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How do Apple's new cheaper AirPods with noise cancellation stack up for travelers?
16.09.2024 - 13:10 / thepointsguy.com
Take a look around the airport or airplane, and odds are that you'll see at least a few pairs of AirPods nearby.
Apple's popular headphones have become a staple of the travel experience for many flyers. They pair across all of your Apple devices, and you can also connect them to some seatback TVs that have Bluetooth connectivity. Across the lineup, the $249 AirPods Pro have become Apple's best-selling model, likely thanks to the strong audio quality, portability and noise cancellation packed into a case that's no bigger than a credit card.
But last week, Apple announced a brand-new model of AirPods launching Friday, Sept. 20, and it's one with some features that travelers may want to consider. Dubbed AirPods 4, this entry-level model packs many features historically reserved for the Pros, including better audio quality, more charging options and even the option to add noise cancellation.
With all of these Pro-style improvements, some travelers might wonder if the new $179 AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation might fit the bill for a new pair of travel headphones.
Well, in advance of the launch, I had an exclusive opportunity to try the new AirPods 4 during a trip. Read on for my thoughts.
The new AirPods 4 lineup features a model with Active Noise Cancellation that retails for $179. (Apple will sell earbuds without this feature for $129, but the noise-canceling ones are likely to be more appealing to travelers.)
I tested both models on a transcon flight and during some train rides last week, and I was especially impressed with the ones that offer noise cancellation. They could drown out much of the environmental noise in the airport and train station and on board the plane and train. Because of the open-ear design (more on that below), these AirPods are designed to primarily reduce low-frequency noise, such as airplane engines.
Within seconds of putting them on while airborne, it was abundantly clear that they did a very good job at largely eliminating the engine noise. This was also true when I used them in a loud (and overcrowded) airport lounge — I could focus on my music without listening to my neighbors.
But sometimes, you might want to interrupt your listening session to speak to someone nearby. In my case, the flight attendant frequently came through the aisle, taking drink and meal orders and offering refills. Instead of removing the AirPods, I simply put them in Adaptive Audio mode — this feature is now available on the entry-level models — and they automatically adjusted the levels of noise cancellation and transparency pass-through modes to ensure I could converse with the flight attendant without removing the headphones.
Once the flight attendant had passed my row, the AirPods realized
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