The best AirPods to buy in 2024: Expert tested and reviewed (2024)

Pros

• Very comfortable to wear
• Impressive sound quality
• Excellent noise cancellation
• Case offers wireless charging

Cons

• Rarely discounted in seasonal sales
• Volume control gesture doesn't work well

AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with USB-C features: Type: In-ear | Chip: H2 | Battery life: 6 hours | Water-resistant: Yes

Out of the four current models of AirPods, I recommend the AirPods Pro 2 the most because they fit almost every type of ear, they are very comfortable to wear, and they include all of the best and latest features that Apple has to offer in headphones. Plus, they get a bonus set of new features as part of the iOS 17 update, which won't come to any of the other AirPods.

The AirPods Pro 2 use silicon tips to fit into your ears (with four sizes to choose from), similar to the ones you're probably familiar with in most of the earbuds you've used. Comparatively, the standard AirPods have hard plastic tips like the traditional Apple EarPods that used to come in the box with most iPhones -- which many people found fell out of their ears easily, or weren't very comfortable to wear.

The AirPods Pro 2 were the first to get Apple's latest H2 chip for improved sound. That includes active noise cancellation, which roughly doubles the noise cancellation of the first-gen AirPods Pro and works impressively in loud environments like airplanes and city streets. It also includes adaptive transparency mode, which lets you hear the world around you when you have your earbuds in, while also automatically reducing loud sounds such as sirens.

One of the best features of the AirPods Pro 2 is the fact that the case can charge wirelessly on an iPhone MagSafe charger, an Apple Watch charger, or a standard Qi-compatible charging mat used by lots of non-Apple products. The one disappointing feature of the AirPods Pro 2 is that the volume control gesture -- where you swipe up on the stem with your index finger -- can be frustrating to use and simply doesn't work very well. So don't count on being able to use that -- you'll still be relying on the volume rocker on your iPhone most of the time.

In 2023, Apple slightly revised this model as the "AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with USB-C," swapping out Apple's Lightening connect with the more universal USB-C that has also come to iPhone 15. But it also added Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency for the Apple Vision Pro headset that launched this week.

If you're someone who uses headphones for more than a couple hours every day, wireless headphones might be your most important device next to your smartphone and your laptop -- and they can enhance the experience of using both of those devices. If you use headphones that much, then spending $250 on the best and most versatile wireless earbuds Apple has to offer will likely be a worthy investment to raise the quality of your daily life.

Deal alert: The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $190 at Amazon and Best Buy.

Pros

• Pairs with all your Apple devices
• Noise cancellation is outstanding
• Transparency mode is realistic
• More comfortable than most over-ear headphones

Cons

• Eye-watering price tag
• Sound quality is about the same as less expensive headphones
• You'll need to buy a real case

AirPods Max features: Type: Over-ear | Chip: H1 | Battery life: 20 hours | Water-resistant: Yes

The AirPods Max are the most premium headphones Apple sells, and even do a few specific things better than the AirPods Pro 2, which have more advanced technology thanks to Apple's H2 chip. When it comes to immersive sound and blocking out the world, the AirPods Max offer a glorious experience at a premium price of $550 -- although you can find sales and discounts to knock off a chunk of that price.

The noise cancellation for the AirPods Max is the best I've experienced. For example, I used it on a very loud and very long flight where I was seated just over one of the engines with a constant roar, and putting on the AirPods Max brought almost complete silence and a welcome bit of peace. Equally strong is the transparency mode, where the eight microphones in the AirPods Max make it sound as though you're not wearing a pair of over-the-ear headphones at all. The quality of these two modes is better than any other traditional headphones I've used and is the main reason to buy the AirPods Max -- along with the fact that they can pair with all your Apple devices and automatically switch between any of them.

OK, there's one other main reason to buy the AirPods Max: comfort. I've never been able to wear most over-the-ear headphones for more than about 30 minutes because they are uncomfortable on my ears and make the sides of my head very sweaty. I've been able to wear the AirPods Max for several hours in a row on long flights because the ear cushions are comfortable and ventilate well.

The audio quality in the AirPods Max is very solid, but it's generally about the same as other $250-$350 wireless over-the-ear headphones. At some point, there's only so much quality you can get over Bluetooth.

If you have multiple Apple devices, truly love audio or immersing yourself in your favorite music or movie, and/or are a frequent traveler, then you're likely tolove the experience of the AirPods Max. Just keep in mind that you'll probably also need a separate pair of earbuds for walking outside, working out, and wearing under a warm cap in cold weather.

Read the review: AirPods Max review

Deal alert: Get the AirPods Max in Space Gray for $50 off on Amazon.

Pros

• Can work across all your Apple devices
• Often discounted to $99
• Iconic original design
• Easy to use

Cons

• They don't fit in all ears
• Missing latest AirPods innovations
• No water or sweat resistance

AirPods (2nd Generation) features: Type: In-ear | Chip: H1 | Battery life: 5 hours | Water-resistant: No

The original AirPods remain as iconic as ever and are still available to purchase in the upgraded 2nd-generation version. While they retail for $129, they regularly go on sale for $99 at Amazon and other places. With their solid sound, easy setup, ability to connect to all your Apple devices, and 5-hour battery life, the AirPods 2nd gen are a very straightforward buy.

A fully charged case can charge the AirPods 2nd gen up to five times. With up to five hours of battery life on each charge, that results in over 24 hours of battery life before you need a full recharge of the case and the AirPods.

The biggest drawback to these earbuds -- aside from not having the latest tech available in the AirPods Pro 2 -- is that their hard plastic tips don't fit into everyone's ears and sometimes simply drop out. That's obviously not ideal, especially for a product this expensive where falling out could mean losing an AirPod down a drain or a subway tunnel, for example. So, I'd recommend getting silicone ear tips (such as these from AhaStyle for less than $10) to keep them more securely in your ears -- even though it can be a bit of pain to have to carry the extra ear tips and to take them off and on between uses.

If you can live with their drawbacks, the AirPods 2nd gen are a great first introduction to Apple's wireless headphones. The freedom of not having wires will typically make you want to wear the AirPods more and listen to more of your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks. They're also great for connecting to your laptop during Zoom meetings.

Deal alert: The Apple AirPods are on sale for $90 on Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart.

Pros

• Refined version of original design
• Spatial audio surround sound
• Adaptive EQ
• Water and sweat resistance

Cons

• Don't fit in all ears
• Don't have latest H2 chip
• No noise cancellation or transparency mode

AirPods (3rd Generation) features: Type: In-ear | Chip: H1 | Battery life: 6 hours | Water-resistant: Yes

The AirPods (3rd Generation) offer nearly all of the same high-end audio features as the AirPods Pro 2 -- except for noise cancellation and transparency mode -- but at a lower price of $169, or $179 with the wireless case, which is well worth it. That means you get spatial audio surround sound, adaptive EQ using Apple's algorithms to adjust the sound quality, better dynamic range, an extra 20% of battery life per charge, and faster charging while in the case. (Five minutes in the case gives an hour of usage time.)

These AirPods also integrate more controls directly into the stems. With the AirPods 3rd gen you can press once to play/pause or answer a call, press twice to skip forward, press three times to skip back, and press and hold to activate Siri. Those are the same controls that the AirPods Pro 2 have (minus the volume control gesture that doesn't work very well).

The AirPods 3rd gen suffer from the same ear fit issues as the first two generations of traditional AirPods. For some people, the hard plastic tips won't stay in your ears or will fall out easily, depending on the shape of your ears. I'd recommend getting some silicone ear hooks, as I mentioned above for the AirPods 2nd gen; however, the silicone tips for the AirPods 2nd gen won't fit these because of the new design. So I'd suggest getting these $15 ones on Amazon for the AirPods 3rd gen, if these fit loosely in your ears or have issues falling out.

All things considered, the AirPods 3rd gen are generally the Apple headphones that are the hardest to recommend. That's because -- if you want the least expensive entry into the AirPods experience -- the AirPods 2nd gen are a no-brainer at $99. And if you're seeking a more advanced pair with the latest features and upgrades, then you want the AirPods Pro 2 -- even at $249 they could be worth the investment if you spend multiple hours a day with headphones on. The AirPods 3rd gen sit uncomfortably in the middle between those two products. There are people out there who prefer the traditional hard plastic fit. If you're one of those and you want to get most of the features of the AirPods Pro 2 but want to save $70, then these are the ones for you.

Read the review: Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) review

Deal alert: The AirPods 3rd gen are on sale for $140 on Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.