Apple AirPods 4 review: Spring for the ANC

Apple did something new with the launch of its AirPods 4 earbuds this year. It split the offering into two different models: One with Active Noise Cancelling, and one without.

Because I’m a little bit lazy, and also because I have no idea what to say specifically about the base model, I’ve decided to combine the review for both products into one here.

They are mostly the same product. If you found one of the earbuds down the side of the sofa, you wouldn’t be able to tell whether it had ANC or not. The only real noticeable difference I can discern is a small speaker on the case of the ANC version.

So, anyway. One review, two slightly different products.

But while the physical differences are minor, the inclusion of ANC in a pair of open-ear AirPods is, frankly, remarkable. It performs way better than it should, even though it’s not the best pair of noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy.

Not only that, but the AirPods 4 throw down the gauntlet for Apple’s next pair of AirPods Pro earbuds because there’s not really enough of a difference in performance between them now. Apple is going to have to do something special to lift its game with the AirPods Pro 3, and that’s exciting.

But for now, let’s see what Apple has done with its entry-level AirPods, shall we?

What are the AirPods 4 offering?

There’s no mistaking these for anything apart from AirPods. Apple has an obvious design mantra when it comes to its in-ear headphones, and the AirPods 4 fit the bill.

Glossy white with short protruding stems, the AirPods 4 follow the AirPods 3’s more compact design.

The “head” of the earbud itself has seen some refinement. Apple studied thousands of ears to tweak its design to fit more ears comfortably, and you know what? It works.

I struggle to find earbuds that securely fit my right ear. The original Google Pixel Buds Pro were practically unusable because the right earbud kept falling out, but I’ve had trouble with other premium earbuds like the Jabra Elite 10, as well as budget models like the Oppo Enco Buds 2 Pro.

The best in-ear fit I’ve had is my first-gen AirPods Pro, but even that has a tendency to wriggle loose in my right ear. The AirPods 4 feels more secure, for me, than all the other earbuds I’ve reviewed here on BTTR.

Along with an improved fit, Apple has added spatial support for both versions of the AirPods 4. If you haven’t listened to the spatial mix of Alanis Morissette’s You Outta Know, you are definitely missing out.

Both models will give you about 4–5 hours of battery life on a normal listening mode, though you’ll lose an hour on the ANC version with noise cancellation switched on.

Which brings me to where Apple has created a difference between the two models. The two pairs look identical, and both are powered by the Apple H2 chip. Yet, the more expensive pair offers active noise cancellation and a speaker in the case.

While the $80 difference in RRP between the two may seem like a lot, the value you get from the ANC is 100% worth the asking price.

What do the AirPods 4 do well?

Let’s start with the fact that both versions of the AirPods 4 offer incredibly well-balanced sound.

It is actually ridiculous how good these sound. If I compare the audio quality of the entry-level version of these to say the Belkin Soundform Immerse, the Apple blows the Belkin away, despite being cheaper.

Now, obviously, personal tastes differs, and you are definitely buying in to Apple’s way of doing things with the AirPods.

But the sound is balanced, and sounds great. I listened to a whole heap of music, from Alanis’s Jagged Little Pill album, to The Beatles’ Abbey Road, to Paramore’s This is Why, to just a random selection of rock. Everything sounded great.

I even put on some Taylor Swift, and found a whole heap of details in there I didn’t expect to hear from these open-ear, in-ear headphones.

The voice quality is also warm and easy to listen to. I’m not much of a podcast guy, but I’ve been enjoying my old Finder buddy Tegan’s new Weird Tech podcast, and you can hear the fun she and co-host Rae are having.

But while both models sound fantastic, what sets the AirPods 4 apart is the introduction of noise cancellation.

Mates… It’s much better than I expected. I think I had pretty low expectations going in, and I’ve come out almost preferring them to my first-gen AirPods Pro.

The noise cancellation does an incredible job of filtering out background noise. Because of the design, there’s still a bit of outside noise that gets in – I could still hear a train announcement happening, for example, though couldn’t make out what it was saying.

But it completely wiped out the gentle hum of my air conditioner as I sat next to it, and while I haven’t tested it, would be pretty good on a plane.

It’s super easy to switch into ANC mode as well, with a long squeeze on one of the earbuds alternating between the listening modes.

And while this isn’t a new feature by any stretch of the imagination, the way Apple’s products work together is still impressive.

I could easily transition from listening on the iPhone 16 Pro Max model to my MacBook, then wander out and start watching Ted Lasso on my Apple TV through the AirPods 4 with ANC at the press of a button.

I know other brands are trying to develop that same ecosystem, but nobody else has come close to the simplicity Apple offers.

What could the AirPods 4 improve?

When it comes down to it, I think there’s not a lot Apple can do with its entry-level model. With great sound quality and decent enough battery life, there isn’t a lot holding these back.

I guess I would like to see a speaker in the case for Find My as well. That doesn’t seem like something you should have to sacrifice for the entry-level unit.

On the ANC model, however, I think there could be some refinements.

While the ANC mode works well, there are two other modes the earbuds offer: Transparency and Adaptive. It’s here I’d like to see some improvement.

On the transparency mode, I don’t feel it’s transparent enough unless I was listening at volumes under about 30%. Every time I used this setting, I would have to remove an earbud to hear what was meant to be passing through, whether it was someone talking to me or an announcement at a train station.

This isn’t a problem unique to Apple, I’ll confess. So far, only the Sonos Ace has given me transparency at a level I’m happy with.

Adaptive mode is meant to automatically adjust the level of noise cancellation based on the surrounding environment. In all honestly, I couldn’t really tell the difference. It almost always felt like it was in transparency mode.

There’s also a conversation awareness mode, which detects when you are speaking and lowers the volume on your headphones so you can have a conversation without pulling out an ear pod.

Unfortunately, I found it too unreliable. Whenever I tried to engage in conversation with someone while wearing the AirPods 4 with ANC, conversational awareness didn’t kick in.

Yet, it would also pick up a couple having a conversation on the other side of the train and lower the volume of my music.

In the end, I switched it off. I love the idea, but it just wasn’t really working for me.

Verdict

Apple has smashed it out of the park when it comes to the AirPods 4. The headphones are lightweight, fit perfectly and sound incredible for such compact in-ear models.

That said, there is almost no reason for the base level model to exist. The ANC version may cost $80 more, but it delivers a massive step-up in features you will use, making it a no-brainer.

If you can’t afford the AirPods 4 with ANC and are debating whether to buy the standard AirPods 4, don’t do it. Just save your money for another month or two and get the ANC model.

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Apple AirPods 4

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