AirPods 4th Generation Review: AirPods Pro – Power for Everyone

AirPods 4th Generation Review: AirPods 4 Are Apple's Most Feature-Rich Budget Set Yet

0 Facebook x.com Reddit

AirPods 4th Generation

4.0/5 Available on Amazon

The new fourth-generation AirPods pack many of Apple’s pro features into a compact, open-back design that sounds great.

There are technically two versions of the fourth-generation AirPods. There’s a $129 version (on sale) that replaces the AirPods 2, and a $179 model (also on sale) that adds ANC, a speaker, and wireless charging.

We’ve been testing them for the past few weeks alongside our AirPods Pro 2 — our favorite earbuds — but the open-back design is pretty comfortable and great for long-term wear.

We’re going to focus primarily on the active noise-canceling model, but they share most of the same features.

Subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTubeSubscribe to AppleInsider on YouTube

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Design and Comfort

The new AirPods are Apple's smallest earbuds to date. At least the case is tiny.

AirPods 4th generation review: The new AirPods 4 case is super small

When we have it in our pocket, it's hard to even tell they're there. We only notice them when we're trying to go for a run, as they still make our pockets bounce around, which is annoying.

There's a speaker grille on the bottom of the case, which is useful when calling Find My. Since they're so small, the chances are even higher that you'll need to use it.

AirPods 4

The AirPods 4 feature Apple’s H2 chip and can be ordered with or without active noise cancellation. Buy on Amazon Buy on B&H Buy on Adorama

We had to use it at least a couple of times during our testing alone. The sound on this speaker is definitely loud enough, even when they were tucked into a couch cushion.

Another change is that the back button has been removed. There is no longer a physical button to press to reset the AirPods.

AirPods 4th generation review: AirPods 4 have a new hidden light and button

A similar change has been made to the status light. It’s no longer a small LED that sticks out through the front panel.

Rather, it’s an internal light that shines through the plastic case. Both of these changes help improve the appearance as it looks nice and clean, but also reduces the chances of it breaking or getting dirty.

But there’s still a button on the earbuds, you just can’t see it. It’s a touch-sensitive button located just below a hidden LED light.

When you need to put the earbuds into pairing mode, you open the case and double-tap just below that LED light. It’s not as obvious how to do it, but it’s still easy.

AirPods 4th generation review: AirPods 3rd generation case (left) next to the new AirPods 4th generation case (right)

The earbuds themselves snap into the top just like before, but we found them more difficult to remove. The cap fits very close to the back of the earbud, leaving little room for a comfortable grip.

The earbuds also fit tightly enough that they’re difficult to twist out. We got the hang of it, but they were awkward to remove compared to other sets.

Apple says they spent a lot of time refining the shape of these earbuds. They're a cross between the third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro.

They don't have silicone tips, but the tube — the part that goes into your ear — feels a little squashed.

AirPods 4th generation review: AirPods 3rd generation ear tips (left) and AirPods 4th generation ear tips (right)

Making earbuds that fit every ear would be impossible. There's no way to fit the wide range of shapes you'd have to accommodate.

We had no issues with either the regular AirPods or the AirPods Pro designs. However, the style does feel a little superficial.

It's almost too convex to begin with, which prevents it from sitting properly in the ear. It stays in and is extremely comfortable when just sitting at a table, but it won't stay in if we start jumping.

AirPods 4th generation review: AirPods 4th generation earbuds (left) and AirPods Pro 2 earbuds (right)

But don’t let that stop you from buying them, as there were several others we asked who had no issues with the fit and found them to be absolutely fine.

The last thing to note about the design is the change in sensors. Unlike the AirPods 3, which used a skin detection sensor, the new AirPods use a regular proximity sensor.

This is the sensor that tells the AirPods whether they are in your ears or not. If they are removed, they can automatically pause content or switch the audio output.

This feels like a step backwards because they are very easy to trigger. If you put the earbuds on your bed on a sheet, they will think they are in your ears.

AirPods 4th Gen Review: Apple No Longer Includes Cable

A similar situation happened when we simply threw the AirPods without the case in our pocket. This caused our podcast to start playing, and we had to backtrack once we realized it was playing.

AirPods 4th generation review: Controls

The fourth-generation AirPods use Apple's different Force Stems to control media or phone calls. You squeeze the stems to play or pause music, adjust ANC, or end a call.

We like the pressure gesture better than the tapping gesture. The biggest downside is the lack of a volume control like the AirPods Pro.

AirPods 4th generation review: The stem of the AirPods 4th generation is touch-sensitive

The AirPods Pro let you swipe up or down on the stems to adjust the volume. They only respond to compression, and volume is not an option.

It's not a big loss, especially if you have an Apple Watch. The Digital Crown can control whatever media is currently playing, which is what we do most of the time these days.

Another way to control them is with your head. Nodding or shaking your head can be either a yes or no response from Siri.

If you get a phone call and Siri asks if you want to answer it, you can nod or shake your head. This allows you to answer without saying a word.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Battery and Charging

The battery life of the new AirPods has decreased. A new H2 chip for greater efficiency, a smaller case that reduces battery size, and active noise cancellation that uses more power have all contributed to a mixed response to battery life.

With active noise cancellation on, battery life is four hours. If you turn ANC off, that increases to five hours — an hour less than the AirPods 3.

The case will increase the total use time to 20 hours with ANC and 30 hours without it. The 30 hours match the previous-generation model.

You can charge both pairs of 4th-generation AirPods via USB-C, but the version with ANC also supports wireless charging.

They can be placed on any Qi charger or on the Apple Watch charging puck. Because the case is so small, Apple had to remove the MagSafe magnets.

4th-generation AirPods review: 4th-generation AirPods with ANC can charge wirelessly

They can still be charged using the MagSafe charger, but they don’t have the magnetic clasp that holds them to the vertical charging pad. You have to place them on the flat charging pad.

This was surprisingly annoying for us. We didn't realize how often we charged our AirPods in the car using the MagSafe charger mounted on the air vent, and now we can't.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Sound Quality and Noise Cancellation

No matter which version of the 4th generation AirPods you buy, the sound quality is the same. The H2 audio processing, the driver, none of it changes from version to version.

These are easily the best open-back earbuds Apple has ever made. They sound clear and surprisingly powerful in the bass.

There is a slight loss of precision since they are not sealed, but that is to be expected. Listening to Tighten Up by The Black Keys, you could hear the constant hi-hat thumping from the front, but the bass was coming from all directions.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Listening to Apple Music on 4th Generation AirPods

We noticed that while the bass is good at the beginning of tracks, it loses some of it as the rest of the track kicks in. It's like there's not enough room to fit it all in.

This may be because the soundstage feels smaller than some other earbuds, especially when we listened to a very expansive song like Bohemian Rhapsody.

The volume was also comfortable. Inside, we easily kept it at about 50%, which gave us the impact of our music without it being harsh on our ears.

On the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation, the results were fairly reliable. With ANC on, you could notice some noise cancellation happening, but you could still hear people talking and some background noise.

They weren’t nearly as isolated as the AirPods Pro when you turned them on. Once the music started playing, basically all the background noise disappeared.

AirPods 4th generation review: AirPods move easily between your Apple devices

We suspect that the reduced battery life here is due to the extra effort they have to put in to overcome the open-ear design. Even when we simulated some very loud airplane sounds, they almost completely blocked them out.

The AirPods Pro do a better job, but they have a hard time competing with those silicone seals.

Both models support Spatial Audio, which is effective and even works with the Vision Pro. That H2 chip also delivers low-latency and lossless audio on the Vision Pro.

Spatial audio and Dolby Atmos work across other devices and audio sources. You can hear people talking in front of you while a car pulls up behind you.

It’s a little less impressive for Apple Music. We prefer using it with movies and TV shows the most.

Finally, the microphones sounded great with the new voice isolation. It cuts out a lot of outside noise, which we tested while standing next to a busy road.

There were moments where our voices were cut off, but for such isolation on a device, it was pretty damn impressive.

Ultimately, we’d say you can find better-sounding earbuds — they’re still mid-range — but they have solid acoustic performance. Combined with their other smart features, they’re easy to recommend.

Speaking of those smart features…

4th Generation AirPods Review: Apple-Specific Features and Tricks

One of the reasons AirPods are so appealing is their ease of use, software features, and integration into the larger Apple ecosystem. There’s something magical about opening your AirPods next to your phone and having them connect almost instantly.

They’ll also move seamlessly between your Apple devices. They can play music while you’re sitting at your Mac, then switch to your iPhone when you get up and start watching TikTok.

If you’re sitting in your living room, you can also move your Apple TV to your AirPods with the press of a button. It’s great to have all your devices working together like this.

There’s also integration with iOS or iPadOS. You can see your battery life in the battery widget, and controls automatically appear in Control Center when they’re connected.

Plus, you have hands-free Siri to get answers to all your questions. They work with other third-party devices, too, but not as well.

4th-generation AirPods review: Apple has a lot of software features for its earbuds

The ANC version also has more features. There's adaptive sound that adjusts the ANC level based on your environment.

Transparency mode lets in ambient noise, allowing you to hear cars, other people, and your surroundings while listening to music or taking a call.

Conversation Awareness detects when you start talking and lowers your content. This allows you to have that conversation without having to adjust the volume or play music first.

Many of these features have come from the AirPods Pro 2, but at this lower price point and with an open-back design.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Should You Buy Them?

There's very little not to like about the new 4th generation AirPods. Whether you want the basic version or the version with active noise cancellation.

Of the two, we'd highly recommend the ANC model. You get a lot more software features along with ANC, wireless charging, and a speaker for Find My.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Apple's New Headphone Lineup

We think it’s worth the price difference. If you’re willing to pay less, you can probably still find some AirPods 2 on sale, which were as low as $69 in the past — before they sold out.

Apple has largely done well to add a ton of new features to the lackluster 3rd-gen AirPods. They’re 90% the same as the AirPods Pro in this design.

Honestly, the only thing holding them back is the AirPods Pro themselves. Since they’re over a year old, they’re regularly on sale.

AirPods 4 Review: AirPods 4 in a Box

They’ve been selling for $169 lately, and will likely be discounted until the new model comes out. There’s no point in buying the cheaper earbuds at full price or the more expensive Pros at a discount.

Of the two, we'd recommend buying the AirPods Pro 2. Unless you prefer the open design, of course.

Many people don't like the seal of in-ear headphones and find these much more comfortable. If that's you, the 4th generation AirPods are perfect.

Either way, it's hard to go wrong.

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Pros

Smaller, more compact design
Two models at different price points with equally good sound
ANC models have several pro-grade features
Finally moved the entire line to USB-C
Sound quality is very good for this price range
ANC is solid for an open design
Great integration with the Apple ecosystem

AirPods 4th Generation Review: Cons

Diagram Confusing naming
Too similar to the discounted AirPods Pro 2 price
Sound quality is good, but not great
Average battery life

4th Generation AirPods Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy AirPods 4

The AirPods 4 are now on sale on Amazon, and the entire line is getting double-digit flash discounts.

Right now, the newest earbuds are down to $119, while the AirPods 3 are down to $129. The AirPods Pro 2 have the biggest discount, sitting at $189.99 at the time of publication. You can check out the best AirPods deals in our dedicated AirPods price guide, which is updated throughout the day.