Apple has just released its latest in-ear headphones, the AirPods 5. When most gadgets are soaring in cost, Apple has actually reduced the price of its new AirPods by £5 – and new features have even been added.
There’s no Pro in the name here, but you might be forgiven if you were confused. This is the first time that entry-level AirPods have had active noise-cancelling (ANC) built in. Apple says the new models have the best ANC of any earbuds with an open-ear design.
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The previous release, AirPods 4, came in September 2024 with two versions: an entry-level one without ANC and a pricier one with ANC and a wireless charging case.
This time around, there are also two models in the AirPods 5 series. The more expensive model has a bigger price drop, costing £40 less than the equivalent top-tier version last time (a drop from £179 to £139). Plus, there’s the wireless charging case from last time and longer battery life. The entry-level version, £129 previously without ANC, costs £119 now.
How I tested
AirPods are in their fifth generation, so they are familiar to most people now. I’ve checked the set-up is as easy as ever, looked at any changes in the design, and tested the fit in the ear for stability as well as sound quality.
I listened to the audio with ANC on and off and compared it to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3. I checked features like transparency mode. I listened to the new Adaptive EQ and the Live Translation capability – and I noted whether they lived up to Apple’s improved battery claims.
Apple AirPods 5
★★★★☆
What we love: Better value than ever, ANC on entry-level model, and best sound on AirPods yet
Take note: Still the same H2 chip, and the design is mostly unchanged
Design
The new model looks identical to the AirPods 4 – albeit with unseen design changes. Both feature the same open-ear fit, unlike the noise isolation ear tips found on the Pro models.
The benefit of the more open fit is that there’s no pressure in the ears, but the lack of seal means more of the outside world seeps in. This is where ANC – which Apple says is 1.5 times better than on the AirPods 4 – comes in.
The design remains attractive and appealing. The short stem protrudes less, and fits comfortably but securely in the ears (there’s no risk of the earbuds falling out while jogging).
The AirPods 4 introduced a flat side to the earbud’s stem, so you can play or pause music with one press on the force sensor or press and hold to invoke the Siri personal assistant.
This control system continues here. But if you opt for the more expensive model, the stem has an extra function: you can change the volume by swiping up or down on the stem. This is handy if your music source, such as your phone or tablet, is out of reach across the room. This capability was previously only on the AirPods Pro 3.
Another hidden change is the dust- and water-resistance. On AirPods 4, this was IP54, which means that it will keep out most dust but is only splash-resistant. Both versions of AirPods 5 boast IP57. That’s the same dust protection, but the buds can now survive being immersed in water up to 1 metre deep for half an hour. At the exact moment when you drop your AirPods in the sink, you will feel this is a useful upgrade.
Another convenience is Find My, which means you can locate the AirPods 5 case if you misplace it. A speaker on the case can emit a sound to help you, but this feature is only for the wireless case.
The wireless case supports wireless charging on any Qi-compatible charging pad or even the Apple Watch charging puck, plus USB-C wired charging.
Audio
The sound quality on AirPods 4 without ANC was already good, but AirPods 4 with ANC was superb. This time, it’s a different story. Every Apple AirPods now has ANC built-in, and the company says it now keeps 1.5 times more noise at bay than the last model. I’ve been comparing the previous and current versions, and the improvement is palpable.
While it’s not as good as that on AirPods Pro 3, which benefit from those noise-isolating ear tips, it’s better than on open-ear buds I’ve tested from any rival brand.
Apple says it’s improved the Transparency mode, too. That’s where the earbud microphones deliberately let in outside noise so you can hear when someone’s talking to you. This capability was always good, though it’s enhanced here with a more natural rather than amplified effect.
Performance
AirPods 5 have the same features as AirPods 4 with ANC, including recent additions such as Live Translation. Once you’ve downloaded the relevant language pack, you hear a spoken translation in your ears when someone talks to you in a different tongue. Apple cleverly waits until the earbuds have heard enough words to be sure of the meaning. You can talk back in your own language, and the words appear onscreen on your iPhone.
AirPods are integrated into the Apple ecosystem so you can transfer audio seamlessly. For instance, if you’re listening to music on your iPhone and sit down at your Mac for a video call, the AirPods are smart enough to switch the audio to that from the Mac automatically.
The newly improved voice assistant, Siri AI, works well on the AirPods, though you need the latest version of iOS software on your iPhone to use this.
Though AirPods work perfectly well with non-Apple devices, it’s features like these which show them at their best.
Battery Life
The AirPods 5 have four hours of battery life with ANC turned on – the same as AirPods 4 with noise cancellation could muster. If you spring for the model with the wireless charging case, you also get an extra hour of battery life (five hours with ANC on). This also means that the AirPods and case together add up to 22 hours of battery on a single charge, while the more affordable model offers 20 hours total.
Turn ANC off (though really, why would you?) and the more affordable AirPods 5 have six hours of battery life, up from five hours on AirPods 4 with ANC, while the earbuds with wireless charging case have up to seven hours on a charge. Unchanged from the last model is that both versions can deliver an hour or so of playback from a quick, five-minute charge in the case.
Apple AirPods 5 spec
Processor: H2
Active Noise Cancelling: Yes
Personalised Spatial Audio: Yes
Adaptive EQ: Yes
Battery life: AirPods 5 4 hours, AirPods 5 with wireless charging case 5 hours
Dimensions (earbuds): 30.2 x 18.3 x 18.1mm
Weight (earbuds): 4.3g
Battery life (including case): AirPods 5 20 hours, AirPods 5 with wireless charging case 22 hours
Dimensions (case): 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2mm
Weight (case): AirPods 5 32.3g, AirPods 5 with wireless charging case 34.7g
Are Apple’s AirPods 5 worth it?
Apple’s improvement to active noise cancellation is significant, making AirPods 5 good enough to use on the commute or in noisy environments.
So, should you consider spending £200 on AirPods Pro 3 instead? Well, AirPods Pro 3 offer that snug fit from the ear tips and eight hours of battery life instead of four or five hours. One key difference is the presence of a heart rate sensor for when you’re working out and a hearing test feature. AirPods Pro 3 can even be used as hearing aids. ANC is also better – easily good enough to use even on a plane, something which defeats many in-ears.
If you’re an AirPods 4 user, many of the neat features like Live Translation are already available to you. But the improvement in ANC is worth the upgrade alone, and let’s remember that capability is now on the entry-level model, too. If you’re clumsy, you will be grateful for increased water resistance. Oh, and the price has gone down, too.
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