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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Skullcandy Sesh True — biggest strength: A true wireless in-ear format with IP55 sweat, water and dust resistance, so it handles gym sessions and bad weather that an on-ear headset has no business dealing with.
• Skullcandy Sesh True — biggest trade-off: Battery life is modest. The buds deliver around 10 hours and the charging case adds roughly 11 more — nowhere near the Sony's single-charge figure.
• SONY Headphones WH-CH510 — biggest strength: Up to 35 hours of playback on one charge, plus USB-C charging and a swivel design that folds flat for travel.
• SONY Headphones WH-CH510 — biggest trade-off: It's an on-ear headset with plastic earcups, so it's not built for sweat, rain or heavy movement, and there's no headphone jack if you want a wired fallback.
• Who each pick is for: Skullcandy Sesh True for runners, gym-goers and anyone who wants buds that disappear into a pocket; Sony WH-CH510 for commuters, students and desk workers who want to charge once and forget about it.
The Sesh True is Skullcandy's true wireless in-ear bud, and its whole identity comes down to two specs: IP55 and a charging case. IP55 means resistance to sweat, water spray and dust — the kind of abuse earbuds actually take when you're moving. If you run outdoors, lift in a humid gym, or get caught in drizzle on the walk home, that rating is the feature you're paying for. The rounded-tip in-ear shape also seals into the ear canal, and Skullcandy lists sound isolation as the noise control method. That's passive isolation from the fit, not active processing. It won't erase engine drone the way active cancellation does, but it does knock down background chatter enough to make podcasts usable on a bus.
Who should skip it? Anyone who measures battery life in workdays. Ten hours per charge is fine for a week of workouts, but if you wear headphones for eight-hour stretches, you'll be reaching for the case constantly. The 4.96-ounce package weight is mostly the case, and the two-year manufacturer warranty is worth noting for a product this small. If your priority is never thinking about charging, this isn't the one.
SONY Headphones WH-CH510: Who It's For
The WH-CH510 is a completely different animal: an on-ear Bluetooth headset with circular plastic earcups, a 30mm dynamic driver, and a headline figure of up to 35 hours of playback. That single number reframes how you use it. Charge it, then stop thinking about it for days. A full charge takes about 4.5 hours, and Sony uses USB-C for recharging — the same cable as most modern phones, which is one less thing to pack.
The 30mm dome driver is the core of the sound story. A larger driver moving more air generally gives you fuller low-end and more room between instruments than the tiny drivers inside earbuds, and Sony's spec sheet pairs it with a 20Hz–20kHz range and 42-ohm impedance. The higher impedance means it wants a bit more power than the Sesh buds, but any phone drives it fine. Supported Bluetooth audio formats are SBC and AAC — AAC matters if you're on an iPhone or streaming from a service that serves AAC, since it's the better-quality of the two.
Where the design earns its keep is travel. The earcups swivel flat, so the headset packs into a bag or suitcase without a bulky hard case. Sony also lists active noise cancellation as the noise control method, alongside voice control and a built-in mic for hands-free calls and voice assistant commands. The practical upshot: you can take a call, skip a track and summon your assistant without pulling your phone out. The 10-metre Bluetooth range matches the Skullcandy.
Who should skip it? Anyone who trains in them. On-ear plastic cups don't survive sweat and rain, and there's no IP rating here. There's also no headphone jack, so if your laptop or in-flight entertainment needs a wire, you're out of luck. And the one-year manufacturer warranty is shorter than Skullcandy's two.
• Best for battery life → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Up to 35 hours per charge versus roughly 10 hours in the Sesh buds.
• Best for workouts and weather → Skullcandy Sesh True. IP55 sweat, water and dust resistance is the deciding spec.
• Best for travel → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. The swivel-flat earcup design packs down; earbuds in a case are small but the Sony is built to fold and go.
• Best for pocketability → Skullcandy Sesh True. True wireless buds plus a charging case slip into a jeans pocket, which the Sony simply can't do.
• Best for hands-free calls and voice assistant use → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Built-in mic, voice control and assistant compatibility are all listed features.
• Best for passive isolation on public transport → Skullcandy Sesh True. The in-ear seal with sound isolation blocks chatter reasonably well, though the Sony counters with active noise cancellation.
• Best for charging convenience → SONY Headphones WH-CH510. USB-C charging matches the cable you probably already carry.
• Best for gym bags and rainy commutes → Skullcandy Sesh True. The IP55 rating is the only durability claim on either sheet that covers moisture.
In my opinion, most people shopping this comparison should buy the SONY Headphones WH-CH510. Up to 35 hours of playback, USB-C charging, a 30mm driver and a fold-flat design make it the more versatile everyday headphone — it covers commuting, studying, working and travelling without a second thought about battery. I'd only steer you to the Skullcandy Sesh True if sweat and weather are part of your routine, or if you genuinely need buds that vanish into a pocket. If that's you, the IP55 rating and charging case make it the smarter pick. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since both sit in a bracket where a small difference can tip the balance.
FAQ
Sony lists up to 35 hours of playback per charge, with roughly 4.5 hours to recharge via USB-C. The Skullcandy Sesh True delivers about 10 hours in the buds, plus around 11 hours of extra charge in the case. Sony has the clear single-charge advantage.
I wouldn't recommend it. The WH-CH510 is an on-ear headset with plastic earcups and no IP rating for sweat, water or dust. The Skullcandy Sesh True is the one built for that, thanks to its IP55 rating and secure in-ear fit.
No. Both list "No Headphone Jack" and rely entirely on Bluetooth 5 wireless with a 10-metre range. If you need a wired connection for a laptop or in-flight system, neither of these is the right choice.
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