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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If cost is a primary concern, the Sennheiser 450BT is significantly less expensive and offers good build and mic quality, which is suitable for calls and meetings. They are over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling, making them suitable for air travel and TV due to their higher latency, but their bulkiness reduces their portability and they're not ideal for exercise. On the other hand, the Sony WF1000XM5 earbuds are pricier, but they provide a slightly better overall sound quality, more portability, better app customization, and additional features like wireless charging, ear detection, and an optimized experience for both Android and Apple devices. However, they are less suited for gaming and TV because of the lower latency and have a lower score for calls and meetings than the Sennheiser 450BT. 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 Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM5
- Very good for music
Key differences
Music
6.2
8.0
The Sony WF1000XM5 is very good for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
8.8
5.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Phone Calls
6.9
5.0
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
4.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
TV and Video
8.1
5.4
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Battery
27.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM5 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$139
$298
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Sennheiser 450BT has a price of $139 and the Sony WF1000XM5 costs $298.
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Key similarities
Noise Reduction
9.1
8.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser 450BT to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is very good.
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Sony WF1000XM5 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser 450BT and the Sony WF1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 450BT | Sony WF1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$139 | $298 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2020 | July 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.2/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.9/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.1/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 27.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.3 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 240.4 Grams | 6 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Sony WF1000XM5
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Sound Guys
Harley Maranan | July 2023
"The Sony WF-1000XM5 is among the best noise canceling earbuds currently on the market, and they aren’t cheap. These earbuds aren’t the best choice for budget-conscious listeners. But if you prioritize active noise cancelation, sound quality, and extensive software support, the WF-1000XM5 is worth its premium price tag."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser 450BT or the Sony WF1000XM5
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.
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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