AirPods 5 cost $129, run up to 5 hours with noise cancellation on, and come with what Apple calls improved dust, sweat and water resistance. For runners and gym users, those are the three numbers that matter, along with an open-ear fit that lets some outside sound in.
Apple’s press release does not give an IP rating for AirPods 5, and it does not mention heart-rate sensing, which stays exclusive to AirPods Pro 3. Here is what Apple has confirmed and where the gaps are.
AirPods 5 fit for running: open-ear, no tips
AirPods 5 keep the open-ear shape of AirPods 4, with no silicone or foam tips. That means nothing to lose in a gym bag and no seal to break when you sweat, but also no passive isolation, so Apple relies on Active Noise Cancellation to cut noise.
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Apple’s claim is up to 50 percent more external noise removed than AirPods 4 with ANC, via a new multiport acoustic architecture. Transparency mode and Adaptive Audio are also included, which matter more outdoors, where hearing traffic is a safety issue.
Apple has not published anything about the fit itself, such as weight or a change to the stem shape. Apple’s release also does not say whether the earbuds stay in place better than AirPods 4 during exercise.
AirPods 5 sweat resistance: what Apple says and does not say
Apple’s wording is that AirPods 5 have improved dust, sweat and water resistance. AirPods 4 carry an IP54 rating and AirPods Pro 3 carry IP57, but Apple has not published a rating for AirPods 5, so it is not possible to say yet how much better they are.
If an IP number matters to you, AirPods Pro 3 remain the only current AirPods with a confirmed IP57 rating. Apple’s spec pages for AirPods 5 may add a rating closer to the September 18 release.
| AirPods 5 | AirPods 4 with ANC | AirPods Pro 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $129, or $149 with Wireless Charging Case | $179 | $249 |
| Fit | Open-ear, no tips | Open-ear, no tips | In-ear, foam-infused tips |
| Water resistance | Improved; no rating published | IP54 | IP57 |
| Battery, ANC on | Up to 5 hours | Up to 4 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Total with case, ANC on | Up to 22 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Heart-rate sensing | No | No | Yes |
| Volume control | Swipe, $149 model only | No | Yes |
AirPods 5 battery life for workouts
Up to 5 hours per charge with ANC on covers a long run or several gym sessions, and it is one hour more than AirPods 4 with ANC managed. The case takes the total to up to 22 hours.
Apple’s figures are for ANC on. The company has not published a battery number for AirPods 5 with ANC off or in Transparency mode, so treat 5 hours as the baseline rather than the ceiling.
- Head-gesture replies: nod or shake to answer a call prompt without touching the earbuds
- Swipe volume control on the stem, but only on the $149 Wireless Charging Case model
- Wireless Charging Case works with Apple Watch chargers, useful for anyone already carrying one
- Hands-free Siri AI, which needs iOS 27 and an Apple Intelligence iPhone
AirPods 5 pre-orders opened today, September 9, and stores stock them Friday, September 18. Pre-event expectations are in our AirPods 5 rumor round-up, and if you track workouts on your wrist, our Apple Watch Series 12 preview covers the other fitness product from today’s Apple event.
