Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods Pro 3: which premium wireless earbuds are better?

A grey Sony WF-1000XM6 earbud and white Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbud lying next to each other on a wooden surface in front of their open charging cases.

Sony WF-1000XM6

Bluetooth version: 5.3 (SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3)
Battery life: 8hrs (24hrs total)
Weight: 6.2g each
Finishes: x 2 (black, platinum silver)

The new design might not be to everyone's liking, and the fit is a bit more finnicky than the AirPods', but the XM6 bring real advances in both sound quality and noise cancellation. Add a stacked feature set, and you've got a surefire winner for both Android and iOS users alike.

Pros

• Wonderfully natural, musical sound
• Excellent detail and dynamics
• Superb noise cancelling
• Plenty of features, including hi-res LDAC codec

Cons

• Eartip options could be better
• Bulky case and buds

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Bluetooth: 5.3 (AAC, SBC)
Battery life: 8hrs (earbuds); total 24hrs
Weight: 5.55g each
Finishes: x 1 (white)

The AirPods have made staggering progress in recent years, with ample features and seamless use, especially for iOS users. The AirPods Pro 3 offer the brand's best sound and ANC to date, but they're just pipped by the Sonys. The Pro 3 are cheaper, though.

Pros

• Spacious, punchy, dynamic sound
• Clear and expressive with voices
• Improved ANC
• Smooth and intuitive in use
• Comfortable, lightweight design

Cons

• Most features are iOS-only
• No hi-res codecs