There are two versions of the new Apple AirPods 4, the base version costs $129, and the Active Noise Cancellation version costs $179. There are some other minor differences, and in this article, we will review the new AirPods 4 and find out which version is better, and if you should buy them.
Review
The shape of the new AirPods 4 has changed, the driver points into your ear more directly and there are some new curves and angles. The stem is a little bit shorter, but the look is still similar to previous generations. The new shape will fit better in your ear, and both versions come with in-ear detection. Both versions are also upgraded to an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, the last AirPods were rated IPX4.
The case of the new AirPods 4 now has USB-C, but that is where the similarities end. The ANC AirPods have a little speaker on the bottom of their case, this speaker gives you an alert when you charge the case, and it chimes when you use Find My. The ANC case also has wireless charging, but it doesn’t have MagSafe.
Previous AirPods cases had a little button on the back for manually pairing with phones, and Apple didn’t add this button to the AirPods 4 cases. Now, there is a hidden capacitive touch area right underneath the pairing and charging light, and you have to double-tap this area for pairing mode. A triple tap will factory reset the AirPods.
The ANC version also gets transparency mode, while the normal version does not. The transparency mode is very good as some outside noise is already getting in, so when you turn on transparency mode the outside noise gets boosted. The ANC version also has Adaptive Audio, which blends Transparency Mode and ANC and changes the noise control as your environment changes.
You get 30 hours of listening time with the case, for both versions of the AirPods 4. You can get up to 5 hours of listening time with ANC off and 4 hours with ANC on a single charge. With the Apple H2 chip, both versions of the AirPods 4 have ultra-low latency support for the Apple Vision Pro. The H2 chip handles all the processing, and you can also nod or shake your head to answer Siri questions. So if Siri announces an incoming call, you can just nod your head to accept the call.
Up till now, only the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max had Active Noise Cancellation. So, I compared the ANC of the AirPods 4 with the ANC of the AirPods Pro 2. The ANC does work and does a good job of lowering background noise and white noise, but you will still hear some outside noise. The main reason for this is the hard tips, as they will leave some air gaps and you will hear some white noise.
If you want Active Noise Cancellation, then get the AirPods Pro 2. The only reason I’m recommending them over the AirPods 4 is because the Pro versions have silicon ear-tips, and you can change these ear-tips to perfectly fit your ears. A better fit means better noise cancellation, but you will have to let go of the new H2 chip if you go for the Pro version.
Both versions of the AirPods 4 sound great. They are a big step up from the AirPods 3, which were already very good. The bass is deep, and the instruments are clear and detailed. The base version is the best choice for those who don’t want Active Noise Cancellation.
Verdict
The AirPods 4 sound great. There still aren’t any sound customization options or an EQ, and I hope Apple includes that in later generations. Both versions sound good for podcasts, movies, and songs, and the microphones are good. If you just want a pair of AirPods, then get the base version of the AirPods 4 for $129. If you want ANC, then I recommend the AirPods Pro 2. However, when buying, you should check the ANC of both versions, as the hard tip versions fit everyone differently.