Even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the AirPods Pro 2 are a better deal than the AirPods 4

AirPods Pro 2 in hand
(Image credit: Future)

Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we were lucky enough to see the AirPods Pro 2 reach their new lowest price. They were, at their new price, a much better deal than the AirPods 4 with ANC, with a $15 price differential in the Pro 2's favor. Throughout the sale, I told everyone "ignore the newness bias, and just buy the AirPods Pro 2".

Now that the sale is over, you might expect that the AirPods Pro 2 are back up at full price. Thankfully, you'd be mistaken; while they are no longer as cheap as they once were, they're still a much better deal than the AirPods 4. You can pick up the AirPods Pro 2 for $169 at Amazon — only $5 more than the AirPods 4.

Apple AirPods Pro 2
Apple AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $169 at Amazon

Still a better deal! The AirPods Pro 2 aren't as cheap as they were over the Cyber Weekend, but that shouldn't stop you from picking them up now. We love them as well, with our review giving them 4 1/2 stars and an editor's choice badge. They sound great, the ANC and transparency modes are great, and 6 hours of battery life is still pretty good. More importantly, they're much better than the AirPods 4 — and easily worth the extra $5.

The AirPods 4 launched to a great amount of fanfare, and, for a couple of months, the pricing made sense. You had four options of AirPods — the budget pair, the mid-range pair, the premium in-ears, and then the most desirable. The ANC AirPods 4 were the mid-range pair, and they were a solid option if you didn't want to spend loads on the AirPods Pro 2 ( the premium in-ears) and you wanted more than the AirPods 4 without ANC (the budget pair).

Black Friday and Cyber Monday tossed a very large and very conspicuous spanner into the motor, however. The AirPods Pro 2 dropped to an incredibly low price which made the premium option less than the mid-range option. Now that the sale is over, the premium is once again more than the mid-range — but you should still buy the AirPods Pro 2.

For just $5 extra, you get better ANC, better sound, a more comfortable fit, and far superior battery life. It really is, and really should be a complete no brainer.

Tammy Rogers
Audio Editor

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

Read more
AirPods 4 on a plant
AirPods 4 just got a big price drop — and it's way cheaper than Black Friday
AirPods Pro 2 with deal tag
Act fast! AirPods Pro 2 just dropped to their lowest price of the year
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 2
Powerbeats Pro 2 vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2 — which Apple earbuds win?
AirPods 4 on a table
Listen up! AirPods 4 just dropped below $100 for a new lowest price ever
AirPods Pro 2 in charging case
Best cheap AirPods deals and sales in February 2025
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with charging case placed on a table outside
5 things the AirPods Pro 3 can learn from the AirPods 4
Latest in Audio
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
There are some great updates coming to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro — but you probably won't be able to get them
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro
WiFi earbuds are real and they're coming — but they won't replace your AirPods just yet
the black shure movemic 88+ for phone-first content creation, with wireless bluetooth connection and a receiver for camera connection
I just tested the ultimate wireless mic for on-the-go TikTokers and content creators
Honor Earbuds Open
I'm a big open-ear skeptic — but these new wireless earbuds just changed my mind
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones being held up in front of urban building with price drop badge
Save $100 on Bose's flagship noise canceling headphones — QuietComfort Ultra headphones slashed to $329 at Amazon
Black and ecru (off-white) color versions against a office window
New Sony XM6 leak reveals what colors to expect — here's everything we know
Latest in Deals
iPad Air M3 tablet shown in various colors
iPad Air M3 and iPad A16 — here's where you can pre-order Apple's latest devices
Outdoor patio furniture with killer deals tag
Walmart's spring sale knocks up to 50% off outdoor items — 11 deals I'd shop for my backyard
Mac mini M4 seen on a desk with a Tom's Guide 'killer deal' badge
Hurry! The new Mac mini M4 returns to its lowest ever price at Amazon
YETI, Patagonia, Hoka, Sony Deals
My favorite deals of the week — 11 sales I’d shop from Apple, Patagonia, Home Depot and more
DreamCloud mattress
Buy a DreamCloud mattress and get a free bedding bundle worth $599 in time limited sale
Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Auto
Our favorite air purifier has dropped in price — just in time for allergy season