Whether or not you are all-in on the Apple ecosystem or simply need a dependable pair of wi-fi earbuds, the most effective AirPods can ship nice sound, seamless pairing and good options which might be laborious to beat. Over time, Apple has expanded its AirPods lineup to go well with quite a lot of customers — from the minimalist enchantment of the usual fashions to the premium expertise of the AirPods Professional and AirPods Max with plush ear cups and energetic noise cancellation.
With rumors of latest AirPods on the horizon and the 2nd era AirPods Professional nonetheless going robust, now’s a good time to determine which mannequin fits you greatest. Some supply comfortable silicone ideas for higher isolation, whereas others prioritize consolation and ease. All of them work effortlessly throughout your Apple units, whether or not you are switching from iPhone to iPad or taking a video name in your laptop computer.
Desk of contents
What it is advisable to find out about AirPods
In terms of Apple’s earbuds and headphones, there are a number of stuff you’ll need to remember earlier than making your last determination. First, the usual AirPods are the open-design earbuds with no tip that enable some environmental noise to come back into your ears always. The Apple AirPods Professional are the mannequin with the smooth silicone ideas that utterly shut off your ear canal, which permits options like extra highly effective noise cancellation and the listening to check. Lastly, the Apple AirPods Max are the corporate’s over-ear noise-canceling headphones most well-liked by audiophiles, and presently the corporate’s solely possibility for wi-fi headphones in any respect that aren’t made by Beats.
There are a couple of options which might be accessible throughout all fashions as they’ve turn into inherent to the AirPods expertise. First, you may count on connectivity perks like Computerized Switching between Apple units which might be synced together with your iCloud account. Because of this a pair of AirPods will mechanically change to your telephone once you get a name whilst you’re listening to music on a MacBook or laptop computer, for instance. It’s functionally just like multipoint Bluetooth, however the function isn’t restricted to 2 units like most earbuds and headphones. Second, hands-free entry to Siri is the default, permitting you to ask the assistant for assist with out touching your AirPods. And lastly, Customized Spatial Audio with dynamic head monitoring is offered throughout the whole lineup, even on probably the most inexpensive model and the brand new AirPods, together with AirPods 4 with energetic noise cancellation.
When you don’t assume any of the AirPods choices are best for you, seek the advice of our suggestions on the best wireless earbuds and best wireless headphones for some options.
Greatest AirPods for 2025
Learn our full AirPods Pro 2 review
Battery life: 6 hours, as much as 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP54 | Noise cancellation: Sure | Computerized Switching: Sure
Merely put, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are the most effective AirPods possibility as a result of they provide the complete suite of Apple’s present audio know-how. Due to their silicone ideas, the AirPods Professional 2 supply a safer match and higher noise isolation than open-ear fashions. As a 2nd-generation mannequin, they construct on the earlier model with significant upgrades in sound high quality, ANC efficiency, and general performance.
Powered by the H2 chip, the earbuds provide you with entry to superior options like Adaptive Audio, Dialog Consciousness, Voice Isolation, Customized Quantity, Adaptive EQ and Customized Spatial Audio with dynamic head monitoring. After all, you’ll additionally get “pro-level” energetic noise cancellation (ANC), which gives as much as twice as a lot distraction blocking because the first-gen AirPods Professional or the AirPods 4 with energetic noise cancellation.
Along with Voice Isolation, probably the most natural-sounding Transparency mode you’ll discover on a set of earbuds is offered on the AirPods Professional 2. This pair of options makes this mannequin price shopping for if you would like the most suitable choice for calls in Apple’s lineup. You’ll additionally get the comfort of onboard quantity controls that different AirPods choices (earbuds) don’t supply. The case now options USB-C charging, permitting for common compatibility with different Apple units just like the iPhone 15 and iPad. It additionally fees wirelessly by way of MagSafe or Qi-certified equipment and Computerized Switching shortly jumps to your telephone out of your MacBook or different iCloud-synced Apple units once you want it to take action.
AirPods Professional 2 additionally provides Apple’s listening to check, listening to assist and listening to safety options, which arrived as a part of iOS 18.1. In about 5 minutes, you may take a clinically-validated listening to check with nothing greater than your iPhone and these earbuds. Outcomes can be found instantly, and if you happen to exhibit delicate to reasonable listening to loss, the AirPods Professional 2 can perform as a listening to assist (with customizable settings). What’s extra, these earbuds can supply sturdy listening to safety in opposition to sustained noise below 110 dB. Listening to safety is enabled throughout all noise modes, which embrace Transparency, Adaptive and ANC.
- Improved sound
- Stellar transparency mode
- Stable ANC
- Seamless switching between Apple units
- Similar design
- New contact gesture takes observe
- Common battery life
- Customized Spatial Audio outcomes differ
Learn our full AirPods 4 review
Battery life: 5 hours, as much as 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP54 | Noise cancellation: No | Computerized Switching: Sure
Apple gave its “common” earbuds a giant overhaul in 2024, most notably including ANC to its open-wear design for the primary time. After all, the addition of noise cancellation raises the value, so the non-ANC model of the AirPods 4 is probably the most inexpensive possibility in Apple’s ecosystem. This mannequin nonetheless packs Apple’s H2 audio chip although for enhanced audio efficiency, so you may count on a number of of the corporate’s most up-to-date options onboard.
H2-powered instruments on the AirPods 4 embrace Voice Isolation, Customized Spatial Audio with dynamic head monitoring, Customized Quantity and Adaptive EQ. They lack Dialog Consciousness, Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode from the core specs on the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Professional 2. Not like these different two fashions, the AirPods 4 charging case doesn’t supply MagSafe or Qi-compatible wi-fi charging, nor does the accent have a built-in speaker for Discover My. Nonetheless, they now function USB-C charging, bringing them according to Apple’s newest gadget lineup.
You’ll get all the advantages of a refined form on the AirPods 4, which provides a safer and comfy match. Just like the third-gen AirPods, this mannequin nonetheless doesn’t have contact controls for quantity, however as a substitute provides power contact choices for playback controls, noise modes and taking calls. A key draw back to the open design is that you just gained’t get entry to Apple’s listening to well being instruments. Because the AirPods 4 don’t seal off your ear canal or have the requisite ANC, the corporate’s listening to check wouldn’t be correct, listening to assist wouldn’t be useful and listening to safety wouldn’t sufficient protection in loud environments.
- Improved match and luxury
- Higher sound high quality
- Superior options from pricier fashions
- Nonetheless fairly inexpensive
- No onboard quantity controls
- No ANC
- No wi-fi charging
- No Dialog Consciousness
Learn our full AirPods Max review
Battery life: 20 hours | Water resistance: None | Noise cancellation: Sure | Computerized Switching: Sure
When you favor over-ear noise-canceling headphones to earbuds, there’s just one possibility for you in Apple’s lineup. The AirPods Max debuted in 2020 and the corporate supplied a minimal replace in September 2024 that swapped the Lightning port for USB-C (and added 5 new colours). Whereas the design nonetheless feels present, the tech inside this mannequin has been a era behind for the reason that AirPods Professional 2 arrived in 2022. The AirPods Max are nonetheless powered by the H1 chip, which suggests Apple’s extra superior audio options aren’t accessible right here.
Because the Max doesn’t have the newer H2 silicon, options like Adaptive Audio, Customized Quantity, Dialog Consciousness and Voice Isolation aren’t accessible on these headphones. Nonetheless, you may nonetheless count on hands-free entry to Siri, Customized Spatial Audio with dynamic head monitoring, Adaptive EQ and a really natural-sounding Transparency mode. Noise cancellation works properly with most sources of fixed noise, however like a whole lot of headphones, it struggles with human voices. Computerized Switching is right here as properly, so you may count on the Max to swap between iCloud-connected units shortly.
After which there’s the design. The AirPods Max really feel light-weight and comfy, regardless that the ear cups really feel a bit skinny after hours of fixed use. Bodily controls for playback, quantity and noise modes focus on a rotating crown akin to what’s on the Apple Watch and a single button – each located on the suitable aspect. That glorious Transparency mode retains you from getting shouty on calls, and the voice pickup is sweet sufficient so that you can use them throughout necessary digital conferences with out worry of audio high quality points.
- Glorious balanced sound
- Stable ANC Useful options
- Distinctive however dependable controls
- Stable battery life
- Costly
- Nonetheless makes use of older H1 chipset
- The “case” provides little safety
- No high-res music streaming service help
Greatest AirPods specs comparability chart
AirPods 4 |
AirPods Professional 2 |
AirPods Max |
|
Value |
$129 |
$249 |
$549 |
Design |
In-ear |
In-ear |
Over-ear |
H2 chip |
Sure |
Sure |
Sure |
ANC |
No |
Sure |
Sure |
Spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring |
Sure |
Sure |
Sure |
Listening to check |
No |
Sure |
No |
Rated battery life |
5 hours |
6 hours |
20 hours |
Sturdiness |
Mud, sweat, and waterproof (IP54) |
Mud, sweat, and waterproof (IP54) |
N/A |
Different AirPods we examined
AirPods 4 with ANC
The AirPods 4 with ANC signify the primary time energetic noise cancellation has been accessible on the open-wear, “common” AirPods. Design-wise, they’re the identical because the non-ANC mannequin, so the distinction is totally within the options record. This dearer model provides Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Dialog Consciousness and a wi-fi charging case. The ANC isn’t as highly effective because the AirPods Professional 2, partially on account of the truth that the AirPods 4 doesn’t utterly seal off your ears. The noise-canceling efficiency is unquestionably helpful although, working greatest with fixed, low-frequency annoyances like followers and white noise machines. Lastly, you gained’t get entry to Apple’s listening to check and listening to assist options, partially on account of the truth that the AirPods 4 with ANC doesn’t seal off your ears, which might have an effect on accuracy and effectiveness.
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