Headphones comparison · 2 products
Apple AirPods Max vs Sony WH‑1000XM5
Key differences
- WeightWH‑1000XM5: 134.8 g lighter (54%)AirPods Max 384.8 g · WH‑1000XM5 250 g
- Driver sizeAirPods Max: 10 mm larger (33%)AirPods Max 40 mm · WH‑1000XM5 30 mm
- Battery life (ANC on)WH‑1000XM5: 10 h longer (50%)AirPods Max 20 h · WH‑1000XM5 30 h
- LDACOnly WH‑1000XM5.AirPods Max No · WH‑1000XM5 Yes
- BluetoothAirPods Max 5.0 · WH‑1000XM5 5.2
- Frequency rangeAirPods Max 48 Hz – 20 kHz · WH‑1000XM5 4 Hz – 40 kHz
What’s the same
- Fit Over‑ear
- Folds flat No
- Active noise cancelling Yes
- Spatial audio Yes
- aptX Adaptive No
Identical specs don’t help you choose, so “Differences only” hides them.
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM5 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | Over‑ear | Over‑ear | Same |
| Weight | 384.8 g | 250 gLighter | WH‑1000XM5 · 134.8 g lighter (54%) |
| Folds flat | No | No | Same |
2 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM5 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes | Same |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 30 mm | AirPods Max · 10 mm larger (33%) |
Why this matters. Driver size alone doesn’t predict sound quality; tuning and design matter more. | |||
| Frequency range | 48 Hz – 20 kHz | 4 Hz – 40 kHz | Different |
Why this matters. Most people hear roughly 20 Hz–20 kHz. Wider listed ranges mostly matter on paper. | |||
| Spatial audio | Yes | Yes | Same |
2 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM5 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life (ANC on) | 20 h | 30 hLonger | WH‑1000XM5 · 10 h longer (50%) |
| Battery life (max) | 20 h | 40 hLonger | WH‑1000XM5 · 20 h longer (100%) |
| Full charge time | 2 hShorter | 3.5 h | AirPods Max · 1.5 h shorter (75%) |
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM5 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | Different |
| LDAC | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM5 |
Why this matters. LDAC is a higher‑bitrate Bluetooth codec supported by many Android phones, not by iPhone. | |||
| aptX Adaptive | No | No | Same |
| Bluetooth LE Audio | No | Not listed | Listed only for AirPods Max |
| Wired listening | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM5 |
1 identical spec hidden in this section
How this comparison works
Every product in a category uses the same fields and units. Rows highlight a difference. A direction label such as “Lighter” or “More” appears only on fields where DuelVS’s methodology defines which way is generally preferable. Nothing here declares an overall winner.
Questions, answered from the data
- How many specs are different between AirPods Max and WH‑1000XM5?
- Of 15 specs DuelVS lists for this comparison, 9 differ, 5 are identical and 1 are listed for only some of the products.
- Which is lighter?
- WH‑1000XM5: 250 g vs 384.8 g for AirPods Max, 134.8 g lighter.
- Which lasts longer with noise cancelling on?
- WH‑1000XM5: 30 h vs 20 h for AirPods Max, 10 h longer.
- Which supports LDAC?
- WH‑1000XM5 does; AirPods Max doesn't.
- What do they have in common?
- Fit: Over‑ear; Folds flat: No; Active noise cancelling: Yes; Spatial audio: Yes; aptX Adaptive: No.