Apple AirPods: The Ultimate Buying Guide [2023]

07/19/23 • 19 min read

In this AirPods buying guide, we’ll detail everything you need to know about Apple’s AirPods, including all the different models, their features, what they do, and how they’re all different…

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Here’s an interesting fact for you: Apple’s AirPods business generates almost THREE TIMES the revenue as Spotify’s entire business. During 2022, Apple generated around $10 billion via AirPods sales, while Spotify earned itself just $3 billion.

And AirPods are just ONE aspect of Apple’s business. Its iPhone generates even more. In addition to this, Apple’s AirPods now control upwards of 28% of the ENTIRE wireless headphone market, beating out old-guard brands like Bose, Sony, and Panasonic.

If you’re interested in buying AirPods in 2022 or beyond, you probably want to know more about what makes AirPods so popular compared to other, equally priced and similarly specced (and often cheaper) TWS options, right?

This Apple AirPods buying guide will explain everything you need to know about Apple’s AirPods, covering off the following stuff in detail:

AirPods Models (All Current Types)
AirPods Features
Apple’s ANC Technology
How AirPods Integrate With iPhone
How Much AirPods Cost
What Makes AirPods Special

But before we get down to brass tax, let’s first do a quick history lesson on Apple’s AirPods, so we can form a better picture of how we got to where we are today.

The History of Apple’s AirPods

Apple AirPods: The Ultimate Buying Guide [2023]

The thing you need to remember about Apple’s AirPods is that Apple planned them for years in advance of releasing them.

And Apple had a dastardly plan in place the entire time.

In fact, work on its AirPods started as long ago as 2011. This means Apple’s plan to take over the headphone market started while it was working on the iPhone 4s!

Prior to the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, rumours were flying around about Apple removing the headphone jack.

At the time, this kind of thing seemed unlikely. All phones had headphone jacks, after all. How else were you supposed to listen to music without a headphone jack?

Sure, Bluetooth headphones had been around for ages at this point but most people – meaning a good 95% of the general public – still used wired headphones to listen to music via their phones.

Apple knew this, so it couldn’t just remove the headphone jack and let other, third-party headphone brands like the ever-popular Samsung Galaxy Buds fill the void – that would make no sense, fiscally speaking.

And then it happened: Apple launched the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and, in a move that literally shuck the foundations of the tech world, confirmed that neither phone would have a headphone jack.

Instead, users were invited to buy Apple’s new AirPods which would go on sale just in time for Christmas 2016.

There was plenty of resistance to the move, for obvious reasons, mostly from the anti-Apple press, but Apple didn’t pay any attention. Instead, it just talked-up its AirPods and, like they always do, people went out and bought them. By the boat-load.

According to reports, Apple sold in excess of 10 million units during the first 12 months its original AirPods went on sale. In 2018, it sold 20 million. In 2019, 35 million. And in 2020, it sold 50 million AirPods units – hugely impressive growth, even by Apple’s usual standards.

Apple then added in new models in the form of the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max, effectively increasing its ownership of the market by adding in ANC-support on the Pro models and, with the Max, an over-ear option, again, with ANC, for users that prefer that style.

Additional Resources:

Do AirPods Have Serial Numbers?
Do AirPods Work With Samsung?
Do AirPods Have A Mic?
Do AirPods Work On A Plane?
Do AirPods Automatically Turn Off?
Do AirPods Automatically Connect?
Do AirPods Work With Android?
Do AirPods Affect Your Hearing?
Do AirPods Come With A Charger?
Do AirPods Have Noise Cancelation?
Do The AirPods Pro Have Wireless Charging?

AirPods Models

As of 2022, there are currently three models of AirPods you can buy:

Apple AirPods
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple AirPods Max

However, there are now three generations of its base-model AirPods and two generations of its AirPods Pro. The AirPods Max have yet to be updated with a 2nd generation model, but that is rumoured to be happening either in late 2022 or early 2023.

AirPods (Base Model) Compared

Here’s a quick overview of all the changes Apple has made to its base-model AirPods since 2016. In the table below, you’ll see the specs and release notes for Apple’s AirPods (1st Gen), AirPods (2nd Gen), and the current and latest AirPods (3rd Gen).

	AirPods	AirPods 2nd	AirPods 3rd
Size (earbud)	40.5 x 16.5 x 18 mm	40.5 x 16.5 x 18 mm	30.8 x 18.3 x 19.2 mm
Weight (earbud)	4g	4g	4.3g
Size (case)	44.3 x 21.3 x 53.5 mm	44.3 x 21.3 x 53.5 mm	46.4 x 21.4 x 54.4 mm
IP certification	N/A	N/A	IPX4
Fit type	Open	Open	Open
Bluetooth	SBC, AAC; Bluetooth 4.2	SBC, AAC; Bluetooth 5.0	SBC, AAC; Bluetooth 5.0
Active noise cancellation	No	No	No
Wireless charging	No	Yes, with wireless charging case	Yes, compatible with Qi and MagSafe,
Chipset	W1	H1	H1
Touch controls	Yes	Yes	Yes, with force sensor
Connector	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning
Battery life (75dB SPL)	3.45 hours	4.175 hours	6.35 hours
Price (At Launch)	(Discontinued)	$159 USD, $199 USD with wireless charging case	$179 USD

AirPods Pro Models Compared

Similarly, here’s a quick comparison of how the AirPods Pro (1st Gen) compare to the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen):

	AirPods Pro	AirPods Pro 2nd Gen
Size (earbud)	30.9 x 21.8 x 24 mm	30.9 x 21.8 x 24 mm
Weight (earbud)	5.4g	5.3g
Size (case)	45.2 x 60.6 x 21.7 mm	45.2 x 60.6 x 21.7 mm
IP certification	IPX4	IPX4
Fit type	Sealed (three ear tip sizes)	Sealed (four ear tip sizes)
Bluetooth	SBC, AAC; Bluetooth 5.0	SBC, AAC; Bluetooth 5.3
ANC	Hybrid ANC	Hybrid ANC
Wireless charging	Qi and MagSafe (2021)	Qi, MagSafe, and Apple Watch chargers
Chipset	H1	H2 (earbuds) U1 (case)
Touch controls	Force sensor	Force sensor and swipes
Connector	Lightning	Lightning
Battery life (75dB SPL)	5.1125 hours	TBD
Price	$249 USD	$249 USD

Additional Resources:

AirPods Compatibility

Apple designed its AirPods for use with iPhone. But that doesn’t mean you cannot use them with other non-Apple products. All of Apple’s AirPods models can be used with Android phones, consoles from Sony and Microsoft, and even Windows, Chromebooks, and Linux computers.

Essentially, so long as your device runs Bluetooth 4.0 or higher, you can connect AirPods to it. Beyond all the bluster and iOS/iPadOS/macOS-hookups, all AirPods really are is Bluetooth-powered true wireless headphones.

The real secret sauce of Apple’s AirPods, like most of its other products, is how they work together with other Apple products.

And this means, in order to get the absolute best performance from your AirPods, accessing things like Siri and automatic switching between devices, you need to use AirPods with other Apple products like its iPhone, iPad, and its Macs.

Is this fair? No. But it is the way Apple does things. It wants you inside its walled garden, using ONLY its products. And this approach, while not popular with everybody, is the biggest factor in Apple’s truly gigantic growth between 2001 and 2022.

AirPods iPhone Compatibility List

AirPods are designed to function optimally with iPhone but not all iPhones support AirPods. Older models of Apple’s iPhone no longer carry support for Apple’s AirPods. Here’s a full breakdown of all the iPhones that are currently compatible with Apple’s AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPhone SE (1st generation)

Additional Resources:

Design

Apple makes three models in its AirPods line: AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max – and they’re all different. Let’s start out by going over the design of its entry-level AirPods, the standard Apple AirPods.

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)

The standard AirPods’ design hasn’t changed much since 2016. The outer shell is all plastic, looking like a set of Apple’s older earbuds sans wires.

Not as comfortable as the newer Pro model, hard plastic inside your ear has always been a tough sell for me, the base-level AirPods are positioned as Apple’s “least expensive” option – the ones you go for if you don’t want to spend a lot of money.

Apple’s AirPods – now in their third-generation – might be the cheapest model Apple sells, but they certainly do not pull any punches when it comes to features, packing things like Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ, and a raft of sensors that includes:

Dual beamforming microphones
Inward-facing microphone
Skin-detecting sensor
Motion-detecting accelerometer
Speech-detecting accelerometer
Force sensor

There’s no ANC, of course, but the sound quality is still very good. They’re also powered by Apple’s H1 headphone chipset and they come with a full IPX4 water and dust resistance.

Apple has also improved the battery life too. You now get up to 6 hours of listening time on a single charge (5 hours with Spatial Audio enabled), and the AirPods Charging Case will provide up to 30 additional hours of battery life.

Additional Resources:

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

The AirPods Pro, for me, are the sweet spot in Apple’s AirPods range, meaning they’re most likely the ones that you’ll want to go for.

The AirPods Pro are more comfortable too, thanks to the use of soft silicon earbuds (rather than the hard plastic used on the base model AirPods), and they pack in Apple’s incredible Active Noise Canceling (ANC) technology which, even on the 1st gen, is truly incredible.

The design is different too; on the AirPods Pro, the stems are significantly longer, giving the design a completely different aesthetic to Apple’s entry-level AirPods. Packed with sensors, the AirPods Pro are easily the most contextually aware headphones I have ever encountered.

If you start talking to someone, they immediately drop the music so you have a conversation without removing them; if you switch devices, say from your iPhone to your MacBook, it just swaps over without you having to do a thing.

And then there’s the ANC which is other-worldly, thanks to Apple’s innovative approach to noise cancellation.

In terms of overall sound quality, they sound incredible too. I have a couple of Bose and B&O over-ear headphones. I thought these were badass, more or less untouchable. They both cost a fortune. But since I’ve had my AirPods Pro, they’ve been sat collecting dust in a drawer in my office.

I use my AirPods Pro around the home, when running, walking the dog, and whilst doing the shopping. They’re great for music, audiobooks and podcasts, and, if that wasn’t enough, they’ll also dictate your messages to you while you’re wearing them, saving you the hassle of taking your phone out of your pocket.

Add in things like Siri support, decent battery life, and the fact that the AirPods Pro Charging Case brings with it an additional 30 hours of charge and you’re looking at what are arguably the smartest and best-sounding wireless earbuds on the market right now.

Additional Resources:

Apple AirPods Max

The AirPods Max are Apple’s most expensive set of wireless headphones. Unlike the AirPods and AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max are over-ear headphones (sometimes called bins). They pack in all the smart features you get with AirPods and AirPods Pro, of course, but quite a lot more when it comes to drivers and audio tech.

In total, the AirPods Max run 9 microphones to achieve its market-leading noise cancellation. Of these 9 microphones, six are outward facing and two are internal facing. This is done to “balance” the ANC, ensuring users do not feel pressure inside their head when it is activated.

You also get beamforming microphones too which are used to isolate your voice on calls and inside apps like FaceTime. The ANC, as you’d expect, is incredible and is, for the most part, one of the best integrations of the technology we have tested to date.

Each of the drivers inside the AirPods Max run a dual-neodymium ring magnet motor which is designed to minimise harmonic distortion across the entire audible range. This means less noise, less distortion, even at loud volumes, and a beautifully balanced sound, packed with lows, mids, and highs.

With a powerful Apple‑designed H1 chip in each cup, our custom acoustic design and advanced software, AirPods Max use computational audio to create a breakthrough listening experience. By tapping into each chip’s 10 audio cores, computational audio helps block outside noise, adapts audio to the fit and seal of your ear cushions, and makes movie scenes sound like they’re happening all around you.
Apple

And if ALL that wasn’t enough, you get all the smarts and sensors that Apple’s AirPods Pro run. Things like:

Transparency mode
Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking1
Adaptive EQ
Optical sensor (each ear cup)
Position sensor (each ear cup)
Case-detect sensor (each ear cup)
Accelerometer (each ear cup)
Gyroscope (left ear cup)

Basically, if you want the absolute best sound, the most comfortable wearing experience, and access to Apple’s most advanced audio technology, the AirPods Max are the headphones you want to be looking at – they run rings around nearly all of their similarly priced competitors.

Additional Resources:

AirPods Charging Case

Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro come with a charging case, known as the AirPods Charging Case. On AirPods (3rd gen) and the AirPods Pro, the AirPods Charging Case comes with support for MagSafe charging as well as wired charging via its built-in USB C charging port.

The AirPods Charging Case is where you charge-up your AirPods. It is small enough to carry around with you everywhere, so when you’re not using your AirPods you simply place them back in the charging case and they’re topped up with more charge.

This is why the AirPods rather meagre battery life isn’t really a problem; you’ll get five to six hours on a single charge. But most users don’t listen to music or podcasts for that long at a time – it’s usually 90 minutes or less. And once they’re back in the charging case, they’ll be charged back up to 80% inside 15 minutes.

The AirPods Charging Case uses a LED light system to communicate how much charge is left. Here’s what the AirPods Charging Case LED lights mean:

Green light with AirPods inside: AirPods is fully charged.
Green light with no AirPods inside: Your case is fully charged.
Amber light: Less than one full charge is left in the wireless case battery.
Flashing amber: This may mean that you need to set you AirPods up again.
Flashing white light: AirPods are ready for set up.

In order to get maximum usage from your AirPods, you’ll need to ensure that your AirPods Charging Case is charged regularly. I leave mine on a MagSafe charging mat most of the time, so it is constantly at 100% whenever I take it anywhere.

If I’m travelling or away from home, I charge it using its USB C via a wired connection to the mains. This ensures that my AirPods, even when I’m away from home, always get recharged when they’re placed back inside the AirPods Charging Case.

AirPods Pro Charging Case vs AirPods Charging Case

AirPods Pro Charging Case	AirPods Charging Case
Up to 30 hours of listening time Up to 24 hours of talk time Qi‑certified MagSafe Support 60.6 x 21.7 x 45.2 mm	Up to 30 hours of listening time Up to 20 hours of talk time Qi‑certified MagSafe Support 54.4 x 21.38 x 46.4 mm

Additional Resources:

AirPods Features

When you’re talking about AirPods features, there’s plenty of cross over between Apple’s three models. All of them deeply integrate with iOS and its core functions – stuff like Find My, Siri, and messaging applications.

But each type of AirPods has its own unique features and abilities, and as you move up in price you unlock more and more features, topping out with the AirPods Max which offer the best sound overall and the best features.

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the features and options you get on each model of Apple’s AirPods:

AirPods Features

Improved audio quality (over AirPods 2nd Gen)
Smaller stem (compared to AirPods 2nd / 1st Gen)
MagSafe charging
More comfortable (compared to AirPods 2nd / 1st Gen)
Adaptive EQ tunes
Spatial Audio
IPX4 resistance helps for workouts or weather
Skin detection sensor
Battery life is fantastic

AirPods Pro Features

More compact design
Improved audio quality (over AirPods and AirPods Pro 1st Gen)
Great ANC
Transparency mode is outstanding
Stay in ear much better
Audio Sharing
Announce messages with Siri
Water/sweat resistant

AirPods Max Features

Amazing design
Dual H1 chips for audio processing, range, and high fidelity audio
Very comfortable
Deep iOS integration
Spatial audio w/ head tracking
Solid battery life
Excellent ANC
Solid physical controls via its Digital Crown

As you can see, there’s plenty of parity between the different types of AirPods, but also plenty of differences too. With the AirPods Max, the main difference, aside from the cost and design, relates to its Charging Case, AKA the AirPods Max Case.

It is a fabric wrapper-type case and is completely unlike the AirPods Charging Case you get with the AirPods and AirPods Pro. Reviewers pretty unanimously hated the AirPods Max Case, claiming it was tricky to use, provided little protection, and lacked the features most had come to expect from an AirPods charging case.

The fabric cover does little to protect the expensive headphones and offers only one essential feature — low-power mode. A magnet within the case activates a low-power sleep function of the AirPods Max that keeps them from pairing to devices. After 18 hours of being in this state, Bluetooth and Find My is disabled entirely.

Third-party cases can build in this functionality, so those who dislike this case can find one that fits their needs. We didn’t mind some aspects of the case, like having the headband exposed. This makes them easier to grasp when taking them out of your bag and takes up less space when packing.

Our biggest critique of the case is its lack of protection for the ear cups. The soft aluminum casing seems to be the most vulnerable part of the AirPods Max, yet the case barely protects it. We’d be happier if Apple made a case that completely encased the ear cups.
Source

Additional Resources:

AirPods Battery Life

When it comes to battery life performance on Apple’s AirPods, things vary quite a bit as you move through the different models and different generations.

For instance, the AirPods third-generation have better battery life than the AirPods second-generation – up from 5 hours to 6 hours. With the AirPods Pro, there is no change between the first-gen and second-gen models – it remains at 4.5 hours w/ Spatial Audio and ANC.

The AirPods Max have the best battery life overall with up to 20 hours on a single charge. The reason for this is that they run much larger batteries, so if battery life and overall audio quality are your main concerns you’re best off going with them.

Specification	AirPods (second-gen)	AirPods (third-gen)	AirPods Pro	AirPods Max
Active noise canceling / reduction	No	No	Yes	Yes
Transparency mode	No	No	Yes	Yes
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0
Earbud size (mm)	40.5 x 16.5 x 18.0	30.8 x 18.3 x 19.2	30.9 x 21.8 x 24	187.3 x 168.6 x 83.4
Case size (mm)	53.5 x 44.3 x 21.3	46.4 x 54.4 x 21.4	45.2 x 60.6 x 21.7	134.5
Earbud weight (g)	4	4.28	5.4	384.8
Case weight (g)	38.2	37.91	45.6	134.5
Battery (earbud)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 6 hours	Up to 4.5 hours	Up to 20 hours
Battery (case)	More than 24 hours	Up to 30 hours	More than 24 hours	N/A
Water resistance certification	No	IPX4	IPX4	No
Wired charging	Lightning connector	Lightning connector	Lightning connector	Lightning connector
Wireless charging	No	Qi-certified or MagSafe chargers	Qi-certified or MagSafe chargers	N/A
Charging cord included	Lightning to USB-A	Lightning to USB-C	Lightning to USB-C	Lightning to USB-C
Price	$129	$179	$249	$549
Custom chips	Apple H1	Apple H1	Apple H1	Apple H1 (in each ear cup)

Additional Resources:

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Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He has written for Den of Geek, Fortean Times, IT PRO, PC Pro, ALPHR, and many other technology sites. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.

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Mani Sharman

8 months ago

Airpods are good but not easy to manage. I have lost them twice in last year. or maybe I am too workaholic that I always forget where I have placed my other things. Thanks for sharing apple airpods guide. please share how I never forget to carry them.

tuan tu mobile

4 months ago

Would love to see more color options for Airpods 4. Noisecancellig may be too much to ask, but hey! Lets hope we get that as well.