Apple AirPods 4: worth it instead of the Pro?
The AirPods 4 are the "regular" AirPods that finally got active noise cancellation (on the higher trim) and a better fit. If you don't need to be walled off from the world but you do want something that just works with your iPhone, no fiddling — buy them without a second thought. If you're expecting AirPods Pro 2 sound for less money, don't. It isn't here.
You know that feeling when a bud pops out of your ear at the exact moment you're crossing the street with a coffee in your hand? With the classic AirPods (2nd, 3rd gen) that was almost a weekly ritual. I lost one on the subway myself — still bitter about it. So when Apple shipped the AirPods 4, my first question wasn't "how do they sound" but "do they finally stay in?"
They do. Not perfectly, the way in-ear buds with silicone tips do, but noticeably better than the ones before. The stem is shorter, the capsule sits a little differently, and the ear kind of hugs it rather than just balancing it on top. On a 5 km run not one fell out, though I did have to nudge one back after a sharp turn of the head.
What actually changed
There are two products in one lineup here, and it's worth understanding before you buy. The base AirPods 4 have no active noise cancellation — just the new shape, the H2 chip and slightly better sound. The ANC version (which is usually what people mean when they say "AirPods 4") adds noise cancellation and a transparency mode — things that used to be Pro-only. That's the real headline of this generation: Apple brought ANC to open-fit buds for the first time.
Does noise cancellation work without a plug sealing your ear? It does, but physics is physics. Muting the drone of a plane or an office AC — yes, quite decently. Muting a kid screaming next to you or a sudden car horn — no, don't count on it. The AirPods Pro 2, with their sealed fit, still win by a mile on isolation depth. If your goal is to fully disconnect from an open-plan office, get the Pro. If you just want to soften the background hum and hear your own music clearly, this is plenty.
The sound, by the way, really did get a lift. On earlier generations the bass was... nominal, let's say — it existed in theory. On the fourth gen it's actually there, there's texture in the mids, vocals don't sound flat. It's still not audiophile territory (nobody promised that at this price), but for podcasts, calls and background music on the commute, it's more than enough.
Where they genuinely win
The main reason to buy the AirPods 4 rather than some Sony or Samsung equivalent is the ecosystem. Pull them out of the case and your iPhone grabs the connection instantly, shows the animation, and you see the battery of every device at a glance. Switching between iPhone, iPad and Mac happens without touching a single Bluetooth setting — you just start playing on the other device and the sound hops over on its own. For someone living inside Apple's ecosystem that saves a heap of daily aggravation, and honestly that's exactly what you're paying extra for.
And the volume control. Finally a normal swipe along the stem instead of those awkward double-taps. A small thing, but a small thing that annoyed people for years.
Battery is roughly a working day with breaks, and the case adds a few more cycles. Nothing spectacular, but nothing that'll make you panic at three in the afternoon either.
Now the trade-offs
First — the price relative to what you get technically. For money close to a lower Sony WF-C or even some models a tier above, you're buying weaker hardware wrapped in a very convenient ecosystem. If you're on Android there's almost no point paying the premium — grab something else; these behave like a plain Bluetooth headset with none of the magic.
Second — the fit is "for everyone," not "for someone." Everyone's ear is shaped differently, and while the AirPods 4 sit better than their predecessors, it's still one shape with no tips to choose from. For some it'll be perfect, for others so-so. Try them on a friend's pair first if you can.
Who should buy, who shouldn't
Buy them if you're in the Apple ecosystem, value convenience over spec-sheet numbers, and don't need to be sealed off from noise. These are everyday buds — the commute, the gym, calls, a show in bed.
Don't buy them if: you're on Android (the EQ and ecosystem tricks vanish), you critically need serious noise cancellation (then look at the Pro line or ANC flagships from rivals), or you run marathons and need a higher water-resistance rating — it's modest here.
On the US Amazon the base price hovers around $129. What that becomes once forwarding and import duty to your country are added is a separate number — check the full landed price to your country on dede.sh before you decide.
FAQ
If you need real isolation on the subway or in an office — Pro 2, no contest. If noise cancellation isn't critical and the comfort of an open fit without silicone tips matters more, the fourth gen is enough.
If you take public transport or fly — yes, you'll feel the difference in the first days. If you mostly listen at home or in a quiet office, you can save and take the base version without ANC.
On a run and in the gym — yes, they sit noticeably steadier than AirPods 2/3. But it's still not an in-ear seal, so for intense sports with sharp head movement (boxing, say) I'd check the fit in advance to be safe.
Technically they work, but half the features (instant pairing, device switching, head-tracked spatial audio) either disappear or work poorly. For this money there are comfier options on Android.
