Apple AirPods 4 impressions: Silence the world

The world can be overstimulating. So I figured the best way to test out Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC would be to hear how well they can block out noise. While most people appreciate active noise cancellation because of how it makes their music more enjoyable, I prefer to wear it to drown out the chaos and hustle and bustle of the outside world. Sometimes, it’s the only way I can function.

Check out AirPods 4 on Amazon

Check out AirPods 4 at Best Buy

I took the AirPods 4 with ANC out on a hectic day in the city. I live in the suburbs, so it was a journey. But the adventure included plenty of encounters with the kind of high-decibel noise you’d want to block out: screeching trains, beeping buses, and people yelling at each other about all sorts of things I wanted to be aware of without anyone noticing. The AirPods 4 with ANC got the job done most of the time, though I did remember why I still prefer the AirPods Pro 2 over this brand-new pair of earbuds with an updated chip. My ears aren’t made for AirPods, but at least now there’s another noise-canceling earbud option for Apple diehards.

Smaller, smarter AirPods

Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC are a new addition to its accessory lineup. They cost $180, which is $60 more than the regular AirPods 4. The extra money buys a case that can charge wirelessly and has a speaker to help locate it when it inevitably falls between the couch cushions.

Both the AirPods 4 with ANC and the regular AirPods 4 feature the H2 chip, Apple’s new processor that enables features like Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, and Conversation Recognition. The chip also helps the regular AirPods 4 with Voice Isolation and Personal Spatial Audio, which are part of the package with the AirPods 4 with ANC.

Apple shrunk the AirPods 4 case by about 10 percent. All those ridiculous AirPods cases you bought on impulse at Five Below probably won’t fit this pair. But because it’s much smaller, it’s easier to carry. I have this shirt jacket—a “shacket,” if you will—with chest pockets. The AirPods 4 with ANC case fit perfectly into one of the pockets as I navigated the noisy world.

Apple touts the new AirPods 4 design with “a shape that naturally fits even more people around the world.” This generation’s pair is much more comfortable in my ear canal than AirPods of the past. But I still felt some pain after wearing them for six hours straight. If you’re using them for personal regulation, keep a backup pair of earplugs.

I constantly worry that the wind might blow my AirPods out of my ears. I can attest that while this didn’t happen during my outing with the AirPods 4 with ANC, I still prefer the AirPods Pro 2 with the silicone tip. Regular AirPods and other earbuds with a stem, even Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds, always feel like they’re slipping out of my ear canal. It was the same situation with the AirPods 4 with ANC. No matter how hard I tried to remain calm about where the AirPods were resting, I felt almost obsessive about making sure they were secure.

The famous AirPods, now with ANC

The problem with the AirPods 4 with ANC is that if both ears aren’t properly closed, the sound will pierce through, sometimes piercingly. If you’ve never heard the loud noises of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), let me tell you this: They’re revered for their volume, especially as they barrel through the Transbay Metro. On my way into the city, I had the AirPods 4 with ANC turned on, and Conversation Awareness and Custom Volume checked in the settings. The loud impact of the BART doors closing managed to hit my ears between the muffles. It was enough for me to take notes on the startling noise.

By the time we got to the Transbay subway, I had adjusted the AirPods enough that they were properly sealed on both sides, and I was feeling much more comfortable. I was impressed with how well the AirPods 4 with ANC handled changing environments. On BART, I was able to listen to the elderly couple in front of me as they discussed a manslaughter without the high-pitched noise of the tracks seeping into the flow. (To be clear: I wasn’t listening to music. I was deliberately listening to the sounds of my environment to help quell my anxiety. It just so happened that the conversation in front of me sounded juicy from what I could hear.)

The AirPods 4 with ANC helped channel noise in denser indoor spaces. At the Japantown mall, I was able to follow conversations near the artists showcasing their wares without being overwhelmed by them. Then, on the bus ride back to the main station, I listened to music softly while a man yelled at two teenagers vaping on the bus. Every time I started talking, whether to myself or to ask someone else a question, Conversational Awareness would attenuate to let the sound through so I could speak without feeling like I was yelling.

The AirPods 4 with ANC are great at muffling noise where it matters most. At home, with my family upstairs and the noise echoing through the heating and air conditioning system, the AirPods muffled it enough that I couldn’t hear the laughter. On BART, I enjoyed a quiet ride home in the back of the train. The ANC allowed me to listen to the music rather than the deafening sound of the metal hunk hurtling through a tunnel.

The AirPods 4 with ANC introduces a new gesture that lets you nod your head to say yes or shake your head to say no when Siri asks a question. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to replicate this type of Siri interaction during my few days with the AirPods 4 to test it out.

A Better Way to Spend $180

Previous versions of Apple’s AirPods ranged from $160 to $180 without active noise cancellation. With this generation, you get ANC, a case with wireless charging capabilities, and a way to make the case sound so you can find it hidden in the sheets. It’s also nice to know that the AirPods 4 with ANC can serve as an environmental buffer for people like me who are easily overwhelmed by an unsolicited increase in decibels.

We’ll take a detailed look at Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC, including how music sounds, whether they deliver on Apple’s battery promises, and how they compare to similarly priced earbuds coming soon. Stay tuned.

Check out AirPods 4 on Amazon

Check out AirPods 4 at Best Buy