Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are some of the best alternatives to the Apple AirPods Max. Not only are they cheaper, but they have advantages over Apple’s premium over-ear headphones. Right now, they are seeing massive discounts from Amazon, with the headphones back to $328 from $399, making them more attractive than before.
That saves you $71 off (18 percent) the usual price of the headphones. And while that’s not the best price, it’s still a sizeable saving. Plus, you can also pick them up in black, blue, or silver.
Why we love the Sony WH-1000XM5
While we don’t have an actual comparison of the Sony WH-1000XM5 (review) vs. Apple AirPods Max (review), in our test we found the former set to have a better feel and are more comfortable to wear, especially at longer listening sessions. They only weigh 250 grams, which is significantly lighter than the AirPods Max at 386 grams.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 also look as premium as the Apple counterparts while being sleeker. They have a streamlined headband design with a matching finish to the ear cups. They are fitted with tactile and responsive buttons and are charged via USB-C, which edges out the AirPods Max with an old Lightning port.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 perform excellently in sound as well. They have a V-shaped audio profile and precise that our colleague Antoine liked. Besides the LDAC codec, the headphones also sport a custom DSSE Extreme mode that is effective in enhancing soundtrack quality.
In noise-canceling, Sony’s headphones are even mightier. Among numerous headphones that nextpit tested, the current WH-1000XM5 have topped the charts. The ANC in them is excellent at blocking human voices and industrial-borne noises while the transparency mode is customizable.
Regarding features and usability, they offer wider compatibility with Android and iPhone than the AirPods Max. There are intuitive and rich UI controls, including full equalizer controls. Additionally, you can take advantage of Spotify Tap, multi-pairing, and seamless pairing.
Another area the Sony headphones standout over the AirPods Max is in the battery life department. They are rated up to 30 hours with ANC and about 40 hours with the feature disabled.
We’re curious, what do you think of the Sony WH-1000XM5 now that they are cheaper? Are they worth it? Let us know in the comments.
