears may not find any issue with it, we hope. They can fall or feel quite uneasy in there.

BUILD QUALITY

We read the design & comfort of both the models and found that they are almost similar to each other. They come in different shapes, and the style is immensely different from each other. The Sony WF 1000XM4 earbud comes with a serious makeover consisting of a thick oval shape.

It comes with copper ANC microphone housings that provide you with immense flair to the appearance of the earbud. There are also large touch panels. Our tester notice that the device comes bulkier than the usual is a welcome upgrade from the earlier variant from Sony.

The model has a build quality that is quite robust and comes with the IPX4 rating. It means the water and sweat resistance is there. The colors, like we mentioned in the previous segment, were good too.

The new design found on the WF 1000XM4 unit to provides you with an ergonomic surface. This feature provides you with a stable fit. The foam tips installed do not offer you a tight seal. However, it does have the optimal earbud tips for necessary feedback.

Our tester thought that the sound port sinks quite deep into your canal, causing discomfort almost instantly as you wear them for prolonged hours. It also feels awkward and provided unwanted pressure to the concha that worsens as you keep wearing them.

It also comes with tones like black & silver. Likewise, the Airpods pro comes with astounding color tones different from the earlier version. They came in black vents, ear tips, IPX4 protection, and low stems.

The charging case on the WF 1000XM4 is quite slim and compact. It will not certainly weigh down anything when you are moving around. Not to mention, it is quite thick and enables you to use the earbuds as you are on the move.

The charging case on the Airpods pro is relatively small and minimalistic, ensuring that you are moving around effortlessly. Sadly, we noticed that the Airpods is slimmer and does not offer you adequate protection.

The case does not get scratched that easily, and the magnet provided keeps the lid tightly shut. It has a long stem silhouette with a white frame and silver tones on it. Our tester was not convinced about the sturdy design of the case as it might get cracked on dropping from a height.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE

The audio quality of the Sony WF 1000XM4 earbuds supports more Bluetooth codecs. Using the Sony model, you can use LDAC, SBC, and AAC for high-quality streaming on Android and iOS. With the help of the connect app, you can now prioritize the audio quality.

We felt that the WF model was slightly better than the Airpods in the Bluetooth 5.2 support. Your smartphone can support this kind of Bluetooth version; you can notice lengthy battery working capability.

The WF 1000XM4 earbuds were able to block out the noise effortlessly. You will not notice sound from the outside world. They can drown the noise coming from all directions. Even noises like traffic, engines, and other machines do not interfere.

The Apple Airpods Pro uses Bluetooth 5.0, which is phenomenal when used with the right kind of power efficiency. It comes with the ambient sound mode or transparency mode for allowing the sound to go inside your ears.

MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE

How is the microphone ability found on both the Sony WF 1000XM4 and the Airpods? These are quite good. The Sony WF 1000XM4 has a microphone that can be used for making personal and professional phone calls.

However, we felt that neither of them sounds as good as an external boom microphone. But you can make use of the wind reduction technology infused in them. Additionally, users would adore the earbud microphone the headset defaults.

Our tester thought that the phenomenal microphone array, wind-resistant technology, and bone conduction sensors make the 1000XM4 give eloquent noise quality. That was not to be because the earbuds continued to disappoint as a communication tool.

Muffling is a significant problem with the earbuds, and they sometimes pick up more sound than they should. The unit is suitable for doing video calls. However, they are not ideal outdoor. Our tester was astounded by the quality of the microphone.

Each word that you spoke was heard nicely and clearly. Due to the seal that is given by the earbuds, you can listen to what others on the line are talking about. The wind resistance is there to help you decrease the interference when you are speaking in windy conditions.

Using the H1 chip, you can now talk for 50% more time than most of the other earbuds. That is an excellent thing. When you have several devices of a similar brand, you can use the immediate benefit of automatic device switching.

Unfortunately, we noticed that the Airpods do not have the custom EQ module. This is something that most of the other models have embedded in them. Apple would do itself a massive favor by having it in the hardware.

COMPATIBILITY

We initially thought that Sony would win this handsomely, but we were quite wrong. The main issue with most makers is that they take Apple lightly despite the success of the manufacturer. Apple, on the other hand, keeps updating itself instantly without haste.

Probably that aspect in them gives them the needed pace over other makers. Anyways, the WF 1000XM4 unit is a good one coming with excellent compatibility features. You can make use of the connect app.

You can download it and find a similar experience on both operating systems. There is a barrage of customization options given to you. Using them, you can use the multi-band equalizer for tailoring the audio according to your preferences.

Users can choose in between the ambient sound and noise-canceling modes. You can also choose from the battery status on earbuds, choose your preferred voice assistant, remap controls, and do a lot more.

You can choose from the ear tip test to ensure that you have installed the right size ear tips. This aspect is crucial for using on noise-canceling earbuds. The model is able to optimize the passive isolation that is required for the active noise cancellation.

The Sony model also supports Google fast pair that can help you work on Android devices. You can find the device using the loud ring and verify the latest location using your android device.

The swift pair works on the Windows 10 PC too. It comes equipped with the best features through the headphones connect app. The unit comes with ambient sound control, 360 reality audio, DSEE extreme, quick attention, ANC, and others.

You can make use of more features. Users make way to an equalizer when they open the app. Using this, you can now change the frequency levels and create the audio profile of the eight presets that are available like bass boost, bright, relaxed, and more.

Similarly, the Airpods Pro unit comes with outstanding compatibility features and offers you with access to a wide range of devices. You can use the spatial audio, headphone accommodations, and hey Siri.

There is the H1 chip that makes connecting to the iOS and macOS devices exceptional well. Using this chip, you can also share the music between two Apple devices. This is when the Apple sharing ecosystem comes in handy.

You can also make use of the Siri announce notifications, auto-switching, and find my functionality for locating your earbuds when you want to. This can be done by playing a sound when nearby.

The model provides you with some form of audio customization in different ways. You can begin with the EQ that can be selected in the iOS settings. With that, you can now choose from more than 20 different presets that complement respective genres.

You can also modify the EQ settings in Spotify if you want to achieve similar outcomes. Headphone’s accommodation is another option offering you 3 recommendations to tune sound as you wish, like vocal range, brightness, and balanced tone.

We cannot point out which one of the models is better than the other in compatibility. That is because they do not come with multipoint technology. Surprisingly, even WF 1000XM4 does not have NFC this time which means, you cannot seamlessly connect by tapping the charging case to a compatible smartphone.

PRICE

The Sony WF 1000XM4 earbuds come priced under $279. If you want any discount on them, you might have to wait for a very long time because the maker is not known for discounts. But during the sales or discount period, the chance of getting some reduction is always there.

The AirPods Pro earbuds come priced under $249. That is cheaper by $30, making it more attractive. We did not find any deals on them for now. Typically, you cannot expect discounts from Apple gadgets because they are extremely durable and worth the extra amount you pay.

In the end, it comes down to your taste and preferences. Sony has a die-hard fan following, and so does Apple. Both the makers are extremely popular among the people because of the unique features embedded in them and the gadgets.

Sony WF 1000XM4 vs Airpods Pro: Verdict

There you go; we have ended our discussion on the review between Sony WF 1000XM4 vs Airpods Pro earbuds. When you search for a new earbud for yourself, this would be the ideal opportunity to do so.

They both are new models and come with superb features embedded in them. The Sony WF 1000XM4 earbuds come pricey than the Airpods Pro. Besides that, it is a stunning gaming unit. You can find the design, build quality, and sound performance one of the best.

By now, you may have thought that the Sony WF is the winner of this comparison review. We did not feel likewise. Though it is a close one, we choose the Airpods Pro. We will tell you why. The Sony active noise cancellation is the best in the segment as of today.

Additionally, you can connect on a barrage of smartphones effortlessly. Of course, this is for those of you who do not own an iPhone. Using the Sony unit, you have a decent battery life, more customization options, comfort, and fit, most of it found on iOS.

We felt that the toned-down design and features in the Sony model were justified for the price. When everything gets implemented for the greater good, though the design was a minor failure. Our tester found the call quality slightly annoying, giving the Airpods a slight edge.

Apple has given you a gem of product in the form of the AirPods Pro. Though you can speak about the frustrating design and few other notable disappointments, iPhone owners won’t hesitate to buy this model.

The noise cancellation is powerful, the audio is good, the software keeps getting updated, and spectacular controls. The Apple model costs much lesser than the Sony unit. It provides you with a brand for value.

But when you are alright with the price point and want to own a better noise cancellation unit, then the 1000XM4 it is. Our tester did like to point out the issue of the size of the Airpods ear tips. They can fall down or feel quite uncomfortable inside your ears. Besides, this is amazing earbuds to own especially if you have an iPhone. There is no reason why not to buy this unit.

Also check: How to Connect Airpods to iPhone?
Also check: How to Connect Airpods to MacBook?
Also check: How to Connect Airpods to Laptop (Windows)?