Sony WH1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort 25

Sony WH1000XM3 review
vs
Bose QuietComfort 25 review

If you find it hard to choose between wired and wireless headphones, this comparison might be pretty interesting for you. Here is shown the difference between Bose QuietComfort 25 vs Sony WH-1000XM3. The mentioned headphones have an over-ear design and both of them are closed back. The main difference is that the product by Bose is wired, while the other one is wireless.

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Features

Sony WH-1000XM3 works in a range between 4 Hz and 40 kHz. Its sensitivity is 104 dB and the impedance is 16 Ohm. These devices have Google Assistant and Siri. Using Sony WH-1000XM3 you will have an app control and Bluetooth. NFC and aptX HD are available as well.

Both devices have a battery but in the case with Sony WH-1000XM3 it is a rechargeable one, while Bose QuietComfort 25 has an AAA battery. The first one works up to 30 hours after 3 hours of charging, while the second one has 36 hours of battery life. As the headphones come with a wire, they have a battery-free listening mode.

Sound

The bass, mid and highs of Bose QuietComfort 25 are tonally balanced and suffer from no excessive bloating or dips in the frequency response. The device delivers a tight and clear bass response.

Speaking of Sony WH-1000XM3, instrument separation is excellent, the bass is strong, the high pitch is quite nice.

Comfort and design

It is pretty convenient to travel with these headphones as a nice carry case comes with them. Also, they both have an adjustable headband and can fold. Making phone calls is comfortable as Bose QuietComfort 25 has an in-line microphone and Sony WH-1000XM3 is equipped with a built-in microphone.

The detachable wire that you get with the headphones is 140 cm long in the case with Bose QuietComfort 25. When it comes to weight, this device is a winner since it is much lighter. The QuietComfort 25 model has 195 g, while the appliance made by Sony is 380 g heavy.

Sony WH1000XM3 pros and cons

Sony WH1000XM3 pros and cons

Pros

  • Its battery can last up to 38 hours without noise-canceling
  • Amazing noise cancellation performance
  • Pretty solid call quality

Cons

  • Touch controls are finicky

Bose QuietComfort 25 pros and cons

Bose QuietComfort 25 pros and cons

Pros

  • Remains comfortable for hour after hour on long train journeys
  • Excellent noise-canceling — you can barely hear someone talking to you directly behind you
  • Natural sound
  • The external noise dampening is second to none

Cons

  • Not very durable — details start to break after 1 year of usage
  • The upper treble extension could be slightly better

Votes 4 4
Rating 4.8 4.8

Headphones comparison chart

Overall
Sony WH1000XM3
9.6
Bose QuietComfort 25
7.5
10
10
10
8
10
inapplicable
10
inapplicable
9
inapplicable
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Common

Product

Sony WH1000XM3
Bose QuietComfort 25

Model

WH1000XM3
QuietComfort 25

Brand

Sony
Bose

Reviews

15747
12331

General

Wearing style

over ear
over ear

Enclosure

closed back
closed back

Wireless

Wired

Specifications

Transducer

dynamic
dynamic

Driver size, mm/inches

Impedance, Ohm

16

Frequency response, Hz

4Hz-40KHz

Total harmonic distortion (THD), %

Sensitivity (SPL), dB

104

Magnet type

neodymium

Weight (headphones), g/oz

380/13.4
195/6.9

Comfort

Adjustable headband

Foldable

Noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling

Adjustable noise cancelling level

Microphone

Built-in microphone

In-line microphone

Detachable microphone

Cables

Detachable cable

Audio cable length, cm/ft

140/4.6

Jack connection (TRS)

3.5
3.5

Balanced connection

Control

Built-in control buttons

In-line control

Touch control

Voice control

Google Assistant, Siri
Google Assistant, Siri

App control

Control functions

volume, answer/end, play/pause, next/previous track, fast forward/rewind, noise cancelling, voice assistant
volume, answer/end, play/pause, next/previous track, fast forward/rewind, voice assistant

Wireless connectivity

Bluetooth

has not

Bluetooth version

4.2
has not

aptX

has not

aptX HD (Hi-Res Audio)

has not

Bluetooth profiles

A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
has not

NFC

Wi-Fi

Battery

Battery type

rechargable
AAA

Battery life, hrs

38 (30 without noise cancelling)
36

Charging time, hrs

3
has not

Charging port

USB-C
has not

Charging cable

USB-C to USB-A
has not

Speed charge

has not

Battery free listening mode

Battery level indicator

has not

Additional features

Water resistance

Light indication

Additional audio features

In the box

Audio cable

Carry case

Charging cable

has not

1/4 Adapter (6,35 mm)

Interchangeable ear pads

User manual

Manual

Sony WH1000XM3
Bose QuietComfort 25
Sony WH1000XM3
Bose QuietComfort 25

Headphones HeadphonesArena comparison rating

  • better
  • worse
  • 9.6
  • 7.5
  • 9.6Sony WH1000XM3
  • 7.5Bose QuietComfort 25

The Sony WH1000XM3 is better headphones in this comparison. Check Sony WH1000XM3 price