Wesley Hilliard
The new AirPods 4 come in two models with different features, which may draw some users away from AirPods Pro 2. Here's how they compare.
Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Adaptive Audio have been pro-only features on AirPods until now. The more expensive AirPods 4 with ANC are very appealing compared to AirPods Pro 2, but they don't cover all the bases.
AirPods Pro 2 were released in 2022 with 2x improved ANC and the new Adaptive Transparency feature. While both the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 use the H2 chipset, they don't have the same level of ANC.
The new chipset does afford it new features like the nod or head shake for responding to Siri. Plus, Apple Vision Pro users get the H2-to-H2 connection for Lossless audio with ultra-low latency.
Here's how the different earbuds compare.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2- specs
| Specifications | AirPods Pro 2 | AirPods 4 w/ ANC | AirPods 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 Best sale price | $179 | $129 |
| Weight (ounces) | 0.19 (earbud) 1.79 (case) | 0.15 (earbud) 1.22 (case) | 0.15 (earbud) 1.14 (case) |
| Chipset | H2 | H2 | H2 |
| Active Noise Cancellation | 2x ANC | ANC | None |
| Conversation Awareness | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hearing test & aid | Yes (coming fall 2024) | No | No |
| Charging | USB-C, MagSafe, Qi | USB-C, Qi | USB-C |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Find My in Case | With U1 & speaker | Speaker | None |
| Battery Life | 20 hours with ANC 30 hours without ANC | 20 hours with ANC 30 hours without ANC | 30 hours |
| Fast Charging | 1.5 hours from 5 minutes | 1.5 hours from 5 minutes | |
| Controls | Swipe & Force Sensor | Force Sensor | Force Sensor |
| Other Sensing | Skin-detect sensor Motion-detecting Speech-detecting | Optical in-ear sensor Motion-detecting Speech-detecting | Optical in-ear sensor Motion-detecting Speech-detecting |
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2 - design
AirPods 4 have two products with identical designs. The case is smaller than the AirPods 3, but otherwise, the design is mostly unchanged.
The features differ between the AirPods 4 with or without ANC, but the stubby stems and bulbous heads are identical. A speaker grill on the more expensive ANC version's case is a giveaway for that model.
The tiny white case with glossy plastic continues to be Apple's iconic external case design. An LED is visible for pairing or battery indication.
The earbuds for the AirPods 4 have visible speaker and microphone grills around the head and at the base of the stem. The shiny metallic portion at the base of the stem is for charging.
AirPods Pro 2 share all of these design elements, but the tip has a connector for ear tips. It comes with multiple sizes of ear tips that are inserted into the user's ear canal.
No AirPods model was able to offer ANC without ear tips until now. The tips are a problem for some people and simply don't fit or cause discomfort, so ANC without tips is a big deal for those users.
The AirPods Pro 2 Charging Case includes a lanyard loop.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2 - features
AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC both have ANC, Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, and Conversation Awareness. The low-end AirPods 4 have none of those features.
One of the biggest distinguishing features for AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods 4, for now, is the newly announced hearing test, aid, and protection update. Users will be able to turn their AirPods into clinical-grade hearing aids without buying a new product.
The charging case gets power over USB-C and provides about 30 hours of non-ANC listening on all three models being compared. Switch on ANC on the two models with the feature, and that rating dips to 20 hours.
Each of the charging cases offers different charging methods. AirPods Pro 2 are MagSafe compatible, while AirPods 4 with ANC have a wireless charging case. The lower-end AirPods 4 have USB-C only.
The earbuds themselves have about 5 hours of listening for both AirPods 4 models. AirPods Pro 2 have 6 hours of listening time.
AirPods Pro 2
Where to buy AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2
AirPods Pro 2 are on sale now, with Apple resellers dropping prices regularly to under $200. You can find the latest AirPods prices in our Price Guide.
At press time, Amazon is cutting the price to $199 for model MTJV3LL/A, a discount of $50 off MSRP.
Stay tuned for AirPods deals on AirPods 4 as retailers begin stocking the earbuds.
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Bon Adamson
11 Comments
Might as well get the cheaper ones without the tips then. Both styles fall out of my ears, so I don't see much of a difference. I'm not sure why Apple only sells different sizes of tips instead of also offering different styles of tips that maybe wouldn't fall out of my ears.
Not sure who needs to hear this but the spec comparison chart I just realized was a chart for the first time after viewing comments. In the main article in Safari on iPhone 14pro with iOS 17, the “chart” shows as a vertical text list. It’s been like this every time one of these comparison charts has been used. For some reason it looks correct if you click on comments. I always wondered why the specs were listed in such a weird way.
ANC without needing ear tips, which I hate because they’re extremely uncomfortable and always fall
out no matter how many shapes and sizes I try, has been my dream feature for forever. Call me vanilla but I just don’t like sticking things in my orifices lol. Glad ANC on regular old earphones is finally possible.