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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize convenience and wireless freedom, the Apple AirPods Pro offer excellent noise cancellation and portability, making them suitable for travel and on-the-go use. However, they are significantly pricier. On the other hand, the Sennheiser HD 400S are wired headphones that provide high-quality sound at a more budget-friendly price, but they lack noise cancellation and the flexibility of wireless connectivity. If sound quality and value are your primary concerns, the Sennheiser may be the better choice, while the AirPods Pro would be ideal if you need advanced features like active noise cancellation and wireless convenience. 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 Pro
- Excellent for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
- Good for music
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
8.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the Apple Airpods Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
7.4
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Apple Airpods Pro is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.3
7.6
The Apple Airpods Pro is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
TV and Video
5.7
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for TV and video, while the Apple Airpods Pro is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
5.3
The Apple Airpods Pro is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Apple Airpods Pro has 5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser HD 400S does not have a battery.
Cost
$260
$50
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Apple Airpods Pro has a price of $260 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Apple Airpods Pro has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
7.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser HD 400S to be good for music, while the Apple Airpods Pro is only fair.
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How the Apple Airpods Pro and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Pro | Sennheiser HD 400S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2019 | January 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 8.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.1/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.4 Grams | 213 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Pro
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Sound Guys
Adam Molina | January 2023
"For just $50 USD more than the original model with the wireless charging case, this is definitely the pair of buds to get. The AirPods Pro (1st generation) sounds better than the originals and has a way better fit and active noise canceling to boot. If you have an iOS device, just get this."
Sennheiser HD 400S
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Headphone Dungeon
Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Pro or the Sennheiser HD 400S
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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
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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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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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