Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Which AirPods should you buy on Prime Day 2022?

Behold, the pinnacle of all Prime Day deals: AirPods. What, you thought it was TVs? That’s an argument worth having. But consider for the moment that this likely is one of the best times to be on the lookout for new AirPods deals this year.

That raises a question, however: Which AirPods should you be on the lookout for on Prime Day?

Recommended Videos

It’s all a matter of taste, of course. And budget. And, for that matter, whether there actually are any Prime Day AirPods deals to be had in the first place. But we’re going to play devil’s advocate here and assume there will be.

So strap in, because we’re going down the rabbit hole that is Prime Day Apple deals to help you decide which AirPods you should be on the lookout for.

Which AirPods should you buy on Prime Day 2022?

AirPods Max

A person carries Apple AirPods Max in a carrying case.
Riley Young / Digital Trends

There’s a reason why we tend to immediately turn to AirPods Max on Prime Day. These are the most expensive headphones Apple has to offer on any normal day of the year. Prime Day is no normal day, of course, so if there’s any chance at getting a better price on the best over-the-ear headphones Apple has to offer, it’s now.

AirPods Max look great. That should come as no surprise to anyone, if only because they’ve been around for more than a year and you’ve no doubt seen them by now.

They also sound great — perhaps not the best, but that’s subjective. And if you’re able to get an AirPods Max discount, they’ll start to sound that much better, right?

Here’s how we put things in our AirPods Max review: “The AirPods Max are darn-near perfect, with best-in-class noise canceling, the most remarkable transparency mode I’ve ever heard, balanced and detailed sound with plenty of deep and musical bass, and a very premium feel.”

That’s tough to beat, especially if you’re able to get them at Prime Day prices.

AirPods Pro

Man wearing Apple AirPods Pro outdoors.
Digital Trends

If you’re looking for something a bit smaller and in-ear — and a good bit less expensive — then the next place you’ll turn is AirPods Pro. (And if you’re still trying figure out which way to go when it comes to AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro, we have your back.)

First things first — we’re sort of in a holding pattern when it comes to AirPods Pro. That doesn’t mean AirPods Pro 2 are coming any day now (and chances are they’ll just keep the “AirPods Pro” name.) But it does mean that the current generation is getting up there in age.

And that’s the perfect time to be on the lookout for some sweet AirPods Pro Prime Day deals.

In addition to being of the in-ear variety and sporting some sweet sound and even better noise cancellation given their size, AirPods Pro are exactly what they’re meant to be: the better version of Apple’s iconic AirPods.

That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily the best true wireless earbuds you’ll find. But they’re well above average and work great in the Apple ecosystem. They’re also nearly half the cost of AirPods Max. That’s maybe the most important stat of all, and all the more reason to hope for an AirPods Pro discount on Prime Day.

AirPods (3rd generation)

Apple AirPods 3 sit in their charging case.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends / Digital Trends

OK. The Pros still cost a lot of money, and some folks just don’t like noise cancellation. So we now turn to the regular-old AirPods, which are currently in their third generation. That’s still not nothing and is a price that a Prime Day discount could definitely take a slice out of.

They actually look more like AirPods Pro than not these days, so you’ll get that cool factor. And they’ll still sound great and connect seamlessly to all your Apple devices, which is one of those features that you’ll come to wonder how you lived without.

And it wouldn’t surprise us to find that these AirPods (as opposed to the “Pro” and “Max” models) may well end up being one of the better Prime Day headphone deals you’ll find this time around. We’ll just have to see — but definitely don’t miss out.

Phil Nickinson
Phil spent the 2000s making newspapers with the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, the 2010s with Android Central and then the…
These AirPods alternatives from 1More are impossibly cheap
1More TWS Q10 wireless earbuds.

It won't come as a surprise to anyone that you don't need to spend Apple AirPods-equivalent money (about $130) to get a decent set of comfortable wireless earbuds. But I'll bet most folks will be stunned to learn that you can buy a set of AirPods alternatives for just $17.

And no, I'm not talking about some no-name brand on Amazon that didn't exist six months ago (and may not exist six months from now). The company in question is 1More, a brand that we are very familiar with here at Digital Trends. Over the years, it has consistently wowed us with its ability to produce great headphones and earbuds at prices that are always much lower than we expect.

Read more
Apple AirPods Pro will get head gestures and better calling with iOS 18
A person wearing the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

Along with a slew of new features for iOS 18, Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote has given us a sneak peek at how the AirPods Pro will evolve come the fall.

One of the big changes is how you can respond to Siri's verbal options. For instance, when a call comes in and Siri asks if you'd like to accept, you can nod your head to do so or shake it to decline.

Read more
Did your AirPods Pro noise cancellation just get worse?
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe review

One of the best things about modern devices — including headphones — is that they can receive firmware updates. And one of the worst things about modern devices is that they can receive firmware updates. And a lot of folks are claiming that they're experiencing the latter after a recent update to Apple's AirPods Pro.

The firmware in question is version 6B34, and it appears to have tweaked the transparency and/or noise-cancellation features of the AirPods Pro in a way that appears to be not so welcome.

Read more