How to pick what AirPods are right for you

Apple’s recent ‘It’s Glowtime’ event brought exciting updates to its iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods lineup. While the new iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 are exciting, I want to focus on Apple’s refreshed AirPods models.

Apple now sells four variants of AirPods:

1. AirPods 4
2. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
3. AirPods Pro 2
4. AirPods Max

To make room for the two new AirPods 4 models, Apple discontinued AirPods 2 and AirPods 3. Moreover, while there aren’t any new versions of the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, the AirPods Pro 2 is receiving an exciting update relating to three hearing health features. AirPods Max’s minor update keeps its old H1 chip while swapping its lightning port for USB-C and introducing five new colors.

Let’s break down each model and help you identify which is best for your needs by answering four questions.

What’s your AirPods budget?

Recommendation: AirPods 4

Apple AirPods (4th Generation)

The 4th gen AirPods might not feature support for Active Noise Cancelation, but they still pack a punch. The new H2 chip and improved acoustic architecture improve sound quality compared to the previous generation, and the USB-C charging case is highly convenient.

Battery Life

5 hours (30 with case)

Charging Case Included?

Yes

Brand

Apple

Bluetooth

5.3

Price

$129

IP Rating

IP54

Weight

1.14oz (32.3g)

Colors

White

Charging Port

USB-C

Noise Cancellation

No

Max talk time

4.5 hours

Max playback time

5 hours

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An unlimited budget is rarely the case for most of us, although sometimes it sure feels like we do. Apple’s most affordable AirPods, AirPods 4 without ANC, start at $129, the same price as AirPods 2 when Apple sold them. The next most affordable model starts at $179, with prices going as high as $549.

If your heart’s set on AirPods, but your finances are set on a limited budget, the AirPods 4 are your most economical option. If you’re lucky, you may even find them on sale to save yourself a few extra bucks.

AirPods 4 without ANC is an incredible update from the second-generation pair it replaces. The upgraded H2 chip powers personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and 5 hours of listening time. The included changing case brings an additional 25 hours for a total listening time of 30 hours between charges. You can do so via USB-C when you need to recharge your IP54 dust, sweat, and water-resistant AirPods and case.

Do you want over-ear headphones?

Recommendation: AirPods Max

Recommended

AirPods Max

The AirPods Max offer premium sound quality, active noise cancellation, and a luxurious design for an immersive audio experience.

Battery Life

20 hours

Wireless?

Yes

Brand

Apple

Noise Cancellation

Yes

Waterproof

No

Charging type

Lightning

Chip

H1

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If your budget’s more flexible, you may want to consider the other end of the price range. For $549, you can get a pair of AirPods Max, Apple’s only over-ear headphones.

Generally speaking, there are three types of headphone styles:

• Over-ear: Headphones like the AirPods Max that encase your ears to provide the best seal for top-notch noise cancellation and audio listening experience.
• On-ear: Headphones that sit on top of your ears. Apple doesn’t make any AirPods that are on-ear.
• In-ear: Think of the original AirPods style, like AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2. These headphones sit in your ears rather than on top or around.

While the AirPods Max are effectively the same as when launched in 2020, being over-ear headphones, they offer one of the best active noise cancellation and transparency mode experiences on the market.

Made of aluminum and available in midnight, starlight, purple, blue, and orange, the AirPods Max are powered by Apple’s H1 chip to deliver high-quality audio and 20 hours of listening time on a single charge.

Do you want the latest and greatest?

Recommendation: AirPods Pro 2

Editor’s Choice

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen come with improved noise cancellation, spatial audio, and a USB-C charging case.

Battery Life

6 hours

Charging Case Included?

Yes

Brand

Apple

Bluetooth

Yes

Case battery

30 hours

Weight

1.79 ounces

Colors

White

Charging Port

USB-C

Compatibility

iOS and Android

Noise Cancellation

Yes

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Even though we didn’t see AirPods Pro 3 at Apple’s September event, AirPods 2 still got an exciting update with three new hearing health features. It’s clear that although the AirPods Pro 2 are a few years old, they still intend to offer Apple’s best earphone features.

Suppose you want the best battery life, active noise cancellation, or even health features — in any of those cases, as long as you don’t mind silicone ear tips, the AirPods Pro 2 are still the best choice available.

For $249, the AirPods Pro 2 has ANC that’s twice as good as the AirPods 4, six hours of listening on a single charge powered by Apple’s H2 chip, and customizable silicone ear tips in extra small, small, medium, and large. AirPods Pro 2 also offers touch controls built into their stems to adjust volume by slinging your finger. The case for these AirPods provides another 24 hours of battery life, along with precision finding, FindMy support, and IP54 sweat, dust, and water resistance.

Do you prefer AirPods without silicone ear tips?

Recommendation: AirPods 4 with ANC

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple AirPods (4th Generation with ANC)

Improving on the 4th gen AirPods, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation support features like Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. Its case has also been upgraded, with wireless charging and a built-in speaker for Find My functions.

Battery Life

Up to 5 hours (30 hours with case)

Charging Case Included?

Yes

Brand

Apple

Bluetooth

5.3

Weight

1.22oz (34.7g)

Charging Port

USB-C

Noise Cancellation

Yes

Price

$179

IP Rating

IP54

Charging type

Wired and Qi wireless

Max talk time

4.5 hours

Max playback time

4 hours w/ANC on, 5 hours w/ANC off

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I’ve come to the last of Apple’s AirPods lineup: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation. These AirPods were the first time ANC was brought down to non-Pro and Max models. So, when comparing AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, it’s essential to recognize that Apple claims the AirPods Pro 2 have twice as good noise cancellation than AirPods 4. Otherwise, you’ll benefit from the same audio features that AirPods Pro 2 provides, such as adaptive audio, transparency mode, and conversation awareness.

AirPods 4 with ANC offer the same five hours of battery life, 30 with the charging case, and force touch sensors in the stems for audio playback controls as its non-ANC counterpart. What’s even more exciting is the charging case for AirPods 4 with ANC includes Find My support, a speaker, USB-C, and wireless charging. However, the charging case doesn’t include precision finding or MagSafe support.

AirPods 4 with ANC are $179.