The new kid on the block comes with a great price and a wicked feature set. There's a new design, a new charging port, and even Spatial Audio — but is it worth upgrading to the new model, or choosing them over the likely soon to be heavily reduced 2nd generation?
The AirPods 2 have now been pulled from the Apple Store, but they're still an option if you look around. They were a great pick a few years ago — but how do they stack up now that they've been replaced?
The AirPods 2 have been around for many years now, having first appeared in 2019. They were well due a replacement soon, and at the Glowtime event on September 9, Apple showed off the AirPods 4, the latest version of the cheapest AirPods.
With a great price and some wicked features, the AirPods 4 look like a great option if you're looking for a pair of Apple true-wireless earbuds that don't cost the world.
But, with the AirPods 2 now likely to reach some incredibly low prices as the likes of Amazon and Best Buy bring them new reductions to clear stock, which pair should you consider buying? The brand new, feature-rich AirPods 4, or the super budget AirPods 2?
Let's compare their specs and put them head to head.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 2: Availability & Price
The AirPods 4 are, currently, only available to preorder on the Apple Store. They're going to be released proper on September 20, when they'll ship out to preorder customers and become available for order from other 3rd party retailers. They're going to cost you $129 for the model comparable to the AirPods 2, but if you want to pay more and grab yourself some with noise canceling, you'll pay $179.
The AirPods 2, on the other hand, are no longer available on the Apple Store as they've been replaced with the preorder page for the AirPods 4. You can, of course, go and grab a pair from the likes of Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy, and now that they're five years old, you'll generally find them for a reduced price.
So how much should you expect to spend on a pair of AirPods 2? Well, $129 was their full price at Apple, but you'll generally now find them for under $100. The lowest price they've ever been was for a few weeks at Amazon in August 2024, where they dropped to $69. If you're not buying them on a sale, expect to pay around $89.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 2: Design
The AirPods 4 have recieved a totally new design with this refresh, and there are some big differences from the old model. The only thing that's remained the same, in fact, is the finish of the AirPods, for unlike the colorful AirPods Max, the AirPods 4 are only available in the shiny white plastic finish. That might not come as a surprise as almost every pair of in-ear AirPods come in the same hue.
The rest of the design, however, is a massive update: The stems have been shortened over the AirPods 2, making them look smaller in your ear. The opening for the drivers has been widened as well, hopefully not only improving the sound but also their comfort. Apple has paid special attention to the comfort of the buds this time around, apparently using 50 million data points to make them as nice in your ears as possible. That's a big bonus over the AirPods 2, which aren't particularly comfortable at all.
The case has shrunk as well, for what Apple calls "the smallest AirPods case ever". It's received a USB-C port for charging, and it looks like a smaller version of the case that the AirPods Pro 2 come in.
The AirPods 2, on the other hand, have aged. They're still white, like the new ones, but the case is longer, the earbuds much bigger, and it still uses a lightning port at the bottom for charging. If you're looking for a pair of AirPods that have an up-to-date design, you're going to be better off with the AirPods 4.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 2: Features
This is where the AirPods 4 really make their case for your dollars. There are a whole bunch of new features for the new model, and they make the old AirPods 2 really feel their age. First and foremost is the H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2, which has allowed for some very cool audio goodies.
You're going to get Spatial Audio with every model of the AirPods 4, and it's personalized to boot. That used to be the territory of the more expensive AirPods 3, so to have it on $129 AirPods is a great boon. There's dynamic head tracking too, bringing them ever closer to the very expensive AirPods Pro 2.
They've also been given Force sensors in the stems rather than the touch sensors of the AirPods 2 for easier control.
In fact, if you check the specs comparison of the AirPods 2 and the AirPods 4 on the Apple website, you'll soon discover that there are some massive improvements to the audio tech inside as well. There's now voice isolation for calls, so that the person on the other end of the line can hear you better in noisy environments, for example. There's adaptive EQ, and much better audio hardware for increased sound quality.
If you spend an extra $50, you can even get the AirPods 4 with the full gamut of noise canceling, with all the requisite transparency and adaptive modes. They're more comparable to the AirPods 3, but if you want the best AirPods under $200, they may well be up your street.
Look at the AirPods 2, on the other hand, and you get a pair of earbuds that pop out of their case, play music, and then charge when they go back in the case. If you want the latest features, then you're going to need the AirPods 4.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 2: Battery
The AirPods battery life remains, even in the latest versions, not incredible. The AirPods 4 without ANC will last you 5 hours, and then you can boost that up to 30 hours with the charging case. If you get the ANC version, they will last you 4 hours with the noise canceling turned on, and then 20 hours with the charging case.
The AirPods 2 will net you the very same 5 hours of battery life, extended to 24 hours with the charging case. There's not much to upgrade here, so if you where hoping for loads more battery, you're out of luck.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 2: Worth the upgrade?
Given that your old AirPods 2 are starting to show their age, the AirPods 4 are the perfect pair of buds to upgrade to. There are loads more features on board, and the price remains excellent and comparable to those you would have found the old model for on the Apple Store only days ago.
If you want something really cheap, however, and you don't want to spend more than $100, then the AirPods 2 remain a solid in-ear buds option — just don't expect the best pair of in-ear buds around.
More from Tom's Guide
- AirPods 4 unveiled at Apple event — two new models, prices and ANC
- Apple AirPods 4: All the new features
- AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods Pro 2: Biggest upgrades to expect
