AirPods 4 Review

With the AirPods 4, Apple has accomplished what seemed impossible: bring ANC to open earphones. As someone who doesn’t get on with earphones that use a silicone seal, I’ve been super eager to try the AirPods 4 with ANC. After using them for a month now, here is my review.

The new-new

Apple leans heavily on its redesigned fit as the main selling point. The company claims it studied thousands of ear scans to craft a shape that works for more people, and while it’s an improvement, it’s far from universal. Curiously, while the AirPods 4 fit great in my ears, my wife struggles to even get them in hers. She’ll be sticking to the second version, for at least another year.

The ANC version is the more interesting of the two, borrowing heavily from the AirPods Pro 2. It runs on the H2 chip, enabling Adaptive EQ, Adaptive Transparency, and device switching. The smaller case supports wireless charging and even includes a tiny speaker for Find My alerts. Combined, these additions make the AirPods 4 feel like a major step forward.

Improved audio

Sound quality is a step up from the previous model. The bass is fuller, mids are clear, and highs add detail that the AirPods 3 lacked. Apple has clearly tuned these for podcasts, calls, and mainstream music genres rather than audiophile listening, and for that audience, the tuning works well enough. 

The ANC model deserves some credit for its inclusion of Pro-level features. Adaptive Transparency remains one of Apple’s most practical innovations, letting you stay aware of your environment without being overwhelmed. It’s features like these that separate AirPods from the competition and make it tough to go back to competing solutions.

Improvements to be made

While I’m largely impressed by the AirPods 4, there are a couple of areas that I’d like to see improved. 

Battery life, particularly with ANC enabled, is shorter than I expected, though recharge time is pleasingly quick. 

I was also sad to learn that there are no volume controls on the AirPods themselves, which is a shame considering how useful the function is on the Pro variant. 

Finally, though I realize this is probably never going to happen, it would be lovely to see Apple release some other colors. White is recognisable, sure, but for those of us who aren’t looking to stand out, black would be very welcome!

AirPods 4 purchased for the purpose of review.