Head to head
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless vs AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless leads 2 to 1 on the 3 rankable specs, but AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $200 less. Most of the 14 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Swap
Compare a different headphone
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299Sony WH-1000XM4$348Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349Beats Studio Pro$349Sony WH-1000XM5$399Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429Sonos Ace$449Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$699Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 1
Buy the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.
- Leads 2 of 3 rankable overall specs; AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation takes 1.
- Battery life: 60 hours vs 4 hours listening time on single charge with…
- Warranty: 2 years vs 1 year manufacturer warranty
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is $200 cheaper. Pay the difference only if battery life matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless · No (swivels flat)Trips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · No (pocket-sized charging case)
- Clear:Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless · aptX, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBCTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · AAC, SBC
- Clear:Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless · 60 hoursTrips:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · 4 hours listening time on single charge…
- Trips:Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless · No official IP ratingClear:AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation · IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Sennheiser
293 g (10.3 oz)
Apple
8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case
Active Noise Cancelling≠
Sennheiser
Yes (Hybrid Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation)
Apple
Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode)
Battery life
Sennheiser
60 hours (ANC on via Bluetooth)
Apple
4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on)
Comfort, Clamp & Travel Fit Check
Ergonomic factors that affect daily comfort, glasses wearers, and luggage space.
Folding & Travel Packability
Swivels flat only (large fabric travel case)
Standard folding earcups
Clamp Force & Glasses Comfort
Medium-firm seal (~4.8 N, thick cushioned headband)
Standard headphone clamp
Weight & Crown Pressure
293g (moderate weight, thick memory foam)
Standard headphone weight
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Sennheiser: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Design
leads 1-0| Type | Over-ear, closed-back | Open-ear true wireless earbuds |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 293 g (10.3 oz) | 8.6 g (0.30 oz) earbuds total (4.3 g each) / 34.7 g charging case (wins this row: lower) |
| Foldable | No (swivels flat) | No (pocket-sized charging case) |
| Carrying case | Fabric-covered structured hard zip case included | Wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C port |
| IP rating | No official IP rating | IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistant (earbuds and case) |
Audio
5 differences| Driver | 42 mm Transducer system (audiophile-inspired) | Custom high-excursion Apple driver with custom high dynamic range amplifier |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes (Hybrid Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation) | Yes (Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode) |
| Transparency mode | Yes (Adjustable Transparency Mode) | Yes (Transparency Mode & Conversation Awareness) |
| Supported codecs | aptX, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Microphones | 2x2 digital beamforming mic array | Dual beamforming microphones + inward-facing microphone with Voice Isolation |
Connectivity & Battery
leads 1-0| Multipoint Bluetooth | Yes (Bluetooth 5.2 multipoint pairing) | Yes (automatic seamless device switching across Apple devices) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 60 hours (ANC on via Bluetooth) (wins this row: higher) | 4 hours listening time on single charge with ANC on (5 hours ANC off) / up to 20 hours with charging case (ANC on) |
| Charging time | 2 hours full charge (10 min charge gives 6 hours) | 5 minutes in the case provides around 1 hour of listening time; USB-C, Apple Watch charger, or Qi wireless charging |
Ownership
leads 1-0| Warranty | 2 years (wins this row: higher) | 1 year manufacturer warranty |
|---|
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Audiophile-tuned wireless headphones delivering signature Sennheiser sound and mammoth 60-hour battery life.
- Unrivaled 60-hour battery life with ANC engaged
- Audiophile-grade acoustic tuning with punchy dynamic bass
- Comprehensive aptX Adaptive high-resolution audio support
What you give up
- ANC performance slightly behind Sony XM5 and Bose Ultra
- Less distinctive styling compared to retro Momentum 3
Pick this one if
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Open-ear wireless earbuds with H2 headphone chip, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, and wireless charging case with speaker.
- Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio in an open-ear, tip-less fit
- Apple H2 chip with Personalized Spatial Audio and head tracking
- Smallest wireless charging case with built-in Find My speaker and USB-C
What you give up
- Open-ear ANC is naturally less isolating than in-ear silicone tip earbuds like AirPods Pro
- Battery life drops to 4 hours per charge with ANC enabled (20 hours total with case)
Best for each use
Flights & commutes
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper.
Calls & work
Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets. Only battery life is rankable here.
Sound quality
Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ↗ · AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation costs $200 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
Both has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Which is better for flights & commutes, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation?
Tied on flights & commutes. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is cheaper. The 2 rankable flights & commutes specs split 1 to 1. Saves $200 at list price.
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 14 specs tracked here, 11 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.