Neither Apple AirPods nor Sony WH-XB700 were recommended by experts this month
On 4 Apr 2024 (22 days ago) we went through 104 Headphones expert endorsements , however neither Apple AirPods nor Sony WH-XB700 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Headphones received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Sony WH-1000XM5 or other critically acclaimed Wireless Headphones of this month.
For reference, Sony WH-1000XM5 received 9 endorsements this month, from WIRED (1 Mar 2024), CNET (23 Mar 2024) Tom's Guide (19 Jan 2024) and 6 others.
Curious to see this month's entire Wireless Headphones ranking? It's here
Apple AirPods 
Sony WH-XB700 Customers like Apple AirPods noticeably more
At ReviewFinder we prefer to focus on professional product reviews, because customer reviews can be disproportionately affected by unrelated factors such as delivery, specific seller listing problems, and, of course, fake reviews. With that said, below is the summary of consumer sentiment.
Sony WH-XB700
CS of 10 is similar to a 4.8 star review, CS of 0 is similar to a 2 star review.
Apple AirPods, the cheaper option, tends to get more favorable reviews than Sony WH-XB700.
As can be seen in the chart above, median best-selling headphones receives a consumer score of 8.3 (great). Both Apple AirPods and Sony WH-XB700 receive customer reviews that average out above that median threshold.
| Apple AirPods |
In comparison:
10.0 Amazing
|
| Sony WH-XB700 |
In comparison:
8.8 Great
|
| Median best-selling Headphones |
In comparison:
8.3 Great
|
Apple AirPods is more popular than Sony WH-XB700
It's fairly safe to say that Apple AirPods are more popular headphones than Sony WH-XB700, based on their 400,000+ reviews. Popularity is determined based on product sales. Note that older and cheaper products tend to sell more.
To consider
| Table: Top compared alternatives for Apple AirPods and Sony WH-XB700 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Boltune BT-BH010 | $90 |
In comparison:
8.8 Great
| No expert recommendations | |
 | Audio-Technica ATH-M40x | $95 |
In comparison:
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x ranks #15 out of 148. Very high levels of customer satisfaction. Go to rankings 9.1 Great
| No expert recommendations | |
 | Mpow 059 | $69 |
In comparison:
8.6 Great
| No expert recommendations | Cheaper |
 | Philips SHP9500 | $80 |
In comparison:
9.1 Great
| No expert recommendations | Cheaper |
| Rank | Change | Price | Headphones | WIRED  | CNET  | Tom's Guide 
| IGN  | T3  | PCMag  | Wirecutter  | Rtings.com  | Digital Trends  | What Hi-Fi  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $398 |  Sony WH-1000XM5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | - | 1 | 1 |
| 2
| - | $429 |  Bose Ultra Headphones | 9 | 1 | 3 | - | 2 | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | - |
| 3 | +1 | $519 |  Apple AirPods Max | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | - | 9 | - | - | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | +1 | $299 |  Bose QuietComfort Ultra | 2 | 8 | - | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | 5 |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
- HIGH-QUALITY SOUND — Powered by the Apple H1 headphone chip, AirPods (2nd generation) deliver rich, vivid sound.
- EFFORTLESS SETUP — After a simple one-tap setup, AirPods are automatically on and always connected. They sense when they’re in your ears and pause when you take them out. And sound seamlessly switches between your iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, iPad, and Apple TV.
- Read more
- Feel the power of extra bass
- Up to 30 hours of battery life for long-lasting listening
- Listen in comfort with an on-ear design and swiveling ear cups
- Optimize your sound settings with the Sony Headphones | connect app
- Read more
Apple AirPods are a top selling option in the middle of the headphones price range. They're a #1 bestseller in headphones category and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Sennheiser HD 350BT or Sony WF-1000XM3 .
Apple AirPods are $10 less expensive than average headphones ($99).
Sony WH-XB700 are a well-known option in the middle of the headphones price range. They're in the top 3 bestselling headphones and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Sennheiser RS120 or JBL Live Free 2 .
Sony WH-XB700 are $21 more expensive than average headphones ($99).
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Go to rankings
