- Great sound quality
- Surprisingly good noise cancelling on ANC model
- Light, comfortable design
- Comparatively short battery life
- Entry-level model works poorly in noisy environments
The AirPods 4 are better than they have any right to be. Apple's new open-ear earbuds have somehow almost matched the AirPods Pro in terms of sound quality, while also implementing half-decent noise-cancelling on the ANC model. I've been testing the AirPods 4 for just over a week now, and I'm still a little surprised every time I put them on.
First, I should clarify. There are two different AirPods 4 models: the standard AirPods 4 and the AirPods 4 with ANC. The standard AirPods 4 are the new-entry level model retailing for $219, while the AirPods 4 with ANC add noise cancelling (as the name suggests), wireless charging, and a speaker in the case. They're a little bit pricier at $299.
Other than these differences, both AirPods 4 models are identical. You get the same sound quality, the same maximum battery life, and the same earbud design. I'll be chatting about the pair interchangeably, other than when it comes to noise cancellation.
As aforementioned, the AirPods 4 have an open-ear design. This means they sit in your ear, rather than having tips that protrude into your ear canal like the AirPods Pro. This tends to be a love-it-or-hate-it design choice, but this time around Apple has made it a little bit easier to love.
The big benefit of an open-ear design is comfort. Since you don't have tips sitting in your ear canal, the AirPods 4 can feel a bit gentler on your ears when compared to the AirPods Pro or other in-ear buds. It's a little bit easier to forget they're there. Each bud only weighs 4.3 grams, which is a whole gram lighter than the second-generation AirPods Pro. That might not sound like a huge difference, but it does make a difference.
Conversely, open-ear buds have historically made trade-offs in sound quality and noise isolation, once again, because they're not sitting directly in your ear canal.
2021's AirPods 3 were leagues ahead of previous iterations, but the AirPods 4 are an even bigger step forward. Somehow, Apple has amped up the bass response in these, making it thicker and fuller without overpowering the mix.
This is especially noticeable in sub-bass frequencies. While the AirPods 3 really struggled sub-bass on songs like Childish Gambino's "3005", the AirPods 4 do justice to the thumping kick drum that pulses throughout the song. In-ear buds like the AirPods Pro 2 still deliver meatier low-end frequencies, but the AirPods 4 feel like less of a compromise in this regard.
The AirPods 4 also have notably better stereo separation than the AirPods 3. There's a much better sense of space when you're listening to songs like Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" on them, which simply wasn't the case on the previous model.
All in all, the AirPods 4 sound great. While they're not the best-sounding earbuds you'll get, they don't have glaring flaws like they're predecessors.
Noise cancelling on the AirPods 4 with ANC is another feature that works far better than you'd expect. Don't expect miracles - these are open-ear buds, after all - but I was shocked the first time I really put them through the paces. I was still able to comfortably listen to my music while running on a treadmill at my gym, which simply wasn't possible on the AirPods 3 (or when I turned noise cancelling off on the AirPods 4).
Results aren't always consistent, however. When testing the AirPods 4 on a busy metro trip, I was still able to hear a lot of chatter from the platform. The AirPods 4 definitely do a better job at blocking out deeper sounds than voices, for example.
Even then, it can depend on what you're listening to. Ethel Cain's ambient gloom simply couldn't hold up against the thump of a speeding metro, but the new Unto Others album fared better thanks to its robust rhythm section.
Once again, you'll get better noise cancellation from in-ear buds, but the AirPods 4 with ANC deliver a surprisingly good result.
Battery is the AirPods 4's main weakness. You'll get up to five hours per charge without noise cancelling, or up to four hours per charge with it on if you've got the ANC model. Many wireless earbuds are now pushing 10 hours with noise cancelling off, so half of that is pretty underwhelming. With the battery case, you'll get up to 30 hours with noise cancelling off, or up to 20 hours with noise cancelling on. That 20-hour figure is also on the shorter side.
It's also worth quickly chatting about fit. I find the AirPods 4 comfortable and surprisingly stable given they're not actually jammed into your ears. It can take a little bit of fidgeting to get them to sit right, but I haven't had issues once they're in. They occasionally feel like they'll fall out, but they never have - even with vigorous headbanging, when I'm madly jumping during a HIIT workout, or running on a treadmill. I've had to make adjustments as I get sweaty, but I have to do the same with other earbuds too.
Of course, this is one of the areas where your mileage may vary. Two of my other colleagues have tried AirPods 4 and had a similarly good experience, while a third finds they get loose as soon as he starts walking. A 75% hit rate isn't bad, but this is always worth keeping in mind when ordering earbuds.
Apple AirPods 4 - Final Thoughts
The AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC are both great options if you're after (or are happy with) open-ear buds.
While they sound identical, the quality is definitely worth calling out for the $219 standard model. We've not tested better-sounding earbuds at that price point. The big trade-off is the lack of noise cancellation, and it makes them harder to use in loud environments like public transport and the gym. If you just want them for home or the office, the standard AirPods 4 will do fine, but in most cases, I'd recommend spending the extra $80 to upgrade to the ANC model.
What makes this a little trickier is the AirPods Pro 2 regularly sell for as little as $329, like on Amazon right now. That's only $30 more than what you'd pay for the AirPods 4 with ANC. Unless you really want the open-ear fit, upgrading to the Pro model is a no-brainer. You get better sound, noise cancellation, and battery.
I'd always go for the in-ear option, but that's just me. If you're after a pair of open-ear buds, the AirPods 4 defy expectations. They're not perfect, but they manage to solve some of the compromises with the form factor, making them a much better buy.
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