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Prime Day arrives early for the AirPods and AirPods Pro

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Prime Day isn’t here yet but already the Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro are on sale at Amazon starting from just $129. But which true wireless earbuds to get? Read on to find out how these AirPods differ and which pair suits you best.

AirPods with Charging Case

 — $129, was $159

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We all know that the AirPods were never about audio quality but convenience. They sound fine if a bit flat and indistinguishable from the EarPods (the pair of wired earbuds that come free with an iPhone). Still, based on sales figures, the world was clearly content with their audio quality. Ease of use is what they really have going for them. The AirPods are ridiculously easy to operate and set up with iOS devices. Removing them from the charging case for the first time will make a popup appear on your device’s screen for instant pairing. Siri is also on board so she can set a reminder, schedule an alarm, place a call, or adjust the volume of your music up or down. All you need to do is to double-tap one of the AirPod’s exterior. As far as true wireless earbuds go, the AirPods’ battery life is decent. Five hours of listening time and two hours of talk time for every single charge is not exactly mind-blowing, but the charging case does carry an additional 24 hours of spare juice. Get the AirPods with a wired charging case today for just $130 instead of $159 at Amazon.

AirPods with Wireless Charging Case

 – $155, was $199

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Besides the wireless charging case upgrade, not much has changed with the second generation of the AirPods. Design-wise, there’s no way of telling them apart from their predecessors. Different color options would have shaken things up. Still, we did notice some significant changes once we tested them. At the heart of each AirPod is Apple’s new H1 chip which brings efficiency to the next level. The AirPods 2 seem to pair faster, have 30% lower latency which is great for gamers, switch devices they are paired with twice as fast, and boost talk time up to 50%. Apple also claims that the H1 chip contributes to a more rock-solid connection, although it was already excellent with the original AirPods. Unfortunately, the sound quality hasn’t been tweaked at all. Both generations sound exactly the same. There aren’t even any additional features to really push the AirPods 2 into the realm of necessary purchase. If you already have the original AirPods and are thinking of upgrading to the AirPods 2, we suggest that you just save a few more bucks and get the AirPods Pro instead. But if you’re really adamant about getting them, they’re on sale at Amazon right now for $155 instead of $199.

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Apple AirPods Pro

 — $199, was $249

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The AirPods Pro are the best true wireless earbuds that you can get if you are an iOS user, bar none. They inherit the original AirPods’ insanely easy setup and controls and have undergone tremendous improvement in all other key areas. Let’s go through them. First is their design. While the AirPods 1 and 2 were very comfortable to use, they tend to keep falling off. Apple fixed this issue with the AirPods Pro by having them attach to three sets of differently sized silicone eartips. There’s even a software that will tell you if the pair that you chose provides the most secure fit. Next is a more distinct and bass-fueled sound. The original AirPods sounded good is a tad too safe, whereas the AirPods Pro offer a more toe-tapping audio experience that’s clearer, more well-balanced, and rich in details. You’re also getting active noise cancellation with these earbuds, and it’s incredible, almost on par with over-ear headphones. Last but not least, the AirPods Pro are rated IPX4 for water resistance, which means they can withstand intense sweaty workouts and the occasional splash of water. Unfortunately, battery life is still frustratingly short, at just five hours of total music playtime, This is a little baffling since other brands have found a way to double it for this form factor. At least charging time remains amazingly fast. A mere 15 minutes in the charging case equals three hours listening. Get the AirPods Pro at Amazon today for just $199 instead of the usual $249.

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Timothy Taylor
Timothy Taylor
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Timothy is a deals writer for Digital Trends that specializes in finding the best discounts on smartphones, wireless…
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