In the big market of luxury noise-canceling headphones, two models stand out: Apple’s AirPods Max and Sony’s WH-1000XM5. Both offer exceptional sound quality, advanced noise cancellation, and a suite of features catering to audiophiles and casual listeners alike. In this article, we will delve into the design, performance, battery life, and unique functionalities to help you determine which flagship aligns best with your listening preferences.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Overview
For the past few years, Sony’s flagship noise-cancelling headphones have been at the top. First, they were the Mark 4s, and now the Mark 5s, they are an easy pick and recommendation for people buying new headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM5s are an amazing pair of premium, lightweight, noise-canceling headphones.
Apple AirPods Max Overview
Headphones fall into two main categories: studio-grade headphones, which are packed with technology and designed for professional production, and normal headphones, which prioritize comfort and deliver great sound for music and movies. The AirPods Max sit somewhere in between, leaning more toward the latter side. The Apple AirPods Max are Apple’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, they were released four years ago and yet they still compete with headphones that were launched recently. They also got an update this year, the lightning port was replaced with a USB-C port, and the chip was changed to the new Apple H1 chip, which is also in the AirPods 4.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: Price Comparision
The Apple AirPods Max were released in 2020 and they retailed for $550. In 2025, they continue to retail for $550, with no news of a decrease in the high price. The Sony WH-1000XM5s retail for $399, and these headphones haven’t decreased in price either. Both flagship headphones do frequent sales, and the AirPods Max go as low as $450, while the Sony Mark 5s go as low as $280. In the future, we can expect the AirPods Max to remain the pricier pair until Apple releases the next generation of its flagship headphones, which doesn’t seem to be very soon.
Sony XM5 vs AirPods Max: Design And Build Quality
The AirPods Max have aluminum earcups and a stainless steel headband. The headphones have a satin finish and come in five colors, Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Orange. The build quality of these headphones is very good, as almost every other headphone out there is made of plastic, and metal is more durable. As metal weighs more than plastic, there is a mesh on the top band that evenly distributes weight, but these are still heavy headphones. The headband doesn’t have any notches and it is very smooth to pull and push. The mesh earcups with memory foam are soft and comfortable, and they do better than leather for long listening sessions. The earcups can also be removed easily because they are attached with magnets, this is a big pro and you don’t see this in many headphones. As the headphones are heavier, they may be less comfortable than many other headphones out there, but Apple did do all they could to make the headphones comfortable.
Over time, your earcups will get compressed and crack, and the fact that you can replace them instead of buying new headphones is convenient. However, Apple sells a new pair of earcups for $69, which is incredibly overpriced.
Apple didn’t integrate any touch controls in the AirPods Max, instead, there is a button and a digital crown on top of the right earcup. You can press this crown for media controls and rotate it for volume, you can also reverse the direction of the spin from your iPhone.
The look of the Sony WH-1000XM5s is completely different from Sony’s previous flagship headphones. They now have a simple, sharp, and clean look. They come in four finishes, Black, Silver, Midnight Blue, and Smoky Pink. The ear cups are bigger and wider, and the new leather material is softer and more comfortable. The headphones are very light, only 250g, which makes them comfortable to wear for long periods.
There is a touch-sensitive panel on the right ear cup for pausing, skipping, and more commands. There are eight total microphones, four on each side, and you also have on-ear detection. There is also a new sliding headband design, like the one in the AirPods Max. It is the only way to adjust the size of the headphones.
As far as comfort goes, both headphones are at the top. However, the Sony XM5s are lighter, because they are made of plastic, and they don’t strain the neck as much.
The case of the AirPods Max is the most criticized component of these headphones, and for good reason. The charging port doesn’t line up with the bottom and the headphones get in an awkward position when charging. There is no off button in these headphones, and you must put them in the case to turn on the low power mode. The case also doesn’t protect the mesh, which is the part that needs the most protection.
The case of the Sony XM5s however, is a different story. The case looks cool, it is kind of like a backpack, and it has a compartment with a magnetic door that will hold your cables. It will protect your headphones, but it is big, and it will take up a bunch of space in your bag.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: Sound Quality
The Sony WH-1000XM5s have a new 30 mm carbon fiber driver, and the sound performance is exceptional. You can hear the separate instruments when listening to songs, and the bass is deep and perfect. There is very low distortion, and the sound is clean.
The AirPods Max sound great. There are 40mm drivers behind the earcups, they are very clear at high volumes and there is very low distortion. The instrument separation is good, and the bass is deep and punchy. There are no latency or range issues and I could walk a good distance away from my device before it disconnected.
Side by side, the AirPods Max delivers a better listening experience. They also have spatial audio, which delivers 3D audio and surround sound. While the Sony XM5s do deliver the best value for money in sound quality, if you are willing to spend extra, then the AirPods Max will give you an outstanding experience.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: Active Noise Cancellation
The noise cancellation in the Apple AirPods Max is excellent. The nine microphones in the headphones do a good job with white noise, and the headphones with ANC sound natural. These headphones also have the best transparency mode I’ve ever seen, you can tell which direction the ambient noise is coming from.
With the Sony XM5s, the noise cancellation is also top-notch. The Sony WH-1000XM5s cancel out white noise (roads, trains, planes) like no other headphones. All of the previous flagship headphones can do this, but the Mark 5s also eliminate some of the higher frequencies. There are 20 levels of adjustment in the app for the transparency mode, there is an enhanced voices mode, but human voices still get a little compressed and muffled.
When comparing the two, the Sony XM5s and the AirPods Max have similar noise-cancellation capabilities. However, the XM5s have a feature called Adaptive Sound Control. This allows the headphones to learn from your behavior and surroundings, and adjust the levels of noise cancellation based on how loud your surroundings are. With this feature, the Sony XM5s take the win in Active Noise Cancellation capabilities.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: Battery Life
The Sony XM5s battery life is rated at 30 hours with noise canceling on and 40 hours with noise canceling off. In testing, we got about the same times. These headphones also have fast charging, so you can charge them for three minutes and get a battery life of three hours. The battery life of the AirPods Max is about 16 to 20 hours with noise cancellation on. In the battery category, the Sony XM5s win by quite a large difference.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Apple AirPods Max: Features
The Sony XM5s have Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, and you can activate them through the Sony app. The DSEE Extreme Processing Engine upscales compressed tracks to near hi-res quality. The Adaptive Sound Control technology automatically adjusts noise cancellation levels based on your surroundings, and the XM5s support LDAC Bluetooth for high-quality transmission with supporting LDAC Android devices.
The AirPods Max have the seamless connectivity that Apple is famous for. You can instantly switch between your iPhone, your iPad, and your Mac. The new H1 chip makes 200 adjustments per second to optimize noise canceling, and the AirPods Max are also compatible with the Apple Vision Pro. Spatial Audio provides a surround sound experience with Apple Music and even Dolby Atmos videos, but you will need an Apple device to experience this.
Both headphones have unique features that make them stand out, however, you do need an iPhone or iPad to get the most out of the AirPods Max. You can use the Sony XM5s features on any device, you just need to download the Sony app.
Verdict
In the end, everything depends on your preferences and your budget. If you are using an iPhone, and you are willing to spend $550, then get the AirPods Max. If you are using Android, then you should get the Sony XM5s. I prefer the Sony WH-1000XM5s even with my iPhone, because they have the most value for money and a better battery life, amazing features, a better Bluetooth codec, and they are more comfortable.