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Tech head-to-head

Apple AirPods MaxvsSony WH-1000XM5

Apple AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM5, scored side by side on all 5 Tech axes. Overall 8.1 to 8.2.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple

8.1

Built like nothing else in the category, priced like nothing else, and only fully useful on Apple hardware.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony

8.2

The all-round reference: strongest cancellation on the list with app control nobody else matches.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

Two products can average the same and still feel different, because the shape of the scores differs. Left of center is Apple AirPods Max, right is Sony WH-1000XM5.

Apple AirPods Max

Axis

Sony WH-1000XM5

  • 8.4
    Performance
    9.2
  • 5.8
    Value
    7.4
  • 8.2
    Durability
    7.6
  • 9.0
    Ease of use
    8.8
  • 9.0
    Design
    8.2

Which one to pick

Take the Apple AirPods Max

Leads on Durability, Ease of use and Design.

  • Everything you own already has an Apple logo on it
  • You want a metal-and-mesh build rather than plastic
  • Automatic switching between Mac, iPad, and phone is a daily need

Take the Sony WH-1000XM5

Leads on Performance and Value.

  • Long-haul flights and open-plan offices in the same week
  • An Android phone, where LDAC actually opens
  • You want the EQ and ambient blend under your own control

What each one gets wrong

Apple AirPods Max

  • You need a codec better than AAC
  • The sleeve that ships instead of a real case bothers you
  • Android is your main platform

Sony WH-1000XM5

  • You need them to fold flat into a small bag
  • A hinge-free plastic frame worries you for a daily commuter

Specs, side by side

SpecApple AirPods MaxSony WH-1000XM5
TypeOver-ear, closedOver-ear, closed
CodecsSBC, AACSBC, AAC, LDAC
BatteryAbout 20 hrs with ANC onAbout 30 hrs with ANC on
CaseFabric sleeve, no full case—
Folding—Cups swivel, no fold

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Apple AirPods Max or Sony WH-1000XM5 — which should I buy?
Apple AirPods Max leads on Durability, Ease of use and Design. If Performance and Value matter more to you, take the Sony WH-1000XM5 instead.
How far apart are they overall?
Apple AirPods Max scores 8.1 and Sony WH-1000XM5 scores 8.2, a gap of 0.1. The total is the plain average of the 5 axes used in Tech.