The Best Airpods To Buy

Whether you’re buying your first brace of AirPods aliases replacing a well-used older pair, it’s easy to understand why truthful galore iPhone owners for illustration Apple’s earbuds and headphones complete different options. Apple has spent years gradually adding caller features that activity champion — and sometimes only activity astatine each — wrong nan company’s walled garden. These convenient tricks see audio sharing, automatic switching betwixt Apple’s various devices, Apple TV integration, and more. 

There are presently 4 AirPods models to take from, each pinch its ain chopped entreaty and upside. You apt already cognize whether you’re much willing successful earbuds aliases over-ear headphones, truthful that’s nan first divide. In nan lawsuit of headphones, your only prime is nan AirPods Max. But successful nan earbuds category, Apple offers 3 options: nan AirPods Pro, AirPods 4 pinch Active Noise Cancellation, and nan plain aged AirPods 4. 

The champion AirPods overall

If you want nan earbuds that guarantee you’ll get nan latest and top package features from Apple, nan second-generation AirPods Pro should beryllium astatine nan apical of your list. They connection nan full gamut of ecosystem exclusives. And if you’re nan type of personification to misplace things, you’ll beryllium thankful that nan earbuds’ lawsuit has a U1 spot for pinpoint location finding. So whenever they spell missing, you tin way correct wherever they are successful nan room utilizing Apple’s Find My app.

The AirPods Pro present sound cancellation that’s effective astatine tamping down nan measurement of your surroundings successful each but nan astir hectic environments. Their sound value is connected different level compared to nan regular AirPods — helped successful nary mini portion by nan in-ear seal you get from their silicone receptor tips. 

In 2024, Apple introduced 3 awesome proceeding wellness features, including a proceeding test, automatic proceeding protection, and nan action to usage nan AirPods Pro arsenic clinical-grade hearing aids if you person mild aliases mean proceeding loss. No different AirPods (including nan AirPods Max) connection this functionality, truthful it decidedly sets nan Pros apart. And nan aforesaid tin beryllium said of their measurement controls; you conscionable swipe connected nan stems to raise aliases little nan loudness of your music, which is simply a useful advantage that nan similar-looking AirPods 4 lack. 

Read our afloat AirPods Pro 2 review.

The champion if you don’t find receptor tips comfortable

But not everyone likes nan measurement receptor tips feel. Even pinch venting and nan different measures Apple has taken to amended comfortableness and trim that clogged-up sensation, immoderate group conscionable for illustration nan regular, one-size-fits-most AirPods. Their unfastened creation intends you’re ne'er trim disconnected from nan extracurricular world. The AirPods Pro person an awesome transparency mode, but nan AirPods 4 don’t request to tube successful your surroundings; you tin ever perceive what’s happening astir you.

Apple sells 2 versions of nan AirPods 4. No matter which you choose, you’ll get nan aforesaid sound quality, microphone capacity connected sound calls, and IP54 h2o resistance. (The second besides applies to nan latest AirPods Pro.) The much costly brace features progressive sound cancellation and a much precocious charging case. You mightiness beryllium amazed by really good nan sound cancellation useful moreover pinch an unsealed design; it reduces agency ambience and annoying hums, but louder sounds and voices still trim done nan ANC. As for nan case, nan pricier AirPods 4 see wireless charging and Find My integration.

If you’re genuinely willing successful noise-canceling earbuds, see redeeming a spot much and upgrading to nan AirPods Pro 2. They connection overmuch amended audio quality, stronger ANC, and a amended acquisition overall. I’d only steer you to nan noise-canceling AirPods 4 if you’re really opposed to receptor tips. 

Read my afloat AirPods 4 review.

The champion for those who for illustration headphones

I’ve gone backmost and distant recommending Apple’s $549 AirPods Max complete nan past fewer years. They person a standout design, but nan bully looks and premium consciousness travel astatine nan costs of weight. These headphones are considerably heavier than astir competitors and tin get fatiguing complete extended use. But Apple has besides made smart choices: nan cloth receptor cups connected nan AirPods Max are overmuch much pleasant successful lukewarm upwind than nan pleather you’ll find connected Bose and Sony products, and won’t get your ears sweaty. 

The AirPods Max supply awesome sound cancellation, and nan transparency mode is clearer and much natural-sounding than immoderate different group of headphones connected nan market. As for sound, Apple’s headphones person a pleasant sound signature that useful good crossed a wide scope of genres. They’re easy to perceive to pinch an awesome soundstage for closed-back headphones. 

You suffer immoderate features — for illustration speech consciousness and adaptive audio — that are included connected nan AirPods Pro; this is simply a broadside effect of nan AirPods Max utilizing Apple’s older H1 chip. However, nan institution has precocious added lossless audio complete USB-C, meaning these headphones connection nan richest audio fidelity of nan full lineup. 

Read my afloat AirPods Max (Lightning) review.

Update, July 22nd: Adjusted prices / readiness and added a nexus to a caller Favorites article.