Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Beats 360 vs Sony WH-1000XM5: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Sony WH-1000XM5: 60% of 359 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Beats 360

34%of 112 owners recommend
34% recommend · 13% neutral · 53% don't
Owners praise
  • Light and comfortable to wear for long stretches, and some owners find it easier to wear than AirPods Max
  • Liked for the gym and running, sometimes by owners who would only use it there
  • Several owners like the design and being able to swap the cushion covers
Owners complain about
  • Background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent
  • Battery drains while switched off, leaving owners with a half-empty or dead pair when they pick it up, and turning off Find My did not stop it for everyone
  • Many owners find the sound thin, tinny or short on bass for the price, and owners who also have AirPods Max rate the Max's sound higher
Full owner report →

Sony WH-1000XM5

60%of 359 owners recommend
60% recommend · 15% neutral · 25% don't
Owners praise
  • Class-leading noise cancellation
  • Comfortable and lightweight for long wear
  • Excellent, well-rounded sound quality
Owners complain about
  • Hinges crack or break, often within a year
  • Sound underwhelming or muddy for the price
  • Headband presses painfully on top of head
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Beats 360 if
  • ✓People who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs
  • ✓Listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality
Skip it if
  • Podcast, audiobook and video listeners, or anyone who listens in quiet rooms
  • Anyone who needs headphones that hold their charge between uses
Get the Sony WH-1000XM5 if
  • ✓Frequent flyers and commuters wanting top-tier noise cancellation
  • ✓Office workers on frequent calls and video meetings
  • ✓Long-session listeners who value all-day comfort
  • ✓Listeners who fine-tune sound with the app's EQ
Skip it if
  • Audiophiles chasing reference-grade sound quality
  • Gym and sweaty workouts (not water resistant)

What Beats 360 owners say

“they’re actually amazing for the gym. Way better than the Bose, the Sony’s, and the AirPods for the gym. Noise cancelation is a 10 out of 10, and they never get hot in your ears.”
— @DrWoc on YouTube
“I love mine. The update really helped with the mids. They were super uncontrolled before”
— @GabeDaEngineer on YouTube
“I got a pair and ended up returning them because it didn’t have on ear detection”
— @crazzei on YouTube

What Sony WH-1000XM5 owners say

“I actually love the fact that they won't fold. Folding make them weaker and they rattle a lot.”
— @LLANTALOBOTOMIK on YouTube
“I think not being foldable will eventually be better for durability in the long term”
— @RaedVS on YouTube
“Wow the sound quality sounds just like my phone speakers”
— @Gpinky765 on YouTube

Beats 360 vs Sony WH-1000XM5: frequently asked questions

Is the Beats 360 or the Sony WH-1000XM5 better?

Real owners lean toward the Sony WH-1000XM5: 60% of 359 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

Who should get the Beats 360?

Owners point the Beats 360 at people who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs, and listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality.

Who should get the Sony WH-1000XM5?

Owners point the Sony WH-1000XM5 at frequent flyers and commuters wanting top-tier noise cancellation, and office workers on frequent calls and video meetings.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Beats 360 is background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent. For the Sony WH-1000XM5, it's hinges crack or break, often within a year.