In this article, we will discuss the differences and comparisons between Sleep Number C4 vs P5. These two mattresses are adjustable air beds that come from the same company, and they fall in a similar price range. However, Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 came from different lines, so they come with different feature sets.
Continue reading below to learn further about:
- The total thickness profile of each mattress
- The construction layers and materials of each mattress
- The cover quality of each mattress
- The additional features on Sleep Number C4 vs P5
- The overall characteristics of the mattresses
- Which model that is generally more recommended
Construction
The very first difference between Sleep Number C4 vs P5 is the construction. The two mattresses have different thickness profiles, layers, and materials. These differences in the construction will affect the overall characteristics, including the firmness, support, and contouring capabilities.
Sleep Number C4 has a total thickness of 10 inches, with a 1.5-inch comfort layer made from a soothing foam material.
Sleep Number C4 is the smaller one of the two. It has a total thickness profile of 10 inches, measured from the uppermost surface to the bottom of the base. On the top, you can find the comfort layer, which has a total thickness of 1.5 inches. This comfort layer is made from a soothing foam material that can adapt to your body shape to provide contouring and pressure relief.
On the other hand, Sleep Number P5 is thicker. It has a total thickness profile of 11 inches. The additional thickness means that the mattress has better deep compression support. Thanks to the additional thickness, a sleeper with a heavy body weight can sink less deeply into the mattress. In addition, unlike Sleep Number C4, Sleep Number P5 is equipped with a European-style pillowtop that enhances the overall softness and contouring of the mattress.
Sleep Number P5 has a total thickness of 11 inches. It has a European-style pillowtop and 2-inch layer of PlushFit foam.
Under the pillowtop, there is the comfort layer, which has a thickness of about 2 inches and is made from the proprietary Plush Fitfoam. Compared to the regular foam used on Sleep Number C4, the PlushFit foam on Sleep Number P5 is a little bit denser and more supportive. This layer offers consistent comfort for all sleepers of any size and weight.
Both Sleep Number C4 vs P5 have adjustable air chambers. Depending on the mattress size that you choose, you may get either single air chamber or dual air chambers. Mattress sizes from Twin to Queen are available with single air chamber, suitable for sleepers who sleep alone. Meanwhile, mattress sizes from Queen to California King are available with dual air chambers, suitable for couples.
An air chamber is adjusted via a controller. If the mattress has dual air chambers, it has two controllers. This design allows each sleeper to adjust the firmness on their side of the bed. The air chamber will pump in more air to increase the firmness or pump out some air to reduce the firmness.
The air chamber layer is surrounded by a rectangular frame that is made from firm, dense foam. This frame has a very important function for the bed. It keeps the air chambers in place, and it prevents them from sagging. After pumping in or out some air, the frame keeps the air chambers from widening, so only the height and density change.
Cover
The next difference between Sleep Number C4 vs P5 is their covers. The two mattresses use different materials for their covers. The material choice for the cover is very important because it greatly affects the feel on your skin. If the material quality is bad, it will feel rough and uncomfortable. It may even irritate the skin. The cover should be soft and breathable for the best comfort.
Sleep Number C4 has a soft knit mattress top. It is pretty good, just like a typical mattress cover. The surface is rather smooth, so it will not irritate the skin. However, it does not have any quilted foam or pillowtop, so the sleeper will immediately meet the foam of the comfort layer.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, Sleep Number P5 has a European-style pillowtop cover. The surface itself feels smooth and quite breathable. It does not irritate the skin. However, the pillowtop under the surface creates a luxurious feel. The pillowtop enhances the softness of the mattress. It provides the initial contouring before reaching the PlushFit foam underneath.
Firmness and Support
Comparing the firmness of Sleep Number C4 vs P5 is somehow tricky due to the fact that one can change the firmness levels of the air chambers. However, there are still some general distinctions between Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5.
Sleep Number C4 is relatively firmer. It has three support zones.
First of all, Sleep Number C4 generally feels firmer than Sleep Number P5. Many people think that the firmness level is somewhere around medium-firm. On this mattress, the sleeper’s body directly engages the comfort layer. Note that the foam does not have an immediate response. It provides gradual contouring to your body curves.
Meanwhile, Sleep Number P5 is relatively softer. Most people think that the firmness level is closer to medium. On this mattress, the sleeper’s body doesn’t directly engage the comfort layer. Instead, you receive the initial contouring from the pillowtop. Hence, the mattress may also feel more responsive to pressure.
Second, these two mattresses come with different support zones. Since different body parts have different weights, they require different support levels. The support zones on these mattresses are designed for specific body parts in order to provide the best support.
Sleep Number C4 only has three support zones for the head and neck, for the back, and for the hips. This is already quite nice and comfortable. The upper area really gives good pressure relief to the neck. The middle area has the most support, which makes sense considering that most of the body weight is concentrated on the torso. The lower area also has good support so that your hip doesn’t get stiff due to holding the body weight.
Sleep Number P5 is relatively softer. It provides more accurate support levels with five support zones.
On the other hand, Sleep Number P5 has five support zones, which are for the head and neck, for the shoulders, for the lower back, for the hips, and for the legs. This is impressive. The additional support zones provide more precise and accurate support levels. For example, the shoulder area provides more support than the head area, whereas the lower back area provides more support than the shoulder area.
The specific support zones on Sleep Number P5 are very comfortable. They create such a luxurious feel and peaceful sleep. If you often get sore back or stiff hips after sleeping, this mattress can change your life for the better.
The SleepIQ Mobile App
The Queen, King, and California King mattresses of both Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 may come with the optional SleepIQ technology. When purchasing the product, you can choose whether to add or not to add this optional feature. Of course, it comes with some additional cost.
So, what is exactly SleepIQ technology? This feature adds several sensors to the mattress and allows you to connect the mattress to your mobile device. The sensors work directly with the air chambers, so you don’t need to turn on or replace anything. The sensors can track the quality of your sleep so that you can adjust the mattress to improve your sleep quality and overall health.
SleepIQ tracks some metrics to determine your sleep quality and help you achieve better quality sleep and health.
After connecting the mattress to the SleepIQ mobile app on your smartphone, you can use the mobile app to find your “Sleep Number” setting – the firmness level that is the most suitable for you. The mobile app is easy and intuitive to use. First of all, you lie on your bed in your natural sleeping position.
Next, use the “Find Your Sleep Number” feature on the mobile app, and just follow the prompts. The mattress will go to the maximum firmness, and then reduce the firmness gradually. Once you find the feel that is the most comfortable, you can stop the mattress from decreasing the firmness any further.
But the most useful feature of the mobile app is the sleep tracking. The sensors in the mattress track some metrics to determine the quality of your sleep, such as your motion, average heart rate, average breathing rate, and bed exits. Afterwards, they send the data to your mobile device. You can see the information once you wake up. By analyzing your sleep quality, you can determine the necessary adjustments to improve your sleep as well as overall health.
Interestingly, the sensors in a Sleep Number mattress aren’t exclusively designed only for the SleepIQ mobile app. They are actually compatible with some popular fitness trackers. So, you can also connect the mattress to your favorite fitness tracker mobile app to keep your fitness metrics in one place.
Motion Transfer
In general, both Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 have low motion transfer. This is very nice, but this is actually quite common among foam mattresses. Unlike innerspring mattresses, which have springy coils that can transfer vibrations across the entire surface, foam mattresses tend to attenuate vibrations.
Choosing a mattress with a low motion transfer is very important if you are purchasing a bed for a couple – except if you and your partner actually prefer bouncy mattresses, in which case you should look for an innerspring mattress instead. You don’t want to be woken up in the middle of the night due to your partner’s tossing and turning. Vice versa, you probably don’t want to wake up your partner when you are getting up from the bed.
Both Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 have low motion transfer. Sleep Number C4 has slightly more than Sleep Number P5.
In the test, Sleep Number C4 tends to give slightly more motion transfer than Sleep Number P5. Apparently, this is because it has fewer and thinner foam layers. Nevertheless, the difference is marginal and hardly significant. You still won’t notice most movements on the other side of the bed.
Sleep Number P5 tends to have less motion transfer, making it an ideal choice for couples. The pillowtop layer and the PlushFit foam work together in reducing vibrations and movements. Most movements on the other side of the bed are effectively reduced so that a couple will not disturb each other’s sleep.
Motion transfer becomes less of an issue if you choose a mattress with dual air chambers. In addition to allowing each sleeper to adjust the firmness on their side of the bed, the separated air chambers also reduce motion transfer. The two air chambers are divided by a thin board, so vibrations on one air chamber will not transfer to the other.
Breathability
One problem that is often experienced on many foam mattresses is poor breathability and heat retention. Unlike innerspring mattresses, which have a lot of internal space to allow heat to dissipate, foam mattresses tend to keep heat. As the effect, the sleeper may experience hotness and discomfort. The hotness causes the body to sweat, and nobody likes to sleep drenched in sweat.
Both Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 don’t sleep as cool as innerspring mattresses and some advanced gel-infused foam mattresses. However, both C4 and P5 have good breathability. The soft knit fabric allows good air flow. As long as your room has good ventilation and air conditioning, you will not find much of a problem.
Shipping, Trial, Warranty
Sleep Number C4 and Sleep Number P5 have similar policies regarding the shipping, trial, and warranty. The company provides home delivery for both mattresses, and the delivery includes the set-up process. This is very convenient, considering that the air bed can be quite heavy.
Each mattress has a trial period of 100 nights. While still in the trial period, you can try the mattress and see whether it suits your or not. If it doesn’t feel comfortable enough, you can return the mattress.
The warranty is awesome. Each Sleep Number mattress is protected by a 25-year limited warranty. The long warranty timeframe means that the company is very confident with the quality and durability of the mattress.
Sleep Number P5 vs C4
| Sleep Number P5 | Sleep Number C4 |
|---|---|
| - 11” thickness profile | - 10” thickness profile |
| - 2 inches of PlushFit foam layer | - 5 inches of soothing foam layer |
| - Five Support Zones | - Three Support Zones |
| - European-style pillowtop | - Soft knit cover |
| - Medium firmness, nice initial contouring | - Medium-firm firmness, gradual contouring |
Conclusion
All in all, Sleep Number P5 is more recommended. This model has more luxurious look and feel. It features a European-style pillowtop that enhances the softness, contouring, and pressure relief. It also has a thicker comfort layer with the PlushFit foam for better support and contouring. This mattress has more Support Zones to give you precise support levels for different body parts and also the best comfort.