Beats 360 vs Sony WF-1000XM6

Best for: Gym and studio users who want one pair of over-ears instead of earbuds plus a second pair. SoundGuys writes that if you want one pair for almost everything, you should not be afraid to grab the Beats 360, and ZDNET says the water resistance plus cushion swapping effectively create two headphones in one.; People who sweat heavily and want a contact surface they can actually clean. Apple's own cleaning guide covers removing the cushions and hand-washing them, and Beats sells replacement Cushion Kits from USD 9.99 during the launch offer instead of a paid repair.; Buyers who live in both Apple and Android ecosystems. T3, Engadget and How-To Geek all name one-touch or fast pairing, Find My or Find Hub and automatic switching on both platforms as the reason to choose the Beats 360 over the AirPods Max 2.

Skip it if: You want the best sound at this price. WIRED says they sound OK but not for headphones that cost USD 350, and WIRED, The Verge and ecoustics all prefer cheaper Sony, Bose or Sonos models on sound quality alone.; You need wired or lossless listening. SoundGuys, CNET, Engadget, ZDNET, T3, WIRED, How-To Geek and Macwelt all record that the USB-C port is charging only, while the cheaper Beats Studio Pro keeps both USB-C audio and a 3.5 mm jack.; You wear headphones at a desk for hours. WIRED and The Verge both report the strong clamping force becoming uncomfortable after a few hours, and T3 reports heat build-up under both cushion materials.; You want automatic pause, a custom EQ or a hard case. There is no wear detection and no equalizer on either platform, and the box holds only a soft woven case.

From $349.99 at Beats (US, checked Oct 4, 2026)

Best for: Android listeners who want the broadest feature set in a flagship earbud: LDAC, LC3, Auracast, DSEE Extreme, multipoint and a 10-band EQ with Find My EQ, all confirmed by the sources analysed.; Buyers who rank sound quality above maximum noise cancelling. WIRED calls the tuning the best it has heard from wireless earbuds, CNET scores it 9.2/10 and What Hi-Fi? gives the sound 5/5.; Upgraders from the WF-1000XM4 or older. SoundGuys calls the XM6 easy to recommend over the XM5; the reservations are aimed at current XM5 owners.

Skip it if: You already own the WF-1000XM5. PCMag and SoundGuys both report unchanged battery and codecs, and Sony's 25% noise-reduction claim was not independently reproduced.; Maximum low-frequency noise cancelling is the priority. Engadget, PCMag, Techlicious and Yahoo Tech all put Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) ahead on steady low-frequency noise.; Sony's foam tips have never sealed for you. Engadget never got used to the fit in three weeks, and The Verge only confirmed a seal in one ear until Sony shipped silicone tips separately.