shouldibuythat
← All Audio verdicts
Audio · head to head

AirPods Pro 2 vs WF-1000XM5

Reddit's answer is the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Buy only if you value sound quality and noise cancellation and are deep in the Apple ecosystem. The WF-1000XM5 is a Stay Away — don’t buy it — get the AirPods Pro 2 instead.

Worth knowingOwners of the WF-1000XM5 most often point to the AirPods Pro 2.
Apple AirPods Pro 2
Apple · Audio

AirPods Pro 2

Risky Buy$225
50% of 1,265 owners recommend
~1 in 4 failure rate — ~1 in 4 long-term reports mention a failure, typically appearing within the first 11 months. Components span microphone, transparency mode, the case, and connectivity. Warranty outcomes lean slightly unresolved (39 unresolved vs. 33 resolved), so coverage is not a sure safety net. At rank 2 of 4 wireless earbuds we track for failure rate, this sits above the category midpoint — not the worst, but elevated enough to notice. Failures do arrive faster than the category baseline onset of 5 months suggests is typical.

Buy only if you value sound quality and noise cancellation and are deep in the Apple ecosystem.

+ Repeatedly mentioned as a reference point other earbuds get compared against.

− A vocal minority find ANC inconsistent or degraded, especially after firmware updates.

Full verdict →
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony · Audio

WF-1000XM5

Stay Away$248
33% of 886 owners recommend
~1 in 3 failure rate — ~1 in 3 long-term reports describe a failure, most commonly battery issues (20 reports), followed by left earbud and unspecified problems. Onset typically falls between 2 and 19 months. Of warranty cases, 31 landed unresolved versus 23 resolved — meaning failures usually land outside warranty or without remedy.

Don’t buy it — get the AirPods Pro 2 instead

+ Repeatedly mentioned as a benchmark other earbuds get measured against.

− A vocal minority report failures across battery, individual earbuds, and connectivity — onset typically within 2–19 months.

Full verdict →

Questions people keep asking

Which is better, the AirPods Pro 2 or the WF-1000XM5?

Reddit's answer is the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Buy only if you value sound quality and noise cancellation and are deep in the Apple ecosystem. The WF-1000XM5 is a Stay Away — don’t buy it — get the AirPods Pro 2 instead.

Is the Apple AirPods Pro 2 worth it?

Reddit's verdict is Risky Buy. Buy only if you value sound quality and noise cancellation and are deep in the Apple ecosystem. The most-recommended wireless earbuds we track, but ~1 in 4 long-term reports describe a failure — strong buy for Apple loyalists who accept that trade-off.

Is the Sony WF-1000XM5 worth it?

Reddit's verdict is Stay Away. Don’t buy it — get the AirPods Pro 2 instead. Strong ANC and sound, but ~1 in 3 long-term reports describe a failure — mostly battery and earbud issues that more often land outside warranty than not.