Apple’s first AirPods were quietly revolutionary when they debuted and now very few of us use wired headphones. The fourth-generation model, called AirPods 4, are just landing. I’ve been testing them since just after they were announced by Apple. Here’s all you need to know.
AirPods 4: Two Versions
AirPods 4 come in two distinct models to replace the second-generation and third-generation AirPods. They match the pricing of the earlier models, $129 and $179 respectively, but they have a new design, an upgraded processor and lots of new features.
The more expensive model adds Active Noise Cancellation and a wireless-chargeable case. I’ve reviewed them both and will pick out differences in the pricier model where relevant.
AirPods 4: Design
The new earbuds have a redesigned shape that’s cuter than before, styled to be more comfortable in the ear. They certainly are comfy, though I liked the way the last ones felt, too.
These are open earbuds, which many people prefer for a lighter feel in the ear.
The case is all-new, and much smaller than AirPods cases before. It’s really tiny. The pricier model has a speaker on the case so you can use Find My to get the case to make a noise to help locate it, and has MagSafe built in so you can charge it on an MagSafe charger or even an Apple Watch charging puck.
Both cases now charge with USB-C, meaning that with the newly reissued AirPods Max, Lightning connectors are nowhere to be found in the AirPods range any more.
This wide connectivity may be why there’s neither cable nor charger in the box.
The stalk on the earbud is short and now has a flat, matte-finish side for controlling playback and so on. The new earbuds look great, better than any other in-ear from Apple apart from the AirPods Pro 2.
One other design change: the charging LED is now invisible when it’s not on. It just appear when you need to see it, shining through the white plastic of the case.
AirPods 4: New Features
The H2 chip which powers the AirPods Pro 2 is here, meaning you can nod your head when Siri tells you a call is coming in and it’ll connect you. Shake your head and that call is gone. It has Voice Isolation to quell background noise when you’re on a call—this works really well, so you can be somewhere noisy and your caller will never know.
Personalized Volume, previously on the AirPods Pro 2, understands your volume preferences and environmental conditions over time and automatically adapts the volume based on your surroundings.
There’s also an ingress protection rating now, which wasn’t on the 3rd-generation model, offering dust-, sweat- and water-resistance. Don’t go swimming with them, though.
AirPods 4: Audio Quality
General playback on AirPods 4 is tremendous: rich, detailed and intimate, an immediately present sound that’s highly enjoyable to hear.
Playing The National’s The Alcott, featuring Taylor Swift, has a gentle precision, vocals that benefit from a close-up breathy quality that’s up-close and personal.
Across the board, with different musical genres, there’s plenty to enjoy here.
Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is also great, so that if you’re watching a movie on an iPad, say, as you turn your head, the audio stays locked to the screen. It’s a subtle but enjoyable effect.
AirPods 4 With Noise Cancellation: Audio Quality
And then there’s the ANC version, which offers four playback settings: Noise Cancellation, Transparency, Adaptive and Off. The noise cancellation uses the same microphones as the AirPods Pro 2, though the Pro model definitely sounds better. Part of that is down to these being open earbuds, lacking the noise isolation that silicone ear tips brings.
For the most part the noise cancelling here sounds great, keeping background noise to a minimum and making sure the music comes through clearly and with maximum fidelity.
Calls can sound a little over-processed at times, though.
The ANC AirPods have Conversation Awareness, so that when you start talking, the media volume is automatically reduced. This is another feature that was previously on AirPods Pro 2, not regular AirPods.
AirPods 4: Battery Life
Actually, the 3rd generation of AirPods had better battery life: six hours between charges, but the new models only have five. This drops to four hours if you have noise-cancelling on, in the ANC version, obviously.
That’s still decent, and you can top the earbuds up with another hour of playback just by popping them back in the case for five minutes. Earbuds and case combined give up to 30 hours of playback.
AirPods 4: Verdict
The improvements across the board make these AirPods highly appealing. In fact, the entry-level model adds so much over the identically-priced second-gen model that I’d say these are the best-value option of any AirPods ever.
The addition of ANC in AirPods 4 With Noise Cancellation is very welcome, especially as the price hasn’t increased. That said, if you can snag AirPods Pro 2 at a decent discount from its regular $249 price, it’ll be worth the extra for better audio, more features and so on.
AirPods 4, either version, are solid upgrades that make Apple’s in-ear buds a compelling purchase all over again.