The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchLightSystemDarkTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has madeNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...ReviewTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechAppleCloseApplePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppleReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsThe premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has madeThe $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case have great ANC and finally add swipe volume controls.If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.by John HigginsCloseJohn HigginsSenior Reviewer, TVs & AudioPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by John HigginsSep 15, 2026, 1:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.The AirPods 5 earbuds and case look identical to the AirPods 4.John HigginsCloseJohn HigginsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by John Higgins is a senior reviewer covering TVs and audio. He has over 20 years experience in AV, and has previously been on staff at Digital Trends and Reviewed.It’s almost a guarantee that the new version of a product will be, at best, the same price as the old one, and often (especially in the past couple years) more expensive. But that’s not what Apple did with the AirPods 5. The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are $30 cheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANC they replace. They have slightly better active noise cancellation, and they’re the first non-Pro AirPods with volume controls on the stem. Apple has never made wireless earbuds that offer as much for so little, and they make the base AirPods 5, which are $20 cheaper but don’t have wireless charging or volume controls, pointless.8Verge ScoreApple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case$149$149The GoodCheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANCImproved soundVolume swipe controlThe BadBelow-average battery lifeConfusing naming convention$149 at Amazon$149 at AppleHow we rate and review productsThe AirPods 5, like all non-Pro AirPods, use an open-ear design, meaning they don’t have silicone ear tips to form a seal in your ear canal. Last generation, Apple offered two versions of the AirPods: one with active noise cancellation and one without. This time around, there are still two models. But both models of the AirPods 5 include active noise cancellation. They both also have adaptive audio and transparency mode, plus live translation with an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and are IP57 rated (up from IP54 on the AirPods 4). The main differences between the $129 AirPods 5 and the $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case — aside from the wireless charging case and the annoyingly long name — are the volume controls, battery life, and 20 bucks.RelatedAirPods Pro 3 review: tripling down on a good thingApple AirPods 4 review: defying expectationsApple announces AirPods 5 with ‘best-in-class open‑ear active noise cancellation’That extra $20 is well worth it. The wireless charging case is nice (it isn’t MagSafe, but it does work with the magnetic Apple Watch charger). But the most important change is that they finally have swipe volume controls. That’s one thing that’s been missing from all non-Pro AirPods until now. Part of the convenience of wireless earbuds is that you can leave your phone in your pocket or bag, and omitting volume control on the earbuds themselves defeats the purpose. With the two models so close in price, I can’t understand why Apple even released the base AirPods 5.The AirPods 5’s mesh screens are denser than the 4, naturally blocking more ambient sound.Apple says that both models of the AirPods 5 have up to 50 percent better noise cancellation than the AirPods 4 with ANC, but the company doesn’t provide details about which frequencies are affected (we’ll have to wait for folks like SoundGuys to put them on their measurement rig). While the size and look of the AirPods remains the same, Apple redesigned the internal acoustic architecture, reworked the algorithm, and included denser mesh on the ports for slightly more passive attenuation (naturally reducing ambient noise), which helps achieve that ANC improvement. In my own subjective testing, I could hear minor benefits both with low-end airplane drones and when out at a busy restaurant picking up some burritos to go.The AirPods 4 with ANC already delivered better noise-canceling than any other open-ear design I’ve heard (particularly clip earbuds), and the AirPods 5 do step that up. But don’t expect the kind of isolation you get from sealed earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3, which are often on sale for only $50 more.The AirPods 5 (right) share the exterior design as the AirPods 4 (middle), and are inspired by the internal acoustic architecture of the AirPods Pro 3 (left).Apple has always led the field with its transparency mode, but with the AirPods 5, there’s now barely any perceivable difference between transparency mode and not wearing the earbuds at all. With other earbuds, transparency mode generally boosts high-frequency ambient sounds a little, such as the sibilance of esses. Verge laptop reviewer Antonio Di Benedetto wore the new AirPods on a 5K run and found transparency mode to be preferable to ANC, as it gave great awareness without wind noise. It also never felt like the earbuds were in danger of falling out of his ears.The redesigned internals also benefit the AirPods 5’s sound. There’s more bass response — something I felt the AirPods 4 were sorely lacking — and vocals have more clarity and aren’t as covered and muted as they were on the 4. Kim Deal’s singing on “Gigantic” by The Pixies is clean and easy to hear amidst the distorted guitars that wash over the chorus, and throughout Surfer Rosa, the separation of instruments and voices across the soundstage impressed me. The AirPods 5 sound better than other open-ear earbuds I’ve heard.With iOS 27, Apple has added a 3-band EQ for those that want to tweak the sound. It’s not exclusive to these buds and will work with AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2 as well. The different bands don’t majorly change the sound profile, but it’s nice that Apple has finally included something for those who want to play around with it.Call quality is also better than on the AirPods 4. While my voice sounded a bit compressed to those I talked to, they didn’t have any difficulty understanding me, and traffic sounds were imperceptible. The occasional conversation from someone passing by or strong breeze would sneak through the attenuation, but it was never too distracting.The AirPods rest in the ear, but don’t go into the ear canal, which many find more comfortable and allows for better ambient awareness.The AirPods 5 are the first non-Pro Apple earbuds to have swipe volume control on the stem.The biggest disappointment with the AirPods 5 is their battery life. The buds are small, but only five hours with ANC on is below average and doesn’t even cover a cross-country flight. Battery life with the case has also decreased from 30 hours to 22. And for the base model AirPods 5, it’s even less — up to four hours on the earbuds, or up to 20 with the case. Putting the buds in their case for five minutes charges them up for another hour of listening.If all you’re looking for is solid earbuds, there are lots of cheaper options that offer many of the same features. Earbuds like the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and the Nothing Ear 3A are around $100 and have better noise canceling with sound quality that’s nearly as good. But neither of those have the same seamless integration with Apple products that the AirPods 5 do. And crucially, both of those are sealed earbuds, while the AirPods aren’t put into your ear canal at all, which some find more comfortable.Apple’s open-ear earbuds design has never been my favorite. Silicone tips are more secure and provide superior active noise cancellation (although they come with their own fit challenges). But the AirPods 4 redesign, which felt more comfortable in my ears, started to sway me. Now with ANC at a cheaper price that includes volume control and a wireless charging case, the $149 AirPods 5 are great for someone who doesn’t like the feel of a sealed fit. I wouldn’t even bother with the less expensive AirPods 5.Photography by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.John HigginsCloseJohn HigginsSenior Reviewer, TVs & AudioPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by John HigginsAppleCloseApplePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppleHeadphone ReviewsCloseHeadphone ReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Headphone ReviewsReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularApple releases iOS 27 with Siri AI overhaulThe Steam Frame is made for irresponsible hardware nerds like meThe Dell XPS 13 is the first real competitor to the MacBook NeomacOS 27 is available nowJensen Huang puts Trump on speakerphone onstage to announce robots won’t take over the worldThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The AirPods 5 earbuds and their wireless charging case are positioned as Apple's best open-ear offering, priced at $149. These devices incorporate enhanced active noise cancellation and introduce swipe volume controls on the stem, features that reviewers suggest offer significant improvements over previous models. The design of the AirPods 5 remains consistent with the AirPods 4, maintaining an open-ear aesthetic by dispensing with silicone ear tips, which some users find more comfortable and conducive to ambient awareness.

The acoustic performance of the AirPods 5 stems from an internal redesign that included an altered acoustic architecture and denser mesh, which contributes to improved passive attenuation of ambient noise. This architectural change, combined with reworked algorithms, results in up to fifty percent better noise cancellation compared to the AirPods 4 featuring active noise cancellation. While this level of isolation does not match that of fully sealed earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3, the improvement is substantial. Furthermore, the sound quality has been enhanced; the earbuds exhibit a better bass response and greater vocal clarity, with improved separation between instruments and voices in the soundstage, surpassing the AirPods 4.

Regarding transparency mode, the differences between using transparency mode and wearing no earbuds are minimal in AirPods 5, although some users, such as Antonio Di Benedetto, found transparency mode more beneficial than active noise cancellation as it provided greater environmental awareness without introducing wind noise. Call quality is also noted as an improvement over the previous generation, as external ambient sounds and traffic are less distracting, although some compression in voice quality was observed by one reviewer.

Despite the technological advancements, a primary drawback identified is the battery life. The earbuds offer a maximum of five hours with active noise cancellation engaged, which reviewers consider below average for long-duration use. Additionally, the battery capacity of the charging case has decreased from thirty hours to twenty-two hours. The decision to release the base model AirPods 5, while still offering a lower price point than the wireless charging case model, has been questioned, given the functional benefits provided by the extra features in the higher-priced option. Ultimately, while the AirPods 5 offer superior integration within the Apple ecosystem and specific features like volume controls, their overall value hinges on whether the improved sound and noise cancellation outweigh the limitations in battery longevity.