Technology

Apple's New AirPods 5 Bring More Than Just Noise Cancellation Upgrades

By James Pero

Apple's recent hardware event featured several major product reveals, including the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Amid these headline-grabbing announcements, Apple also introduced the AirPods 5, a new generation of its non-Pro wireless earbuds that brings several notable improvements over the AirPods 4.

One of the most significant upgrades involves active noise cancellation. Since the AirPods 5, like their predecessors, are semi-in-ear and lack silicone tips, they don't achieve the same sealed fit as the AirPods Pro line, which limits their noise-blocking capability. Still, Apple states that the AirPods 5 deliver 50% better noise cancellation than the AirPods 4, a substantial improvement on paper, even though the AirPods Pro 3 remain superior in this regard.

Sound quality has also been enhanced. Apple says the AirPods 5 feature a new multiport architecture derived from the AirPods Pro 3, which the company claims produces richer, more detailed sound across a broader range of ear shapes.

Battery performance is more nuanced. The standard AirPods 5 model retains the same four-hour battery life with ANC enabled as the AirPods 4. However, a higher-tier version priced at $149—$20 more than the base model—offers an additional hour of battery life with ANC on, totaling five hours. While this still falls short of the roughly six-hour average for wireless earbuds, it marks an improvement within the AirPods lineup.

Beyond ANC and battery, the AirPods 5 include an upgraded Adaptive EQ system. Apple says this next-generation feature allows for sound tuning tailored to a wider range of ear shapes and frequencies, resulting in what the company describes as more immersive and accurate audio. The AirPods 4 also include Adaptive EQ, but Apple asserts the new version performs better.

The pricier $149 version of the AirPods 5 introduces additional features not found in the base model or the AirPods 4: wireless charging for the case and stem-based swipe controls for adjusting volume directly on the earbuds.

In terms of physical design, little appears to have changed. Apple did not announce any redesign, suggesting the AirPods 5 will look and fit similarly to the AirPods 4, maintaining their semi-open-ear design that rests in the outer ear rather than inserting into the ear canal like the AirPods Pro.