Apple AirPods with Charging Case Review
The 2nd Gen AirPods are the comfortable, familiar choice, but they're a tough sell in 2024. We explain why you should probably look at the AirPods Pro or a competitor instead.
The 30-Second Version
Skip these. They're a five-year-old design selling at a premium price. For the same money, the AirPods Pro are a massively better buy, or you can get superior sound from Sony or Technics.
Overview
Let's be real about the 2nd Gen AirPods. They're the comfortable old sneakers of the wireless earbud world. They get the job done without any fuss, but they're showing their age in a market packed with smarter, better-sounding options. The one thing to know? These are for iPhone users who want the absolute simplest plug-and-play experience and don't care about sound quality or noise cancellation. That's it.
Performance
Looking at our data, nothing here is a knockout. The sound quality lands in the 36th percentile, which means most earbuds sound better. The battery life is just average at the 47th percentile. The only thing that scores decently is social proof at the 78th percentile, which basically means a lot of people bought them because they're Apple. The performance is exactly what you'd expect from a five-year-old design: reliable, but unremarkable.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Dead-simple setup and pairing with Apple devices. It just works. 96th
- The charging case is compact and the 15-minute quick charge is genuinely useful.
- Hands-free 'Hey Siri' is convenient if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem.
Cons
- The sound is flat and boring. You're paying for the brand, not the audio. 30th
- No noise cancellation or transparency mode. You hear everything around you. 35th
- The fit is hit-or-miss. They fall out for a lot of people during activity.
- At $249, they're wildly overpriced for what you get in 2024.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Audio
| Driver Type | Apple AirPods with Charging Case, 2nd Gen |
| Codecs | Apple AirPods with Charging Case, 2nd Gen | Enjoy crystal-clear audio quality with these Apple AirPods for immersive listening. | Experience all-day comfort with a secure and ergonomic fit for your active lifestyle. | Get over 24 hours of listening time with the charging case, keeping your music going. | Seamless Bluetooth connectivity to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac for easy pairing. | Use the built-in microphone for clear calls on the go, perfect for work or travel. | Quickly charge your AirPods; |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 24 |
Case Battery
| Case Battery | 24 |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Value & Pricing
Worth it? Not even close. For $249, you're getting 2019 technology. You can find earbuds with vastly better sound, active noise cancellation, and a more secure fit for the same price or less. The value here is purely in the Apple logo.
vs Competition
If you're an iPhone user, just get the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen). They're frequently on sale for not much more, and you get transformative noise cancellation, way better sound, and a more secure fit. If you want the best sound for your money, skip Apple altogether. The Sony WF-1000XM5 or the Technics EAH-AZ80 will run circles around these in audio quality and features, even if their Apple integration isn't quite as seamless.
| Spec | Apple AirPods with Charging Case | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Bose QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless | Technics EAH-AZ80 Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Sony WF-1000XM6 Sony - WF-1000XM6 Best Truly Wireless Noise | Jabra Evolve2 Jabra Evolve2 Buds USB-C MS Earbuds with USB-C | Soundcore Liberty Soundcore by Anker Liberty 5 True Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | - | In-Ear | In-Ear | in-ear | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Driver Type | Apple AirPods with Charging Case, 2nd Gen | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| Battery Life Hours | 24 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Case Battery Hours | 24 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 25 | 24 |
| Water Resistance | - | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP57 | IP55 |
| Multipoint | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple AirPods with Charging Case | 34.5 | 64 | 36.8 | 43 | 96.4 | 29.5 | 47.3 | 46.1 |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbuds 2nd Gen Compare | 96.1 | 87.8 | 91.2 | 99.2 | 69.6 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 93 |
| Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Compare | 82.6 | 99.9 | 91.2 | 98.4 | 69.6 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 93 |
| Sony WF-1000XM6 Best Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Compare | 82.6 | 87.8 | 91.2 | 99.1 | 92.1 | 69.2 | 98.5 | 97.1 |
| Jabra Evolve2 Evolve2 Buds Compare | 82.6 | 98.9 | 99.3 | 88.3 | 94.6 | 93.2 | 97.2 | 98.1 |
| Soundcore Liberty by Anker 5 True Wireless Noise-Canceling Compare | 98.7 | 98.9 | 95.9 | 95.4 | 93.8 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 99.6 |
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for working out?
Not really. They have no water resistance rating to speak of, and the fit isn't secure for most people. Our data shows fitness is their weakest category. Get a pair of sport earbuds instead.
Q: Do these have noise cancellation?
Nope. These are the basic model. You'll hear every conversation and street noise. You need the AirPods Pro for active noise cancellation.
Q: Is the sound quality good?
It's fine for podcasts and calls, but it's mediocre for music. Our percentile rankings put sound quality in the bottom half of all earbuds we've tested. Don't buy these for audiophile experiences.
Who Should Skip This
If you care about sound quality, noise isolation, or getting features for your money, this isn't it. Go get the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, or even a cheaper pair from Anker. These are only for the Apple minimalist who values simplicity above all else.
Verdict
We can't recommend buying the 2nd Gen AirPods at full price. They're a legacy product that Apple keeps selling because people keep buying the name. If you find them for under $100 as a clearance item and you absolutely must have the classic AirPod look, maybe. For everyone else, spend your money on almost anything else in the category. The competition has left these in the dust.