Earbuds / Compare
Apple AirPods 2 vs Sony WF-1000XM3
Product A: Apple
76 of 166 known
Product B: Sony
60 of 166 known
Change Sony WF-1000XM3
72 of 157 fields differ
- 33 different values
- 39 known for one only
- 10 the same
- 75 missing for both
Biggest differences
Each bar uses the scale of all 138 earbuds.
- Quick chargeA: 3hB: 1.5hApple is 1.5 h higher.
- Battery lifeA: 5hB: 8hSony is 3 h higher.
- With caseA: 24hB: 32hSony is 8 h higher.
Weight
0 to 80 g
Weight per bud
A4g
B8.5g
Case weight
A40g
B77g
All 166 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
6 of 8 differ
Series
Model numbers
A2031, A2032, A1938, MRXJ2AM/A2Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/109525Read 5 October 2026Identify your AirPods: A2031/A2032 are second-generation earbuds introduced in 2019. A1938 is the 2019 Qi-compatible Wireless Charging Case. A1602 and later case generations are not represented.20Retailer pagenissei.com/br/fone-de-ouvido-apple-airpods-com-estojo-de-recarga-sem-fio-mrxj2am-aRead 7 October 2026Retailer title and Part Number row: MRXJ2AM/A wireless-case package. Physical earbud A2031/A2032 and A1938 case identifiers retained.
Announced
Status
Predecessor
Apple AirPods 13Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2019/03/airpods-the-worlds-most-popular-wireless-headphones-are-getting-even-betterRead 5 October 2026Apple's March 2019 release announces the second generation of AirPods and compares it with first generation AirPods.
Not available
Successor
Apple AirPods 331Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-3rd-generation-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026RTINGS says the AirPods 3 follow the AirPods 2nd generation.32Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2021/10/introducing-the-next-generation-of-airpodsRead 23 October 2026Apple's October 2021 release announces the third generation of AirPods and cuts the price of AirPods 2nd generation.
Sony WF-1000XM410Reviewtechradar.com/news/sony-wf-1000xm4-take-the-crown-as-the-best-true-wireless-earbuds-of-2021Read 23 October 2026TechRadar's launch report calls the WF-1000XM4 the successor to the WF-1000XM3.11Reviewnotebookcheck.net/The-Sony-WF-1000XM4-launches-with-some-exciting-features-and-an-inflated-price-tag.544040.0.htmlRead 23 October 2026Notebookcheck calls the WF-1000XM4 the follow-up to the WF-1000XM3.
Launch price (US)
Markets
US, GB, JP, DE5Press articleav.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1194178.htmlRead 13 October 2026Sold in Japan.6Reviewwhathifi.com/news/sony-launches-wf-1000xm3-true-wireless-earbuds-with-active-noise-cancellingRead 13 October 2026Sale prices of 220 GBP, 250 EUR and 230 USD from the first weeks of August 2019. The UK price is listed.7Press articlegiga.de/artikel/sony-wf-1000xm3-preisverfall-noise-canceling-in-ears-unter-200-euro-2019Read 13 October 2026German UVP.
Colours
Segment
Design
2 of 4 differ
Form factor
Use one bud alone
RGB lighting
Not available
Not available
Drivers and sound
6 of 17 differ
Drivers per bud
AApple AirPods 2
Not availableBSony WF-1000XM3
| Type | Diameter (mm) | Count per earbud |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic | 6 | 1 |
Driver type
Not available
Driver size
Not available
6mm
Drivers per bud
Not available
1
Diaphragm material
Not available
Not available
Frequency response
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Not available
Max sample rate
Not available
Not available
Max bit depth
Not available
Not available
Adaptive EQ
Not available
Personalised sound
Not available
Not available
Onboard EQ
Not available
Not available
Custom EQ bands
Not available
Not available
EQ presets
Not available
Not available
Volume limit
Not available
Not available
Spatial audio
1 of 2 differ
Spatial audio
Not available
Not available
Noise cancelling
5 of 11 differ
Active noise cancelling
ANC type
Not available
ANC microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
Adaptive ANC
Not available
Not available
ANC levels
Not available
Not available
ANC attenuation (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Transparency mode
Adjustable transparency
Not available
Not available
Automatic ANC and transparency blend
Not available
Conversation detection
Not available
Wind noise reduction
Not available
Not available
Measured
7 of 23 differ
Frequency response notes (measured)
Measured response has reduced sub-bass and emphasized midrange. The unsealed fit limits low-frequency reproduction.14Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-review-11072Read 5 October 2026Exact model lab curve and discussion. Fixture, target revision, firmware and frequency-test codec unstated. No graph points or rating converted into numerical dB.
Bass and mids receive a slight bump. The highs roughly follow the reviewer's house curve. Bass and mids are slightly exaggerated.8Reviewsoundguys.com/sony-wf-1000xm3-review-25342Read 13 October 2026Sound section describes the bass and mid bump against SoundGuys' house curve.
Bass amount (measured)
Not available
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
Not available
Harmonic distortion (measured)
Not available
Not available
Sound leakage (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation, best (measured)
Not available
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Call quality notes (measured)
Recorded speech samples cover quiet, street and windy conditions. The review finds voice pickup usable for conference calls.14Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-review-11072Read 5 October 2026Published ideal/street/windy demos. Recording firmware and codec unstated.
Voices are relayed well enough through both earpieces for general use. Outdoors the other party hears wind, traffic and passersby.8Reviewsoundguys.com/sony-wf-1000xm3-review-25342Read 13 October 2026Microphone section. The demo uses SoundGuys' older, non-standardized method.
Mic low-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency (measured)
AApple AirPods 2
| Connection | Platform | Latency (ms) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | iOS | 178 |
BSony WF-1000XM3
Not availableBluetooth latency, worst (measured)
178ms
Not available
2.4 GHz latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency in game mode (measured)
Not available
Not available
Battery life (measured)
AApple AirPods 2
| ANC | Codec | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| No | AAC | 4.12 |
Longest tested use per charge
4.12h
4.77h
Battery life with case (measured)
Not available
Not available
Full charge time (measured)
30min23Measurementrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-2nd-generation-truly-wirelessRead 7 October 2026Public Commute/Travel verdict says earbuds take 30 minutes to fully charge. RTINGS tested Qi-case variant, Methodology 1.5, review updated 2021. Charge method defines 0 to 100 using LED time-lapse with no playback load. Firmware, case initial charge, adapter and ambient temperature unstated. This is earbuds charge, not empty-case charge.24Measurementrtings.com/headphones/tests/active-features/battery-lifeRead 7 October 2026Charge Time method: empty to full, time-lapse LED monitoring, no load while charging. Method documented separately from the model's publicly stated 30 minute result. Full lab result blocks were not accessed.
Not available
Weight per bud (measured)
Not available
Not available
Microphones and calls
None of 7 known
Voice microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
All microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
Bone conduction voice sensor
Not available
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Not available
Not available
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Not available
Mic mute control
Not available
Not available
Sidetone
Not available
Not available
Connectivity
8 of 18 differ
Chip
HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e3Press releasegstylemag.com/2019/07/05/sony-wf-1000xm3-truly-wireless-headphonesRead 13 October 2026HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e, also a 24-bit signal processor and DAC with amplifier.4Press articleaudioxpress.com/news/sony-introduces-new-wf-1000xm3-noise-canceling-true-wireless-headphones-featuring-dedicated-processorRead 13 October 2026Dedicated HD Noise-Canceling Processor QN1e.
Connections
Bluetooth
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth profiles
LE Audio
Not available
Not available
Auracast
Not available
Not available
Multipoint
Multipoint devices
Not available
Not available
Multipoint with LDAC
Not available
Not available
Paired devices remembered
Not available
Not available
Automatic switching between own devices
Not available
Fast pairing
Not available
Wireless range (claimed)
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Receiver connector
Not available
Not available
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available
Latency
None of 3 known
Low latency mode
Not available
Not available
Claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Lowest claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Compatibility
3 of 4 differ
Platforms
iOS, macOS, Android8Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/108786Read 5 October 2026
Connection per platform
AApple AirPods 2
| Platform | Connection | Microphone works |
|---|---|---|
| iOS | Bluetooth | Not available |
| macOS | Bluetooth | Not available |
| Android | Bluetooth | Yes |
BSony WF-1000XM3
Not availableFeatures that need a specific device
AApple AirPods 2
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| Headphone Accommodations and Custom Audio Setup | Supported iPhone or iPad with iOS or iPadOS 14 or later. Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations. |
BSony WF-1000XM3
Not availableOfficial licence
Not available
Not available
Battery and charging
10 of 13 differ
Battery per bud
Not available
Not available
User-replaceable earbud battery
Not available
Not available
Claimed battery life
AApple AirPods 2
| Mode | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| ANC off | No | 5 |
| ANC off | Yes | 24 |
| Call | No | 3 |
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Up to 5 h earbuds-only. More than 24 h including case, stored as a lower bound of 24. Maker February 2019 preproduction test paired iPhone Xs Max, 50% volume, 358 iTunes tracks encoded at 256 kbps AAC. File encoding does not establish transmitted Bluetooth codec, so codec omitted. Playback ends when the first earbud stops. Case-inclusive test repeats recharge and playback to empty.28Maker product pageapple.com/eg/airpods-2nd-generation/specsRead 7 October 2026AirPods battery row explicitly up to 3 hours talk time from one earbud charge. Only earbuds-only call row used. This is same A2031/A2032 hardware as the wireless-case package. Page case-inclusive 18 h is labeled Lightning case and is not borrowed for A1938. Test call conditions not exposed in this readable page. No codec, volume, host or firmware inferred.
BSony WF-1000XM3
| Mode | Codec | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC on | AAC | No | 6 |
| Transparency | AAC | No | 6 |
| ANC off | AAC | No | 8 |
| ANC on | SBC | No | 5.5 |
| Transparency | SBC | No | 5.5 |
| ANC off | SBC | No | 7.5 |
| ANC on | Not available | Yes | 24 |
| ANC off | Not available | Yes | 32 |
| Call | Not available | No | 4.5 |
Source1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026Available operating time. AAC with DSEE HX off: ANC on 6 hours, Ambient Sound Mode 6, off 8. SBC with DSEE HX off: 5.5, 5.5 and 7.5. With DSEE HX auto the figures are 3, 3 and 4 hours (AAC) and 3, 3 and 3.5 hours (SBC) and are not stored. Communication time: ANC on 4, Ambient Sound Mode 4, off 4.5. The call row stores the NC-off figure because the call enum has no ANC state. Totals with case from the Sony launch release and What Hi-Fi.2Maker product pagestore.sony.co.th/blogs/1801756442659_15195742535715/1801756442659_specificationsRead 13 October 2026Continuous music playback max 6 hrs (NC ON) and 8 hrs (NC OFF). Communication max 4 hrs (NC ON) and 4.5 hrs (NC OFF).3Press releasegstylemag.com/2019/07/05/sony-wf-1000xm3-truly-wireless-headphonesRead 13 October 2026Up to 24 hours with noise cancelling on, thanks to the charging case.4Press articleaudioxpress.com/news/sony-introduces-new-wf-1000xm3-noise-canceling-true-wireless-headphones-featuring-dedicated-processorRead 13 October 20266 hours with ANC and a further three charges, up to 24 hours. With noise canceling off 8 hours per charge and up to 32 hours with the case.6Reviewwhathifi.com/news/sony-launches-wf-1000xm3-true-wireless-earbuds-with-active-noise-cancellingRead 13 October 2026What Hi-Fi review: 8 hours with noise cancelling off and a total of 32 hours with the case.
Longest claimed use per charge
5h
8h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
Not available
6h
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
5h
8h
Total with case (claimed)
24h
32h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
Not available
24h
Talk time (claimed)
3h
4.5h
Full charge time, buds
Not available
Charging guidance
Not available
Not available
Quick charge time
Earbud playback after quick charge
Charging case
5 of 10 differ
User-replaceable case battery
Not available
Not available
Case charging port
Case full charge time
Not available
210min1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026Charging: the headset and the charging case take about 3.5 hours together. Sony specification lists case charge time approx. 3.5 hours.2Maker product pagestore.sony.co.th/blogs/1801756442659_15195742535715/1801756442659_specificationsRead 13 October 2026Charging case battery charge time approx. 3.5 hrs.
Wireless charging
Wireless standards
Not available
Wireless charging power
Not available
Not available
Speaker in case
Not available
Not available
Screen on case
Not available
Not available
Case works as audio transmitter
Not available
Not available
Controls
4 of 5 differ
Controls
Earbud volume control
Gestures
Left tap: switch noise canceling and Ambient Sound Mode, Left hold: Quick Attention Mode, Right tap: play or pause, Right tap twice: next track or answer or end a call, Right tap 3 times: previous track, Right hold: voice assist1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026About the touch sensor table. Left: tap switches noise canceling and Ambient Sound Mode, hold activates Quick Attention Mode. Right: tap plays or pauses, tap twice skips to the next track or answers or ends a call, tap 3 times goes to the previous track, hold uses the voice assist function.
Remappable controls
Voice assistant
Sensors and health
3 of 9 differ
In-ear detection
Yes1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026Built-in sensors detect removal and attachment. The headset pauses and resumes playback.4Press articleaudioxpress.com/news/sony-introduces-new-wf-1000xm3-noise-canceling-true-wireless-headphones-featuring-dedicated-processorRead 13 October 2026A proximity sensor in each earbud detects whether one or both are worn. Music pauses when taken out and resumes when put back.
Sensors
Dual optical sensors, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Published sensor types. Dual beamforming microphones lack an explicit per-earbud count scope, so no physical microphone count is inferred. A speech-detecting accelerometer is not proof of a bone-conduction sensor.
Heart rate sensor
Not available
Not available
Skin temperature sensing
Not available
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Not available
Hearing test
Not available
Not available
Hearing protection
Not available
Health features
Not available
Not available
Fit and durability
1 of 7 differ
Ear tips included
Not available
Long hybrid silicone rubber: SS, S, M, L, Triple-comfort: S, M, L1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026Package list: long hybrid silicone rubber earbuds SS, S, M, L (2 each) and triple-comfort earbuds S, M, L (2 each). Size M comes attached.
Ear tip materials
Not available
Not available
Stabilisers
Not available
Not available
Ear tip fit test
Not available
Not available
Dust and water rating, buds
Not available
Not available
Dust and water rating, case
Not available
Not available
Water resistance depth
Not available
Not available
Software
4 of 6 differ
Companion app
Not available
App platforms
Not available
User firmware updates
Finding network
Not available
Precision finding
Not available
Live translation
Not available
Not available
Dimensions and weight
4 of 4 differ
Weight per bud
Bud dimensions
Width16.5Height40.5Depth18mm(0.6 × 1.6 × 0.7 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Size and Weight explicitly labels width, height and depth for each earbud. These are not dimensions of the pair.
Not available
Case weight
Case dimensions
Width44.3Height53.5Depth21.3mm(1.7 × 2.1 × 0.8 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Exact published case axis labels. The same body dimensions are listed for both case versions.
Not available
Certifications
0 of 3 differ
Hi-Res Audio
Not available
Not available
Communication certifications
Not available
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
Other certifications
Not available
Not available
In the box
2 of 2 differ
In the box
AirPods 2, Wireless Charging Case, Lightning to USB-A cable, Documentation1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Wireless A1938 package only. Cable length unstated. No adapter supplied in the published complete list.
Wireless Noise Canceling Stereo Headset, USB Type-C cable (USB-A to USB-C) (approx. 20 cm), Long hybrid silicone rubber earbuds (SS/S/M/L 2 each), Triple-comfort earbuds (S/M/L 2 each), Charging case1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/wf1000xm3/v1/en/print.pdfRead 13 October 2026Package contents list.
Cables included
AApple AirPods 2
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Lightning to USB-A cable | 1 |
BSony WF-1000XM3
| Type | Length (m) | Count |
|---|---|---|
| USB-A to USB-C | 0.2 | 1 |
Links
Not compared
Product page
Not available
Spec sheet
support.apple.com/en-us/1118561Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111856Read 5 October 2026Exact 2019 AirPods 2. Reference package uses Wireless Charging Case A1938. The standard wired-only A1602 package is excluded from this file. Current shared case weight 38.2 g conflicts with the contemporary A1938 teardown specification of 40 g. Case weight now uses 40 g from the exact standalone Wireless Charging Case maker sheet 111860, which is more specific than this mixed-case row. Contradiction remains source-qualified. No standalone maker PDF datasheet found.
Not available
Manual
cdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1852_airpods-2gen-qsg.pdf5Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1852_airpods-2gen-qsg.pdfRead 5 October 2026Original 2019 two-page Quick Start Guide for the Wireless Charging Case package, linked by Apple document identity 300122. Both sides read. Current complete user-guide chapters separately establish remapping and wear detection.
EPREL registration number
Not available
Not available
Warranty
1 of 1 differ
Manufacturer warranty (source market)
Not available
Both are also in the API. Back to all earbuds.



















