All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
AirPods Pro 3 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: A new king has emerged
September 24, 2025
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 represent two of the most feature-rich and premium pairs of true wireless earbuds on the market. Apple’s latest update to its AirPods Pro line aims to turn earbuds into an all-in-one wellness companion, while Sony doubles down on customization. But which one actually delivers the best user experience—and the best value—for your needs?
After extensive testing of both, we’ve determined that which earbuds you should choose all comes down to your personal preferences. Let’s break it down side-by-side.
This article was originally published on September 24, 2025, and this is the first version.
What’s it like to use the AirPods Pro 3 compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5?
The AirPods Pro 3 have a new design and new ear-tips that Apple says deliver a more secure and comfortable fit. The foam-infused silicone ear-tips aim to bring the best of both worlds, combining a tailored and durable fit. Here in our office, opinions are mixed, with some people finding they fit great, while others still experience slippage while working out.
On the other hand, the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds come with foam ear tips, which typically provide a very secure fit. That said, the all-foam ear tips are more vulnerable to wear and tear over time. The AirPods Pro 3 have an IP57 dust and water-resistance rating, whereas the Sony WF-1000XM5 have a more limited IPX4 water-resistance rating.
If you like earbuds with a stem, you’ll prefer the shape and fit of the AirPods Pro 3. The Sony WF-1000XM5 do not have a protruding stem. These design differences also lead to different controls, as the Sony earbuds use tap controls, whereas the AirPods use pinch controls.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM5 have more features?
Apple packs in the most lifestyle-oriented features of any earbuds currently on the market–as long as you are using the earbuds with an Apple device. Headline features include heart rate monitoring, Live Translation, and Hearing Aid functionality. These are legitimately useful, though not always reliable. Live Translation, for example, has noticeable delays and struggles in noisy environments, while the heart rate monitor only works well when the buds stay secure. That said, you also get all the legacy AirPods features, such as Personalized Spatial Audio and Conversation Awareness mode. If you have an iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 have significantly more features than the Sony WF-1000XM5.
On the other hand, if you have an Android phone or are seeking customizability, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are the better option. Through the Sony app, you can fine-tune everything from ANC levels to EQ presets. This type of customization is completely missing on the AirPods Pro 3.
How do the AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 connect?
The AirPods Pro 3 use Bluetooth 5.3 and rely on Apple’s H2 chip to optimize latency and audio processing for Apple devices. They support SBC and AAC codecs, which work well with iOS but limit audio quality for Android users. As with all Apple headphones, the AirPods Pro 3 seamlessly switch between all your Apple devices, which is very convenient if you have an iPhone and a Mac.
Sony also uses Bluetooth 5.3 but adds LDAC to the mix for higher-quality streams on compatible Android devices. With Bluetooth Multipoint, you can also connect the Sony WF-1000XM5 to multiple devices at the same time. The WF-1000XM5 offer a more platform-agnostic experience overall, but the AirPods connection experience is unmatched on Apple devices.
Is battery life better on the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM5?
In our controlled battery tests, the Sony WF-1000XM5 edged out the AirPods Pro 3 with 9 hours and 32 minutes of playback on a single charge compared to the 8 hours and 42 minutes from the AirPods. Both offer up to 24 hours with their respective charging cases, and both cases support wireless charging and USB-C. The U2 chip in the AirPods Pro 3 case allows for precise location tracking through Apple’s Find My app, which is useful for forgetful users.
Both earbuds also offer quick charge functionality: 5 minutes of charging equals about an hour of playtime for the AirPods Pro 3, while Sony claims 60 minutes from a 3-minute charge. For longer listening sessions or travel, Sony’s slightly better endurance gives it the advantage, but both can easily get through a day of normal use.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM5 block noise better?
Loading chart ...
Both earbuds deliver class-leading active noise canceling, but the AirPods Pro 3 actually outperform the WF-1000XM5 in total noise reduction—especially in noisy environments. In our tests, Apple’s ANC reduced the loudness of noise by an average of 90%, while also achieving better passive isolation than before thanks to the revised shape and foam-silicone ear tips.
That said, Sony’s ANC is no slouch. In our testing lab, the Sony WF-1000XM5 reduced the loudness of noise by an average of 87%. Still, if noise canceling is your number one priority, the AirPods Pro 3 edge out slightly with better overall attenuation.
When it comes to staying aware of your surroundings, both earbuds also have a transparency mode. I find both work well for having a quick conversation or general awareness, but the AirPods are more convenient thanks to the Adaptive Audio feature that automatically enables transparency mode when you start talking.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 sound better than the Sony WF-1000XM5?
Most people will enjoy the sound quality of both the AirPods Pro 3 and the Sony WF-1000XM5. At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. The Sony WF-1000XM5 have more bass emphasis, while also providing more customization thanks to the app equalizer. The AirPods Pro 3 place more emphasis on mids, and use an Adaptive EQ instead of a custom equalizer. Both offer spatial audio and head-tracking features, but the Sony 360 Reality Audio is limited to only a few streaming services (that you probably don’t use).
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)
Hold up! Something’s different. The Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores for the AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are not directly comparable due to a version difference between each reading. We’re still crunching the numbers on all of our previous samples to rectify this inconsistency soon.
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
Objective Measurements
Loading chart ...
Due to the Apple Adaptive EQ system, we ran into some problems with measuring the frequency response of the AirPods Pro 3, so take the above chart with a grain of salt. That said, in general, the Sony WF-1000XM5 place more emphasis on bass compared to the AirPods Pro 3. Both sets of earbuds follow our SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve relatively close.
Do the AirPods Pro 3 or the Sony WF-1000XM5 have a better microphone?
The AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 both have suitable microphones for taking calls on the go. Note that the AirPods Pro 3 microphones perform best when connected to an Apple device, as the earbuds piggyback off the device for AI processing. Below you can listen to our microphone samples from the AirPods Pro 3 and the Sony WF-1000XM5.
AirPods Pro 3 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Sony WF-1000XM5 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
AirPods Pro 3 microphone demo (Street conditions):
Sony WF-1000XM5 microphone demo (Street conditions):
Which microphone sounds better to you?
AirPods Pro 3 vs Sony WF-1000XM5: Price and availability
The AirPods Pro 3 launched in September 2025 for $249. The Sony WF-1000XM5 carries a higher MSRP of $299.99, but often go on sale, since these earbuds are from 2023.
Should you get the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM5?
If you have an iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 are the cream of the crop, and best the Sony WF-1000XM5 in most categories. While the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are still solid performers, they are starting to show their age, and they can no longer compete with the best from Apple when it comes to features and noise canceling performance.
On the other hand, if you have an Android phone, or value customization features such as an equalizer, the Sony WF-1000XM5 are still among the best wireless earbuds on the market.
Comfortable
SBC, AAC, and LDAC support
Great app support
Great battery life
Answer our poll below to let us know which of these earbuds you would buy!
Which earbuds would you buy?
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.