There’s nothing particularly new about the AirPods 4 in terms of design and ergonomics. The case is still smaller than that of the AirPods 3, but that’s pretty much it.
The new product has received improved protection according to the IP54 standard. So now the headphones are protected not only from water but also from dust. The leg controls remained the same. It’s a shame they didn’t add the ability to change the voice.
As for autonomy, it’s pretty average. Without noise reduction mode on, that’s 30 hours of music, 20 hours of calls, and with that mode on, that’s 4.5 hours without a case and 20 hours with a case. At the same time, analogues on the market provide 9 hours of operation without a case and with noise reduction.
Compared to AirPods 4, Galaxy Buds 3 and Xiaomi Buds 5. Additionally, iPhone 16 Pro was used for AirPods, S24 for Galaxy, and Xiaomi 14 Pro for Xiaomi.
In stock, the sound of all headphones is unbalanced, and this can be corrected using an equalizer. AirPods 4 started to sound much better compared to AirPods 3. Xiaomi is worse than its competitors in terms of sound and is also the quietest. But Samsung turned out to be the coolest in terms of sound.
In terms of noise reduction, Xiaomi headphones were completely ineffective, while Samsung headphones put too much pressure on the ears and do not cut out all sounds. This does not mean that AirPods 4 copes well with this task.
If having in-ear headphones is not important to you, it is better to buy AirPods Pro 2. However, if sound is also important to you, get the Sony WF-1000X M5. You may also consider Nothing Ear 3, Nothing Ear (a), CMF Buds Pro 2.
If only headphones suit you, you should turn to Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 for good sound and Apple for ergonomics and ecosystem. Get the version of AirPods 4 without noise reduction. Finally, if ergonomics are more important to you than sound, buy AirPods 2. Well, if you don’t like AirPods 2, you should buy headphones from Xiaomi.
Overall, the AirPods 4 didn’t deliver anything particularly new in terms of sound or noise reduction. So it’s all pretty much the same as everyone else’s: “not very good.” If you already have AirPods 2 or 3 and are happy with the sound and fit, there’s no point in upgrading.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
