Apple has sold more wireless earbuds than anyone else by following a simple formula: make them seamless, make them comfortable, and let the hardware disappear into your day. The AirPods 4 continue that formula with a reshaped open fit design, the H2 chip, Personalized Spatial Audio, and a USB-C charging case, and they add up to 30 hours of total battery life into the bargain. For people who hate the plugged feeling of silicone tips, these are the earbuds Apple has always been building toward.
I wore the AirPods 4 for a month as my everyday earbuds, on commutes, in video calls, and through workouts, and this review covers the fit, the sound, the battery, and the places where the open design both helps and hurts. The disclosure up front: this article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or recommend. You can see the current price of the AirPods 4 on Amazon while you read.
Design and Build
The AirPods 4 look like the classic AirPods at a glance, but the shape has been carefully reworked. The stems are shorter, the earbud bodies are angled to sit more naturally in the ear, and the result is a fit that feels lighter and more secure than previous open fit AirPods. They still do not plug your ears, but they grip the outer ear well enough to survive jogging and head shaking without falling out.
The charging case is compact and satisfying, with a USB-C port on the bottom, a pairing button on the side, and a small status light on the front. The case supports wireless charging, so it works on any Qi pad or MagSafe charger, and the hinge feels solid enough to survive years of pocket use. Each earbud and the case itself carry an IPX4 rating, which means sweat and light rain are no problem, though Apple does not recommend rinsing them or taking them swimming.
The controls are the familiar stem squeezes, and they are improved. A squeeze plays or pauses, two squeezes skip forward, three skip back, and a quick press and hold cycles between noise modes on the models that have them. The stem also has a volume control via a slide gesture on this generation, which closes the last gap that forced you to reach for your phone.
Key Features
The H2 chip is the engine, and it powers the features that make the AirPods 4 feel smarter than their price. Pairing is instantaneous on iPhone, switching between your devices is automatic, and the chip enables Personalized Spatial Audio, which uses the TrueDepth camera on your iPhone to map your ears and tune the audio to your specific head shape.
Personalized Spatial Audio is the feature you will notice most. When you play music or watch supported video, the sound opens up around you instead of staying pinned inside your head, and with head tracking enabled it stays anchored in space as you turn your head. It is a gimmick in some hands and a genuine immersion upgrade in others, and the H2 chip runs it without any noticeable drain on battery.
The microphones are another quiet triumph. AirPods have always had a reputation for great call quality, and the AirPods 4 keep it: the voice is clear and the background noise is stripped away, which makes a difference on noisy streets and in video meetings. Combined with the open fit that lets you hear yourself talk, calls feel natural rather than muffled.
Real-World Performance
Sound quality on open fit earbuds is always a trade, and the AirPods 4 manage the trade well. Bass is present and punchy for a design that does not seal your ears, and the midrange is clear enough for vocals and podcasts. The sound is not as full or as isolating as a good in ear model, because physics will not let it be, but for the open fit class these are among the best sounding earbuds Apple has made.
Comfort is where they win the day. Because nothing plugs your ear canal, you can wear the AirPods 4 for hours without the pressure and fatigue that silicone tips cause, and you stay aware of your surroundings, which makes them ideal for commuting, running, and any place where you need to hear a train or a car. That same openness is also the main drawback: loud environments leak in, and the soundstage gets crowded in noisy places.
Battery life is strong. Apple rates the earbuds for up to 5 hours of listening, and with the USB-C case the total reaches up to 30 hours. In my testing a full week of daily use needed only two or three case charges, and a quick five minute charge in the case returns about an hour of playback, which covers the forgetful morning rush. When you are ready, the current price is easy to check on the listing.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Open fit design is supremely comfortable for all day wear
- Effortless pairing and seamless switching across Apple devices
- Clear call quality and good microphones for meetings
- Up to 30 hours of battery life with the USB-C case
- IPX4 sweat and water resistance for workouts
Cons:
- No active noise cancellation, so loud places leak in
- Bass and isolation lose out to sealed in ear designs
- Best features require an Apple device
- No ear tips means the fit depends on your ear shape
How It Compares
The AirPods 4 sit between the entry AirPods and the AirPods Pro, and they face stiff competition from both Apple and the wider market. The table below shows how the tiers break down.
| Feature | AirPods 4 | AirPods Pro | Budget Rival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | Open, no tips | In ear, silicone tips | In ear, silicone tips |
| Noise cancellation | None | Active | Varies |
| Chip | H2 | H2 | Other |
| Spatial audio | Personalized | Personalized | Basic |
| Battery with case | Up to 30 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 | Varies |
| Typical price | Mid | High | Low |
Against the AirPods Pro, the AirPods 4 trade active noise cancellation and a sealed fit for lighter weight and all day comfort at a lower price. Against a budget rival, they give up the lower sticker price but gain the Apple ecosystem experience, Personalized Spatial Audio, and a more polished sound. For iPhone owners the AirPods 4 are the best value in Apple earbuds, because you get the H2 chip experience without paying the Pro premium.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the AirPods 4 if you want earbuds you can forget you are wearing. If you dislike the plugged feeling of in ear tips, if you need to stay aware of your surroundings, or if you live on phone calls and video meetings, the open fit and excellent microphones make these the natural choice.
They are also the right pick for anyone in the Apple ecosystem who wants the seamless experience: instant pairing, automatic switching, Siri on tap, and Find My support all just work. The USB-C case also means you can charge from the same cable you use for your phone and MacBook.
Skip them if you need to block out a noisy office or plane, because the open design lets that noise in, or if you demand the deepest bass, where a sealed in ear model will do better. If either of those matters to you, step up to the AirPods Pro. For everyone else, the AirPods 4 listing on Amazon is where you want to start.
How We Test
I tested the AirPods 4 over a month of daily use across every setting they face. I wore them on commutes and runs to test fit stability and sweat resistance, took phone calls on noisy streets to judge microphone performance, and sat through video meetings to check call clarity. I listened to music and podcasts at volume levels across the range and tested Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking on supported content.
I measured battery life across repeated full cycles, timed the fast charge recovery, and used the case on both wired USB-C and wireless Qi charging to verify both paths work. I also tested the controls, the automatic device switching, and the Find My integration to confirm the ecosystem features behave as advertised. For a critical independent take on how the AirPods 4 compare with rivals, The Verge reviewed the AirPods 4 and reached a similar verdict on the strength of the open fit experience.
My verdict after a month is simple. The AirPods 4 are the best open fit earbuds you can buy, and for comfort-focused iPhone users they are the default recommendation. The AirPods 4 on Amazon page has the latest pricing and delivery options.
AirPods 4: Questions People Ask
Do the AirPods 4 have active noise cancellation?
This standard AirPods 4 model relies on the open fit design for passive comfort rather than active noise cancellation, so you stay aware of your surroundings while listening.
How long does the AirPods 4 battery last?
Apple rates the earbuds for up to 5 hours of listening and up to 30 hours in total when you factor in the USB-C charging case.
Are the AirPods 4 sweat and water resistant?
Yes, both the earbuds and the case are rated IPX4, which means they handle sweat and light rain without concern for most workouts.
Do the AirPods 4 work with Android phones?
They pair over standard Bluetooth and play music on Android, though you lose conveniences like quick pairing, Siri integration, and battery widgets outside the Apple ecosystem.
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