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Apple is known for creating a carefully coordinated suite of products, from iPhones to Macs and more. Naturally, it makes its own earbuds and headphones, too, all of which fall under the AirPods brand. In fact, Apple’s earbuds are so well-known they’re almost synonymous with the idea of earphones in general for many people.

Despite their near-ubiquity, if you haven’t already snagged a pair of AirPods, there are some things you should know before diving in. We’ll cover everything to keep in mind when considering Apple’s earbuds or headphones in this buyer’s guide.

The first generation of AirPods debuted way back in 2016, as a Bluetooth true wireless earbuds version of the EarPods. You remember those, right? They were the wired earbuds that used to come with iPods and iPhones and were made famous by the dancing silhouettes in Apple’s TV commercials. And despite how widespread AirPods are these days, the original design was first met with some skepticism. Nevertheless, they have (obviously) proved quite popular.

Since then, you’ve probably heard of AirPods and seen them in the ears of many people on a train or bus. That sort of nearly-universal brand recognition is exactly what Apple is going far. Therefore, the company makes models to fit almost any kind of buyer.

Apple clearly wants AirPods, no matter the specific variety, to tie in tightly with its other products. To that end, they’re positioned alongside the iPhone, iPad, and other Apple products as a comprehensive solution to all your audio needs. Credit where it’s due, it is indeed easy to pop any model of AirPods out of their case and sync them to an Apple device, ready to play your favorite tunes through Apple Music.

That vision for high adoption rates and tight ecosystem integration seems to be working well. It’s estimated that AirPods alone are a $10 billion (yes, with a “b”) business for Apple. In 2020 alone, Apple sold around 100 million AirPods of all types, so your perception that they seem to be everywhere is correct. For comparison, Apple sold 202 million iPhones in 2020 and it’s estimated around 50% of the entire company’s revenue comes from those sales. As you can see, AirPods are no small-time player.

To that end, Apple currently offers four models to choose from:

Now that we know what the intent behind AirPods is and the basics of each model, we can go over each of them in-depth to help you decide which, if any, would be right for you.

The AirPods (3rd generation) contain basically the core feature list of every model of AirPods, and other varieties either add or subtract from this so we’ll start here. Here’s a basic rundown of what you’ll get:

But what really makes the AirPods (3rd generation) stand out is what you don’t get: ear tips. This generation of AirPods is totally unsealed. That means environmental noises will readily make it through to your ears and potentially interrupt your listening experience, which we definitely experienced. It also means the earbuds rely on being jammed into your ear to stay in place. Therefore, they could tumble out. It may also make them less comfortable, depending on the shape and size of your ears. This could also have an impact on their sound quality because if you can’t get a good fit outside noises might cause auditory masking.

As a result of these factors, we found the AirPods (3rd generation) to be decent overall. They’re easy to use with Apple devices, lightweight, and portable, but it’s hard for us to fully recommend unsealed earbuds. They might work for you during exercise such as running if you need to be constantly aware of your surroundings, however.

Apple got the memo about unsealed earbuds eventually, and in response, the AirPods Pro came along. The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are the latest in this line and their biggest features are active noise-cancellation and silicone ear tips. They’re also the most recent AirPods in general, being introduced in September 2022. You get everything the AirPods (3rd generation) have to offer, plus:

These may seem like small upgrades, but in our experience, the AirPods Pro (of any generation) are much better than any unsealed model. They fit better, feel comfortable, and their ANC does a decent job at blocking out the world while the silicone tips isolate effectively. These are also the only AirPods to support Bluetooth 5.3, meaning they should eventually have LE Audio support — we’ll have to wait and see to make sure.

Still, most people will enjoy the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) when paired with an iPhone, and they’ll probably sound great, to boot. We had no complaints about the first-gen AirPods Pro in terms of sound quality, and we don’t expect the second-generation AirPods Pro to change this. Being the latest model also means Apple is likely to support them for a while.

True to their name, the AirPods Max are the biggest AirPods around. Unlike every other model, they are over-ear Bluetooth headphones, not earbuds.  Despite their different design, you still get Personalized Spatial Audio and ANC. In addition, these headphones offer:

We were certainly impressed by the AirPods Max noise-cancelling, which beat out the Sony WH-1000XM4 upon the Max’s introduction. Since then, they’re mostly on par with the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM5, which means they have some of the most effective ANC out there.

However, we do have some complaints about the Max. Namely, the fact you have to buy an additional, proprietary cable to get wired listening is annoying. Also, the Smart Case is effectively the “off” button. That’s right, you cannot turn the AirPods Max off via a simple button press. You have to put them back into the case as if they were earbuds. Otherwise, they only enter a low-power sleep mode after remaining on for a few hours.

In general, we liked the build and sound quality along with the comfort of the AirPods Max, and if you want excellent ANC and an over-ear form factor, they’ll do great. It’s just that they have some weird quirks we didn’t expect to see from flagship headphones.

The AirPods Pro (1st generation) were Apple’s first noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds, and they made a big splash upon their introduction.  And for good reason; we finally had Apple earbuds with the ability to seal into our ear canals.

While the second-generation AirPods Pro are here now, the first-gen is now likely to be cheaper while offering similar features. Here’s what you get if you snag a pair, in addition to the usual set of AirPods (3rd generation) features such as Personalized Spatial Audio and an IPX4 rating:

The AirPods Pro (1st generation) are rated for shorter battery life than the follow-up second-generation Pro at five hours. Apple’s estimate is accurate according to our tests, so that’s a plus.

If it seems like that second-generation AirPods Pro are an incremental update, you’d be right. Still, the AirPods Pro (1st generation) give you almost the same experience at what may be cheaper prices now that their successor is here. If you choose them, you’ll likely be happy with their sound quality and overall feature set. They don’t do ANC as well as the AirPods Pro (2nd generation), so keep that in mind if you need to keep out as much noise as possible.

All of the other models of AirPods we have discussed so far refine upon the AirPods (3rd generation) by including ear tips and ANC or morphing into over-ear headphones. In contrast, the AirPods (2nd generation) stand out for subtracting features from this base formula. However, they are the least expensive earbuds in Apple’s lineup.

It’s actually more informative to talk about what the AirPods (2nd generation) don’t do than what they can do:

Like all models of AirPods, you still get the H1 chip, so using the second-generation AirPods with other Apple devices should be simple enough. But otherwise, we liked the third-generation AirPods slightly more, at the end of the day. Additionally, both are unsealed, so sound quality might be impacted by auditory masking with the AirPods (2nd generation).

However, if you just want to casually listen to tunes or audiobooks and don’t want to think too much about getting your earbuds working with an iPhone, the AirPods (2nd generation) can do that. And they are cheaper than any other AirPods model, so you won’t have to shell out much to get the experience.

Here’s every model of AirPods at a glance, including their basic design features and what you get if you choose a particular pair:

Before you hit “buy” on a pair of AirPods, it’s worth considering why you might want them. Other than the obvious answer of needing headphones or earbuds, you may want to take stock of what’s important to you and how you plan on using your AirPods before purchasing. Here are some reasons why you’d want to go ahead and make the jump.

Do you always buy the latest iPhone the instant it drops? Are you obsessed with Apple silicon? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the AirPods would be an obvious yes for you. All models of AirPods work nearly perfectly with other Apple products. As mentioned, the H1 and H2 chips make that certain, and Apple’s walled garden has plenty of fruits for you, too.

Within Apple’s ecosystem, you get seamless spatial audio support, device switching, and even customer service. You can stick all your Apple devices including your AirPods under the same Apple account and they’ll all recognize each other. That means your Apple TV can automatically sync with your AirPods, for instance, without you having to go through a pairing process.

And if all your friends are Apple die-hards, too, you can use audio sharing with any model of AirPods to enjoy tunes together. That’s not easily done with other brands of earbuds or headphones in general.

We liked the sound quality of every model of AirPods except the unsealed second- and third-generation AirPods. None of the sealed or over-ear AirPods crank up the bass too much or assault you with wonky frequency response curves. It’s that kind of set-it-and-forget-it quality that Apple is known for, and the AirPods keep on track.

That does mean no model of AirPods, even the Max, comes with an equalizer. You can use Apple Music to EQ your AirPods, but the changes won’t stick through a power cycle or across devices. But you likely won’t feel compelled to EQ the AirPods we liked the vast majority of the time. As mentioned, they sound pretty good right out of the box.

Maybe you don’t always wait in line for the latest iPhone and your Mac isn’t the latest and greatest, even then, the AirPods are still going to be an easy choice for casual Apple users, too. Despite all the technology that goes into them, most people won’t have to worry about the specifics during daily use.

If you find the thought of syncing Bluetooth headphones headache-inducing and meddling around in headphone manufacturer’s apps all day just to get your buds working sounds exhausting, the AirPods avoid all this. You can just pop them out of the case and into your ears and get about your day. If they don’t work, the steps to troubleshooting AirPods are also usually straightforward, so that should save you more frustration.

Apple even offers replacement AirPods if you lose one — you will have to pay for a replacement bud, though. And third-party suppliers have stepped into this realm as well, so if you are always misplacing earbuds, you can get another one. On a similar note, Apple’s Find My service makes it simple to locate lost headphones and earbuds using your Apple account.

On the flipside, there are some downsides to owning AirPods you should think about. Whether you’re an Android user or concerned with pricing, the drawbacks of AirPods can’t go ignored, either. Here are some of the top reasons you may want to avoid AirPods.

Android is obviously not Apple’s key market — they’re competitors after all. As a result, the AirPods don’t work all that great on Android devices. They are Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, so they will connect, but that’s about all you get.

Android users don’t get spatial audio, automatic device switching, and a whole host of other perks that iPhone owners enjoy. Most crucially, AirPods of any model only offer the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. AAC works great on iOS, but it’s less consistent on Android. That might mean latency leading to audio and video no longer being in sync, for instance.

You also cannot update the AirPods firmware without an iOS device or Mac nearby. So, if Apple releases new features or bug fixes, you won’t get to enjoy them. In short, if you’re on Android, there are better options out there.

AirPods are expensive, there’s no getting around that. Apple seldom puts them on sale, though sometimes you can snag them for slightly lower prices on Amazon, for instance. Still, there are cheaper true wireless earbuds around.

A lot of these alternatives have more to offer than the AirPods, too, though they may not look as sleek. For instance, the Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless have ANC, aptX Bluetooth codec support, a useful app, and an IPX4 rating. If you do have some lingering AirPods envy, the Nothing Ear 1 exist to fill that niche.

Apple isn’t known for configurability and customization much these days. While the AirPods work well out of the box, you don’t get to tweak them all that much. If you’re the kind of person that demands fine-grained control over your listening experience, AirPods likely won’t fit the bill.

For that, you can turn to options like the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro. You get an equalizer in their app along with various ANC settings to tinker with. And the inclusion of nine ear tip sizes means you can achieve just the right fit. Along with all this, LDAC Bluetooth codec support not only means reliable Android connectivity but even more chances to customize your sound.

Similarly, the awkward quirks and limitations of the AirPods Max might bother people who demand their over-ear headphones work the way they want. Instead, you could snag the Sony WH-1000XM5 and get more customizability, not to mention an EQ and LDAC support, too.

Upon reflection and deciding that AirPods aren’t for you, there are still many other options to consider. The world of true wireless earbuds is vast, and here are some recommendations you could consider instead of Apple’s offerings.

If you want tight integration with other products in the manner of Apple, you may find the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) to be a good pick. Here’s quick glance at what you’ll get if you choose them:

We did find that the Echo Buds (2nd Gen) amped up bass notes a bit, which is fine though not ideal. Still, they don’t sound displeasing or anything, and you get an EQ through the Amazon app to handle it if it bothers you.

On the other hand, if you want platform-agnostic earbuds that deliver top-notch noise-cancelling and a comfortable fit, there are the Sony WF-1000XM4. These flagship earbuds give you lots to enjoy:

It is important to note that the default frequency response curve for the Sony WF-1000XM4 is a bit odd out of the box. Thankfully, the Headphones Connect app has an EQ that you can use to tweak this.

Another walled garden looms large in the earbuds world, and that’s Samsung’s. The Galaxy phone lineup has been around for a while now, and Samsung has its own earbuds to go with them, too. The latest of these are the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, and they give you a similar experience to the AirPods Pro on an iPhone, including:

Much like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are primarily built for Galaxy owners, though the app works on all Android devices — but not iPhone. Another similarity to Apple and the H1 or H2 chip is the fact that the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro only give Samsung device users the Samsung Seamless Codec and automatic switching. Everyone else gets AAC and SBC, which are the same as what the AirPods offer.

That depends on what you think you should get for $500. To put it shortly, we liked the AirPods Max in general, but there were some small things that had us shaking our heads. While these wouldn’t bother us on cheaper headphones, when you spend a lot on a pair of cans, you’d want them to be practically flawless, after all.

We really liked how well the AirPods Max handle noise-cancelling and found that they offer some of the best ANC you can get. But if you are the kind of person that thinks spending this much money on headphones means you should be able to control your ANC experience, you might find some annoying hiccups. Namely, you can only turn off ANC entirely if you connect the AirPods Max to an iOS device. Otherwise, you can only enter transparency mode using the button on the AirPods Max by default. You can change it to another option with an iOS device, however.

On a similar note, the AirPods Max sound great out of the box. Their frequency response curve isn’t objectionable in any major way. That means all sorts of music should sound great, from country to classical. But just like their ANC, the Max don’t offer much in the way of customization. If you demand the ability to tweak your sound, there is no EQ that comes with the AirPods Max. You can find one in Apple Music on an iOS device, but any settings you make won’t stick around through power cycles.

Likewise, audiophiles that spend a lot on headphones to get lossless audio may not be entirely satisfied. That’s because there is no 3.5mm jack on the AirPods Max, so you have to buy a Lightning-to-3.5mm cable from Apple at $35. And because it’s Lightning, you’re going from analog to digital, then back to analog again before the sound leaves the headphones. That’s not technically lossless, and while a drop in quality may or may not be noticeable, there could be latency issues.

The Max also don’t offer aptX or LDAC Bluetooth codec support. Therefore, using them with an Android device may not be ideal, either.

Finally, the fact that they don’t have a real “off” button is odd. To turn them off, you have to put them back in their smart case. Otherwise, they stay on and drain the battery for a long time before entering sleep mode.

But as you can see, these are mostly quibbles. We found a lot to like with the AirPods Max, including their ability to auto-pause music if removed from your head and the 20 hour battery life is great (even if without a power button). Overall, we’ll say that the AirPods Max do feel a bit overpriced, but only because if you’re spending this much, you’d expect perfection, not near-perfection.

The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) don’t radically change the AirPods Pro (1st generation) in terms of design or features, so their biggest draw for you will likely be better ANC. If you have small ear canals, you will also appreciate their new XS ear tip size.

To elaborate, the first-generation AirPods Pro don’t have the best noise-cancelling you can get from true wireless earbuds, even if they’re famous for having ANC. Apple likely noticed this, and they promise that the new second-generation AirPods Pro have “double” the ANC capabilities. We’ll have to test them and see what Apple means by this, but it’ll likely be a good upgrade. Otherwise, you get the same set of features. That includes Personalized Spatial Audio and automatic device switching.

Something else that could tip you in the direction of the second-generation AirPods Pro is the fact that their case has the U1 chip and a small speaker. These things combined can help you find your earbuds if you lose them. The case also has a lanyard loop to anchor it to a bag or keychain to further aid in keeping track of them.

To put it shortly, the biggest draw of the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) will be their better ANC, the H2 and U1 chips, and the fact Apple is more apt to support them longer. Unlike the AirPods (2nd generation) and AirPods (3rd generation), Apple does not offer the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) alongside their predecessor. Rather, they replace the AirPods Pro (1st generation). But if you don’t mind that, you should be able to find the first-generation AirPods Pro on sale and get a similar experience.

For AirPods that have ANC, namely the first- and second-generation Pro and the Max, the answer comes down to the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and AirPods Max.

The first-generation AirPods Pro had good ANC, but since their introduction, many other manufacturers have come out with true wireless earbuds that do ANC just as good if not better than them. We will have to test the AirPods Pro (2nd generation), but they promise improved ANC so they are likely the safer bet in that regard.

When it comes to the AirPods Max, they offer excellent ANC that beats the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM4. They don’t do as well as the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 when it comes to blocking out high-frequency noises via isolation, but they’re still impressive. That puts them among the best ANC over-ear headphones out there.

Basically, any of the Pro models or the Max sound great. The other flavors of AirPods are not sealed, and that design might make it hard for you to get a good seal. That could lead to auditory masking and problems with sound that you can easily avoid by choosing the Pro or Max.

Apple itself doesn’t often put the AirPods on sale. But if you keep a keen eye on places like Amazon or Best Buy, you might snag a pair for a few bucks off during Black Friday promotions or other events. Additionally, when a new pair of AirPods replaces a previous version, like the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) replacing the AirPods (1st generation), the older version is likely to go on sale at other retailers even if Apple no longer directly sells them.

Apple itself offers refurbished iPhones and Macs among other things, but not AirPods. You’ll have to turn to third-party suppliers like therightpod.com for that. Another reason you may have to do this is if you lose an older AirPods model earbud or case because Apple only supplies replacement AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) components.

AppleCare+ does not cover replacements for lost AirPods, but it does cover battery replacements if your device holds less than 80% of its original charge for both the case and earbuds or the battery in the Max. Otherwise, battery service for wear from normal use comes with a fee. Additionally, Apple charges you for replacement earbuds and cases if you’ve lost them, and as mentioned you can only buy replacement AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) parts.