bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Winnie Chung

Diehard Apple fans are no doubt still rejoicing that the active noise-cancelling Airpods are finally here. The function has been a surprisingly long time coming but it’s understandably difficult to pack so much into two tiny true wireless earbuds. If you’re willing and able to fork out the extra US$50, the Airpods Pro are definitely a huge improvement on the Airpods 2 – but how do they measure up to arch rivals, the Sony WF-1000XM3?
Form and comfort

As far as size is concerned, the Airpods Pro win hands down. At almost half the size of the Sony WF-1000XM3 physically and weighing 5.4 grams, they can lay claim to being the lightest active noise cancelling true wireless earphones in the market. The charging case is a broader but shorter version of the classic Airpods, and fits into pockets just as snugly.
However, I found it very fiddly and often required several attempts before I managed lift them out of their magnetic grooves. The Sony earbuds were slightly better because I didn’t have to deal with the longer stick design.
The much-ridiculed stick design is still there, but it’s a lot shorter than its predecessors’ and less of a beacon for scorn. The flawed design of the classic Airpods that allowed sound to leak, and never fit comfortably into anyone’s ears, has been rectified by the addition of rubber tips that come in three sizes.
One of the most laudable features of this is the plastic cap inside the tips that allow them to snap on firmly with little effort. And Apple has included a sound diagnostics within the music app that will tell you if there is sound leakage so you know you have the right-sized tips. With the smallest tips on, I could barely feel the earbuds and didn’t feel like they were about to drop out as with the old Airpods.
Much as I love-hate the stick, with the Airpods Pro I felt they actually helped balance the fit and felt a bit more secure. To be fair, the Sony WF-1000M3 also fit very snugly and securely but I always had this hidden fear that one would drop out and roll away.
The Airpods Pro are also water and sweat resistant, which the Sony earbuds aren’t.
Winner: Airpods Pro
Apple’s AirPods Pro are upgraded – but all Twitter sees is Pokémon Bellsprout
Connectivity and controls

What can I say? It’s nice to be able to connect a pair of earphones without having to download yet another app as with the Sony earbuds. If you are like me and often switch headphones, you end up with way too many sound apps that truly do nothing much anyway.
Like all Apple products, the Airpods Pro sync seamlessly with the iPhone. All you need to do is to open the case and the earbuds connect automatically. When they connect, a window pops up on your iPhone to show the battery level. After that, it is pretty much picking your playlist and tapping the play button.
Unlike the Sony, which require you to tap on the earbud for controls, you control the Airpods Pro through physical buttons, which aren’t very visible, and which require a few practice runs before you can find the right spot to press intuitively. Still the button is a lot more straightforward, and faster.
One press stops the music, two clicks takes you to the next song while three takes you back a song. A long press will take you through a scroll of noise cancelling or transparency (ambient sound) mode. The signal is a higher tone for transparent mode and a lower tone for noise cancelling.
With the Sony earbuds, the tapping is a bit irregular. The choice of noise cancelling or ambient sound is announced by a female voice which causes a two- to three-second delay before the control kicks in. It’s easy to overshoot the scrolling or think you have, and that can lead to some frantic tapping.
Winner: Airpods Pro
Sound quality

Sound quality is high on my list of essentials when it comes to headphones. The Airpods Pro offer decent sound but definitely not the best that I have heard. The treble is just a tiny bit too shrill and the bass just a tad weaker when compared to the Sony WF-1000XM3, which offer richer tones for vocals and stronger bass.
You can adjust the sounds for the Airpods Pro through the programmed equaliser in the iPhone’s music app. But this requires you to go in and changing the settings every time you change genres and, to be honest, the difference isn’t that great. The Sony earbuds have better balance.
Winner: Sony WF-1000MX3
Are Sony’s new wireless earbuds better than Apple AirPods?
Battery life and charging

Off the bat, the Airpods Pro can be wirelessly charged while the Sony earbuds cannot, but the Airpods offer only 4.5 hours with noise cancelling on from a single charge while the Sony ones allow six hours of play. The Airpods Pro offer a quick charge of five minutes for an extra hour of use, while 10 minutes with the Sony earbuds give you an extra 90 minutes. Less than five hours will last you on a flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo, for example, but it’s not much if you’re on a long-haul flight. However of you don’t mind recharging halfway through a movie or an album, the in-case charging for both earbud options will take you up to 24 hours.
Winner: Draw
Conclusion
For iPhone users, nothing will beat the Airpods for the convenience of a seamless connection, intuitive controls and chic design – but the Sony WF-1000MX3 are US$20 cheaper and offer better sound quality.
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Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3 – which are the best wireless earbuds?

Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3. Photos: Kwok-wang Chow

Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3

Screenshot

Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3 in size.

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From battery life and in-ear comfort to connectivity and all-important sound quality, STYLE puts the top two noise-cancelling wireless earbuds head-to-head: Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3


From battery life and ear comfort to connectivity and all-important sound quality, the top two wireless earbuds go head-to-head


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Review | Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3 – which are the best wireless earbuds?

From battery life and in-ear comfort to connectivity and all-important sound quality, STYLE puts the top two noise-cancelling wireless earbuds head-to-head: Apple Airpods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3