There should only be one model of the AirPods 5. This is a hill I will die on. But let's back up a bit, because there's a lot to discuss before we get to that ultimate conclusion.
Apple's latest "regular" AirPods no longer force you to choose between living with or without active noise cancellation (ANC). Since both models have the feature, it means they both also offer Live Translation, since that heavily relies on ANC to work its magic. But my frustrations with the two AirPods 5 options are in what I'd argue are inane differences between them.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that you can now get ANC and Live Translation on Apple's cheapest earbuds. It's also nice to see that the company increased the water resistance from IP54 on the AirPods 4 lineup to IP57 on this pair. That difference means the new AirPods can withstand full submersion under up to 1 meter (just over 3 feet) for up to 30 minutes. Before, your AirPods were only protected against splashes.
Apple also upgraded the ANC performance and sound quality on both AirPods 5 models. The company explained that these upgrades are due in part to "a new multiport acoustic architecture." Of course, Apple also tweaked both its ANC algorithms and its Adaptive EQ tool to bolster the improvements. The result is ANC that blocks 50 percent more noise than the AirPods 4 and "richer, more detailed sound." But when the obviously better-equipped version is just $20 more, the $129 model is a tough sell.
On the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, you get audible Find My abilities, swipeable volume controls and extended battery life in both the earbuds and the case. Additionally, as indicated by the very catchy name, you can also charge the whole set wirelessly via any Qi or Apple Watch charger.
Honestly, the volume control gesture on the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case is the biggest upgrade for me. I've gone back to the AirPods 4 recently, and every time I use them, I try to swipe to adjust the volume as if I'm wearing a set of the AirPods Pro. I feel like this could've been added to the pricier AirPods 4 model last year; it just seems like a feature that should've been standard before now.
The first thing that struck me about the AirPods 5 is the enhanced sound quality. Sure, I knew there would be a difference between these and the previous model, but I didn't expect to be wowed immediately. As soon as I got them in my ears and hit play on Sylvan Esso's "Flood Season," the bass stood out. Unlike the AirPods Pro models, which seal off your ear canal, open-wear earbuds like the AirPods typically struggle with low-end tone. With the changes Apple made to its audio platform on the AirPods 5, this isn't an issue. The upgrades extend to the extra detail the company promised, too: Instruments across a range of genres have texture and nuance, and songs are immersive, even without Spatial Audio activated.
When it comes to the ANC upgrade, the AirPods 5's most obvious advantage over the AirPods 4 with ANC is with constantly churning noises. If your home or office has an always-humming HVAC system, or your desk is near enough to a white noise machine, the AirPods 5 will provide welcome relief. Human voices still remain a challenge for these new models, but there's enough noise-blocking power here to at least reduce them, especially when you're listening to music or a podcast. You'll still hear the chatter, but it's at least at a much lower volume.
In general, what Apple has managed to do with ANC performance on "regular" AirPods that don't seal off your ears remains impressive. That was true when noise cancellation debuted on the AirPods 4 and is still the case here.
Apple's active noise cancellation tech, together with the processing power of the H2 chip, assists with features like Live Translation. On the AirPods 5, this means lowering the volume of the speaker (the person being translated) so that you can hear Siri's language conversion through the earbuds. You can either ask Siri to begin Live Translation, or you can activate the feature by pressing and holding the stems of both AirPods at the same time. You can also set the Action Button on your iPhone to trigger it, or navigate to the AirPods tab in the Translate app. As before, your iPhone functions as a display, showing a live transcription for reference or if you need pronunciation assistance. This all works as advertised so far, but I'll report back if I encounter any issues.
In terms of battery life, Apple promises up to five hours of listening time on the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case with ANC enabled. Turn that off, and the company says you can expect up to seven hours of use. During my tests, which were done entirely with ANC on and Spatial Audio off, I still had 5-7 percent left at the five hour mark. For comparison, the cheaper AirPods 5 get up to four hours with ANC and up to six hours without. And with both models, you can get one hour of emergency use with five minutes in the charging case.
If you're not on a tight budget, the AirPods Pro 3 remain Apple's best earbuds. Yes, the company is rumored to have a camera-equipped version for next year, but I'm not sure the current style of AirPods Pro will go away. With all the privacy concerns over smart glasses, it would be short-sighted for Apple to force users into camera earbuds if they want the best features.
Of course, the biggest update for the AirPods Pro 3 is built-in heart-rate monitoring. These earbuds also support Live Translation and the company's highly-touted Hearing Health tools are available here as well. And while I prefer the fit of the version before, there's no denying the latest AirPods Pro are excellent earbuds, a capable workout partner and a casual audiologist.
With all that the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case offers, I don't think customers would've been that mad if the only "regular" AirPods option was $149. I would prefer for the company to make a non-ANC version for around $99 as I'm sure there are folks who can (and may prefer to) live without active noise cancellation. My guess is the company was set on still offering a $129 model, and its collective hive mind was made up on all ANC all the time. Thus the only option was to withhold some of the pricier model's features to make the two choices just different enough.
I've had a week and a half to wallow in my frustration and I still don't understand it. The $149 AirPods 5 is clearly the better choice, and you can get it for just $20 more than the alternative. Even if you don't think you'll need the extra hour of battery life or the case's speaker, you will wish you had swipeable volume controls and the ability to plop the whole set down on a wireless charger (or an Apple Watch charger, for that matter).
While I may have a big gripe with the overall product strategy, that shouldn't detract from the fact that the $149 AirPods 5 is still an impressive set of open-wear earbuds. I'm still amazed at what Apple has done with noise cancellation on this type of device. And there's something to be said for bringing the price of the best option down by $30.
