Tech head-to-head
Bose QuietComfort Ultra HeadphonesvsSony WH-1000XM5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5, scored side by side on all 5 Tech axes. Overall 8.1 to 8.2.
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
Two products can average the same and still feel different, because the shape of the scores differs. Left of center is Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, right is Sony WH-1000XM5.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Axis
Sony WH-1000XM5
- 9.0Performance9.2
- 6.9Value7.4
- 7.8Durability7.6
- 8.4Ease of use8.8
- 8.4Design8.2
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
| Spec | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear, closed | Over-ear, closed |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Battery | About 24 hrs with ANC on | About 30 hrs with ANC on |
| Folding | Folds flat and inward | Cups swivel, no fold |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM5 — which should I buy?
- 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.
- How far apart are they overall?
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 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.