Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro: Which earbuds should you buy?
From design to features, we compare the two models to find out their differences
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A slate of new products have just been announced at Apple’s keynote event, including four new iPhone 16 models, a new Apple Watch Series 10 and two new AirPods 4 wireless earbuds, which succeed the second-generation AirPods from 2019 and the AirPods 3 from 2021.
Cheaper than the second-generation AirPods Pro 2, many are wondering whether they should upgrade to the new AirPods 4 or whether the more expensive current-generation AirPods Pro are still a better buy.
While Apple didn’t release a new version of the AirPods Pro, the tech giant did announce a suite of new health features coming to the premium buds at a later date, seeing them double up, essentially, as cost-effective hearing aids.
We’re putting the AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 side by side and looking at all the features, specs, design, battery life, price and more to help you decide between the two. Are the beefed-up and cheaper AirPods 4 good enough, or do you need the AirPods Pro 2?
Read more: All the best AirPods deals this month
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Price
There are two new AirPods 4 models (with and without active noise-cancellation), and they’re both cheaper than the AirPods Pro 2. While they miss out on a few features and design tweaks, if the price is your biggest concern, the new AirPods are the company’s cheapest buds and win out every time.
The entry-level AirPods 4 costs £129, while the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation costs £179. Those are the same prices as the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3. The AirPods Pro 2, however, cost £229, but we frequently see them on sale for less than £200, and they fell to just £179 during Amazon Prime Day.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Design
The chief design difference between the AirPods and the AirPods Pro 2 have always been the earbuds themselves.
As with the previous generation of AirPods, the AirPods 4 have an open-ear design, while the AirPods Pro 2 feature a closed in-ear design with four different silicon ear tips to choose from. The design of the AirPods is similar to the old wired EarPods that you used to get in the box with your iPhone.
Some people absolutely hated the fit of the AirPods, with many complaining that they fell out of their ears or just weren’t comfortable for long periods of wear, so Apple redesigned the AirPods entirely. Touted to be “the most comfortable AirPods” ever, they still have a universal design that has been modelled and mapped on thousands of ear shapes, which Apple says “naturally fits even more users”.
We haven’t tried them on yet, but they look fairly similar to the old pair. We’re intrigued to find out if they’re as comfortable as the AirPods Pro 2, or if you still need the in-ear design and silicone tips to get a good enough seal.
Both the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 come in white only and have short stems that stick out of your ears. The AirPods 4 have a force sensor on the side, letting you adjust audio playback, take calls with a pinch and switch between active noise cancellation and transparency modes.
As well as a touch sensor, the AirPods Pro 2 feature a capacitive touchpad on the side, so as well as controlling playback, answering calls and toggling between active noise cancellation and transparency modes, you can also adjust the volume by swiping up and down without having to take your phone out of your pocket. The difference here is that you can’t control the volume on the buds with the AirPods 4. You can with the AirPods Pro 2.
Both models of AirPods 4 also gain a redesigned charging case. Apple says it’s 10 per cent smaller than the previous version, and both have a USB-C charging port instead of a lightning port. The AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation adds a speaker on the underside of the charging case, so you can ping it with Find My, and it can be charged wirelessly using QI charging. Essentially, the base AirPods 4 case is a pretty basic USB-C charging case, whereas the case for the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation has more features.
The AirPods Pro 2 charging case also has a USB-C port, has a speaker on the underside for Find My and can be charged wirelessly. The main difference is that the AirPods Pro 2 case has a loop so you can attach a lanyard, and the wireless charging is better because it uses MagSafe, rather than Qi. There’s no lanyard loop or MagSafe integrated into the case for the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Features and specs
When Apple introduced the AirPods 3 in 2021, followed by the second-generation AirPods Pro 2 in 2022, the choice was always clear in the years ahead. Spend a little extra on the AirPods Pro 2 – the chasm between the two in terms of features was so big.
But with the launch of the AirPods 4, the base-level earbuds have been brought closer than ever to the AirPods Pro 2 in terms of features, making them appetisingly similar.
The new AirPods 4 now have the same H2 chip found in the AirPods Pro 2, giving both models spatial audio and dynamic head tracking. That’s pretty much it for the feature set on the cheaper AirPods 4, though they both have Bluetooth 5.3, like the AirPods Pro 2.
The AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation. However, gain Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness, two features previously reserved for the AirPods Pro 2.
Adaptive Audio adjusts the level of active noise cancellation based on the sound in your environment, while Conversation Awareness lowers the volume when it detects that you’re talking and increases it again once you’ve finished. These work great on the AirPods Pro 2 already, so we’re hoping for similar effectiveness on the AirPods 4 with ANC.
Both the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation also boast better call quality, and you can perform those new iOS 18 features that let you shake or nod your head to accept and reject calls.
The only new additional features that the AirPods Pro 2 have over the AirPods 4 are Apple’s new health-related features, which won’t be coming to the AirPods 4.
The AirPods Pro 2 will soon double up as clinical-grade hearing aids, making them much more affordable assistive technology compared to others on the market. Another new feature is hearing protection, which minimises wearers to loud environmental noises. Lastly, it will soon gain a scientifically validated hearing test, using pure-tone audiometry to gauge your hearing ability.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Active noise cancellation
In terms of active noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro 2 offer some of the best we’ve tested, and features venting so that we don’t feel any pressure in our ears when we have it turned on. It cuts out rumbles of cars and trains effectively, as well as chatter in rooms, letting us concentrate in near-silence.
It appears that the active noise-cancellation will resemble the level of ANC found on the first-generation AirPods Pro 2. According to Apple, the active noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro 2 is twice as effective as the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation. We’ve also never seen a pair of open-ear buds with active noise cancellation before, so we’re very curious to see how it will work in practice.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Battery life
Battery life is now on par for both the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 charging cases. Apple says you get 30 hours with the charging case.
You get an hour extra when it comes to playback, however, and battery life is also longer with active noise cancellation turned on. The AirPods Pro 2 will last for 6 hours on a single charge, while both AirPods 4 models last for 5 hours. With active noise cancellation turned on the AirPods 4, battery life drops to 4 hours. If battery life is a big deal for you, the AirPods Pro 2 are still superior.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: Sound
The AirPods Pro 2 are some of the best wireless earbuds we’ve ever used in terms of sound. Featuring custom amplifiers and low-distortion drivers, they sound engaging, energetic and warm. There’s a good amount of detail and the vocals have crystal-clear clarity.
In the past, the base-level AirPods have never achieved as good a sound profile, but they’ve surely been improved this time around. Apple says that they feature a new acoustic architecture and the H2 chip should also improve the overall audio experience.
The verdict: AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2
In terms of value, the AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation are a good enough step up from the second-generation AirPods that you might want to consider upgrading. Costing just £129, they feature an H2 chip, a smaller case, a better fit, improved call quality and a new audio architecture. They don’t get anywhere near the AirPods Pro 2, however.
The differences between the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation and the AirPods Pro 2, however, are less pronounced. They have the same feature set (except for the hearing health features), but noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro 2 is better.
The AirPods Pro 2 also last longer than the AirPods 4 in terms of battery life and the case has a few more features, notably MagSafe wireless charging (instead of just Qi) and a loop for a lanyard. One other design difference is that you can control the volume from the AirPods Pro 2 themselves – you can’t with the AirPods 4.
If you prefer open-ear earbuds and don’t like silicone ear tips, then the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation might be a better option for you than the AirPods Pro 2. They’re cheaper and still have ANC and transparency modes, plus the same features.
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