Truly wireless are AirPods Pro plentiful on the market, and you can easily get a decent set for about $100. The features that set apart premium true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds from their more budget equivalents include active noise cancellation (ANC), wireless charging, and others. However, the sound quality and battery life are what really set them apart. Both the Apple AirPods Pro and the Sony WF-100XM4 (review) have already established themselves as industry leaders in terms of sound quality and performance.
The AirPods Pro were introduced in 2019, however the WF-1000XM4 is more recent and is a top contender in the TWS market. The XM4 costs $279, a little more than the $249 price of the AirPods Pro. For a few weeks, we’ve been using both TWS earbuds.
Here is our examination of the features that set Sony’s and Apple’s offers apart.
Sustainable Packaging Sony uses recycled and ecological resources to make the box, which is made entirely of paper and contains zero plastic. Even the compartments for the charging wire and earbuds are constructed of paper. This demonstrates Sony’s commitment to greater social responsibility.
Even Apple offers a box for its packing that is constructed from recycled paper. But unlike iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, which don’t use plastic, the package arrives covered in a single-use plastic cover.
Coziness & Design
AirPods Pro are more comfortable, but Sony’s secure fit is better.
Each person’s ear anatomy and preference for comfort and fit are different. In my situation, both earbuds are snug in my ears, however the AirPods Pro has a tendency to fall out after a while. particularly when exercising and performing jumping jacks. I frequently watch videos while eating, and with this jaw movement, the earbuds are simple to remove.
No matter what I’m doing—running, cycling, doing jumping jacks, or watching while eating—the 1000XM4 fits wonderfully and doesn’t slip out. Unlike the silicon ear tips on AirPods Pro, the foam ear tips on the XM4 guarantee a perfect and pleasant fit.
However, after using these TWS earbuds for more than two hours straight, you start to feel a little uncomfortable due to their bulky design and weight, which is on the heavier side.
Earbuds Design & Charging Case
Sony and Apple both take a unique approach to design. The stem of the AirPods Pro earphones is different from the stemless design on the 1000XM4. Pressure-sensitive controls are located on the stem of the AirPods Pro. Single push to play/pause music, double press to advance music, triple press to go back in time. Switching between ANC and transparency modes is possible by pressing and holding the stem.
On the surface of the earphones of the Sony WF-1000XM4, on the other hand, are touch controls. Here, the operation is a little different; a single tap on the right earbud activates play/pause, while a double or triple tap advances and reverses tracks, respectively. Toggle the ANC and transparency modes on the left earbud with a single tap, and answer or end calls with a double tap. Quick Attention Mode (transparency) is activated by tapping and holding on the left earbud; it is turned off as soon as your finger is released.
Case Design: Apple’s glossy case is inferior to Sony’s matte one.
Regarding the appearance of the case, the AirPods Pro have a stylish but slightly tall case. It is made of polycarbonate, which makes it a little slippery and more prone to scratches. It also has a shiny surface. Furthermore, due to the glossy plastic construction of the earbuds, they can be a little tricky to remove from the case if your fingers are sweaty.
Gesture control, connectivity, and a companion app
Over Apple, Sony’s Companion App provides more features and control.
With Android and iOS smartphones, the Apple and Sony TWS can both be used. Additionally, you may use them with laptops running macOS, Windows, and Linux. Headphones is a companion app from Sony that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Each earbud and the case’s battery life are listed in the companion. You can also alter the equalizer’s settings, change the background noise level, and enable or disable features like Speak-to-Chat. Additionally, you can instantly turn on or off ANC and ambient noise with a tap, change the way the touch sensor functions (play/pause, skip tracks, etc.) work, and much more.
There is no complimentary app for AirPods Pro. However, all the capabilities that you would find in a companion app — such as the ability to assign touch gesture controls, change between ANC and transparency modes, and more — are already present in iOS or macOS. Here, to play/pause music, skip tracks, and more, you’ll need to press the stem of the AirPods Pro rather than tapping the earphones.
While the WF-1000XM4 has Bluetooth 5.2 connection, the AirPods Pro has Bluetooth 5.0. A Low Energy connection is used by Sony’s Fast Link feature to automatically identify and pair Bluetooth accessories. By doing this, the inconvenience of manually accessing Bluetooth settings, looking for available devices, connecting, and pairing is removed.
Similar methods are used by Apple; all that is required is to open the case’s lid for the iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer to recognise the AirPods Pro. Once recognised, all you need to do is touch “connect” to finish.
Performance: The option of a better audio or microphone codec Support: Sony surpasses Apple with LDAC codec support.
Both the AirPods Pro and the 1000XM4 perform admirably in terms of sound quality and noise cancellation, but Sony has an edge in this area. Additionally, it’s vital to emphasise the codecs issue before discussing sound quality. SBC, AAC, and high-resolution lossless audio using the LDAC codec (bit rate up to 990kbps, 32-bit/96kHz) are supported by Sony’s TWS. However, you will want a source that can send high-resolution audio.
top Android phones with Qualcomm chipsets that feature LDAC codec for Snapdragon Sound technology Please be aware that high-resolution music files must also be downloaded. Lossless audio can be downloaded and streamed using Apple Music (on Android) Spotify, however, does not support lossless audio, so you won’t get the same experience if you listen to music there.
Lossless audio can be downloaded for iPhones, but since Bluetooth streaming only supports the AAC codec, you won’t be able to fully enjoy it when listening to wireless music. Contrarily, the AirPods Pro support the AAC codec, ensuring a consistent audio experience whether you connect them to an iOS or an Android device.
Sound Quality: Sony Wins with Detailed Audio, Good Bass, and Wide Soundstage
The Sony WF-1000XM4 provides excellent audio quality. I never had to use the equalisation, and when I felt like a little extra punch was called for, turning the Clear Bass up to Level 2 did the trick. Other than that, listening on Android smartphones with the LDAC codec produced clear, immersive audio overall. But while listening to music on an iPhone using the AAC compression, changes can be heard
On the other hand, the AirPods Pro also perform admirably well with a neutral sound profile. However, the listening experience isn’t as detailed as the Sony ones because high-res audio isn’t included. The audio power is also low, but you can change it by going to Headphone Accommodations > Balanced Tone > Strong in the Accessibility settings.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Sony Leads with Better Overall Noise Cancellation
Both Sony and Apple have great ANC, but the XM4 once more edges out the competition. The H1 processor, twin microphones, and AI in the AirPods Pro perform a good job of cancelling out AC and fan noises. It can even reduce keyboard typing noise, but it isn’t very effective at blocking out human voices or loud road or subway traffic outside.
On the other hand, the XM4, with its V1 integrated processor and two microphones, does a fantastic job of reducing wind and external noise but falls short when it comes to AC and fan noise. Sony does a considerably better job than Apple in blocking out noise in crowded and busy environments, such as airports, subway stations, and the great outdoors. Additionally, it significantly mutes the sounds of others speaking around you.
Microphone: Apple Takes the Crown here
The AirPods Pro provide crisp and clear sound for microphone quality for phone calls, recording, and even video calls on services like Skype, Teams, and Zoom. The noise cancellation does a good job of even cancelling out ambient background noises so that the recipient hears clear audio.
For phone and video chats, the Sony WF-1000XM4’s decent microphone is ideal. But it falls short of AirPods Pro in terms of providing clear audio. Receivers of phone conversations occasionally complained to me about echoes and muffled voices, especially when seated near walls or windows. But aside from that, everything was fine.
Battery life & Charging: Sony Edges out Apple with up to 30 Hours of Battery Life
Once again taking the lead in terms of battery life is the Sony WF-1000XM4. With ANC on, the earbuds last slightly longer than seven hours on a single charge, and without ANC, the battery life is slightly longer than ten hours. There are two more charges in the case. This indicates that you can use the case for 20 to 30 hours before it has to be recharged, depending on whether you use ANC or not.
With ANC turned on, the AirPods Pro have a battery life of about four and a half hours, and over five hours when turned off. There are about four more charges in the case. This indicates that you can use the battery for somewhere between 20 and 22 hours before the case needs to be recharged.
While the Apple case uses a Lightning Port to charge, the Sony case does so via a USB Type-C port. Both also enable Qi Wireless charging and a fast-charging option for TWS earbuds, which allows for up to an hour of music listening after just five minutes of charging.
Extra Features: Transparency, Spatial Audio & More
Sony WF-1000XM4: Speak-to-Chat and Voice Assistant Are Good Addition
The XM4 has some outstanding features, including, to mention a few, bone conduction for Speak-to-Chat, support for Google Assistant or Alexa voice assistants, 360 Reality Audio, and DSEE Extreme. The Speak-to-Chat feature briefly stops music and turns on background noise by picking up vibrations from your voice using bone conduction technology. When you want to converse with someone while listening to music, this feature is helpful. However, because of its sensitivity, it activates the mode even when you are humming the song.
You can easily press and hold the earbud to activate the voice assistant feature, which allows you to ask the assistant to carry out a variety of tasks like making calls or texts, setting alarms, adding reminders, and much more. Sony’s DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) feature, which upscales poor-quality audio to a nearly lossless level, is also made possible by the integrated V1 processor on the XM4. It assists in providing a better listening experience for older music with lower-quality encoding. However, if you’re using the current music that has high-quality encoding, you might not hear any change.
In order to enjoy spatial sound technology, Sony also provides support for 360 Reality Audio via the Artist Connection app. Additionally, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited, and other platforms are supported. The Artist Connection app was used to test the feature, and while you do get an immersive experience, the information is rather sparse. Additionally, it lacks head tracking like the AirPods Pro, which we shall discuss in a moment.
The WF-1000XM4 also has a transparency mode that allows you to continue to be aware of your surroundings. While the functionality is functional, it does not sound natural and instead gives the impression that the audio has been amplified and filtered. However, it is still quite helpful whether travelling by bus or subway.
Apple AirPods Pro: Impressive Spatial Audio with Head Tracking & Natural Transparency Mode
The AirPods Pro include a long list of amazing capabilities, much like the XM4, including always listening, Siri Assistant, spatial audio with head tracking, transparency mode, and multi-point connectivity for Apple ecosystem devices. Speaking of assistants, you can ask Siri for weather information, make calls to contacts, set up appointments, play music, and more just saying “Hey Siri.” Additionally, there is an announce notification function that, once enabled, would have Siri announce any notifications you receive from applications like Teams, WhatsApp, Messages, and more.
An intriguing element that provides a realistic, theater-like surround sound experience is spatial head tracking. By going to Settings > Bluetooth and then selecting Spatial Audio, you can configure this feature. It functions when using the Safari browser to view videos on OTT services like Apple TV, Netflix, and YouTube. Additionally, Spotify and Apple Music support the feature.
Users that employ transparency mode can keep an eye on their surroundings. Compared to the XM4, it works nicely with AirPods Pro and sounds quite natural. Also included with the AirPods Pro is a multi-point connection, which enables you to connect more than one Bluetooth device to the TWS. Intelligent and easy switching across devices (including iPhone, iPad, without the need to explicitly disconnect and reconnect (i.e., mac). For instance, the AirPods Pro will switch to iPhone automatically while stopping media on Mac if you are watching a film or listening to music there and get a call on your iPhone. It will then go back to the Mac and restart playback after the call is finished.
Conclusion
It can be challenging to choose the best TWS between Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple AirPods Pro. Your preferred musical genres and the devices you utilise (Android or iOS) will both have an impact. Thanks to the LDAC codec, the Sony earbuds deliver excellent audio, exceptional noise cancellation, and longer battery life overall.
On the other hand, the AirPods Pro deliver superior audio quality and noise cancellation, a superb microphone and transparency mode, and an immersive Spatial Audio experience with head tracking. While Apple’s earbuds have a shorter battery life, the case’s ability to store slightly more than four charges puts them on par with Sony. The multi-point connection for easy switching within the Apple ecosystem is an additional benefit for Apple over Sony TWS.
