The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are currently discounted to $164, down from their $179 MSRP. At this price, they represent a meaningful entry point for people who want Active Noise Cancellation without the fit constraints of silicone ear tips, or who simply prefer the lighter feel of an open design.
The redesign that matters most is the one you don’t see: Apple engineered the shape around millions of ear scans to fit a broader range of people. The stem is shorter, the contour is refined, and there’s a new force sensor for quick presses to control playback and calls. Up to five hours of listening time on a single charge drops to four hours with Active Noise Cancellation enabled; the case extends that to 30 hours total, or 20 with ANC on.
The H2 chip handles the computational lifting here, running the same processor that powers the AirPods Pro 2. What’s novel is how Apple applied it: Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency mode in real time, automatically adjusting as your environment changes. Conversation Awareness lowers volume when you start talking to someone nearby. Voice Isolation cleans up your voice in loud conditions by reducing background noise while isolating your speech for whoever’s on the call. Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking creates a theater-like listening experience for music, shows, movies, and games. An optical sensor pauses playback when you remove them and resumes when you put them back on. Find My works for locating lost earbuds or the case.
These don’t seal your ear canal the way silicone-tipped earbuds do, so the ANC won’t cut as aggressively into low-frequency drone, airplane engines, air conditioning hum, though reviewers confirm it handles those use cases pretty decently. If you’re coming from the AirPods Pro 2 expecting equivalent noise blocking, you’ll notice the difference. The tradeoff is comfort; people who dislike silicone tips often find the open design far more wearable for all-day use. The charging case is the smallest in its class with wireless charging capability, and it accepts Apple Watch chargers, USB-C cables, or any Qi-certified charger. iOS 27 adds adjustable equalizer settings, closing a feature gap that existed at launch. IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistance means they’ll survive a workout or rain without drama.
At $164 with the current discount, these sit $65 below the AirPods Pro 2 and $35 above the base AirPods 4 without ANC. Whether the deal justifies the purchase hinges on whether you want Active Noise Cancellation without the fit constraints of in-ear tips. If you do and your ears are comfortable in an open design, this discount price delivers utility: Adaptive Audio is thoughtful, battery life meets expectations, and the form factor is measurably more stable than the previous generation.
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