AirPods buying guide

If you’re thinking of buying AirPods, you’ve got a few options to choose from. Apple currently has four models in the range, but how do they compare in terms of features? In this article we take a look at which AirPods are the best for your needs, not to mention your bank balance.

MODELS

Apple sells four different models. These range from the standard AirPods right up to the over-the-ear AirPods Max. Here’s the list:

• AirPods (2nd generation)

• AirPods (3rd generation)

• AirPods Pro

• AirPods Max

It also sells the EarPods (either with Lightning connector of 3.5mm plug) and in addition Beats is a subsidiary of Apple, so Beats headphones often include Applespecific features.

PRICE

As the models vary quite a bit in terms of construction and features, the range also encompasses a wide span of pricing. Here’s how they all breakdown:

AirPods (2nd Generation): £119

AirPods (3rd Generation): £169

AirPods Pro: £239

AirPods Max: £549

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE AIRPODS?

Depending on the features you desire, there is almost certainly an AirPod model that will deliver the goods. We’ll run through each below, explaining what they offer in comparison to the other options.

AIRPODS (2ND GENERATION)

Price: £119 from fave.co/3hF8LxC When AirPods were first announced in 2016, people were sceptical. Apple wants us to pay £160 for EarPods without wires? What’s with those sticks sticking out of your ears? The case looks like dental floss!

But then, everyone who actually used them fell instantly in love. Easy pairing, auto-pausing, lightweight comfort, and rock-solid connection – Apple took all the pain points of Bluetooth headphones away. AirPods flew off the shelves and were back ordered for months as Apple ramped up production to meet demand.

Everything old is new again

If you go to the Apple site and look up AirPods, you will find this entrylevel model. When it was released, it completely replaced the previous offering. When Apple needs to make a distinction between this model and its predecessor, it calls them ‘AirPods (2nd generation)’.

The implication is clear: you should not expect these to revolutionize the wireless earphones market all over again. You should expect AirPods, as you’ve always known them, just a little bit better. Refined, you might say.

They have the same look, the same shape, the same glossy white finish. The case has the same design. You still pair them with your iPhone by simply holding the case open nearby, just as before. You use them just as you used the old ones: double-tap to skip tracks forward/back or invoke Siri. Music pauses when you take one out of your ear and starts playing again when you put it back in.

In fact, with the exception of a new optional Wireless Charging Case that has a tiny LED on the front, you’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference between the new AirPods and the old ones.

The new AirPods have the same battery life as the old ones, too: about five hours of music playback, with the case holding enough power for four recharges. The sound quality is also the same – slightly better than Apple’s wired EarPods, slightly worse than most £150 wired earphones.

The H1 chip: Faster sync, hands-free Siri

The second-generation AirPods may look and sound the same, but they’ve changed inside. They use a customdesigned H1 chip that Apple says is “developed specifically for headphones” and allow for improved efficiency.

The chip enables the one truly new feature of the AirPods: the ability to invoke Siri by simply saying ‘Hey, Siri’ instead of double-tapping (though double-tapping still works). In my testing, it worked well, even on a noisy street. Sound playback will dim after a couple of seconds to let you know Siri is listening, but you don’t have to wait for that. As with your iPhone, simply say your entire command without pausing for best results.

We still think Siri needs to get a lot better, and desperately needs the ability to fully function with thirdparty music services just as well as it does with Apple Music. But AirPods are best in situations where your hands are occupied: at the gym, riding a bike, bundled up in freezing cold weather. I didn’t realize how useful