I've never been the biggest fan of Apple's regular AirPods. The first few models didn't sit properly in my ears, I found their sound quality to be adequate at best, and I preferred the noise isolation of earbuds with silicone tips. But I know a lot of people love the standard AirPods for their open design and the comfort they provide. And after spending a week with the new AirPods 4, I can already tell you that they'll be an instant upgrade for many.
From the outside, there are no drastic changes from the AirPods 3. Apple has further tweaked the shape and contours of the earbuds to ensure an optimal fit, and the charging case is now smaller than ever. (And yes, it has a USB-C port this time.) But they still look like AirPods—and they're still only available in white.
Inside, expect bigger changes: For the first time, Apple is offering two different versions of the regular AirPods. Both deliver the same sound quality, so don't worry about that. And each includes the company's H2 chip, which enables several new features that improve sound quality and voice call clarity. They're also both IP54 dust and water resistant. The base AirPods 4 cost $129, and the premium model costs $179. For the extra money, you get some major upgrades, with the main differentiator being active noise cancellation.
So let's start right here. How well can ANC work in an open design that doesn't completely seal your ears? This isn't the first attempt – Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 also featured noise cancellation – and the way it works is basically the same as the AirPods Pro. The AirPods 4's microphones analyze your environment and generate counter-noise to reduce ambient volume. But in other earbuds, ANC is aided by the ear tips' natural noise isolation. That's not the case here, so you need to have realistic expectations. There are no miracles. The AirPods Pro are capable of much more comprehensive noise cancellation, period. If you want a private bubble of quiet, the AirPods 4 won't get you there.
But I was really impressed by what she Are capable. If you simply put the AirPods 4 in and turn on noise cancellation without any audio playing, you might not be thrilled. You'll hear… well, absolutely everything – but the noise will be less overwhelming. The ANC is best at handling low-frequency noise from airplane cabins, city traffic, and the random hum of many offices. The AirPods 4 even did a pretty remarkable job of muting the rumble of ferry engines at the pier near our office.
When you're not listening to something, you'll always hear a fair amount of ambient noise, but once the music starts, the ANC proves its worth. I found that I can keep the volume at around 50 percent and barely notice any distractions. With previous AirPods (and with the AirPods 4 without ANC), I regularly cranked the volume up to drown out my surroundings. With the AirPods 4 with ANC, you don't have to face that struggle, and that means you should be listening at safer volume levels more often. One unfortunate downside compared to the AirPods Pro is that you can't adjust the volume directly on the earbuds; there are no swipes like on Apple's flagship earbuds.
The AirPods 4 won't have any of the hearing health features of the AirPods Pro, but their ability to block out enough of the outside world to let you keep the volume control in a sensible place is a big reason to consider upgrading. There are definitely environments where they can struggle—the ANC didn't hold up much in a crowded bar—but I was pleasantly surprised by how useful the feature proved in this open-ear style.
In addition to noise cancellation, the higher-end model has a Transparency mode and Adaptive Audio, a feature that combines the two so that important sounds like sirens come through. Adaptive Audio is less useful here than it is on the AirPods Pro, as the AirPods 4's design means it's always easy to hear what's going on around you. But Conversation Awareness, which lowers the volume when you start speaking, remains a helpful trick—unless you have a habit of mumbling things to yourself, as I often do.
The higher-end $179 AirPods 4 offer even more extras. The case supports wireless charging with either Apple's MagSafe pucks or any Qi-compatible charger. The case also has a built-in speaker that emits a sound when you try to locate the headphones using Apple's Find My app. The standard $129 AirPods 4 lack these features. I don't mind losing the speaker, but having to forgo wireless charging on the base model is annoying and significantly reduces the value.
Sonically, these are Apple's best regular AirPods yet. The overall sound signature hasn't changed much compared to the AirPods 3, but the AirPods 4 offer a richer bass layer than their predecessors; I noticed more instrument separation when listening to songs like Bleachers' “Tiny Moves”; the upper range/treble is more refined and clear. The AirPods Pro still have the edge in terms of overall fidelity, but I'd have no issues with the AirPods 4. And again, the regular and ANC models are identical in that regard.
I still have to specifically twist these AirPods into my ears if I want them to stay where they are. But once they're in, they're pretty comfortable, even when I'm rushing down the subway stairs to catch a train. With the AirPods Pro, I can just cram them in without thinking about it. But even I have to admit that the AirPods 4 are more comfortable for long listening sessions.
Head movements are a new feature you get with both sets of AirPods 4. Enabling this feature lets you respond to Siri by moving your head up and down to activate notifications or answer a call. Shaking your head back and forth will dismiss them as well. I'm not someone who likes my earbuds pestering me with notifications, but in my brief testing, my head movements were accurately detected, even when they were pretty small. Some people might really like this way of dealing with Siri, but I stick with the more traditional methods.
Anyone who frequently uses their AirPods for voice calls will appreciate the Voice Isolation feature, already available on the AirPods Pro and now available on the AirPods 4. By running machine learning algorithms on the AirPods and the source device simultaneously, Apple can better isolate your voice, even in noisy environments. This is essentially similar to Google's Clear Calling feature and can make a significant difference if you need to take a call in less than ideal conditions. Note that Voice Isolation is only available during calls and cannot be used when, for example, you are recording a voice memo or video with your phone.
In addition to these new features, you get the usual tie-ins to the Apple ecosystem like audio sharing, automatic switching between devices, hands-free “Hey Siri” commands, Apple TV integration, and more. I still really wish Apple would build in true multipoint support so you can pair two products at once, but at this point the decision to forego it seems like a philosophical one that won't change.
Battery life is rated at four hours of playback with noise cancellation or five hours without noise cancellation. Adding in the charging case gives a total of 20 and 30 hours, respectively. (The cheaper AirPods 4 obviously have the longer run times, since they don't have ANC.) I haven't used them long enough to fully test these estimates, but they've seemed accurate so far. Unfortunately, Apple still hasn't made repairability a priority with the AirPods 4, so there will inevitably come a time when that endurance starts to wane.
After this review, I'll be going back to regular earbuds. That's just who I am, and I like having as much noise isolation as possible. But the AirPods 4 with ANC are by far Apple's most convincing take on this open-back design yet. The noise cancellation isn't on par with more expensive in-ear alternatives, but it's easily good enough to ensure you can enjoy your music at normal volume no matter where you are. You can tell a difference when the ANC is working, which is something I can't say about other open-back earbuds that tout noise cancellation. That, along with wireless charging, is the main reason I'd advise most people to go with the more expensive model.
The standard AirPods 4 offer the same good audio performance and fit effortlessly into Apple's ecosystem. They're also a substantial upgrade over the second-generation model they replaced for the same $129, but walled-garden tricks aside, Apple has packed them with relatively few bells and whistles compared to the ANC pair, so unless you're super budget-conscious, it's worth splurging. Your ears will be very grateful for the extra $50.
Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge