Apple AirPods 4 (with active noise cancellation) review

AirPods defined an era of true wireless earbuds, and Apple has sold more than 150 million of the little white earbuds.

The AirPods 4 are a major overhaul of the “entry-level” model, introducing a more advanced version of ANC that sits between the standard AirPods and AirPods Pro models.

This new model brings active noise cancellation, transparency, smart features and improved calls, powered by the all-powerful H2 chip.

But how do they stack up, and are the new AirPods 4 ANC the right choice? We’re focusing on the AirPods 4 with ANC here, but we’ll also cover the standard model.

Read on for our review.

Compare: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Review

Prices and comparisons

Here’s the price breakdown for the Apple AirPods family, which now has a perfectly balanced lineup with the new AirPods 4 ANC sitting in the middle:

• $129/£129 – AirPods 4
• $179/£179 – AirPods 4 ANC
• $229/£229 – AirPods Pro 2

Design and comfort

The AirPods 4 (ANC and standard) retain the classic molded fit of AirPods — hard plastic designed to fit any ear — though I suspect they won’t fit anyone perfectly.

According to Apple, they have an incredibly large database of ear shapes (true story), and they’ve designed something that comes close to the ultimate universal fit.

And it’s even better. I haven’t worn AirPods since generation 2, and they now feel much more natural in my ears.

They are still a little loose and sit slightly in the ear. I always wanted to push the AirPods deeper or twist them for a better fit. The AirPods 4 fit much better, though they still don’t fit snugly.

Also worth mentioning is the case, which is small and elegant. The ANC version includes the Find My function, with a small speaker to help you locate it via your iPhone, and it adds Qi wireless charging. Both models have a USB-C port.

The AirPods 4 have also been updated to an IP54 rating, with the “5” referring to improved dust resistance. Water resistance remains at “4,” meaning they’re sweat and splash resistant, but you shouldn’t wear them in the shower.

The AirPods 4 and ANC models lack stem volume control, which is odd given that they support other touch gestures via the force sensor on the stem. The omission of volume control seems odd, as it’s a handy feature on the AirPods Pro, even if it can be a bit fiddly.

Active noise cancellation

The ANC on the AirPods Pro has changed my life. It’s kind of my favorite thing about them: I love shutting out the outside world and listening to music in the morning, on public transport, or at the office. And when you press the stem to turn it on, the world disappears.

The ANC on the AirPods 4 doesn’t have quite the same effect. Due to the lack of a seal, background noise still seeps in, and the ANC is about half as effective as on the AirPods Pro 2.

There are times when I’m not sure if it’s on, and I quickly toggle it on or off to check. This helps make music clearer in noisy environments, which was a problem with the older AirPods.

Likewise, transparency mode isn’t as pronounced, as sound leaks anyway due to the adjustment.

But it still makes a noticeable difference. Using the AirPods 4 ANC in the office eliminates some background noise, although it remains somewhat audible.

In the noisy London Underground I could still hear that cowbell Secular ladyand the extra clarity was welcome. It’s not the tightly sealed bubble of the AirPods Pro, but it’s an improved experience.

But then again, and I say this often, you might as well spend $50 more and get the vastly superior AirPods Pro 2.

Smart Features

Both the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 ANC feature the H2 chip, borrowed from the AirPods Pro 2, which enables a host of smart features.

Voice isolation improves calls – and we had no complaints about quality in any of our tests.

Adaptive audio also changes the audio volume based on your surroundings, another feature I didn’t really care for, and I only noticed the sound dropping unnecessarily or I could suddenly hear my wife on the phone. It just created more unnecessary friction points than it solved.

Similarly, Conversation Awareness lowers the volume of the music when you’re talking to someone, then amplifies their voice. But I prefer to just take the headphones out when I’m talking. I find it a bit rude to leave them in. It’s especially annoying when I’m walking my dog ​​and giving him simple commands like “stay” or “heel,” and the music lowers as if I’m talking. He doesn’t respond much, so for me, this setting stays off.

As for the notifications being read aloud, I’m not a fan (you guessed it). Do people really not want five minutes of peace? I don’t need a message from my wife buying milk to pop up on my phone, on my watch, and be read aloud in my headphones at the same time. I lasted 30 minutes with this feature on before turning it off permanently.

While I’m clearly a curmudgeon and a jerk who doesn’t appreciate any of the smart features on offer here, I know plenty of people who do. And the AirPods 4 offer plenty of those useful features, if you want them.

Apple is also using the H2 chip to add head gesture control, so you can shake your head when Siri asks something like, “Would you like to record this walking workout?” A cool feature.

Sound quality

I’m often surprised by how well the AirPods sound, especially considering the lack of an ear tip. There are better-sounding wireless earbuds out there, but the AirPods 4 deliver solid, universally enjoyable sound that most non-audiophiles will appreciate.

The bass is solid and the overall sound is neutral, designed to suit everyone. It is spacious, detailed, warm and suitable for all genres.

While there are better-sounding earbuds out there, there’s a good reason to choose AirPods: They give you access to Apple Music’s Spatial Audio, which remasters tracks to sound more spacious, like you’re sitting in the middle of the band.

Spatial audio is a hit or miss, with some remasters sounding better than others. But often, it adds a whole new dimension to the music. For example, the John Lennon remaster Bring on Lucie (Freda People) It gave me chills with its arrangement when I stumbled upon it using Apple Music’s excellent personalized playlists.

Both AirPods 4 models also support “custom spatial audio,” which means the sound shifts as you turn your head, as if you were in the front row. I don’t like the sound changing when I look to cross the street, and it can feel like a feature for the sake of a feature, taking me out of the music.

Battery life

I’ve always been impressed with the battery life of AirPods, and the AirPods 4 are no exception.

Apple claims that the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation deliver “up to 4 hours of listening time with ANC,” and that seems accurate.

After writing this review and a half-hour Zoom call, three hours later the battery was at 48% with ANC on, so four hours seems plenty.

For the standard AirPods 4, Apple promises 5 hours of battery life.

The case provides six full charges, giving you 30 hours of listening time (without ANC) or 20 hours with ANC.

Plus, a five-minute quick charge in the case gives you an extra hour of listening time, which is super convenient.

For the ANC version, you’ll get an audio alert when the case’s battery is low, so if it ever runs out, it’s up to you.