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Sony WH-1000XM5 Premium Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones vs Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds
Both are in our headphones & audio picks, which means neither is a bad choice. What follows is what actually separates them, and who each one suits.
Choosing between them
You want the cheapest thing that works properly
The Sony MDR-ZX110. Thirty millimetre drivers, a 12Hz to 22kHz range, cups that swivel flat for a bag, and a plain 3.5mm plug. It has been sold largely unchanged for years, which is usually a sign a product got the basics right. No microphone worth using, and the cable is fixed rather than detachable, so a damaged cable ends the headphone.
You have a recent iPhone or iPad and want no fuss
The Apple EarPods with USB-C. They plug into the same port as the charger, carry an inline remote for volume and calls, and need no pairing or charging. The trade is that they are open-fit earbuds rather than sealed, so they do very little to block outside noise and leak audibly at high volume.
You are buying for a child
The iClever HS19, and this is a genuine safety distinction rather than marketing. It caps output at 85dB, which is the level hearing-protection guidance is built around, and children cannot judge volume for themselves. It also has a share port so two can listen to one tablet. Do not substitute an adult pair here.
You fly, commute, or work in noise
The AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. Active noise cancellation is the only feature on this page that changes what you can hear, rather than how it sounds. It is also the only option that needs charging, pairing, and eventual battery replacement — so it is worth it if noise is your actual problem and poor value if it is not.
What people get wrong
- Buying wireless when the pair will live at a desk. You are paying for a battery you do not need and will eventually have to replace.
- Buying adult headphones for a child because they sound better. Volume limiting is the feature that matters, and adult pairs do not have it.
- Assuming a 3.5mm pair will work with a recent phone. Check the port before ordering, or budget for an adapter.
- Treating noise cancellation and noise isolation as the same thing. Sealed earbuds block noise passively; only active cancellation removes engine drone.