AirPods dominate the earphones market, with analysts reckoning that Apple ships well over 85 million buds and that they make up over half of the global true wireless earbuds market. They bring in around $12 billion a year for the tech giant – a frankly outrageous number that supposedly means they make more for Apple than Spotify's entire business. So, is their popularity justified? We think it is, especially if you're an iPhone user or anyone with a handful of Apple gizmos at home.
We may love some of the best cheap headphones and AirPods alternatives, but there's a serious convenience factor when you pair AirPods with an iPhone or iPad, opening up fancy cinematic audio, location tracking, hands-free Siri and notification announcements. With several models in the lineup though, you may need a little guidance to find the best AirPods for you – that's where we come in.
What is the difference between AirPods Max, AirPods and AirPods Pro?
Types: Most, but not all, AirPods are earbuds. The standard AirPods (first, second, and third generations) hook into your ears, while the AirPods Pro (both the first and newly-announced second generation) are in-ear buds with silicone eartips (for a more secure fit). The odd one out is the big AirPods Max, as these are weighty over-ear headphones.
Noise cancellation: The two more advanced AirPods models (Pro and Max) have active noise-cancelling (ANC) to eliminate distracting external sounds on your commute or around the office. They also both have excellent transparency modes to enhance outside sound. This is ideal if you'd prefer not to take the headphones off while ordering your latte in the morning.
Battery life: Every AirPods model is wireless, with built-in bud batteries and more juice in the charging case for the in-ear models. These last between four to six hours, though the case can push that up to 30 hours of listening time (on the newest variants). The Max lasts up to 20 hours on a single charge.
Weight: The in-ear models are tiny and lightweight, only weighing a few grams. On the other hand, the AirPods Max headphones are big and bulky at nearly 400g – just a little lighter than a football.
Below, we'll run through the whole AirPods lineup to help you pick the right headphones for your needs.
Apple AirPods Pro
Who they're for: Love the iconic AirPods design but want buds that are less likely to fall out of your ears and add noise-cancellation to cut out background distractions? The Pro model is the way to go. The ANC is excellent, they have a secure fit, and they've got class-leading transparency to let in external sounds. The battery life isn't massive, but they do have the impressive "spatial audio" feature that we absolutely love to use when streaming on Disney+ and Apple TV+ for a surround sound experience. This will soon be upgraded "personalised spatial audio" on both these and the shiny new buds below.
AirPods Pro deals: These launched at £249 back in 2019, but they're constantly down at lower prices if you buy from retailers other than Apple. We've seen them as low as £179, which is a steal. Right now, you can grab them for £171.12 from Amazon, £189 on Very and £199 at Argos. They're also £184 at John Lewis. Refurbished models go for around £200 on BackMarket, but they have been as low as £169 in the past, and you'll sometimes find a deal on the Amazon Renewed page (also backed by a 12-month warranty), although they're currently unavailable over there.
- Noise cancellation: Yes
- Battery life: 4.5 hours (up to 24 hours with charging case)
- Weight: 5.4g per bud (56.4g with charging case)
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen
Who they're for: If you must have the latest tech, you need to know about the new upgrades to Apple's popular AirPods Pros. These include a new chip, enhanced noise cancelling (the brand says they eliminate twice as much noise), an adaptive transparency mode, new "Find My" features (the charging case can emit a chirp now), significantly better battery life and a new extra small set of eartips. These are set to replace the existing Pro model, and go for £249. In our hands-on experience, we loved the longer battery, the improved sound quality (especially the sub-bass), better ANC and transparency, the clever additions to the case and the handy volume control on the stems.
AirPods Pro deals: There's a discount of £20 over at the likes of Amazon and John Lewis. There aren't any serious deals yet, as these earbuds were only just released.
- Noise cancellation: Yes
- Battery life: 6 hours (up to 30 hours with charging case)
- Weight: 5.3g per bud (61.4 with charging case)
Apple AirPods 3rd Gen
Who they're for: Not fussed about noise cancellation? Apple launched these mid-range buds around this time last year and, compared to the 2nd Gen AirPods below, they're a substantial upgrade. The sound is more on par with the Pro models, they've got a long battery life and spatial audio, and they maintain the design without silicone eartips (unlike the Pros). That fit won't be for everyone, but some will appreciate how it allows them to stay aware of the outside world. We like how these have a charging case that works with Apple's iPhone charging MagSafe tech, although it did just launch a variant with a Lightning-only charging case for a £10 discount. Don't ask us, we don't know why you'd pick that version!
AirPods 3rd Gen deals: While these are £189 direct from Apple (at that price, we'd opt for the Pros), they are a slightly better choice from Very, where they're just £179. Sometimes, you can get these for £168.99 refurbished on Amazon, but we reckon you're better off getting them new at that price.
- Noise cancellation: No
- Battery life: 6 hours (up to 30 hours with charging case)
- Weight: 4.28g per bud (46.47g with charging case)
Apple AirPods 2nd Gen
Who they're for: After low-cost AirPods? These are the ones to get. They're a bit ageing these days, and lack the spatial audio of the models above, but they still pack in many of the same features that you're getting from the rest of the range. They sport the original look, compact charging case, and feature hands-free Siri access like any other pair of AirPods, along with the open design that many fans prefer and find comfier than the 3rd Gen model. The call quality and sound are more than solid enough too.
AirPods 2nd Gen deals: You won't find these going for much lower than their current £115 price over on John Lewis, although some retailers may match that. They're also £139 at Argos, and while we wouldn't discount the idea of a refurbished model with a 12-month warranty, they usually go for about the same price on BackMarket as they do brand new.
- Noise cancellation: No
- Battery life: 5 hours (up to 24 hours with charging case)
- Weight: 4g per bud (46.2g with charging case)
Apple AirPods Max
Who they’re for: Anyone that likes the sound of the tight Apple integration on offer from AirPods but who prefers an over-ear design will appreciate the existence of the AirPods Max, even if they wince at the high price. We've tried these and love them, though, and would recommend them for supreme comfort, rich sound quality and the incredible spatial audio effect. They're heavy and have got a couple of charging oddities, like the lack of an on/off button and the funny "Smart Case", but these are tiny downsides for otherwise outstanding cans.
AirPods Max deals: If you want the AirPods Max, it's not the best idea to get them through Apple's site where they're still sold at their original £549 price. At a few retailers, they're sometimes reduced by a fair bit. At the moment, they're back up to £549 for all colours on Amazon, and on John Lewis. The lowest price we've ever seen is £370 during sales events, so it's worth holding out for deals events like Black Friday if you want them at a low(ish) price.
- Noise cancellation: Yes
- Battery life: 20 hours
- Weight: 384.8g
