The first reviews of AirPods 4 are out. Everyone praises the sound, but there are questions about the noise cancellation

Foreign journalists shared their impressions of the latest 4th generation AirPods.

Most of them were satisfied with the gadgets. However, there are a number of complaints about the headphones.

Let’s find out what people say about the device.

1. Edge

Everything is good here, but if it is not a “basic” model

The design has changed a little

One of the first to publish his review was The Verge. Below is their adapted text with impressions.

On the outside, you won’t notice any radical differences from the AirPods 3. Apple continues to tweak the shape and contours of the earbuds for a better fit, and the charging case is smaller than ever. But these are still the same earbuds we’ve come to expect, and they still only come in white.

There are big changes on the inside: For the first time, Apple is offering two different versions of the regular AirPods. We promise to convey same sound qualityso don’t worry about that. They are all dustproof and IP54 rated, and they all have the H2 chip. That’s where the similarities end.

Miracles do not happen. AirPods Pro provide better noise cancellation than AirPods 4.If you’re looking to create a “private bubble of peace,” AirPods 4 won’t do it.

The noise cancellation in the new headphones seems to cope best with low-frequency noises, the hum of an airplane or city traffic. But if you are not listening to music, you will hear all the sounds around you. It is worth turning off and increasing the volume to 50%, and up to 99% of the noise you practically do not hear.

Active noise cancellation works well enough to help you keep the volume at a reasonable level—even on casual streets.

You can’t adjust the volume with swipes like you can with AirPods Pro 2.

Adaptive sound is less popular here than on the AirPods Pro, as you can always easily hear what’s going on around you with the AirPods 4, which is a distinctly open design. However, the ability to amplify speech when talking to others can be useful, and it works well.

The case for the more expensive earbuds supports wireless charging with any Qi-compatible charger. There is also a built-in speaker in the casewhich can make a sound when you try to track its geolocation using Locater.

The standard $129 AirPods 4 don’t have these features. It’s a shame that the stand-alone models don’t have wireless charging; without a speaker, you can close your eyes.

AirPods 4 are shining denser bass layerthan their predecessors. There was a good amount of separation between instruments when listening to, for example, Bleachers’ “Tiny Moves”; there’s subtlety and definition at the top.

In headphones and a case protected from dust and moisture.

Anyone who frequently uses AirPods for voice calls will appreciate the feature. voice isolationwhich has long been available in AirPods Pro, and is now available in AirPods 4. By running machine learning algorithms on both the AirPods and the source device, Apple can better isolate your voice even in the noisiest environments.

Battery life is 4 hours with noise cancellation on, or 5 hours without. Add the charging case and you get a total of 20 and 30 hours, respectively.

2. Engadget

As always, great headphones, but there are questions

The ANC version has a speaker at the bottom

Engadget journalists had good impressions.

The revised shape does result in a better fit in the ears. AirPods 4 more comfortable and stays in place betterthan their predecessors. During the entire testing period, there was never a feeling that the headphones were about to fall out. Of course, the most reliable fit remains for AirPods Pro.

What you won’t find here is touch-sensitive viewing angle adjustment. On the AirPods Pro 2, you can swipe the “tail” to adjust the level. This feature is missing on the AirPods 4. Sure, you can ask Siri to do it, but the voice assistant is too slow for such tasks.

Looking at your earbuds, you can’t tell the two versions of the AirPods 4 apart. However, you can tell them apart by looking at the cases. The ANC model has a speaker in the case, so there are visible holes next to the USB-C port. On both AirPods 4, the LED indicator light is now hidden. Moreover, Apple has removed the button for connecting and resetting the headphones. Now you need to double-tap next to the LED to put the AirPods 4 into pairing mode (or double-tap the case three times to reset the headphones – a total of 6 clicks).

The key part of the 4s is the interaction with Siri, which lets you accept or decline calls, attend or decline messages, and interact with or dismiss notifications. It’s all done with a nod or shake of the head. And like everything else, you can turn them off if you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way.

The noise-canceling version also has a number of features that the “basic” headphones don’t have:

• Adaptive audio
• function Awareness

• transparency mode
• wireless charging

Searching via Locator in these models also does not work the same way as in AirPods Pro. You cannot find the headphones at a distance of several steps, only by sound.

And still these are some of the best headphones

Apple has equipped the AirPods 4 with a newly designed 11mm driver with a high level of assembly and a high dynamic range amplifier. The driver is built with a new membrane mesh, as well as a new magnet, and overall it has better performance. The company has also eliminated sound reflections.

Richer bass, clearer highs and even greater instrument separation. – all of which are true compared to the AirPods 3. There are lower tones than previous models, and the percussion is better exposed in the soundstage, making it wider and more immersive. The improved frequency response is fully visible with Dolby Atmos content (movies, music, and TV).

The sound itself is similar to previous versions of AirPods. At least that’s good.

As for voice calls, everything is fine with the microphones. Talking to people on the phone might be a little more comfortable than with AirPods 3. But that’s not certain.

Autonomy is about the same as Apple promises us. If you alternate transparency and noise reduction, then one hour of charging will be enough for four. Alas, but the “basic” version does not have wireless charging. And in more expensive models it is, but without MagSafe support. That is, the case will charge from it, but not at such a high speed as if there were magnets.

Otherwise, everything is standard regarding charging: 5 minutes at the outlet gives battery life.

To take or not to take

Based on reviews, the AirPods 4 are a solid upgrade from the AirPods 3, but only in the noise-canceling version.

It probably makes sense to get the AirPods Pro 2 instead of the AirPods 4. New health features will be available for these headphones soon.