Apple AirPods with Review
The AirPods 4 offer perfect Apple integration but compromise on sound and battery. We'll tell you who should buy them and who should look elsewhere.
The 30-Second Version
The AirPods 4 are the ultimate 'it just works' earbuds for Apple fans. For everyone else, better sound and battery life are a click away for the same price.
Overview
The AirPods 4 are the best AirPods for most people, but they're not the best earbuds. That's the one thing you need to know. They nail the Apple ecosystem experience with effortless pairing, rock-solid connectivity, and clever features like head-gesture Siri. The sound quality is decent, but our data shows it lands in the 47th percentile, which is just okay. If you're deep in Apple's world, the convenience is magical. If you're not, there are better-sounding, longer-lasting options for the same money.
Performance
The biggest surprise is how mediocre the battery life is. At just 5 hours per charge, it's in the 17th percentile. That's rough for a $100 product in 2024. You'll be topping up the case a lot. On the flip side, the microphone quality is a legit standout, scoring in the 88th percentile. Voice Isolation for calls works shockingly well, making you sound clear even in noisy places.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong social proof (98th percentile) 98th
- Strong connectivity (98th percentile) 98th
- Strong comfort (93th percentile) 93th
- Strong sound (92th percentile) 92th
Cons
- Below average anc (35th percentile) 35th
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | In-Ear |
| Wearing Style | Dual Ear True Wireless Earbud |
| Weight | 0.0 kg / 0.0 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 |
| Surround | Spatial Audio |
Noise Control
| ANC | No |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 5 |
| Fast Charging | 5min=1hrs |
| Charging | USB-C |
Case Battery
| Case Battery | 25 |
| Case Charging | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | No |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| Mic Count | 1 |
| NC Mic | No |
Features
| Touch Controls | Yes |
| App | iOS |
| Water Resistance | IP54 |
Value & Pricing
Worth it only if you're an iPhone user who values convenience over everything else. For $100, you're paying a premium for the Apple magic, not for best-in-class sound or battery. If those two things matter more to you, skip it.
Price History
vs Competition
The Nothing Ear (a) destroys these on sound quality and battery life for the same price, but its mic isn't as good. The Anker Soundcore P31i offers real adaptive noise cancellation for less money, which is a huge feature the AirPods 4 lack. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is in a different league for audio and ANC, but it costs twice as much. For Apple users, it's AirPods 4 for the ecosystem. For everyone else, the Nothing or Anker models are smarter buys.
| Spec | Apple AirPods with | Technics EAH-AZ80 Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Bose Ultra Open Bose Ultra Open True Wireless Earbuds (Moonstone | Soundcore Liberty Soundcore by Anker Liberty 5 True Wireless | Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 | JBL Tune JBL - Tune Buds 2 True Wireless Noise Cancelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | In-Ear | In-Ear | Open-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | in-ear |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | false | true | false | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | 5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 10 |
| Case Battery Hours | 25 | 16 | 19.5 | 24 | 22.5 | 30 |
| Water Resistance | IP54 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP55 | IP54 | Water-Resistant |
| Multipoint | true | true | - | true | - | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple AirPods with | 34.5 | 64 | 36.8 | 92.1 | 91.1 | 93.2 | 97.7 | 98.4 |
| 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 |
| Bose Ultra Open Ultra Open True Wireless Compare | 70 | 80.9 | 91.2 | 94.8 | 90.8 | 93.2 | 94.1 | 93 |
| 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 |
| Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 Noise-Canceling Compare | 98.7 | 99.9 | 36.8 | 99.6 | 92.8 | 93.2 | 92.4 | 93 |
| JBL Tune Tune Buds 2 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds 2025 Compare | 96.1 | 95.3 | 81.4 | 93.8 | 91.1 | 93.2 | 95.8 | 93 |
Common Questions
Q: Do these have noise cancellation?
Nope. They have no active noise cancellation (ANC). You get some passive isolation from the fit, but you'll hear the world around you. If you need ANC, look at the AirPods Pro or competitors like Anker's P31i.
Q: How's the real battery life?
It's about 5 hours of listening, which isn't great. Our data puts it in the bottom quarter of all earbuds. The case holds about 30 hours total, so you'll be charging it often if you use them all day.
Q: Are they good for working out?
Yes, the IP54 rating means they're resistant to sweat and dust. They should handle the gym or a run in the rain just fine. Just don't expect them to stay in if you have tricky ears—the comfort scores are only average.
Who Should Skip This
If you prioritize immersive sound or need to block out noise on your commute, this isn't it. Go get the Nothing Ear (a) for better audio or spring for the AirPods Pro for ANC. Also, skip if you hate short battery life; there are plenty of 8+ hour options out there.
Verdict
We recommend the AirPods 4 if you live on your iPhone and Mac and just want the easiest, most reliable wireless experience. The call quality and integration are fantastic. But if you care more about immersive sound, blocking out the world, or not charging your case every other day, look at the competition. This is a good product, but it's not a great value.