Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 5: How do they compare?

Apple announced the AirPods 5 on September 9, replacing the two AirPods 4 models in the line. The biggest improvement is that active noise cancellation (ANC) now comes standard at $129, with a slightly more expensive second model at $149 that adds a wireless charging case and an on-stem volume control.

Anyone currently shopping for new AirPods may be wondering which model to choose. While Apple has stopped selling the AirPods 4 directly, third-party retailers still carry the earbuds and have already started discounting them.

Amazon marked down the base AirPods 4 from $129 to $99 and the ANC model from $179 to $149 the day after the announcement, putting the outgoing pair at or below what the new one costs. Here’s how the two generations of AirPods actually differ and which one to choose.

Physically, they are the same headphones. Apple lists identical dimensions and weights for both generations of AirPods, at 4.3 grams per bud and 30.2 x 18.3 x 18.1 mm. The open ear shape remains unchanged and neither pair uses silicone tips, so there’s nothing to protect your ear canal from outside noise. Both contain Apple’s H2 audio chip and offer Bluetooth 5.3, both use a force sensor on the stem for playback and calls, and both charge quickly enough that five minutes in the case buys about an hour of listening time.

The audio feature list is also largely the same. Custom spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, adaptive EQ, voice isolation, dual beamforming microphones, and automatic switching between your Apple devices all appear across both generations. Some of these settings are disabled out of the box, and AirPods features worth enabling manually apply equally to either pair.

Even the software experience is largely the same in both cases. Apple says hands-free access to Siri AI works on all AirPods, and Live Translation now applies to the entire AirPods line rather than just the newest model. Both of these features are coming with iOS 27, which Apple will launch on September 14. Luckily, purchasing the older pair doesn’t lock you out of Apple’s latest headphone software.

At this point, you might be wondering what’s actually different between generations of AirPods. Noise cancellation is the biggest difference. The AirPods 4 split ANC into two models, making the $179 AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation the only way to get it.

Meanwhile, the $129 pair is entirely devoid of ANC, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, and Conversation Awareness. While both AirPods 5 models include all these features. Apple also claims that the AirPods 5 cancel up to 50% more noise than the AirPods 4 with ANC and rates this as up to 1.5x more cancellation, credited to enhanced computational audio borrowed from the AirPods Pro 3. This also drives the next-generation adaptive EQ and a Transparency mode feature that Apple describes as more natural.

Durability also improves. The AirPods 4 have an IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistance rating, compared to IP57 on both AirPods 5 models. But battery life is one area where the model you choose makes a huge difference. The AirPods 4 with ANC manage up to four hours with noise cancellation enabled and 20 hours total with the case, and the $129 AirPods 5 matches those numbers exactly. The $149 model is the one that improves, reaching five hours and 22 hours total with the case thanks to a redesigned battery. The most expensive model also has a force sensor with volume swipe, allowing you to slide a finger up or down the stem to change the volume, something Apple has never offered on an open-ear AirPod before.

The AirPods 5 feature many improvements over the previous generation and still cost $30 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC at launch. This is why most people should buy AirPods 5. I’ve written separately about why the AirPods 5 made me reconsider buying AirPods Pro, and the argument against buying AirPods 4 is even simpler.

Even though you can sell the base AirPods 4 for $99, that saves you $30 compared to the $129 AirPods 5, but forgoes noise cancellation, Transparency mode, adaptive audio, conversation awareness, and the better water resistance rating. That’s a lot of hardware to ignore to save $30. Comparison with more expensive models makes the older generation look even worse. Even on sale for $149, the AirPods 4 with ANC cost more than the base model AirPods 5 at $129 while canceling less noise, and cost exactly the same as the $149 AirPods 5 with wireless charging case, which beats it in battery life, water resistance, and stem controls.

AirPods 4 only make sense if you never use noise cancellation and the price continues to drop in future sales, like Prime Big Deals Days or Black Friday. Or if you want to spend more rather than less, our AirPods Pro 3 review covers what the Pro model buys you, beyond the included ear tips.