If you want long battery life and a lightweight on-ear design for everyday listening, choose Beats Solo 4; if you need active noise cancellation for travel and commuting, choose Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones. For side sleepers, neither is an in-ear option, so comfort will depend on whether an on-ear or around-ear design works better for you.
• Beats Solo 4: Up to 50 hours of battery life, fast charging, and a lightweight on-ear design; the trade-off is that its listed features do not include active noise cancellation.
• Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones: Active noise cancellation that adapts to the surroundings, plus an Ambient Sound mode; the trade-off is a shorter stated battery life of up to 35 hours.
• Beats Solo 4 is for listeners who put long battery life, flexible wired listening, and an on-ear fit first.
• Sony is for commuters and travelers who want noise cancellation, hands-free calls, and an around-ear design.
• These are both wireless over-ear-or-on-ear headphones, not earbuds. That matters for side sleeping: the ear-cup design may press against a pillow, and neither product is described as a flat, sleep-focused design. If you are specifically searching for in ear earbuds for side sleepers, these two models are not that category. The useful comparison here is whether you would rather prioritize Beats’ lighter on-ear construction or Sony’s noise-control features.
Beats Solo 4 makes its case with a stated battery life of up to 50 hours. That gives it an advantage on paper for listeners who want to go longer between charges. If you do forget to charge, a 10-minute charge is listed as providing up to five hours of playback. That combination suits long listening stretches, travel days, and routines where charging opportunities are easy to miss.
The design is on-ear, with a flex-grip headband and adjustable ear cups intended to provide a stable fit. Its UltraPlush cushions are designed for comfort and durability, while the ergonomic shape and lightweight construction are aimed at extended wear. The custom acoustic architecture and updated drivers are described as delivering powerful Beats sound. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking adds a listening feature for people who want more than straightforward stereo playback.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-19 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip Beats Solo 4 if active noise cancellation is a must, or if you need earbuds that sit unobtrusively against a pillow.
Sony’s key distinction is active noise cancellation. Its dual noise sensor technology is described as sensing the surrounding environment and adjusting noise cancellation accordingly. For commuting or air travel, that feature gives Sony a clear purpose beyond simply playing music. Ambient Sound mode is also listed, allowing outside sounds back in when shutting out the surroundings is not what you want.
The headphones offer up to 35 hours of battery life, with quick charging listed as providing up to 60 minutes of playback from a 10-minute charge. That is a shorter maximum battery figure than Beats’ 50 hours, but still supports extended listening between charges. Sony also lists Bluetooth streaming, NFC one-touch connection, hands-free calling, and smartphone voice-assistant use. Those features make it a reasonable fit for someone who moves between music, calls, and phone controls during a commute or workday.
This model uses an around-ear design with adjustable metal sliders and 30 mm driver units. The around-ear placement is a meaningful contrast with Beats’ on-ear fit: some buyers may prefer having the ear cups surround the ears, while others may find that style less comfortable for their own head or for lying on a pillow. Sony’s stated strengths are noise management and practical call and connection features; its listed battery life does not match Beats’ longer figure.
Who should skip it: Skip Sony if your main priority is the longest stated battery life or a more compact on-ear style rather than noise cancellation.
• Longest stated battery life → Beats Solo 4. Its listed maximum is up to 50 hours, compared with Sony’s up to 35 hours.
• Active noise cancellation → Sony. Dual noise sensors are described as detecting the environment and adjusting noise cancellation.
• Letting outside sound back in → Sony. Its Ambient Sound mode is designed to bring in surrounding audio when needed.
• Fast top-up for a short listening window → Beats Solo 4. A 10-minute charge is listed for up to five hours of playback; Sony lists up to 60 minutes from a 10-minute charge.
• Wired listening options → Beats Solo 4. The listed choices are USB-C and a 3.5 mm audio cable for high-resolution lossless audio.
• Hands-free calls and voice-assistant use → Sony. Smartphone compatibility for calls and voice-assistant use is included among its features.
• On-ear fit → Beats Solo 4. Around-ear fit → Sony. The right choice depends on which style feels more comfortable to you; neither is presented as a side-sleeping design.
• Extra-bass-focused shopping → Compare the sound descriptions cautiously. Beats describes its sound as powerful, but the data does not give a bass measurement or establish either model as the best extra bass wireless earbuds for side sleepers. Both are headphones, not earbuds.
For side sleepers, the first question is not which model has more features. It is whether either ear-cup shape will work when your head is against a pillow. Beats sits on the ears; Sony’s cups are described as around-ear. Those designs create different contact points, but the available specifications do not establish how either feels while lying on a side. If sleep comfort is the deciding factor, these headphones may not match the in-ear form you are looking for.
Think about where you will listen most. Sony’s noise cancellation and Ambient Sound mode make it the more directly equipped option for moving between noisy environments and situations where you need to hear what is around you. Beats has no noise-cancellation feature listed, but its longer stated battery life and wired audio options make it appealing for long sessions and varied listening setups.
Charging needs may also settle the choice. Both list a 10-minute quick-charge benefit, but the stated playback outcomes differ: Beats says up to five hours, while Sony says up to 60 minutes. Those are manufacturer-stated figures, not a guarantee of the same result in every use. If you regularly forget to charge, Beats’ longer listed battery life is a notable advantage; if noise control matters more during daily travel, Sony’s shorter figure may be an acceptable trade-off.
Finally, match the connection and call features to your routine. Sony lists Bluetooth, NFC one-touch pairing, hands-free calling, and voice-assistant compatibility. Beats lists USB-C and 3.5 mm wired listening, along with Apple and Android compatibility in its product title. Neither set of features makes one universally better. The useful question is whether you value easy noise management and phone interaction or longer battery life and wired playback flexibility.
I would choose Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones if my main use were commuting or travel, because active noise cancellation and Ambient Sound mode give it a clear advantage for managing the listening environment. For side sleepers, though, I would not treat either model as a sleep-specific choice: both have ear cups rather than an in-ear form. If I wanted longer battery life and wired listening instead, I would pick Beats Solo 4.
Neither is described as a sleep-focused or in-ear design. Beats is on-ear, while Sony is around-ear, so the fit against a pillow may differ, but the listed information does not establish either as comfortable for side sleeping.
Which has better battery life, Beats Solo 4 or Sony?
Yes. Sony lists active noise cancellation using dual noise sensors that sense the environment. It also includes an Ambient Sound mode for situations when you want outside sounds to come through.
Beats lists high-resolution lossless audio through USB-C or a 3.5 mm cable. Sony lists hands-free calling and voice-assistant compatibility, along with wireless Bluetooth streaming and NFC one-touch connection. Check the current price on Amazon if you are weighing the overall value; the features alone do not determine which costs less.
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