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The best AirPods for 2024

The best AirPods for 2024

You don’t need a set of AirPods to get wireless audio from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but Apple’s earbuds and headphones offer a lot of useful integrations with other products that you won’t find anywhere else. After helping popularize true wireless earbuds with the original AirPods, the company has expanded its lineup to include noise-canceling models and a set of over-ear headphones. Here’s what you need to know about AirPods in general, along with the best overall, budget, and over-ear picks from Apple’s current product lineup.

When it comes to Apple’s earbuds and headphones, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind before making your final decision. Firstly, the AirPods earbuds have an open design without a tip, so some ambient noise can always reach your ears. The AirPods Pro are the model with the soft earbuds that completely seal your ear, allowing functions such as more powerful noise cancellation and the hearing test. Finally, the AirPods Max are Apple’s over-ear headphones, and currently the company’s only option for wireless headphones not made by Beats.

There are a few features that are available to all models because they have become inherent to the AirPods experience. First, you can expect automatic switching between Apple devices synced with your iCloud account. This means that AirPods automatically switch to your phone if you receive a call while you are listening to music on a MacBook, for example. It is functionally similar to multipoint Bluetooth, but the function is not limited to two devices, like most earbuds and headphones. Secondly, hands-free access to Siri is the standard, allowing you to ask the assistant for help without touching your AirPods. And finally, personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is available across the range, even on the most affordable version of the AirPods 4.

If you don’t think any of the AirPods options are right for you, check out our recommendations on the website best wireless earbuds And best wireless headphones for some alternatives.

Engadget

Read our full AirPods Pro 2 review

Battery life: 6 hours, up to 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP54 | Noise reduction: Yes | Automatic switching: Yes

Simply put: the AirPods Pro 2 are the best AirPods option because they offer the full package of Apple’s current audio technology. The earbuds are powered by the H2 chip and give you access to advanced features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, Adaptive EQ and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. Of course, you also get pro-level active noise cancellation (ANC), which offers up to twice the distraction blocking of the first-generation AirPods Pro or the AirPods 4 with ANC.

In addition to voice isolation, the most natural-sounding transparency mode you’ll find on a set of earbuds is available on the AirPods Pro 2. This pair of features makes this model the best option for calls in Apple’s lineup. You also get the convenience of built-in volume buttons that other AirPods (earbuds) options don’t offer. The case charges wirelessly via MagSafe or Qi-certified accessories and Automatic Switching quickly jumps to your phone from your MacBook or other iCloud-synced Apple devices when you need it.

AirPods Pro 2 also offers Apple’s hearing test, hearing aid, and hearing protection features, which arrived as part of iOS 18.1. In about five minutes you can take a clinically validated hearing test using nothing more than your iPhone and these earbuds. Results are available immediately and if you have mild to moderate hearing loss, the AirPods Pro 2 can function as a hearing aid (with customizable settings). In addition, these earplugs provide robust hearing protection against persistent noise below 110 dB. Hearing protection is enabled for all sound modes, including Transparency, Adaptive and ANC.

Positives

  • Improved sound
  • Stellar transparency mode
  • Solid ANC
  • Seamlessly switch between Apple devices
Disadvantages

  • Same design
  • A new touch gesture takes practice
  • Average battery life
  • Personalized spatial audio results vary

$190 at Amazon

Engadget

Read our full AirPods 4 review

Battery life: 5 hours, up to 30 hours with charging case | Water resistance: IP54 | Noise reduction: No | Automatic switching: Yes

Apple gave its “normal” AirPods a major overhaul in 2024, notably adding ANC to the open-wear design for the first time. Of course, the addition of noise cancellation increases the price, so the non-ANC version of the AirPods 4 is the most affordable option in Apple’s mobile audio lineup. However, this model still includes Apple’s H2 audio chip, so you can expect some of the company’s latest features on board.

H2-powered tools on the AirPods 4 include voice isolation, personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, personal volume, and adaptive EQ. They miss out on Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode from the core specs of the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2. Unlike those other two models, the AirPods 4 charging case doesn’t offer MagSafe or Qi-compatible wireless charging, nor does it offer MagSafe or Qi-compatible wireless charging. not the accessory has a built-in speaker for Find My.

You get all the benefits of a refined shape on the AirPods 4, which offers a more secure and comfortable fit. Like the third-generation AirPods, this model still doesn’t have touch controls for volume, but instead offers force-touch options for playback controls, sound modes, and call answering. A major drawback to the open design is that you don’t get access to Apple’s hearing health tools. Because the AirPods 4 don’t seal your ear or have the required ANC, the company’s hearing test wouldn’t be accurate, a hearing aid wouldn’t be helpful, and hearing protection wouldn’t provide adequate protection in loud environments.

Positives

  • Improved fit and comfort
  • Better sound quality
  • Advanced features from more expensive models
  • Still quite affordable
Disadvantages

  • No built-in volume controls
  • No ANC
  • No wireless charging
  • No conversation awareness

$119 at Amazon

Engadget

Read our full AirPods Max review

Battery life: 8 pm | Water resistance: None | Noise reduction: Yes | Automatic switching: Yes

If you prefer over-ear headphones to earbuds, there’s only one option for you in Apple’s lineup. The AirPods Max debuted in 2020, and the company offered a minimal update in September 2024 that swapped the Lightning port for USB-C (and added five new colors). While the design still feels current, the technology in this model is a generation behind since the AirPods Pro 2 came out in 2022. The AirPods Max are still powered by the H1 chip, meaning Apple’s more advanced audio features aren’t available here.

Because the Max does not have the newer H2 silicon, features such as Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, Conversation Awareness and Voice Isolation are not available on these headphones. However, you can still expect hands-free access to Siri, personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, adaptive EQ, and a very natural-sounding transparency mode. Noise cancellation works well with most sources of constant noise, but like many headphones it struggles with human voices. Auto switching is also available, so you can expect the Max to be able to quickly switch between iCloud-connected devices.

And then there’s the design. The AirPods Max feel light and comfortable, even if the ear cushions feel a bit thin after hours of constant use. Physical controls for playback, volume and noise modes are centered around a rotating crown, similar to the one on the Apple Watch, and a single button – both on the right side. That excellent Transparency mode ensures you don’t get noisy on calls, and the voice recording is good enough that you can use them during important virtual meetings without fear of audio quality issues.

Positives

  • Excellent balanced sound
  • Solid ANC Useful features
  • Unique but reliable operation
  • Solid battery life
Disadvantages

  • Duration
  • Still uses an older H1 chipset
  • The “case” offers little protection
  • No support for high-resolution music streaming services

$549 at Verizon

The AirPods 4 with ANC represent the first time active noise cancellation is available on the open-wear, “regular” AirPods. Design-wise, they are the same as the non-ANC model, so the difference is all in the features list. This more expensive version adds Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness and a wireless charging case. The ANC isn’t as powerful as the AirPods Pro 2, partly due to the fact that the AirPods 4 don’t completely seal your ears. However, the noise-canceling performance is certainly useful and works best on constant, low-frequency annoyances like fans and white noise machines. Finally, you won’t get access to Apple’s hearing test and hearing aid features, partly due to the fact that the AirPods 4 with ANC don’t seal your ears, which would impact accuracy and effectiveness.