Headphone Comparison: Sony WH-2000X Mark 5, X Mark 4, Apple AirPods Max, Bose QC45, and B&W PX7 S2

Design and Comfort

• AirPods Max: Most premium with aluminum and mesh headband; heaviest at 384g.
• Bose QC45: Lightest at 240g, best in comfort due to lightness and proper clamping force.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 5: 250g.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: 254g, foldable for better portability.
• B&W PX7 S2: 307g, uses premium materials, good comfort due to reduced clamping force.

Battery Life

• Sony WH-1000X Mark 5: 30 hours, 3 hours of playtime with 3 minutes of charge.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: 30 hours, 5 hours of playtime with 10 minutes of charge.
• B&W PX7 S2: 30 hours, 7 hours of playtime with 15 minutes of charge.
• Bose QC45: 24 hours, 3 hours of playtime with 15 minutes of charge.
• AirPods Max: 20 hours, 1.5 hours of playtime with 15 minutes of charge.

Connectivity

• Sony WH-1000X Mark 5: Bluetooth 5.2, supports SBC, AAC, LDAC.
• B&W PX7 S2: Bluetooth 5.0, supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: Bluetooth 5.0, supports SBC, AAC, LDAC.
• Bose QC45: Bluetooth 5.1, supports SBC, AAC.
• AirPods Max: Bluetooth 5.0, supports SBC, AAC.
• Note: All support multi-point connectivity.

Active Noise-Cancelling (ANC)

• Sony WH-1000X Mark 5 & AirPods Max: Best ANC performance, especially for iPhone users.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: Nearly as good as Mark 5.
• Bose QC45: Good ANC, but less effective than others.
• B&W PX7 S2: Potential for great ANC, but sealing issue around ears reduces effectiveness.
• ANC effectiveness can be subjective depending on fit and seal.

Sound Quality

• Sony WH-1000X Series: Bassy, consumer-friendly, EQ adjustable via app.
• B&W PX7 S2 & AirPods Max: Best for clarity, warmth in mids, excellent separation and detail.
• Bose QC45: Treble emphasized, tighter bass, adjustable via app.

Price

• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: ~$300 (frequently discounted), great value.
• Bose QC45: $329.
• B&W PX7 S2 & Sony WH-1000X Mark 5: $399.
• AirPods Max: $549.

Conclusion

• AirPods Max: Best for iPhone users; great ANC and sound, seamless Apple ecosystem integration.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 5: Best ANC for Android users.
• B&W PX7 S2: Best sound quality for clarity.
• Bose QC45: Best comfort.
• Sony WH-1000X Mark 4: Best value for money.