Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)
Get the Bose QC (2nd Gen). Lighter, gentler on your head, and it folds into a proper case. The XM5 last longer and cost less, but the hinge is their known weak spot.
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Which one is for you?
Sony XM5
Get the XM5 if this sounds like you: longer battery, Sony's richer sound, less money.
Is the Sony WH-1000XM5 worth it?Bose QC 2nd Gen
Hours on your head, thrown in a bag every day and real buttons: that's the Bose.
Is the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) worth it?Key differences
Comfort
Battery
Folding
Calls in loud places
What owners say
Verified buyers only; every 1–3 star review read by us. How we do this
Sony XM5
91%of 2,044 verified buyer ratings give it 4 or 5 stars
Owners love the noise cancelling, the sound and the comfort. The main complaint is noise cancelling that falls short of the hype, and the plastic hinge cracking comes up again and again.
- Excellent noise cancelling
- Great sound
- Comfortable for long wear
- Unreliable Bluetooth, random pauses or switching off, touch controls misfiring
- The hinge or headband joint cracked or snapped
Bose QC 2nd Gen
100%of 1 verified buyer ratings give it 4 or 5 stars
Only one verified owner so far, happy with the build quality and the price.
- Well made
- Good price
Nothing came up often enough to list.
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the Sony XM5: 2,044 verified buyer ratings at Currys, Target (US), LDLC (France) and Takealot (South Africa), read October 2026.
Owner reports for the Bose QC 2nd Gen: 1 verified buyer ratings at Harvey Norman (NZ, Australia), read October 2026.