I've been an AirPods user since 2016, and an AirPods Pro user since 2019. The in-ear tips are a better fit for my ears, and Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode define the modern AirPods experience for me.
However, for some people the in-ear tips are a non-starter. For others, the $249 retail price is a huge deal for a pair of earbuds. Apple has addressed both cost and design with the all-new AirPods 4.
The AirPods 4 include two variations. The $129 version essentially replaces the $169 AirPods 3 in the lineup. These should sell well. If you're looking to explore AirPods or are looking to upgrade from AirPods 1 or 2, the $129 option is really worth it. The AirPods 4 are competitive with other wireless earbuds in terms of price, and you can't beat the reliability of Apple's wireless headphones. The case also charges over USB-C, like the iPhone 15 and later models.
The AirPods 4 pair I tested last week replaces the $179 AirPods 3 version that included wireless charging. The new set comes in at $179, adding some features that were previously only available on the $249 AirPods Pro. The case supports USB-C wired charging or wireless charging using Qi, MagSafe, or an Apple Watch charging puck.
The high-end AirPods 4 are the first to include active noise cancellation and transparency mode without in-ear tips. The design matches the AirPods 3 and the cheaper AirPods 4. The difference is that squeezing either stem will activate the noise profile that was previously exclusive to the AirPods Pro.
Like all AirPods, the AirPods 4 are louder than a tiny earbud. The AirPods 4 ANC has passed flight testing, allowing spoken audio and music to be heard perfectly above the sound of the plane. Sound-wise, the AirPods 4 with ANC don't sound as good as the AirPods Pro 2, but having a pretty good mute switch in noisy environments is a big plus for the AirPods 4.
While transparency feels less essential on AirPods that don't plug into your ears, there's certainly utility in being able to pipe audio in from your surroundings. Want to mute it? It's a stem press away.
So who are these for? If you like the fit of the AirPods 3 and the sound profile of the AirPods Pro, then the AirPods 4 with ANC are for you. The new flavor of Apple magic is to provide active noise cancellation without using in-ear tips. The $179 price is also very attractive for customers who are just looking for ANC and transparency, without some of the new features exclusive to the AirPods Pro.
The wireless charging case for the expensive AirPods 4 gets improved Find My support, thanks to a built-in speaker. Being able to ping the case when the AirPods are inside has already been useful. The smallest AirPods case ever is nothing compared to a hungry couch cushion.
During my testing, I did notice the low battery alert hitting sooner than with the AirPods Pro 2, but I also found a fair amount of listening time between the low battery alert and the need to recharge the AirPods in the case. Both models of the AirPods 4 benefit from the feature of powering back up after a short time in the charging case. This has always been a great part of the AirPods experience.
Both AirPods 4 models deliver the full AirPods experience that has dominated since the original pair nearly eight years ago. If you want a reliable pair of wireless earphones for your iPhone or Apple Watch, you can't go wrong with the $129 AirPods 4. The $179 AirPods 4 with ANC, on the other hand, gives AirPods upgraders a reason to replace older versions.
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