AirPods 4 Review: Is This Apple’s Best Version Yet?

As a longtime Apple AirPods 3 user, I was excited to preview the release of the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation (ANC), to test whether any updates would be worth it financially and functionally. I considered the AirPods 4 across a number of categories, looking at sound quality, functionality, design, price point, and more. Read on for my in-depth review and to find out if the AirPods 4 are worth it for you!

Unboxing and first impressions

Clean, modern, and minimalist, the AirPods 4 are everything you’d expect from an Apple product. They arrive in a sleek white box, within which you’ll find the AirPods housed inside a small white charging case. If you’re familiar with the AirPods 3, not much has changed about the packaging between the 3 and the 4—with one notable exception: The AirPods 4 don’t come with a charging cable. Both the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC require USB-C cables to charge, and since I didn’t have one, I had to purchase an additional charging cable to use the AirPods 4. This added an extra expense and it meant I was unable to use my AirPods for a few days—after they initially ran out of battery and before my cable had arrived. This was frustrating for me, and may be for other users, as well.

AirPods 4 Pros and cons

With each iteration, the overall sound quality of the AirPods improves—providing perhaps the best argument for buying the AirPods 4. The custom high-excursion driver from Apple is certainly notable; the low end of these earbuds is very warm. The new driver on the AirPods 4 is better positioned into your ear canal, which allows for a much better bass response. Even upon first listen, it’s evident the AirPods 4 sound richer than their predecessor. The AirPods 4 also offers a better seal with your ears than the AirPods 3, which also improves the frequency response, especially for low-end sounds. At less than $120 for the AirPods 4 without ANC, these are absolutely one of the best sounding Bluetooth earphones available in this price range. Both versions of the AirPods 4 also use adaptive EQ, which gives you a superior listening experience by automatically tuning the audio based on the shape of your ear.

The overall look of the AirPods and case haven’t changed much from the AirPods 3. Both are still white, and the case is the same rounded shape. However, the charging case is about 10% smaller. The charging case also now features wireless charging, which makes it the smallest case in the industry to offer this. However, the AirPods 4 don’t have an increased battery life compared to the AirPods 3, with both offering 30 hours total with the charging case. In fact, the AirPods 3 offers six hours of listening time on a single charge, while the AirPods 4 only offers five hours.

Although it was slightly disappointing the AirPods 4 don’t have more improvement on the battery life, their updated audio capabilities do justify their purchase. For those who covet better noise cancellation, the AirPods 4 (ANC) will be worth it, even considering the $60 dollar price difference. Whatever your preference, both the AirPods 4 and the AirPods 4 (ANC) are impressive, and certainly worth a look.

AirPods 4 Price

Currently listed on Amazon at $119 for the regular AirPods 4 and $169 for the AirPods 4 with active noise canceling, these earpods are an appealing deal. The AirPods 4 regular version is currently listed at the same price as the AirPods 3, which is especially exciting for the budget-conscious shopper looking to upgrade.

Apple link, regular ($129)

Apple link, ANC ($179)

AirPods 4 Specifications

• Drivers: Custom high-excursion Apple driver
• Active noise cancellation: Apple 4 (no), Apple 4 with ANC (yes)
• Battery life: 30 hours with charger, five hours of listening time
• Weight: 1.14 ounces
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 wireless technology
• Frequency range: 30-50 feet
• Waterproofing: Both the AirPods and the case are IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant

AirPods 4 Key features

• Personalized spatial audio: Tracking head movements, this can give you a unique audio experience for TV, games and more.
• Adaptive audio: Helps improve sound in any environment and helps with clarity during phone calls
• Redesigned charging case: Now less than 10% of the previous size and features USB-C connectivity
• App: Apple offers a widget for your homepage to show battery life
• Contoured fit: Both versions of the AirPods 4 have a new design that fits better, adding more stability and engineered to fall less frequently from your ears.

AirPods 4 Performance

• Sound: Personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, conversation awareness (ANC version), transparency mode (ANC version)
• Battery life: 30 hours talk time with charging case
• Bluetooth range: 30 to 50 feet
• Microphone: Dual beamforming microphones
• Voice calling performance: 4.5 hours of talk time on a single charge
• Case: Charging case has been designed to be 10% smaller, allowing it to fit even easier in your pocket or purse
• Active noise canceling: Allows more of the sounds you want and eliminates thing you don’t want to hear (available only on the ANC version)

Design and build quality

Apple has been known for beautifully simple designs for decades, and the AirPods 4 live up to that reputation. Like the 3rd version, the AirPods 4 are fairly comfortable and almost always stay in my ears with little pain and adjustment. The controls of the AirPods 4 are quite simple and easy to use. The charging case for the AirPods 4 is very useful because it organizes, protects and also charges your earbuds. The case itself also seems durable which is helpful because if you’re anything like me, you’ll remain glued to your AirPods 4.

The AirPods 4 weighs only 1.14 ounces, slightly lighter than the AirPods 3, which tips the scale at 1.34 ounces. While the difference is small, it’s still welcome. For perspective, the AirPods Pro 2 weighs about 1.79 ounces, so not a bad improvement from other products. The weight of each earbud remains the same as the previous version, coming in at just 0.15 ounces. There is a slight difference in the size of the earpod on the AirPods 4, with the depth of each one coming in at 0.71 inches, as opposed to the previous 0.76 for the AirPods 3. In addition, Apple has added some contoured shape to the earbud which helps them stay more securely in your ears.

AirPods 4 compared to AirPods 3rd generation

While there are very small changes in size and shape, the AirPods 4 don’t initially seem much different from the AirPods 3. But the audio improvements and sound performance of the AirPods 4 are where things get more interesting. With the new H2 chip from Apple, the AirPods 4 offers clearer calls with voice isolation, which helps you hear your calls better, especially in loud crowded areas. The AirPods 4 (ANC) is especially exceptional when trying to block out unwanted sounds.

Like the AirPods 3, both versions of the AirPods 4 lack any ability to change volume on the earbuds. That means you have to change the volume using your phone itself or Siri. On many Bluetooth earbuds today, it’s common to be able to change the volume directly on the earbuds, so I found this frustrating. However, those of us who have been already using AirPods 3 or before are already accustomed to this design feature.

I was initially skeptical that the updated shape of the earbuds would increase stability, but it does stop them from moving around in your ears as much as the AirPods 3 do. However, some users might find this a little frustrating because they do feel a little tighter in your ears and might feel more restrictive, allowing for less movement. Some users have told me that previous versions of the AirPods always fall out for them, so maybe these fit enhancements will be the answer. I did find that this change, along with the other sizing adjustments, allowed the AirPods to fit better in my ears and even offered a passive improvement in blocking out some noise. The regular AirPods 4 does not offer the sound blockage available on the active noise canceling version, but the improvement was definitely still noticeable.

AirPods 4: Is it for you?

What seems like long ago, I was loyal to my Apple wired earphones. When a friend kept begging me to at least try some wireless earbuds from Apple, I felt embarrassed to have not used them sooner. Since then I’ve been an AirPod disciple. Whether you’re at work, grocery shopping, listening to a podcast, or simply walking home, AirPods take the hassle and frustration out of fighting a wire every day, and are also fantastic headphones for working out, allowing you to focus more completely while moving around.

The AirPods 4 in particular offer a range of great features. They pair so seamlessly with your phone, and thanks to the addition of the H2 chip, they sound fantastic. The H2 chip also offers improvements to Siri. Those who prefer an even more hands-free experience will be happy to see features like the ability to answer calls with simply a nod, or denying a call by shaking your head. Both the AirPods 4 (regular) and AirPods 4 (ANC) feature adaptive EQ which gives a very personalized audio feel. Based on things like the shape of your ear, the EQ is adjusted and then saved. This is a useful and powerful feature showcasing the power of the Apple H2 chip.

But, are the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation worth the additional price? That depends on how important audio is for you. Features such as Voice Isolation and Transparency Mode do offer incredible audio control and are not available on the regular AirPods 4. The noise canceling capability of the AirPods 4 (ANC) made a vast difference whenever I turned it on. While the AirPods 4 provides some much needed noise reduction on its own, the AirPods 4 (ANC) are clearly superior in this department. Active noise canceling will consume more of your battery, and while it may not justify the price increase for everyone, it’s definitely appealing for those who place a high value on silence and clarity.

Final verdict

With a price that is now around $120 for the regular version, these are a great buy. The AirPods 4 (ANC) is about $60 more, but for the amount of noise canceling capability it provides, this doesn’t seem like an unreasonable price. Battery life, Bluetooth range, and size haven’t changed much, if at all, from the previous version. But the audio changes are notable and a place where the AirPods 4 shine. The improvements on call noise is very welcome and music sounds fantastic on the AirPods 4, especially with the ANC version. While it might seem silly to upgrade mostly for audio enhancements, the AirPods 4 are definitely worth the money—and they might just be the best version yet.