In introducing its new AirPods 4, Apple has well and truly tinkered with its earbuds lineup. While the AirPods offering has typically comprised a 'standard' AirPods and noise-cancelling-inclusive 'AirPods Pro' model, Apple has now split the former into two models and blessed one of them with noise cancellation too.
The AirPods 4 and (not so neatly named) 'AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)' arrive later this month, succeeding the now-discontinued AirPods 3 and AirPods 2 and coming into the lineup beneath the AirPods Pro 2.
So aside from one having sound-blocking abilities, how do the two models differ and which appears the better-value pair? Below we compare their price, design and specs ahead of our in-house reviews team going twelve rounds with both pairs...
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AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: price
Naturally, different models with different abilities wear different price tags. When both pairs go on sale on 20th September, the standard AirPods 4 will cost £129 / $129 / AU$219 while the ANC model will cost £179 / $179 / AU$299.
That compares pretty favourably to their 2021-released predecessors: the AirPods 3 launched at £169 / $179 / AU$279 and haven't often strayed from that original RRP. The 2019-released AirPods 2, meanwhile, stuck around and have recently been available roughly around the £129 / $129 / AU$219 mark.
Essentially, the AirPods 4's arrival means you will very soon be able to buy brand-new AirPods for the same price the 2019 model has been recently.
The AirPods Pro 2 remain the flagship model with an official RRP of £229 / $249 / AU$399, although you can often find them around £30 / $30 / AU$60 cheaper and therefore very close to the AirPods 4 with ANC's price.
Our AirPods deals page and widget below show today's best prices on the currently available models – AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 3 and AirPods 2. Again, the two AirPods 4 pairs go on sale on Thursday 20th September.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: design
Both AirPods 4 models are nigh-on identical to one another and will be familiar to anyone who has owned a pair of AirPods before. Their charging cases are both 10 per cent smaller than the AirPods 3's, but they do differ from one another in one respect – the ANC model's supports wireless charging via the Apple Watch charger and Qi‑certified chargers, and has an integrated speaker that can sound 'Find My' tones when you've misplaced it. That makes the AirPods 4 with ANC's case slightly heavier (1.4g), but otherwise the dimensions and design of the two cases match up.
Apple is promising "an entirely new benchmark for fit and comfort" from its latest iconic open-ear (tip-less) design here. It says that by using advanced modelling tools to help it precisely map and analyse thousands of ear shapes and over 50 million individual data points, it has created "the most comfortable AirPods ever".
A new force sensor on the stem of the earpieces allows owners to play or pause media and mute or end calls with a quick press – just like you can with the AirPods Pro 2. And Apple has upped the AirPods' resistance to the elements by certifying them dust-, sweat- and water-resistant to IP54 standards (up from the AirPods 3's IPX4 rating).
Owners of either pair will have to find or purchase a USB-C charging cable, though, as one isn't provided in the box.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: features
The biggest discrepancy between the two models is, of course, that one has active noise cancellation (ANC). Specifically, the pricier AirPods 4 model boast noise-cancelling technology alongside several related modes that also feature in the AirPods Pro 2.
Firstly, Adaptive Audio adjusts its sound-blocking level dynamically depending on the changing noise levels in your surroundings. In our AirPods Pro 2 review, our experts found the effect to be "reactive and subtle: high traffic noise was damped down, while the ANC effect was effectively absent in our quiet home office." Then there is Transparency Mode, which is commonly implemented on ANC earbuds nowadays and essentially amplifies your surroundings temporarily so that you can hear, say, train announcements. Lastly, Conversation Awareness automatically reduces your music playback volume when it detects you are talking.
That does all have a knock-on effect on battery life, however, with the AirPods 4 with ANC offering only four hours of playback time from the earbuds when noise cancellation is activated. Without it on, that is five hours – actually one fewer than the AirPods 3 earpieces could hold.
Unsurprisingly, five hours can be held by the non-ANC AirPods 4, too. Their cases both hold five full charges, and a five-minute quick-charge in the case can give the buds an hour of listening time.
Elsewhere, the features are homogeneous. They are powered by Apple's latest H2 headphone chip (also in the Pro 2), which means Apple has been able to bless the AirPods 4 with support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. Apple has improved voice quality for call-taking in less-than-ideal environments and is also introducing Siri Interactions, which allows owners to simply nod or shake their head to respond to Siri announcements.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: sound quality
While we are yet to put the just-announced AirPods 4 through our thorough in-house testing process (watch this space), we have high hopes for the AirPods 4's sound quality, which should more or less be identical for both models (although noise-cancelling does often slightly affect sound when activated).
Apple claims the new AirPods deliver "a massive improvement in sound quality" courtesy of "entirely new" acoustic architecture based on a new driver and amplifier. That is certainly exciting when you consider the affordability of the non-ANC AirPods 4.
While the AirPods Pro 2 became the first in-ear AirPods to receive a five-star review from What Hi-Fi?, the 'standard' AirPods are yet to surpass a four-star rating. We found the AirPods 3 balanced, clear and detailed but not quite as insightful as the best wireless earbuds at their price. Perhaps the AirPods 4 will have what it takes to break through that fifth-star barrier?
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: early verdict
The two new AirPods 4 really open out the AirPods line. It now comprises three models all less than two years old and with many of the same features, as opposed to a trio of models of varying ages, specifications and performance calibres.
Which of the two AirPods 4 models you buy will largely depend on your budget and how much you desire noise cancellation. If you are indeed leaning towards the ANC model, it will be interesting to see how close they come to the AirPods Pro 2's quality across the board, bearing in mind their similarities in price. We hope to bring you a definitive answer on that, and the level of value the AirPods 4 represent in the earbuds market, just as soon as we get our hands on the AirPods 4.
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