If you don’t like that feeling of having something wedged in your ear and don’t need active noise cancellation (ANC), these buds are the way to go. How are they different from the previous generation? They’ve gotten a bit of a makeover. The shorter stem gives them a cleaner look, and the new quick-press controls mean no more fumbling to pause your music or take a call. Plus, they fit better and stay put, so you won’t have to keep adjusting them while you’re at the gym or running to catch the train.
AirPods 4 share quite a bit of tech with the Pros, including an H2 chip, spatial audio, a wireless charging case with speaker (and USB-C charging port) and the new Head Gestures feature, which allows you to take or decline calls with a quick move of the head. And if you’re caught in the rain or sweating through a tough workout, no worries — these are rated IP54 for dust, sweat and water resistance. Right now they can be had for under $100, which doesn’t happen that often outside of Prime Day and Black Friday.Â