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Tech head-to-head

Apple AirPods MaxvsSony WH-1000XM5

Same ballpark on the average, 8.1 and 8.2, and nothing alike on the axes: Sony WH-1000XM5 wins Value by 1.6, 7.4 to 5.8.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple

8.1

The best-built headphone in the category, and only fully useful on Apple hardware.

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

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 current listings on Amazon.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Value, Sony WH-1000XM5 ahead 7.4 to 5.8. They come closest on Ease of use, 9.0 to 8.8. Left of center is Apple AirPods Max, right is Sony WH-1000XM5.

Apple AirPods Max versus Sony WH-1000XM5 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Apple AirPods Max run left from the axis labels, bars for Sony WH-1000XM5 run right. Apple AirPods Max: Performance 8.4, Value 5.8, Durability 8.2, Ease of use 9.0, Design 9.0. Sony WH-1000XM5: Performance 9.2, Value 7.4, Durability 7.6, Ease of use 8.8, Design 8.2.Apple AirPods Max (left)Sony WH-1000XM5 (right)PerformanceApple AirPods Max — Performance 8.4 out of 108.4Sony WH-1000XM5 — Performance 9.2 out of 109.2ValueApple AirPods Max — Value 5.8 out of 105.8Sony WH-1000XM5 — Value 7.4 out of 107.4DurabilityApple AirPods Max — Durability 8.2 out of 108.2Sony WH-1000XM5 — Durability 7.6 out of 107.6Ease of useApple AirPods Max — Ease of use 9.0 out of 109.0Sony WH-1000XM5 — Ease of use 8.8 out of 108.8DesignApple AirPods Max — Design 9.0 out of 109.0Sony WH-1000XM5 — Design 8.2 out of 108.2Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

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

Only 0.1 separates them. What breaks the tie?
Value does, at 7.4 against 5.8. That axis covers what the same money buys elsewhere. Sony WH-1000XM5 leads on Performance and Value. If Durability, Ease of use and Design matter more to you, take the Apple AirPods Max instead.
Why are the totals this close?
The total is the plain average of the 5 Tech axes, so opposite results cancel. Apple AirPods Max averages 8.1 and Sony WH-1000XM5 averages 8.2, a gap of 0.1, while the individual axes run as far apart as 1.6.
Which of our lists do both of these appear in?
Apple AirPods Max sits at #2 in "When music comes first, build decides the pair", Sony WH-1000XM5 at #4. They also share 1 other list on the site.