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David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Kobo e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Headphones, Bluetooth speakers, mobile accessories, Apple, Sony, Bose, e-readers, Amazon, glasses, ski gear, iPhone cases, gaming accessories, sports tech, portable audio, interviews, audiophile gear, PC speakers Credentials
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
What are the best Apple AirPods overall?
Apple makes some of the best earbuds and headphones on the market -- and that includes models from Beats, which was acquired by Apple several years ago. Most recently, it introduced two new AirPods 4 earbuds, one with surprisingly effective active noise canceling for an open-ear design. While we're quite impressed with those new models -- and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particularly -- the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don't mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears.
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Like the new AirPods 4, the AirPods Pro 2 are equipped with Apple's H2 chip, USB-C charging, good sound quality and noise-canceling, plus several new features, including Conversation Awareness, Siri Interactions and a Hearing Aid mode that debuted this fall. If you're in the market for some classic over-ear headphones or a sportier earbuds option, we have recommendations for those, too. Beats headphones and earbuds may not be called AirPods, but in some cases, they share the same Apple chipsets and features.
I've tested hundreds of headphones over 20 years of evaluating headphones, and I've tested and fully reviewed all of Apple's headphones and earbuds that are on this list. Note that we also keep a close eye on their prices so we can bring you the best deals on every AirPods model. While Apple doesn't discount AirPods online or in its brick-and-mortar stores, other retailers do, and sometimes the savings are substantial.
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds
Best Apple AirPods for 2024
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Apple not only swapped in USB-C for Lightning connectivity in its new iPhone 15 models, but it made the switch with the AirPods Pro (2nd generation). The new AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe (USB-C) are nearly identical to their Lightning predecessor, delivering the same excellent sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. That said, they offer some other small upgrades, including additional dust resistance and a new acoustic architecture that allows for Lossless Audio with the Vision Pro as well as the novel hearing aid mode to better hear the sound around you.
Nevertheless, the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) are easy to recommend to Apple users despite their high price. Pro tip: Don't pay more than $190 for these, which is the online sale price at which they're now frequently available.
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If you're looking for basic AirPods, the standard AirPods 4 ($129) certainly have their appeal and should cost closer to $100 during flash sales. They may not be quite as cheap or as small as the AirPods 2, but they sound a lot better and have more features.
Ultimately, however, the AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation are simply more special. They're the first open buds I've tried to have active noise canceling that actually works. That makes them the first noise-canceling earbuds for people who don't like having ear tips jammed in their ears. That's pretty cool and worth the extra $50 if you can afford it.
Watch this: Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
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While the Beats Fit Pro technically aren't AirPods, they're built on the same tech platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike Beats' earlier and less expensive Studio Buds and new-for-2023 Studio Buds Plus, the Beats Fit Pro includes Apple's H1 chip and has most of the AirPods Pro's features, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted.
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Yes, they're expensive, but the AirPods Max delivers richer, more detailed sound than lower-priced competitors from Bose and Sony. They also feature arguably the best noise canceling on the market along with premium build quality and Apple's virtual surround spatial audio feature for video watching. While they're heavy, they manage to be surprisingly comfortable, although I did have to adjust the mesh canopy headband to sit a little more forward on my head to get a comfortable secure fit when I was out walking with them. They should fit most heads well, but there will be exceptions.
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Alas, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance.
The transparent version is getting a lot of attention (who doesn't like transparent electronics?), but the big changes are on the inside. Beats says 95% of the components are new and improved, and the buds' "acoustic architecture" has been revised. The speaker drivers remain the same, but the Studio Buds Plus are powered by a new, more powerful custom chipset and have three new microphones in each bud, which are three times larger and more sensitive than the ones found in the Beats Studio Buds.
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Love 'em or hate 'em, Beats Studio headphones are among the most popular headphones of all time, launching as wired headphones back in 2008. This is the fourth generation of them, and they carry the same list price as their predecessor and look very similar on the outside but have some big changes on the inside that make them significantly better headphones. I'm tempted to describe them as more affordable plastic versions of the AirPods Max. However, that's not quite accurate due to a choice in chipsets and one notable missing feature. But read our full review to find out what makes these very good headphones, albeit with some caveats.
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Available in four color options, the Solo Buds are missing some key features found in more premium buds, including a battery in their very compact charging case, ear-detection sensors and active noise canceling. But they get the fundamentals right. They're lightweight and not only offer decent sound quality and strong battery life but very good voice-calling performance that rivals what you get with the company's more expensive Studio Buds Plus.
Design
The AirPods come in three styles: open earbuds (AirPods 3 and AiPods 4), noise-isolating earbuds with noise canceling (AirPods Pro 2) and over-ear headphones (AirPods Max). Some people like the standard AirPods because they have an open design and don't require you to jam silicone ear tips into your ears. Note that the discontinued AirPods 2, which are based on the original AirPods design, have longer stems and slightly smaller buds than the AirPods 3. The new AirPods 4 are slightly more compact than the AirPods 3 but slightly larger than the AirPods 2. Meanwhile, the Beats Fit Pro has built-in wingtips that may help you get a more secure fit. Newer models also feature USB-C charging ports to better align with the rest of Apple's new charging ecosystem, replacing the long-used Lightning port.
Budget
Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on new AirPods. The quality of value-priced AirPods continues to improve as more models release, so you can often find good affordable AirPods on sale for less than $100. The premium models, which offer better build quality and performance, tend to cost $300 or more -- sometimes much more in the case of the AirPod Max.
Fit
It's key that the AirPods you buy fit your head well. They should offer a comfortable fit that's snug yet not too snug. Ideally, you want headphones you can wear throughout the day with minimal breaks. Consider the differences between in-ear and over-ear AirPods before buying.
Durability
You want headphones that hold up well over time, so look for AirPods models that we note have sturdy build quality.
AirPods or Beats earbuds and headphones?
Because Apple owns Beats, the various AirPods models and Beats models can share similar components and features. Beats products tend to be geared to both Apple and Android users, while the AirPods tend to be focused more toward Apple users (they have more exclusive features for Apple users), although they can be paired with Android devices.
Return policy
Because the fit of your earbuds is so important, it's critical to buy your buds at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case the buds aren't a good match for your ears.
Comparisons for the prices of each AirPods model on this list
| $129 | $119 | $119 |
| $249 | $189 | $169 |
| $200 | $159 | $159 |
| $549 | $449 | $395 |
| $170 | $100 | $100 |
| $350 | $136 | $136 |
| $80 | $80 | $80 |
Along with all of our wireless headphones and earbuds, we test Apple AirPods based on six key criteria: design, sound quality, noise-canceling performance, voice-calling performance, features and value.
Design
We assess not only how comfortably the AirPods fit (their ergonomics) but also their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. With wireless headphones and earbuds, we'll note if they're water-resistant, but only a few full-size headphones have water- and dust-resistance ratings, which is especially important for workout headphones you may take to the gym or on a run.
Sound quality
We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing headphones to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
Noise-canceling performance
If the AirPods we're testing feature active noise canceling, we evaluate ANC performance by wearing the headphones in the same spot indoors near a noisy HVAC unit to see how well they do at muffling lower frequencies. Then we head out onto city streets to test the headphones in a real-world environment where we see how they do at muffling not only street noise but also people's voices. Those that are able to reduce the most amount of ambient noise are noted and rated highly on this list.
Extra features
Some great-sounding AirPods aren't loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from quick-access awareness through a double tap to transparency modes (your music pauses and the headphones open up to the outside world so you can have a conversation) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears. The newest models even incorporate hearing health metrics with hearing tests and a new hearing aid mode. We also take a look at the companion app for the AirPods if there is one and how user-friendly it is and wireless charging capabilities.
Voice-calling
When we test voice-calling performance, we make phone calls on noisy city streets and evaluate how well the AirPods reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear our voices. Call quality is a key metric in today's work-from-home world, so we're sure to assess this feature in several fields.
Value
We determine value after considering the strength of the AirPods against all these criteria and what they're able to deliver compared with other models in their price class. Some models require additional purchases, like a wireless charging case, to get the most out of their features, so we take those needs into account, too.
AirPods 3: With the arrival of the AirPods 4, Apple is phasing out both the AirPods 3 and AirPods 2. As a result, you may see some nice discounts on the third-generation AirPods as they exit the market. Slightly larger than the AirPods 4, they have better battery life than their successor and their case has wireless charging (only the step-up AirPods 4 With Active Noise Cancellation have wireless charging). But with improved sound quality and Apple's more advanced H2 chip, the AirPods 4 -- even the entry-level model -- is superior to the third-generation AirPods.
Beats Studio Buds: The Beats Studio earbuds often sell for $150 and offer decent sound and performance. The new Studio Buds Plus is a significant upgrade, with better sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance, so we recommend users buy those instead.
AirPods 2: The AirPods 2 are an incremental upgrade to an already excellent, fully wireless headphone, but sound quality, design and fit are basically the same. Such incremental upgrades tend to be a little boring. And on the surface anyway, the new AirPods aren't exciting. However, thanks to those updated components on the inside, including a new H1 chip that supports Bluetooth 5.0, improved audio synchronization and always-on Siri, they're definitely better in small ways that a lot of people will appreciate.
Beats Flex: Yes, these are "wired wireless" earbuds -- with a cable connecting the left and right earbud, but they're also the most affordable wireless Apple headphones you can buy (Beats is a subsidiary of Apple). Equipped with Apple's older W1 chip, not the H1 found in the AirPods 3rd Generation, AirPods Pro and Beats Fit Pro, they don't have such extra features as spatial audio. However, they sound good and work well for making voice calls.
What are the newest AirPods?
The newest AirPods are the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C), which hit stores in September 2023 and have some small upgrades from the 2022 version of the AirPods Pro 2 that included Lightning charging. The third-generation AirPods with enhanced functionality, improved sound and an updated design arrived in stores in October 2021. Meanwhile, on the Beats side, the Beats Studio Pro headphones were released in July 2023 while the Studio Buds Plus were released in May 2023. The Beats Fit Pro -- which shares most of the same features as the original AirPods Pro -- arrived in November 2021. While they're not AirPods by name, we and others have referred to them as "the sports AirPods you always wanted."
Are the AirPods Pro 2 better than the Beats Fit Pro?
With their integrated wingtips, the Beats Fit Pro may offer you a more secure fit than AirPods Pro 2 and they do cost $50 less (and sometimes even less when they go on sale). Otherwise, the AirPods Pro 2 are better -- they have slightly better sound quality and noise canceling along with better voice-calling performance.
Also, note that the Beats Fit Pro is missing wireless charging and the MagSafe compatibility found in the AirPods Pro 2.
Should I buy AirPods in the Apple Store?
If you can help it, no: The various AirPods models typically sell for less online at other retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Amazon, meanwhile, typically matches the lowest price at other retailers. Generally, we'd only buy AirPods at the Apple Store if we want engraving, which isn't available elsewhere. If you opt to go into an Apple Store for Apple deals, you should ask about price matching. While Apple doesn't seem to have any official policy, it's been reported that it will offer up to 10% price matching. As an example, that would be $25 off the AirPods Pro, which list for $249. That's not much, but it's worth asking to see if you can get 10% off.
Does spatial audio sound different on different AirPods?
The short answer is, not really when you're talking about spatial audio with head tracking for movie and TV watching. While the AirPods Max offers the best sound overall, using the spatial audio virtual sound feature is largely the same experience on all the AirPods that support it.
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