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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize wireless convenience, better call quality, and features optimized for Apple devices, choose Apple Airpods (3rd generation); they offer good sound for music and adaptive sound capabilities but perform poorly for TV and gaming with no noise isolation. Sony MDREX15AP, being budget-friendly, has a wired connection which is good for latency making them suitable for TV and also excellent for a focused music listening experience; however, the sound and mic quality are not as good, and they lack advanced features like wireless charging and ear detection found in the Airpods. Remember that while Airpods deliver very good performance during exercise and air travel, the Sony earbuds offer better noise isolation but without sweat-proof certification. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods (3rd generation)
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony MDREX15AP
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.1
8.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is good.
Gaming
5.4
6.7
The Sony MDREX15AP is only fair for gaming, while the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
3.5
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is good for phone calls, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.6
5.4
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
TV and Video
5.5
9.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
7.0
The Sony MDREX15AP is good for noise reduction, while the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) is poor.
Battery
6.0 Hours
N/A
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has 6 hours of battery life. The Sony MDREX15AP does not have a battery.
Cost
$178
$20
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has a price of $178 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Apple Airpods (3rd generation) has excellent build quality, while the Sony MDREX15AP has very good build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods (3rd generation) | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$178 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.2/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.2/10 | 4.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.3 Grams | 3.1 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods (3rd generation)
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz, Christian Thomas | February 2023
"The Apple AirPods improves upon the 2019 model with its more ergonomic, yet unsealed, fit, water-resistant build, MagSafe charging case, and advanced software features. You can enjoy a wholly immersive movie experience with the new AirPods' spatial audio with head tracking, and enjoy HD audio during FaceTime calls. Of course, most of these features are limited to Apple hardware."
Sony MDREX15AP
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Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) or the Sony MDREX15AP
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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