Why You Should Upgrade to Apple AirPods 4 (and Where to Pre-Order Them)

This week, tech giant Apple introduced the latest generation of its wireless Apple AirPods earbuds. The fourth-generation AirPods, available with or without active noise cancellation, will ship on September 20. Pre-orders for Apple AirPods 4 have already begun.

Curious what makes this new generation of Apple earbuds so special? Read on to discover what’s new and different about Apple AirPods 4, or tap the button below to pre-order yours now.

Professional tip: For more help choosing the ideal AirPods to fit your needs and budget, check out our recently updated AirPods Buying Guide 2024.

Discover the new and affordable Apple AirPods 4 wireless earbuds

The AirPods 4 are a more economical version of Apple’s wireless earbuds, compared to the premium Apple AirPods Pro 2. These new headphones can be paired effortlessly with other Apple products, including the company’s new iPhone 16 and the Apple Watch 10 with new detection of sleep apnea.

Apple AirPods 4 are engineered to deliver premium sound and ultimate comfort, so you can enjoy crystal clear audio and hands-free calls, plus interact with Siri using your voice. They get up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, or 30 hours total with the included USB-C charging case. Active Powered by Apple’s H2 processor (the previous generation used the H1 chip), these wireless earbuds offer enhanced voice isolation, so even if you’re on a hands-free call in a noisy environment, the person you’re talking to can hear you.

The AirPods 4 now have an IP54 rating for dust, sweat, and water resistance, another improvement over the previous-generation model.

Professional tip: You’ll often find the premium AirPods Pro 2 (regularly priced at $249) on sale on Amazon, and also at Best Buy and other retailers for as little as $190. If you can afford the upgrade, we think it’s worth a look.

Apple AirPods 4

The base AirPods 4 cost $129 and offer personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. This means that audio from TV shows and movies, as well as music and podcasts, sounds like they’re happening all around you. This makes for a much more immersive listening experience compared to generic stereo earbuds.

In addition to using the Apple devices they’re paired with, you can also control the AirPods 4 using Siri voice commands or the integrated force sensors built into the stem of each earbud.

You can expect up to five hours of listening time per charge. However, the charging case allows you to charge the AirPods up to six times without the need for external power, for a total of 30 hours of listening time. Thanks to the fast charging function, just five minutes of charging will give you an additional hour of listening time or 45 minutes of talk time. (Please note: the USB-C charging case does not support wireless charging.)

The AirPods themselves are IP54-rated for dust, sweat, and water resistance. Other notable features include voice isolation and adaptive EQ. Each earbud is equipped with dual beamforming microphones and an inward-facing microphone. Together, these ensure voice clarity when participating in hands-free phone calls or video calls.

If you use an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, or MacBook and are on a budget, the new wireless AirPods 4 earbuds are the perfect audio companion—as long as you don’t need active noise cancellation or some of the more advanced features of the AirPods Pro 2.

You can pre-order the new Apple AirPods 4 today. They are scheduled to release and ship on September 20.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation

From the outside, the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation look identical. But there are two key differences between these wireless earbuds.

First up, the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation, you guessed it, active noise cancellation (ANC)This is a much-requested feature that the regular AirPods 4 don’t offer.

With ANC, the earbuds can digitally cancel out unwanted ambient noise so you can focus on the audio you want to hear, whether that’s audio from TV shows and movies, podcasts, music, or hands-free phone calls. If you plan on using the earbuds in a noisy environment, we highly recommend earbuds with ANC. These new AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation are a great option for Apple gear users.

Since these earbuds offer ANC, they also come equipped with Adaptive Audio, a Transparency Mode, and a Conversation Awareness feature. When needed, you can have situational awareness of your surroundings and communicate with people nearby without having to remove the AirPods from your ears or manually pause the audio that’s playing.

Second, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation come with a wireless charging case. This case can power your AirPods for up to 30 hours without the need for an external power source. The case is compatible with any Qi-compatible wireless charging pad or an Apple Watch charger. It can also be charged with the included USB-C charging cable.

For the price difference between the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, these are the version we recommend if you can afford it. For the ultimate AirPods listening experience, though, the AirPods Pro 2 remain our top pick.