A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose 700 provides better comfort and call quality, and is ideal for air travel due to its superior noise isolation, while being slightly less expensive. If budget is a concern and you prioritize comfort and calls or frequent flying, go with the Bose. If you're seeking the best music listening experience with long battery life, choose the Sony. 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 Bose 700
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WH-1000XM5
- Very good for music
Key differences
Music
7.5
8.2
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is very good for music, while the Bose 700 is good.
Phone Calls
8.3
5.5
The Bose 700 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8
6.0
The Bose 700 is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is only fair.
Battery
20.0 Hours
40.3 Hours
The Bose 700 has 20 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has 40.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$299
$398
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose 700 has a price of $299 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 costs $398.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.6
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose 700 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.6
5.8
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose 700 are both poor for TV and video.
Noise Reduction
9.1
9.1
The Bose 700 and Sony WH-1000XM5 are both excellent for noise reduction.
Build Quality
9.0
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose 700 to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 has very good build quality.
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How the Bose 700 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose 700 | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $398 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2019 | May 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 20 Hours | 40.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.5 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 263 Grams | 249.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Bose 700
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | June 2023
"Bose took active noise canceling and made it mainstream but eventually, the market caught up. Well, it seems like Bose was listening, because the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is a complete redesign of its iconic product. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a new design, improved sound quality, a touch-sensitive gesture pad for playback controls, and even USB-C charging."
Sony WH-1000XM5
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Headphonesty
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir | February 2023
"The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best Sony Bluetooth headphones so far and one of the most well-rounded Bluetooth headphones around. Look no further if you need class-leading ANC with a mostly inoffensive sound signature. Just be ready to pony up the price premium."
Get a great deal on the Bose 700 or the Sony WH-1000XM5
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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
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