Bluetooth: 5.3
Active noise-cancelling: Yes
Spatial Audio: Yes
Battery life: 4 hours (with ANC on), 5 hours (with ANC off), total 30 hours (with charging case)
Earbuds weight: 4.3g (per earbud)
Hats off to Apple – it has achieved decent ANC without the need for eartips. The AirPods 4 are packed with features too, and keep you aware of your surroundings even with ANC activated. But the design won't be for everyone, the battery life is comparatively poor, and the sound quality isn't quite up to the AirPods Pro 2's.
For
- Clean, detailed, agile sound
- Impressive ANC effect for an ‘open’ design
- Compact, lightweight design
- Extensive feature set that borrows from flagship model
- Seamless use with iOS devices
Against
- Battery life lags behind the competition
- Fit won’t suit everyone
- Needs a greater dose of dynamic subtlety, solidity and punch to be a class leader
Bluetooth: 5.3
Active noise-cancelling: Yes
Spatial Audio: Yes
Battery life: 6 hours (single charge in earbuds with ANC on), total 30 hours (with charging case)
Earbuds weight: 5.3g (per earbud)
The AirPods Pro 2 were a pleasant surprise when we first tested them, and they still stand up well today. Their sound quality is up there with the best at this price, their ANC is fantastic, and they're typically effortless to use. The upcoming hearing health features will be the cherry on top.
For
- Clear, detailed and powerful sound
- Excellent noise-cancelling
- Longer battery life
- Smooth, intuitive use with iOS devices
- Updated ANC features
- Good discounts available
Against
- Many features restricted to iOS devices only
