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Price
They have similar names and look a lot alike, but the pricing should be the first thing to tell you these earbuds are not identical. The new entry-level AirPods 4 are $129, the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation are $179, and the AirPods Pro 2 are still $249.
There’s not much to analyze here, as all models are more or less appropriately priced for what they deliver (as long as you tack on the little extra that comes with buying any Apple product). If you need to stick to a tight budget, clearly, the AirPods 4 are your pick, but because they lack many of the impressive features the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation deliver, we’d vote for spending more if your budget allows. And if top-of-the-line noise cancellation and other advanced features are your top priority, the AirPods Pro 2 remain a worthy upgrade if you can afford them.
Winner: AirPods 4
AirPods 4 (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Earbud and Case Design
We’ll start by noting that the cases for the AirPods 4 models are not identical. The upgrade to the noise-cancelling model gets you the same USB-C port the entry-level model has, but also wireless charging (Qi or Apple Watch charger work) and a built-in speaker for Find My chimes. Since the case for the AirPods Pro 2 has these same perks, we’ll go by size. If it’s a tiny case packing added functionality that’s important, the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation are your best pick.
As for earbud design, the new AirPods 4 look similar to the third-gen model but have a narrower oval grille opening. All three current models look very cool, but we’ll give the edge to either the Pro model or the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation. The added functionality of the noise-cancelling mics goes beyond just noise cancellation, and that’s a physical design element that delivers on multiple fronts.
Winner: Tie
On-Ear Controls and Siri
On-ear controls are virtually identical now across the three models. The stems use presses and holds for basic playback, track navigation, and call management and are easy to operate. Hands-free Siri control is also available for all models and you can use Siri interactions on all three models, though it’s unclear if they will be implemented in the same ways. With the AirPod 4 models, gently shake your head for “no” or nod for “yes” to answer Siri’s questions. Over time, Siri can learn your specific nod and shake patterns, and adjust. At first, you’ll need to be deliberate with yes or no gestures, but over time, you can be more subtle about it.
Winner: Tie
AirPods Pro 2 (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Audio Performance
The AirPods Pro 2 are the hands-down winners here. Sealed-off ear canals make for better audio balance and bass response, period. But, the AirPods 4 models both deliver rich bass and clear highs, continuing to improve upon what is already the best open-earbud audio performance we’ve tested.
Winner: AirPods Pro 2
Spatial Audio
All three models can use personalized spatial audio with head tracking, so there’s no obvious advantage between them.
Winner: Tie
Battery Life and Bluetooth
The new AirPods 4 get up to 5 hours of audio playback per charge, with the case holding roughly 25 hours. (Apple lists this as 30 hours “with the case.”) Five minutes of charging will get you about an hour of playback.
The AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation understandably have lower numbers—noise cancellation is a battery drainer. With noise cancellation on, a single charge gets you up to 4 hours of playback (with noise cancellation off, the numbers are the same as the entry-level model). With noise cancellation on, the case holds an extra 15 hours. With noise cancellation off, again, the numbers are identical to the entry-level model, with the case holding 25 hours (or 30 hours, combined with the 5 hours the earbuds get with noise cancellation off).
The AirPods 2 get up to 6 hours with noise cancellation on, or 5.5 when you also enable Spatial Audio/Head Tracking. The case holds roughly 24 hours. So, despite the added battery-draining functionality, the AirPods Pro 2 still has the best battery life. But that’s not a surprise when you see how tiny the AirPods 4 case is in comparison.
All models work with Bluetooth 5.3 and support AAC and SBC codecs.
Winner: AirPods Pro 2
AirPods 4 (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Wireless Charging
As mentioned, the entry-level AirPods 4’s case supports USB-C charging only. The AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation and the AirPods Pro 2 are toss-ups—they both have wireless charging functionality.
Winner: Tie (AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2)
Dust and Water Protection
The AirPods 4 have an IP54 rating, which means they provide decent protection against dust (5) and modest water protection (4). They can withstand water spraying from any direction but shouldn’t be dunked or rinsed off under the faucet. Apple says the IP54 rating also extends to the case, which is atypical for most earphones.
The AirPods Pro 2 has identical IP ratings for the buds and case. That said, if you need waterproof earbuds, these have modest IP ratings across the board.
Winner: Tie
AirPods Pro 2 controls (Credit: Apple)
Active Noise Cancellation
The entry-level AirPods 4 have no horse in this race. The AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation deliver impressive ANC for open earbuds, but let’s dig a little deeper there. It’s impressive because we’ve never experienced effective noise cancellation before in open earbuds. How good is it? Probably about as good as the original AirPods Pro. In other words, an effective and almost stunning achievement for earbuds that don’t seal off your ear canal.
But, if we’re talking efficacy, there’s only one choice here: The AirPods Pro 2 still deliver the best in-ear noise cancellation of the AirPods lineup, and are still high on the list for best noise-cancelling earbuds, period—just not at the very top.
Winner: AirPods Pro 2
Mics
All three models feature voice isolation mics that tamp down surrounding noise.
Winner: Tie
AirPods Pro 2 (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Hearing Health
The AirPods Pro 2 are able to perform a five-minute hearing test and then present you with the results. If your hearing loss is measured as minor or moderate, the AirPods Pro can then be used as hearing aids—and yes, the sound will be adjusted to conform to your specific ear-to-ear hearing loss. (You can also import hearing loss data from audiologist-performed tests.)
In the settings menu, you take a hearing test and then choose whether to enable the hearing aid function. By default, the hearing aid being enabled will not only help you hear the surrounding world more clearly but will also change how you hear music and all audio that passes through the AirPod Pro 2’s drivers. If you like the idea of the hearing aid but not the idea of the frequency response of the drivers changing your audio playback, you can disable the media setting on the hearing aid settings page, though it’s turned on by default when you enable the hearing aid. This is a truly unique feature set, and if it’s something you’re interested in, it’s only available in the AirPods Pro 2.
Winner: AirPods Pro 2
So, Which AirPods Should You Buy?
If you’re on a budget, the AirPods 4 won’t disappoint, but you have to accept that the low price means no noise cancellation, no wireless charging, and various other missing features. They do sound quite good, though. For us, this narrows it down to the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation and the AirPods Pro 2. If you want the best noise cancellation of the bunch or want to try the hearing health features, the AirPods Pro 2 are worth the extra money. If you’d happily save some money for good noise cancellation and a more relaxed, open fit that allows for natural transparency, go with the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation.
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