The AirPods 5 are officially here, and dare I say, it’s the most excited I’ve been about a new AirPods model in years.
That’s because, for the first time ever, Apple has brought its active noise cancellation feature to its most affordable AirPods model. Meaning that you can reap many of the benefits of newer AirPods technology, including live translation, impressive audio and the aforementioned noise-blocking features for $129. And sure, that price is nothing to scoff at, but Apple users know that it’s a relatively low price point for the tech giant.
So how exactly do they stack up to the previous AirPods model? And can they compare to the more premium AirPods Pro 3? I wore the new Apple AirPods 5 for a week to find out.
What is the difference between the Apple AirPods 5 models?
With Apple’s new AirPods 5, you have the choice between two versions: the more affordable $129 model and the one that I tried, the $149 model. The main difference is that the slightly more expensive model has a wireless charging case. It also gets up to five hours of battery life when you have the active noise cancellation turned on, whereas with the cheaper model, you get four.
What’s new with the Apple AirPods 5?
The first thing I noticed when I put on the new earbuds was the crystal-clear sound. Apple redesigned the acoustic architecture within the buds, and when I put on a couple of my favorite songs while wearing them, I was able to pick out more details than ever before, from instruments to clear background vocals. There’s also a built-in Adaptive EQ, which the brand says tunes the sound to the shape of your ears, so it’s even more immersive and accurate.
Then, of course, there is the active noise cancellation. According to Apple, it’s 1.5 times better than the previous model. Apple also says that it’s the best in the industry for an open-ear model.
And after trying it out on commutes, office days and busy New York streets, I can say that it really has improved. While it’s still not quite at the level of a bud with ear tips (like the AirPods Pro 3), when I turned it on and played music, the many noises of the New York subway were completely drowned out. On its own, it did a great job of quieting the voices of my coworkers around me at the office. While I could still hear the conversations, they were at a low enough level that it was easy to tune them out.
Much like the previous model, the Apple AirPods 5 also feature voice isolation, which enhances your voice and lowers background noise while you’re on calls. It continues to be an impressive feature in this new model. At one point, I was on the phone with my sister while walking on a busy street, and I made a comment about the ambulance passing by with its sirens loudly blaring, and she said she couldn’t even hear it.
The more expensive version of the AirPods 5 also features the touch volume controls that were previously reserved for the Pro model. You can actually feel where the touch pad is, which makes it easy to turn the volume up and down when you don’t want to pull your phone out.
Which is better: The Apple AirPods 5 or the AirPods 4?
Much like the AirPods 5, there are also two versions of the AirPods 4: A base model without active noise cancellation (which debuted for $129) and one with ANC (which retails for $179).
Even the lower-priced version of the AirPods 5 blows both of these out of the water with its improved sound and noise cancellation. For me, if you’re debating between upgrading to the AirPods 4 or 5, it’s an easy choice: The newer model is the way to go.
You can find the cheapest model of the AirPods 4 on sale right now for $99, but for the extra $30, you get everything I talked about above (though you’ll have to shell out an additional $20 for the wireless charging and extra hour of battery life).
Which is better: The Apple AirPods 5 or the AirPods Pro 3?
While there are a few key differences between the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 5, the biggest one is the ear tips on the former device. Some people find those to be more comfortable because of the cushioned feel and the multiple tip sizes available. I, however, feel like they sometimes make my ears sore, so I actually prefer the open-ear fit of the AirPods 5.
I own the AirPods Pro 3 and find the noise cancellation to be slightly better in that model, due to the seal formed by the ear tips. However, it’s not a huge difference.
The AirPods Pro 3 have a few additional features that I don’t personally use, but that might benefit others, including in-ear heart rate sensing, at-home hearing test capabilities and the ability to be used as a hearing aid.
How we chose
We tried the Apple AirPods 5 over a week-long period. Our writer wore them for workouts, on noisy streets, in the office and more to test the new features. We chose to cover this new launch because Apple is a brand that we often write about and that our readers have shown interest in.
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The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Emma Stessman is a writer for Shop TODAY. She has over a decade of experience in digital media — with nearly half of that time being focused on the health and wellness space. At Shop TODAY, she covers a range of topics, from new tech releases to expert-approved beauty trends.
