Apple AirPods 4 review: Still the top choice for a reason

I spend the vast majority of my workday listening to music on my AirPods Pro 2. It’s the only way I can concentrate on researching and writing. But at $249, the AirPods Pro 2 are a pricey proposition. Which is where Apple’s (AAPL) AirPods 4 come in. An updated version of Apple’s entry-level and mid-range AirPods, the AirPods 4 come in two flavors: a $129 base model and a $179 version with active noise cancellation. We’ll refer to that one as “AirPods 4 with ANC.”

I’ve been using both models of AirPods 4 for the past week or so, and so far, I’ve found them to be far more comfortable than their predecessors, slotting easily into my ears and staying put whether I’m out for a run or cooking dinner, and the audio quality is top-notch for wireless earbuds.

Between the two models, I’d opt for the AirPods 4 with ANC; they pack more features and offer a shockingly similar experience to the AirPods Pro 2, though they lack the Pro 2’s silicone tips that help block ambient noise. But if you’re in the market for the most affordable option, the standard AirPods 4 are still a solid choice.

New look, more features

The AirPods 4 line offers an updated design that Apple says it’s refined using years of data to ensure a snug fit whether you opt for the base model or ANC version. I like the AirPods Pro 2 design, but some users, including my wife, have trouble with the way the changeable silicone tips sit in their ears. The AirPods 4 with ANC should solve that problem, providing noise-cancelling tech without the need for tips.

Both versions of the AirPods 4 get voice isolation for better-sounding phone calls and Siri Interactions, which allow you to approve or dismiss things like notifications and phone calls by shaking your head up and down for yes or side to side for no. In my testing I had to be fairly deliberate with my movements, so there’s no way I could do this discreetly on the subway without people thinking I’m having an argument with myself. Still, I can see how this could be helpful if I were out for a run or lifting weights and wanted to dismiss or accept a call or notification.

Apple says the machine learning algorithm that enables Siri Interactions, which is powered by the company’s H2 chip, should pick up on how you move your head over time, letting you more subtly accept or reject calls.

Both AirPods 4 models also come with Apple’s Personalized Volume, which automatically adjusts the volume of what you’re listening to depending on what’s happening around you. So if you’re in a quiet library, Personalized Volume will lower the sound, but if you’re in a crowded room, it will raise it. I usually switch this off since I want to be able to control the volume myself, regardless of where I am.

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The AirPods 4 also come with Apple’s Force sensor, which allows you to pinch the AirPods’ stems to pause and play music, answer calls, skip and rewind tracks, mute and unmute calls, and call upon Siri. You can also bring up the virtual assistant to do things like message or call people by saying “Hey, Siri” or just “Siri.” You don’t, however, get the AirPods Pro 2’s swipe controls that let you to raise and lower the volume by sliding your fingers up or down their stems.

Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC use internal and external microphones and speakers to drown out environmental noise. I wore the AirPods 4 with ANC on a cross-country flight on my way from Apple’s Sept. 9 iPhone event in Cupertino, Calif., to New York and was surprised at just how well the earbuds blocked out ambient cabin sounds and engine noise.

It felt as though I was using the AirPods Pro 2 I normally wear on flights. That said, Apple specifically explains that the AirPods 4 with ANC are meant to block out low-frequency sounds, not high-frequency noises like a crying baby in the row behind you. That’s where the AirPods Pro 2’s silicone tips come in handy.

Like the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods 4 with ANC also get Apple’s Transparency mode, which amplifies environmental sounds, so you can hear what’s going on around you while still listening to music or a podcast. Unlike the Pro 2s, however, the AirPods 4 with ANC won’t include Apple’s upcoming hearing aid feature.

Battery and charging

Apple rates the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC’s battery life at five hours on a single charge. That drops to four hours if you have ANC active on the AirPods 4 with ANC. That’s lower than the six hours the company promised with its third-generation AirPods, but the same as the second-generation AirPods. The charging case gets you the same 30 hours of listening time as the third-gen AirPods.

That said, I wore the AirPods with ANC turned on for my roughly five-and-a-half-hour coast-to-coast flight, and while they called it quits before I landed, they certainly lasted more than four hours.

Both AirPods 4 models support Apple’s Find My, which lets you locate your devices on a map if you misplace them, but only the ANC model includes a built-in speaker that will play a tone to alert you when they’re nearby. Apple says a five-minute charge in the case adds an hour to listening time for both pairs of earbuds.

Still the go-to

From their fit to their ease of use, Apple’s AirPods 4 are still some of my favorite earbuds around. If you’re the type of person that isn’t doing much commuting or doesn’t tend to listen to music in loud areas, the base AirPods 4 are the version for you. But if you’re going to be in a noisy office or ride the bus, train, or fly often, the model with ANC is the way to go.

If you’re looking for a bit more out of your earbuds, though, including improved noise cancellation and the ability to use them as hearing aids, then you’ll need to opt for the AirPods Pro 2. Either way, if you’re an Apple user, you can’t go wrong.

Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

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