ResMed AirSense 11 vs Philips DreamStation 2
ResMed AirSense 11 vs Philips DreamStation 2 — Which CPAP Is Right for You?
A complete side-by-side comparison of two flagship auto-adjusting CPAP machines from the two biggest names in sleep therapy. Specs, features, UAE-specific notes, AED prices and an honest recommendation for every patient type — from CPAP Medical Trading, Business Bay Dubai.
The ResMed AirSense 11 and the Philips Respironics DreamStation 2 are the current flagship auto-adjusting CPAP machines from the two largest CPAP manufacturers in the world. Both use proven, clinically validated auto-adjusting algorithms, both include a touchscreen display and a built-in heated humidifier, and both are genuinely excellent choices for most patients. The differences come down to a handful of real, practical points: the AirSense 11 includes its heated tube in the box while the DreamStation 2's is a separate purchase, the DreamStation 2 has a noticeably more compact footprint, the AirSense 11 offers broader connectivity (WiFi and Bluetooth vs Bluetooth only), and the DreamStation 2's Ramp Plus feature is one of the most comfortable ramp experiences available for patients who struggle to fall asleep at full pressure. This guide breaks down every meaningful difference so you can choose with confidence.
⚠️ Important UAE note — companion apps: Neither machine's companion app works fully in the UAE. The ResMed myAir app's cellular data upload does not function here — therapy data must be read via the SD card using ResMed's AirView software, or reviewed on the machine's own screen. Philips' DreamMapper app has similarly limited functionality in the UAE. If a fully working companion app matters to you, the Yuwell YH-680 (in our separate CPAP machine comparison) is currently the only device in our range with an app that works via WiFi in the UAE.
- ✓ ClimateLineAir 11 heated tube included in box
- ✓ Colour LED touchscreen
- ✓ WiFi + Bluetooth + 4G — broadest connectivity
- ✓ AutoSet for Her built into every unit
- ✓ Lightest of the two at 1.13 kg
- ✓ Over-the-air software updates via WiFi
- ✓ Test Drive mode for new users
- ✓ Lower power draw — 65W
- ✗ AED 450 more than DreamStation 2
- ✓ Most compact footprint — 29% smaller than original DreamStation
- ✓ Ramp Plus — best-in-class comfortable start pressure
- ✓ Adaptive humidification — auto-adjusts to room conditions
- ✓ Opti-Start personalises pressure after 30 hours' use
- ✓ AED 450 less than AirSense 11
- ✓ Colour touchscreen included
- ✗ Heated tube not included — optional extra
- ✗ Humidifier always attached — cannot fully remove
- ✗ Bluetooth only — no WiFi
Full Specs Comparison — AirSense 11 vs DreamStation 2
| Specification | AirSense 11 | DreamStation 2 |
| Price (AED, incl. VAT) | 3,950 | 3,500 |
| Therapy Modes | CPAP + AutoSet + AutoSet for Her | CPAP + Auto CPAP |
| Pressure Range | 4–20 cmH₂O | 4–20 cmH₂O |
| Auto-Adjusting Algorithm | ✓ AutoSet | ✓ Auto CPAP |
| For Her / Personalised Mode | ✓ AutoSet for Her — built into every unit | Opti-Start personalises after 30 hrs |
| Humidifier | HumidAir — integrated | Adaptive humidification — always attached |
| Heated Tube | ✓ ClimateLineAir 11 — included in box | ✗ Optional — sold separately (HT12/HT15) |
| Display | Colour LED touchscreen | Colour touchscreen |
| Noise Level | 27 dB | ~27 dB |
| Weight | 1.13 kg — lightest | 1.36 kg (with humidifier) |
| Footprint / Dimensions | Compact low-profile design | 26 × 15 × 11 cm — most compact, 29% smaller than original |
| Power Consumption | 65W — more efficient | Not specified as low-power |
| WiFi | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4G Cellular | ✓ | ✗ — integrated modem only |
| Companion App (UAE) | ✗ myAir — not functional in UAE | ✗ DreamMapper — limited UAE functionality |
| SD Card Data Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| EPR / Flex Pressure Relief | ✓ EPR | ✓ Flex |
| Ramp Feature | AutoRamp / SmartStart | Ramp Plus — remembers preferred start pressure |
| Test Drive / New User Mode | ✓ Test Drive | ✗ |
| Over-the-Air Updates | ✓ Via WiFi | ✗ |
| Travel Tubing Option | Standard ClimateLineAir 11 only | HT12 micro-flexible 12mm tube available |
| FAA Aircraft Approved | ✓ | ✓ |
| Universal Voltage (UAE) | ✓ 100–240V | ✓ 100–240V |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| Prior Model Recall History | None | DreamStation 1 had a recall — DS2 is a separate, unaffected product |
All prices in AED inclusive of VAT. Correct at time of publication.
Key Differences Explained
🔥 Heated Tube — Included vs Optional
This is the single biggest practical difference between the two. The AirSense 11 comes with its ClimateLineAir 11 heated tube in the box at no extra cost. The DreamStation 2 does not — its heated tube (HT15 standard or HT12 micro-flexible) is a separate purchase, which we stock in-store. Given how dry UAE's air-conditioned indoor air runs, a heated tube is genuinely worth having, so factor this into the real cost comparison if you go with the DreamStation 2.
📏 Size & Weight
The DreamStation 2 has the smaller physical footprint — 29% smaller than the original DreamStation, and genuinely compact on a nightstand. The AirSense 11, however, is the lighter of the two machines at 1.13 kg vs 1.36 kg (with humidifier attached). If nightstand space is your priority, DreamStation 2 wins; if you're focused on portability weight, AirSense 11 wins.
💧 Humidifier Design
The AirSense 11's HumidAir chamber is fully removable for filling and cleaning. The DreamStation 2 uses adaptive humidification with a water chamber that's always attached to the machine and slides out rather than lifting free — some patients find this fiddlier to fill, though the adaptive system does automatically adjust humidity to room conditions without manual input.
😴 Ramp Comfort
The DreamStation 2's Ramp Plus is a genuine standout — it remembers your preferred starting pressure and only increases it if an actual apnea event is detected, rather than climbing on a fixed timer. For patients who struggle to fall asleep at full therapy pressure, this is arguably the most comfortable ramp experience available in either machine's range.
📶 Connectivity
The AirSense 11 has WiFi, Bluetooth, and 4G. The DreamStation 2 has Bluetooth and an integrated modem, but no WiFi. In the UAE, since neither machine's companion app fully works over cellular anyway, this gap matters less practically — but the AirSense 11's WiFi does still enable useful over-the-air software updates that the DreamStation 2 can't receive.
👩 Personalisation for Women
AutoSet for Her is built into every AirSense 11 and can be switched on by your physician — a therapy mode specifically tuned to how OSA tends to present differently in women. The DreamStation 2 doesn't have an equivalent gender-specific mode, though its Opti-Start feature does personalise pressure to the individual patient after the first 30 hours of use, regardless of gender.
✈️ Travel Tubing
The DreamStation 2 has an edge for anyone who travels with their machine: the optional HT12 is a genuinely ultra-slim 12mm micro-flexible heated tube, more packable than the AirSense 11's standard ClimateLineAir 11. If you often take your CPAP with you rather than owning a separate travel machine, this is worth factoring in.
🏥 Brand History
Some patients hesitate over Philips given the well-publicised DreamStation 1 recall from previous years. It's worth being clear: the DreamStation 2 is a separate, redesigned product and was not part of that recall. That said, if brand trust and a completely clean history matter most to you, that's a legitimate factor in leaning toward ResMed.
What's the Same on Both Machines
Both machines use a proven, clinically validated auto-adjusting algorithm that responds to apnea events, hypopneas, and flow limitation breath by breath. Both include a colour touchscreen display and a built-in heated humidifier. Both offer exhalation pressure relief for more comfortable breathing out (EPR on the AirSense 11, Flex on the DreamStation 2). Both are FAA approved for use on aircraft, operate on universal voltage (100–240V) fully compatible with UAE power, and carry a 2-year manufacturer warranty. Both track and store the same core therapy data — AHI, leak rate, usage hours, and pressure — accessible via SD card. In the UAE, neither machine's companion smartphone app is fully functional over cellular data.
Which Machine Is Right for You?
UAE-Specific Considerations
🇦🇪 Companion Apps — Neither Fully Works in UAE
ResMed's myAir cellular upload doesn't function in the UAE, and Philips' DreamMapper has limited UAE functionality too. For both machines, therapy data (AHI, leak rate, usage hours) is best accessed via the SD card, or reviewed directly on the machine's own screen each morning.
🌡️ Heated Tube Matters Here
Given how hard air conditioning runs across the UAE for most of the year, a heated tube meaningfully reduces dry-mouth and "rainout" condensation in the hose. This is exactly why the AirSense 11 including one in the box is a genuine practical advantage here, not just a nice-to-have.
💧 Distilled Water — Both Machines
Always use distilled water in either machine's humidifier. UAE tap water and most bottled mineral water leave mineral scale on the heating plate over time, shortening the humidifier's usable life.
🔌 Power Compatibility
Both machines run on universal voltage (100–240V, 50/60Hz) and are fully compatible with the UAE's 220–240V supply — a standard UAE plug adaptor is all you'll need.
Common Questions — AirSense 11 vs DreamStation 2
Is the DreamStation 2 as good as the AirSense 11?
For therapy efficacy, both use proven, clinically validated auto-adjusting algorithms and deliver equivalent core treatment. The differences are in the details — the AirSense 11 includes its heated tube and offers broader connectivity, while the DreamStation 2 is more compact and has a genuinely excellent Ramp Plus comfort feature. Neither is objectively "better" across the board; it depends on which of those details matter more to you.
Does the DreamStation 2 come with a heated tube?
No — the heated tube (either the standard HT15 or the slim HT12) is sold separately. We stock both at our Business Bay showroom. If you're comparing total cost between the two machines, it's worth adding the heated tube price to the DreamStation 2's AED 3,500 to get an apples-to-apples comparison against the AirSense 11's AED 3,950, which includes one.
Which machine is quieter?
Both are rated very close together — the AirSense 11 at 27 dB and the DreamStation 2 at approximately 27 dB. In practice, neither is noticeably quieter than the other; both are considered whisper-quiet compared to older CPAP generations.
Is the Philips DreamStation 2 affected by the Philips recall?
No. The recall affected the original DreamStation 1 range. The DreamStation 2 is a separate, redesigned product released afterward and was not part of that recall. That said, if a completely clean brand history is important to your decision, that's a reasonable factor to weigh.
Can I try both machines at your showroom before deciding?
Yes. We stock both machines at our walk-in showroom at Tamani Arts Building, Office 1739, Business Bay, Dubai. Our team can show you the size and weight difference in person, demonstrate both touchscreens, and talk through which one better suits your prescription and daily routine. No appointment needed. Open Monday–Friday 9AM–5PM, Saturday 11AM–3PM.
Still Not Sure Which Machine to Choose?
Send us your prescription or WhatsApp our team — we'll recommend the right machine based on your specific therapy needs, sleeping habits and budget. Free, with no obligation to buy.
