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The best AirPods Black Friday deals still live: Save up to $150 on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Max and more
Save big on AirPods this Black Friday
Cyber Monday has now officially begun, and there are some massive deals on AirPods for you to enjoy. I've spotted the lowest prices on some of the most desirable models, from the premium to the budget — and everything in between.
The best deal? That's on Apple's premium in-ear buds. The AirPods Pro 2 are currently $154 at Amazon. Now we have seen them slightly cheaper over the course of the weekend — although it was only by a single cent. This is near as makes little difference the lowest price ever for a great Cyber Monday AirPods deal.
There are also the lowest prices on the likes of the AirPods Max, although I'm seeing stock levels start to drop on those at the moment. Still, you can pick up a pair of AirPods Max for just $399 at Amazon at the moment, for a great lowest-ever price. The USB-C version is also reduced, although only by $50.
I'll be keeping my eye on the rest of the AirPods deals as they go live over the rest of the weekend. If you'd like a different pair of headphones, make sure to check out the best Black Friday headphones live blog, where I'll be tracking the best deals on earbuds and over-ears over the course of the sale.
Quick links
- AirPods 4: was $129 now $119 @ Amazon
- AirPods 4 with ANC: was $179 now $164 @ Amazon
- AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $154 @ Walmart
- AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $154 @ Amazon
- AirPods Max: was $549 now $395 @ Amazon
About the author
Hi! I'm Tammy, and as Tom's Guide's Audio Editor, I know everything there is to know about headphones, earbuds and everything inbetween. Before I joined the tam here, I used to work on an Apple focused site — so I have a clear idea of what kind of deals you should be looking for when you're after a pair of AirPods.
AirPods 4 deals
The AirPods 4 without ANC are a great way to get AirPods without breaking the bank. As we found in our AirPods 4 review, you retain the excellent sound and incredible Spatial Audio of the ANC version, but you save money and get an extra hour of battery life. This $10 off sales is their first and only discount, and the lowest price yet.
The AirPods 4 are Apple's latest AirPods, and they pack in some extra premium features. Our AirPods 4 review found a pair of earbuds with surprisingly effective ANC, solid sound and a comfortable open fit. 4 hours of battery life with ANC on isn't the best, however. This $11 discount is a nice Black Friday surprise, bringing them down to their lowest price ever.
AirPods Pro 2 deals
Very nearly topping our list of the best noise canceling earbuds, the AirPods Pro 2 are a great option for Apple users. Our AirPods Pro 2 review revealed great ANC performance, a very comfortable fit and superb sound quality with Spatial Audio support. The battery life of 6 hours is good as well. This is currently the lowest price we've ever seen on the AirPods Pro 2.
The AirPods Pro 2 are my favorite AirPods, thanks to the litany of excellent features. Tom's Guide's AirPods Pro 2 review gave these buds 4.5/5 stars, thanks to their impressive ANC, neutral sound profile and constantly updating feature list. Most recently they received the ability to double as hearing aids. This deal brings them down to their lowest price ever.
AirPods Max deals
There's an incredible deal on AirPods Max at Amazon at the moment, where a $150 discount brings them down to their lowest price ever. As you'll see in our AirPods Max review , these headphones offer excellent noise-canceling performance, easy-to-use controls and immersive spatial audio. Note the discount varies by color.
If you head over to Adorama right now, you'll find $100 off the AirPods Max. That's a good price for the AirPods Max, although not the lowest at the moment. Take a look at our AirPods Max review, and you'll find some very comfortable headphones with excellent sound quality and a stylish look. This deal is only on the gray color.
Beats deals
Hear your favorite music the way Dr. Dre intended with a pair of Beats Studio Buds, built for music aficionados. Available in three different colors, including red, black, and white, the Beats Studio Buds are designed with IPX4 rating for sweat resistance and also have noise cancelling capabilities. These awesome buds are made even better thanks to this Black Friday deal that slashes them down to their lowest price.
The Beats Studio Pro bring some top-notch features to a solid price. They sound really good thanks to their new Beats tuning, and the ANC is better than anything below $200. This $200 discount is a massive saving, and brings them down to their lowest price ever. Our review loved the way they feel, and their impressive battery life.
The Beats Solo 4 are, in essence, the Beats Studio Pro with the ANC stripped out. That not only makes them cheaper, but it also makes the battery last longer at 50 hours. We loved them in our review, including the sound and Spatial Audio support.
FAQs
Which AirPods are best for me?
Working out which AirPods model you should buy comes down to more than just how much they cost. Of course, you'll want to check out the best AirPods to get the full low down on Apple's headphones and earbuds, but I'll go through the three main AirPods that you can buy right now.
AirPods 4
The AirPods 4 are the latest AirPods to join the fray, and they are for those looking to save some money. They are the core of the AirPods experience, with the magic connection, excellent interoperability with Apple devices and the clean, gloss-white aesthetic. They lack silicon ear tips for a more open fit, so if you don't like the way that most earbuds feel in your ear, you might like the less invasive feel of the AirPods 4. They have some premium features as well, such as Spatial Audio for Dolby Atmos when you go and listen to Apple Music. Sound is fine, with more bass than you'd expect and clear highs. Some might not like the emphasis on the top end. The biggest problem is the battery life — they'll only last you 5 hours on a charge. You do get 30 hours out of the charging case though. They cost $129, and recieved a 4 and a half in our AirPods 4 review.
AirPods 4 with ANC
These are mostly the same as the standard AirPods 4, although they come with some extra features. These are for those that don't want to spend the extra on the AirPods Pro 2, but also want the extra added bonus of active noise cancelling and other more premium features. In addition to all the other features of the AirPods 4, you also get the aforementioned ANC and a wireless charging case. I found the ANC to be surprisingly effective, especially considering how they fit. They have a $50 price premium over the AirPods 4.
AirPods Pro 2
These are the top-of-the-line earbuds that Apple builds, and they come with some great features for a price that's now not too unreasonable. This set of AirPods is for people who want the best wireless earbuds for Apple devices, thanks to their excellent interoperability between Apple devices. Unlike the AirPods 4, they have silicon ear tips for a better seal within the ear which improves the ANC. As a result, the ANC is amongst the very best. I've found it brilliant for blocking out the noise of busy office blocks, buses and train travel. The sound is good as well, with a neutral signature. Battery life is better than the AirPods 4, with 6 hours from the buds themselves. They cost $249, and they earned a 4 and a half stars in our AirPods Pro 2 review.
AirPods Max
There are currently two different versions of AirPods Max that you can buy, the USB-C version and the Lightning version. The only differences between the two models are the charging port and the color options.
The AirPods Max are Apple's over-ear headphones, and they look unlike anything else you'll see in the headphone space. These are the headphones for people who want the very best that Apple has to offer, with studio-quality sound, and the best Spatial Audio around. They have a very neutral sound signature, and they reveal bits of your music that you might never have heard before. They're plenty bassy too, with loads of low-end on offer. The Spatial Audio is what impresses me the most. I like to connect them to my Apple TV 4K, and watch my movies and TV shows in Dolby Atmos without disturbing the rest of the house. The case is unfortunately not great, and the battery life of 20 hours could be better, but they still managed to get a 4-star rating in our AirPods Max review. They cost $549.
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It's still not worth picking up the AirPods 4
We're going to say it until we're blue in the face, I can feel it, but the AirPods 4 with ANC are currently 'not it' during the Cyber Monday sales. They are currently reduced by $10, which brings them to a new lowest price. Still, the AirPods Pro 2, a much better pair of noise canceling in-ears are now just $154 — another $10 less than the AirPods 4.
That's a much better pair of earbuds, with better ANC, superior sound, and a much more comfortable fit. Battery life is better, there are more features... Do we need to go on? If you're looking for noise canceling AirPods, just go for the AirPods Pro 2.
AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $154 @ Amazon
What would I buy, I hear you ask?
I will never stop recommending the AirPods Pro 2, especially now they're just $154. That's just $0.01 off their lowest ever price.
To me, getting a pair of AirPods is a no-brainer if you've got an iPhone or MacBook. When I first tried these earbuds, I didn't take much convincing. I borrowed my sister's AirPods Pro 2s and ten minutes later I'd bought myself a pair. The sound quality is immense (considering the size and Bluetooth-restrictions of wireless in-ears), the customization is incredible, and I love personalized spatial audio. I love love love my AirPods.
If you want to get the AirPods experience without having to spend a lot, then this AirPods 4 deal is the one for you. Amazon is currently selling the wireless earbuds without active noise cancelling for just $119. Which is pretty cheap considering the cost of other AirPod models.
Of course if you do want to be able to block out the noise from the world around you, the ANC-capable AirPods 4 are discounted too. They just aren't nearly as cheap, and you'll have to pay $164 for a pair of your own. That's still a $15 saving, however.
Apple AirPods 4: was $129 now $119 @ Amazon
Apple AirPods 4 with ANC: was $179 now $164 @ Amazon
The AirPods Max have some solid Spatial Audio representation on board, but they've been thoroughly outclassed by the Sonos Ace which came out earlier this year. Thanks to Sonos' experience making large smart speakers and Dolby Atmos soundbars, the Spatial Audio is the best you'll hear in some wireless headphones.
This deal brings them down to their lowest price ever, thanks to a $100 discount at Amazon.
Sonos Ace: was $449 now $349 @ Amazon
Black Friday is now moving into Cyber Monday, and with have come some shifts in the deals. The AirPods Pro 2 have just become a whole dollar more expensive. Don't worry though, that still means they're pretty much at their lowest price ever. This deal looks to be sticking around for the weekend, and I'm surprised they haven't run out of stock yet.
The AirPods Pro 2 have been the deal of the sale over the last few days — and that does seem to be extending over the weekend as well.
AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $154 @ Amazon
AirPods Max deal still going (but check colors)
Black Friday is almost over but the AirPods Max still has a great discount of $399, which is $150 off. This discount is on the Lightning version but keep in mind that this low price is only available on certain colors. For example, you can get the green and sky blue colors for $399 in Lightning, but the orange USB-C model is $499, down from $549.
It looks like stock is running out, so we'd hurry on this one. No matter which model you choose, you'll get strong noise cancelling performance, immersive Spatial audio and fairly good battery life at 20 hours.
- Apple AirPods Max (Lightning): was $549 now $399 @ Amazon
Beats Solo 3: was $199 now $94 @ Amazon
The Beats Solo 3 headphones might be getting older, but they're still a solid set with 40-hours of battery life. At sale for $94 knocks over $100 off the price. They feature the Apple W1 chip which means they can quickly pair with your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
They're not the greatest headphones ever but they're comfortable, compact, sturdy and full of that bass-forward sound that Beats loves.
Beats Studio Buds: was $149 now $79 @ Amazon
Now down to their lowest price yet, the Beats Studio Buds are the way to go this holiday season with IPX4 rating and active noise cancelling. The Studio Buds are built for audiophiles, with eight hours of listening time on high quality audio performance. IPX4 means these buds are sweat resistant, but you won't be sweating with all the hefty saving you're getting on this Black Friday deal.
AirPods Max with USB-C: was $549 now $499
Apple's over-ear headphones were refreshed in September with new color options and the long-awaited transition to USB-C charging. Although the older version with lightning charging is an extra $100 off, the fact that you can get the new AirPods Max on sale for $499 is still a great score. Personally, I'd go with purple, but the new orange color is a fun pick, too.
Are AirPods worth it?
So this going to be a personal one — but I would say absolutely. I really like my AirPods Pro 2, and I also enjoy the AirPods Max. If you're into your premium earbuds and headphones, you'll find a lot to like with their strong noise canceling, comfortable fits and great sound quality.
If you're looking to spend a little less, however, there are better options. If you want to save some money, make sure you check out our Black Friday headphones deals live blog.
The AirPods Pro 2 have lots of competition out there, including some at great prices. The Liberty 4 Pro are a great alternative to the AirPods Pro 2, and they come in at a lower price. At the moment there's $30 off at Amazon, making them a whole lot more affordable than other options.
They sound good as well, and there's a little screen that tells you how much battery each bud has left. It's a fun addition to an already impressive pair of earbuds.
Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro: was $129 now $99 @ Amazon
I feel like it's been long enough that we give you a reminder that the AirPods Pro 2 are at their lowest-ever price. There's a $100 discount, bringing them down to $153. That's an incredible discount on some of the best noise-canceling earbuds around.
Comfortable fit? Check. Solid sound? Check. Good battery life? Also check. This is a great deal on one of Tom's Guide's favorite pairs of earbuds.
AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $153 @ Amazon
What If I find some refurbished AirPods 2?
I'm going to be blunt here — don't. No matter how cheap they are, they simply aren't worth it anymore. There are plenty of options out there that are cheaper now, and you'll get a much better pair of earbuds for a great deal less.
Instead, you should think of buds from the likes of Beats. The Solo Buds are only $49 now, and they havean incredible amount of battery life on tap. They are a great budget oriented bud, and they connect like magic — just as an AirPod might.
Beats Solo Buds: was $79 now $49 @ Amazon
Here's an AirPods Max alternative that you should have a think about. The Dyson OnTrac headphones are a mad-looking pair of headphones from the vacuum cleaner maker, and they're currently $50 off in the Black Friday sale. This deal brings them down to their new lowest price.
The OnTrac wheren't wholly successful, but they are a very cool looking headphones with some cool features.
Dyson OnTrac: was $499 now $449 @ Amazon
We haven't mentioned any official sales at the Apple Store, and that's for a good reason: there isn't one.
Apple has decided not to get involved in slashing prices this year, leaving the field open for the AirPods Pro 2 to drop down to their lowest ever price at Amazon. But they're not totally out of the game.
If you buy eligible devices at the Apple Store between now (Black Friday) and Cyber Monday (Dec 2nd) you can get an Apple Gift Card worth up to $200.
Sure, it's not as wallet-friendly as an upfront discount, but if you spend a lot of time in the Apple ecosystem (and you likely do if you're after Black Friday AirPods deals), it could be a good option.
If there's nothing else you want but a pair of AirPods and you don't want to stretch for the more expensive models, then you should think about the AirPods 4 and their much lower price. They're even more affordable in the Black Friday sales — thanks to a $10 saving, they're now just $119 at Amazon.
Remember that's the non-ANC variant of the AirPods — if you're after ANC, just buy the AirPods Pro 2.
AirPods 4 no ANC: was $129 now $119 @ Amazon
The Denon PerL Pro are a great pair of AirPods Pro 2 alternatives thanks to their excellent noise canceling and stunning sound. They also have a wicked ace up their sleeve — sound personalization that maps out your ear and changes the EQ accordingly. It works incredibly well, and it means they sound great for anyone of all hearing types.
There is also currently a $150 discount on them at Amazon, making them even cheaper than the AirPods Pro 2.
Denon PerL Pro: was $299 now $149 @ Amazon
The Beats Solo buds are the budget addition to Apple's Beats line, and they have a particular feature that makes them well worth consideration over the other AirPods. The Solo Buds last for 18 hours on a charge in the buds themselves for some of the best-staying power around.
They also sound solid, and their case is small and light enough that you won't notice it in a pocket. Get some of the best battery life around for $49.
Beats Solo Buds: was $79 now $49 @ Amazon
Sometimes, you don't need the noise-blocking qualities of ANC. You just want your headphones and your music — and the Apple-made Beats Solo 4 are a great way of getting just that. Thanks to their simpler internals they're much lighter than the alternatives, and their lack of ANC means the battery life lasts a great deal longer than the Studio Pro.
This $100 discount brings them down to the lowest price ever, for a great Black Friday deal and a solid AirPods alternative.
Beats Solo 4: was $199 now $99 @ Amazon
One of the best features of the AirPods line is that you can connect them to your Apple TV 4K box and listen to the TV audio through your headphones. It does only work with your Apple TV though, and you can't listen to any of your other TV audio with them. The Sonos Ace have an AirPods beating trick up their sleeve — if you have a compatible sound bar, you can switch the TV audio over to your headphones. No matter what you watching or playing.
At the moment, you can save $100 on the Sonos Ace for a great Black Friday deal. That makes them $349, less than the AirPods Max.
Sonos Ace: was $449 now $349 @ Amazon
The AirPods Max have great ANC — but its nothing compared to the noise canceling built into the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. I've never experienced anything like it — you put them on, press the button, and the outside world just... disappears. They're comfortable as well thanks to their light weight and plush earcups.
It would be nice if they lasted longer than 24 hours, but it's still plenty to get you through the day. At the moment, you can pick up the Diamond and Lunar Blue color options for just $299.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones: was $429 now $299 @ Amazon
If you want the AirPods experience but don't want to pay the AirPods prices, then the Beats Studio Buds are a great option. They have some of the same internals as AirPods, and they sound better than the base model AirPods 4. They also contain ANC for a bargain price, and their small, slim case slips into any pocket or bag.
This deal brings them down to a new lowest price, with a solid $70 saving. This is a new lowest price for the buds in fact, and makes them cheaper than any model of AirPods you can buy at the moment.
Beats Studio Buds: was $149 now $79 @ Amazon
Here's a good example of a deal that you probably shouldn't buy. Not because the AirPods 4 are bad, far from it. They're a very solid pair of earbuds. No, it's because you can currently buy their much better and usually more expensive cousins, the AirPods Pro 2, for a much better price at the moment thanks to a massive discount.
The AirPods 4 are currently only $15 off in the Black Friday sale. While that gives them a new lowest price, you should choose AirPods Pro 2 and their $153 lowest ever price.
AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $153 @ Amazon
AirPods 4 with ANC: was $179 now $164 @ Amazon
You might be wondering which AirPods you should spend your money on this Black Friday — the AirPods Pro 2, or the AirPods 4 with ANC. I've gone more into depth with my AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 Black Friday explainer, but it's actually really simple.
Unless you really want the looser fit of the AirPods 4, the AirPods Pro 2 present a much better value than their cousins. There's even an $11 price difference, getting you more AirPod for less. It is, as they say, a no brainer. Although I do hope you have a brain.
The biggest deal of the Black Friday sales is found on Apple's finest in-ears — the AirPods Pro 2. Thanks to a great $100 saving, you can currently pick up a pair for just $153. That's the fresh lowest price, and makes them cheaper than even the newer (and inferior) AirPods 4.
I love the AirPods Pro 2 — they're incredibly comfortable, they sound excellent, and they feature some great ANC to block out the outside world. This deal makes them the cheapest they've ever been for a great Black Friday deal.
AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $153 @ Amazon
Apple's excellent over-ear headphones are down at a new lowest price this Black Friday. If you head on over to Amazon right now, you'll find a $150 discount, bringing them down to $399. That's a great saving on the headphones of choice of Tom's Guide's Global Editor in Chief, Mark Spoonauer.
You get a stunning pair of headphones with the AirPods Max (if you ignore the woeful travel case). They're comfortable, the sound is excellent, and they look unlike anything else you'll find.
AirPods Max: was $549 now $399 @ Amazon