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Tech head-to-head

Bose QuietComfort Ultra HeadphonesvsSony WH-1000XM5

8.1 against 8.2 overall, which settles nothing. Sony WH-1000XM5 takes Value 7.4 to 6.9, and that is the axis to decide on.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

Bose

8.1

The most convincing low-frequency isolation here, wrapped in the most comfortable clamp.

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

The widest gap is Value, Sony WH-1000XM5 ahead 7.4 to 6.9. They come closest on Performance, 9.2 to 9.0. Left of center is Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, right is Sony WH-1000XM5.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones versus Sony WH-1000XM5 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones run left from the axis labels, bars for Sony WH-1000XM5 run right. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Performance 9.0, Value 6.9, Durability 7.8, Ease of use 8.4, Design 8.4. Sony WH-1000XM5: Performance 9.2, Value 7.4, Durability 7.6, Ease of use 8.8, Design 8.2.Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (left)Sony WH-1000XM5 (right)PerformanceBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Performance 9.0 out of 109.0Sony WH-1000XM5 — Performance 9.2 out of 109.2ValueBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Value 6.9 out of 106.9Sony WH-1000XM5 — Value 7.4 out of 107.4DurabilityBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Durability 7.8 out of 107.8Sony WH-1000XM5 — Durability 7.6 out of 107.6Ease of useBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Ease of use 8.4 out of 108.4Sony WH-1000XM5 — Ease of use 8.8 out of 108.8DesignBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Design 8.4 out of 108.4Sony WH-1000XM5 — Design 8.2 out of 108.2Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

Leads on Durability and Design.

  • Aircraft cabins and train carriages are your normal listening environment
  • You wear headphones for six hours at a stretch
  • Glasses make most clamping headbands unbearable

Take the Sony WH-1000XM5

Leads on Performance, Value and Ease of use.

  • 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

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

  • You want deep EQ control rather than presets
  • aptX is irrelevant to you and the premium is hard to justify

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

SpecBose QuietComfort Ultra HeadphonesSony WH-1000XM5
TypeOver-ear, closedOver-ear, closed
CodecsSBC, AAC, aptX AdaptiveSBC, AAC, LDAC
BatteryAbout 24 hrs with ANC onAbout 30 hrs with ANC on
FoldingFolds flat and inwardCups swivel, no fold

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Only 0.1 separates them. What breaks the tie?
Value does, at 7.4 against 6.9. That axis covers what the same money buys elsewhere. Sony WH-1000XM5 leads on Performance, Value and Ease of use. If Durability and Design matter more to you, take the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones instead.
Why are the totals this close?
The total is the plain average of the 5 Tech axes, so opposite results cancel. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones averages 8.1 and Sony WH-1000XM5 averages 8.2, a gap of 0.1, while the individual axes run as far apart as 0.5.
Which of our lists do both of these appear in?
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sits at #3 in "When music comes first, build decides the pair", Sony WH-1000XM5 at #4. They also share 1 other list on the site.