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Sony WH-1000XM4 vs. Airpods Max vs. Beats Studio 3: Which is the Best?

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Sony WH-1000XM4 vs. Airpods Max vs. Beats Studio 3: Which is the Best?

Recent years, active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones are more and more welcomed among people. They use active noise control to cancel the lower-frequency portions of the noise that allow you to hear movies, music, and in-flight entertainment clearly without having to turn the volume way up.But when you want to find the best active noise-canceling wireless headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 vs. Airpods Max vs. Beats Studio 3: debate often comes. That's because all of the three headphones stand out with their great value and professionalism. So who has the clear lead? Which one is the best worth buying? Get the answer in this detailed comparison between the Sony WH-1000XM4, the Airpods Max, and the Beats Studio 3 active noise-canceling headphones. Let’s find out.

Cover Photo: Roy Javier on unsplash.com

Sony WH-1000XM4 vs. Airpods Max vs. Beats Studio 3: Side-by-Side Comparison

	Sony WH-1000XM4	Airpods Max	Beats Studio 3
Type	Over-ear	Over-ear	Over-ear
Enclosure	Closed-Back	Closed-Back	Closed-Back
Wireless	Yes	Yes	Yes
Noise Cancelling	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mic	Yes	Yes	Yes
Transducer	Dynamic	Dynamic	Dynamic
Weight	0.6 lbs	0.85 lbs	0.58 lbs
Clamping Force	1 lbs	1.2 lbs	1.1 lbs
Controls
OS Compatibility	Not OS specific	iOS	Not OS specific
Ease Of Use	Good	Great	Good
Feedback	Decent	Good	Good
Call/Music Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Volume Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Microphone Control	No	No	No
Channel Mixing	No	No	No
Noise Cancelling Control	On/Off	On/Off	On/Off
Talk-Through	On/Off	On/Off	No
Additional Controls	Voice Assistant	Voice Assistant	No
Sound Profile
Bass Amount	3.24 dB	1.3 dB	-0.42 dB
Treble Amount	-1.53 dB	-1.97 dB	-3.39 dB
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling	No	No	No
Speaker Modeling	No	On/Off	No
Room Ambience	No	No	No
Head Tracking	No	On/Off	No
Virtual Surround	No	Spatial Audio	No
Test Settings
Firmware	2.0.6	3B71	Unknown
Power	On	On	On
Connection	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Unknown
Codec	SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz	SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz	SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ	Off	Adaptive EQ	No EQ
ANC	On	On	On
Tip/Pad	Default	Default	Default
Microphone	Integrated	Integrated	Integrated
Noise Isolation
Overall Attenuation	-28.73 dB	-26.39 dB	-21.66 dB
Bass	-24.33 dB	-19.92 dB	-8.03 dB
Mid	-22.39 dB	-27.41 dB	-22.18 dB
Treble	-38.96 dB	-32.62 dB	-36.18 dB
Microphone
Integrated	Yes	Yes	Yes
In-Line	No	No	Yes
Boom	No	No	No
Detachable Boom	No	No	No
Battery
Battery Type	Rechargable	Rechargable	Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life	37.7 hrs	21.6 hrs	23 hrs
Additional Charges	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total Battery Life	37.7 hrs	21.6 hrs	23 hrs
Charge Time	2.3 hrs	1.5 hrs	2 hrs
Power-Saving Feature	Auto-Off Timer	Standby mode	No
Audio While Charging	No	Yes	Yes
Passive Playback	Yes	No	No
Charging Port	USB-C	Lightning	micro-USB
App Support
App Name	Sony\| Headphones Connect	iOS Interface	Beats
iOS	Yes	Yes	Yes
Android	Yes	No	Yes
macOS	No	Yes	No
Windows	No	No	No
Equalizer	Graphic + Presets	No	No
ANC Control	On/Off	On/Off	On/Off
Mic Control	No	No	No
Room Effects	No	No	No
Playback Control	Yes	No	No
Button Mapping	Yes	No	No
Surround Support	No	Yes	No
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version	5.0	5.0+H1 chip	4.2 + W1 chip
Multi-Device Pairing	2 Devices	No	No
NFC Pairing	Yes	No	No
Line Of Sight Range	299.00 ft (91.14 m)	328.00 ft (99.97 m)	297.00 ft (90.53 m)
PC Latency (SBC)	212 ms	173 ms	176 ms
PC Latency (aptX)	N/A	N/A	N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)	N/A	N/A	N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)	N/A	N/A	N/A
iOS Latency	38 ms	47 ms	22 ms
Android Latency	60 ms	67 ms	73 ms
Wired
Analog Audio	Yes	No	Yes
USB Audio	No	No	No
Detachable	Yes	No	Yes
Length	4.00 ft (1.22 m)	N/A	4.30 ft (1.31 m)
Connection	1/8" TRRS	No Wired Option	1/8" TRRS
Analog /USB Audio Latency	0 ms	N/A	0 ms
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC/PS4 Analog	Audio Only	No	Audio + Microphone
PC/PS4 Wired USB	No	No	No
PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless	No	No	No
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog	Audio Only	No	Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB	No	No	No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless	No	No	No

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Sony WH-1000XM4, Airpods Max and Beats Studio 3 Review

| #1 Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones

Google Users Rating: 4.6/5

By every possible metric, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a wonderful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones. The Sony XM4's sound warm and inviting with satisfying bass, excellent noise cancellation and a flexible adaptive sound mode.In addition, the Sony app (iOS and Android) has an equalizer so you can change the sound profile to your liking. The Sony WH-1000XM4 also support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio on stereo headphones plus the LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps. The unfortunate bit there, though, is that they no longer supports aptX or aptX HD, so your Hi-Res Audio support mileage may vary.

Source:walmart.com

Sony's earlier WH-1000XM3 model had a weakness, that was voice calling, particularly in noisier environments. The WH-1000XM4 model also has improved in that area and also adds multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to two devices -- such as your phone and PC -- at the same time. That means that if a call comes in while you're using the headphones with your computer, the audio will switch to your phone when you answer the call. When it comes to battery life, Sony's WH-1000XM4 also takes the crown, giving you up to 30 hours of listening time. In a word, Sony's WH-1000XM4 is the best bang-for-your-buck option, offering the same great features at a lower price than the other two headphones on this list.

PROS	CONS
Comfortable design and fit	No IP rating
Dynamic, detail-rich sound	No Qualcomm aptX codec support
DSEE Extreme audio upscaling
Superior call quality with precise voice pickup
Superb noise cancellation
Seamless multiple-device pairing
Auto-play/pause and conversation awareness
Intuitive app-based controls
30 hours of battery life
Value for money

| #2 Apple AirPods Max

Google Users Rating: 4./5

Assuming you are a keen Apple user, the AirPods Max is the best wireless noise-canceling headphones you can buy. It is ideal for iPhone users wanting seamless integration with iOS devices. The AirPods Max comes with active noise cancellation, superb audio quality, and a design that sets them apart from most noise-canceling headphones on the market. The design and build are solid and unmistakably Apple and they were comfortable too. As with other top-tier noise-canceling headsets, the AirPods Max uses hybrid active noise canceling for optimal noise cancellation. And the AirPods Max supports Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the frequency response in real-time, according to your environment and how the headset fits.

Source:abt.com

The kicker is that because they are baked with Apple's H1 chip, so they have all the same features as AirPods Pro, such as a transparency mode, support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and an easy iPhone pairing. But it lacks support for Hi-Res Audio codecs. The most obvious drawback is the price, Apple has always created luxury tech with a higher-than-average price tag. The AirPods Max is more expensive than the great majority of premium wireless noise-canceling headphones. So for Android users, the AirPods Max is simply a high-performance pair of noise-canceling headphones with an unusual design, as fantastic as they may sound – and for these users, they can't see how the high price is justified.

PROS	CONS
Luxurious design and feel	No 3.5mm jack
Comfortable ear pads and fabric headband	Lack of support for Hi-Res Audio codecs
Easy-to-use controls	Below-par battery life
Terrific, balanced sound quality	So expensive
Spatial audio for immersive entertainment
Very effective noise cancellation
Seamless connectivity with Apple devices

| #3 Beats by Dr. Dre Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones

Google Users Rating: 4.6/5

The Beats Studio3 Wireless is an over-ear headphone that features high-quality active noise canceling and brilliant sound quality. It creates a splendid listening experience by blocking out distractions through the Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling feature to let you focus on your music. Its audio reproduction and active noise canceling (ANC) system automatically adapt to you and your environment. Like most Beats headphones, it comes with the fantastic Apple's W1 chip which allows it to faultlessly connect with iOS devices, given that it is linked to an iCloud account. Its premium design warrants that the headphones encapsulate your whole ear inside its ear cup while the soft over-ear cushions offer extended comfort.

Source:adorama.com

Furthermore, they boast a superb battery life from which one can enjoy music for up to 22 hours or up to 40 hours with the active noise canceling turned off. With the Fast Fuel feature, you get up to 3 hours of playback after only 10 minutes of charging. The Beats Studio3 Wireless will not only support wireless pair and play with any of your Bluetooth devices within a 30-foot range but can also be hardwired through the audio cable to your phone. All in all, the Beats Studio3 Wireless Studio 3 are among the best noise-canceling headphones Beats has ever made.

PROS	CONS
Comfortable & plush earpads	No gesture controls
Plenty of color options	No passive listening mode
Solid sound quality and performance	The adaptive aspect of NC is not impressive
Good active noise cancellation
Apple W1 chip makes pairing with iOS devices even more simple
Android compatible
Great wireless performance
Good battery life

Conclusion

Sony WH-1000XM4 vs. Airpods Max vs. Beats Studio 3: Which is the Best?

Quite frankly, all of the three headphones are excellent. If you are struggling with the Beats Studio3 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Airpods Max purchase, it all comes down to personal preference, the features you want, and your budget.

If you've already bought into the Apple ecosystem, you have a lot of money to burn, and you don't care about Hi-Res Audio, you won't find headphones that sound better or are easier to use than the AirPods Max. It offers connectivity and ease-of-use benefits for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. Good sound quality, and active noise cancellation, and a beautiful design all make this a premium listening experience in every way.

If you are looking for the best over-ear headphones in 2024 with the best value for money, you should definitely consider the Sony WH-1000XM4. The Sony WH-1000XM4 offers a wholesome all-around experience when it comes to design, sound quality, active noise cancellation, and battery life. What's more, it cost over $200 less than the Airpods Max. Regardless of if you have an iPhone or an Android phone, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headset is the better bang for your buck.

Of course, the Beats Studio 3 is also a great pick, it has plenty of comforts and good performance. In addition, the Beats Studio 3 has a W1 chip, so you can seamlessly pair them with other Apple devices. It is a cheaper option than the Airpods Max for Apple fans.