Apple has unveiled the AirPods 5, its latest open-ear wireless earbuds, with upgrades focused on active noise cancellation (ANC), audio performance, controls, and battery life. Building on the AirPods 4, the new model is designed to address some of the limitations of Apple’s tip-less design while retaining the familiar fit. Apple also launched its iPhone 18 Pro series and its first-ever foldable – the iPhone Duo and priced it at a worrying (for Samsung) price of USD 1,999.
But if you already own AirPods 4, the more interesting question is whether these changes are enough to make an upgrade worthwhile. Personally, I think the answer is more complicated than simply saying the newer model is better.
A quick look at the specs
Here’s a quick look at the specs of the base AirPods 5 and the entry-level AirPods 4:
| AirPods 4 | AirPods 5 | |
| Chip | H2 headphone chip | H2 headphone chip |
| Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) | Unavailable | Up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation |
| Adaptive Audio & Transparency | Unavailable | Supported (Adaptive Audio & Transparency mode) |
| Conversation Awareness | Unavailable | Supported |
| Voice Isolation & Personalised Volume | Supported | Supported |
| Spatial Audio | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking |
| Acoustic Design | Custom high-excursion Apple driver, high-dynamic-range amplifier, Adaptive EQ, vent system | Custom high-excursion Apple driver, high-dynamic-range amplifier, Adaptive EQ, vent system |
| Live Translation | Unavailable | Supported for communicating across languages |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone | Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone |
| Sensors | Optical in-ear sensor, motion accelerometer, speech accelerometer, force sensor | Optical in-ear sensor, motion accelerometer, speech accelerometer, force sensor |
| Controls | Force sensor (press for media/calls/camera remote, press and hold for Siri) | Force sensor (press for media/calls/camera remote, press and hold to switch listening modes) |
| Dust, Sweat & Water Resistance | IP54 | IP57 |
| Battery Life (Earbuds) | Up to 5 hours listening time | Up to 4 hours (with ANC enabled) |
| Battery Life (with Charging Case) | Up to 30 hours of listening time | Up to 20 hours (with ANC enabled) |
| Fast Charging | 5 minutes in case provides ~1 hour of listening time | 5 minutes in case provides ~1 hour battery life |
| Charging Case Type | Charging Case (USB-C) | Charging Case (USB-C) |
| Dimensions & Weight (Earbuds) | 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm; 4.3 g | 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm; 4.3 g |
| Dimensions & Weight (Case) | 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm; 32.3 g | 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm; 32.3 g |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| In the Box | AirPods 4, Charging Case (USB-C), Documentation (cable sold separately) | AirPods 5, Charging Case (USB-C), Documentation (cable unavailable) |
And in case you’re targeting some extra perks such as wireless charging, swipe-based physical volume controls on the stem, and Apple Find My support for location tracking, the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging mode is the right pick. Here’s how it stacks up against the AirPods 4 ANC model:
| AirPods 4 with ANC | AirPods 5 (Wireless Charging Case) | |
| Chip | Apple H2 headphone chip | Apple H2 headphone chip |
| Noise Cancellation | Active Noise Cancellation | Up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation |
| Audio Features | Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalised Volume, Adaptive EQ | Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalised Volume, Adaptive EQ |
| Spatial Audio | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking | Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking |
| Acoustic Architecture | Custom high-excursion Apple driver, high-dynamic-range amplifier, vent system | Custom high-excursion Apple driver, high-dynamic-range amplifier, vent system |
| Live Translation & Siri | Live Translation, Siri AI, “Hey Siri”, Siri Interactions | Live Translation, Siri AI, “Hey Siri”, Siri Interactions |
| Lossless Audio | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Microphones | Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone | Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone |
| Sensors | Optical in-ear sensor, motion accelerometer, speech accelerometer, force sensor | Optical in-ear sensor, motion accelerometer, speech accelerometer, force sensor with volume swipe |
| Controls | Force sensor (press for media/calls/camera remote, press and hold for Siri) | Force sensor (press for media/calls/camera remote, press and hold to switch listening modes, volume swipe) |
| Resistance Rating | IP54 (dust, sweat, and water resistant) | IP57 (dust, sweat, and water resistant) |
| Battery Life (Earbuds) | Up to 4 hours with ANC enabled (up to 5 hours with noise control off) | Up to 5 hours with ANC enabled |
| Battery Life (with Case) | Up to 20 hours with ANC enabled (up to 30 hours with noise control off) | Up to 22 hours with ANC enabled |
| Fast Charging | 5 minutes in case provides ~1 hour listening time | 5 minutes in case provides ~1 hour battery life |
| Charging Case | Wireless Charging Case (USB-C), works with Apple Watch & Qi chargers, speaker for Find My | Wireless Charging Case (USB-C), works with Apple Watch & Qi chargers, speaker for Find My |
| Earbud Dimensions & Weight | 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm; 4.3 g | 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm; 4.3 g |
| Case Dimensions & Weight | 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm; 34.7 g | 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm; 34.7 g |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| In the Box | AirPods 4 with ANC, Wireless Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, documentation (cable sold separately) | AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, Wireless Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, documentation (cable sold separately) |
AirPods 5 makes everyday controls and ANC better
The biggest hardware change is the new acoustic architecture and upgraded adaptive ANC. Apple says the AirPods 5 can deliver 50 percent more noise reduction than the AirPods 4 with ANC. That is a potentially significant improvement for anyone who uses earbuds during commutes, travel, or in noisy workplaces.
The open-ear design has long been something of a compromise. You get the comfort of not having silicone tips sealing your ear canal, but that also makes blocking outside noise more difficult. So, from my perspective, improving ANC without abandoning that design is one of the more meaningful upgrades Apple has made here.
There is also a durability improvement that could matter more in everyday use than some of the headline AI features. AirPods 5 are rated IP57 for dust, sweat and water resistance, compared with IP54 for AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. That gives the newer earbuds stronger protection against dust and water exposure, although Apple notes that resistance can decrease with normal wear and that the rating does not make the earbuds waterproof.
For me, this is a quietly useful upgrade. If I am spending $129 or more on earbuds, knowing they have a higher resistance rating makes them easier to use during workouts, commutes, and unpredictable weather without worrying quite as much about everyday exposure.
Apple has also finally addressed one of the more irritating aspects of the standard AirPods experience: volume controls. The AirPods 5 introduce on-stem swipe controls, allowing users to swipe up or down to adjust volume directly. The familiar pinch controls remain for playback and calls.
Battery life gets a small boost as well. The AirPods 5 with ANC offer up to five hours of playback, an hour more than the AirPods 4 with ANC. The wireless charging case also supports Apple Watch and Qi chargers.
The real question is who should actually upgrade
Price makes the AirPods 5 more interesting. The base model costs $129, while the version with a Wireless Charging Case is priced at $149. Preorders began immediately, with availability scheduled for September 18.
For someone buying their first AirPods, I can see the AirPods 5 being the more compelling choice. They offer the newer hardware, improved ANC, and better controls without requiring a huge price jump.
For AirPods 4 owners, however, I would be more cautious. If you already have the ANC version and mostly use it indoors, the improvements may not feel dramatic enough to justify replacing a perfectly good pair. The upgrade makes more sense if you frequently commute, travel, or find yourself adjusting volume throughout the day.
And if you’re coming from older non-ANC AirPods, the decision is considerably easier. The AirPods 5 represent a much bigger step forward in that case.
So, while I wouldn’t call the AirPods 5 a must-have upgrade for every AirPods 4 owner, Apple has made enough practical improvements to make the new model worth considering – especially for users who value ANC and everyday convenience.
