Apple’s AirPods 5, announced today at $129 and $149, remove up to 50 percent more noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, according to Apple’s press release. They also run one hour longer per charge with noise cancellation switched on.
That makes noise cancellation the main reason to consider trading up from last year’s model. Here is how the two generations compare on what Apple has confirmed, and where the gaps in Apple’s information are.
AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4: noise cancellation
AirPods 4 is sold in a version with Active Noise Cancellation, and Apple uses that model as the baseline for its 50 percent claim. AirPods 5 get there through a new multiport acoustic architecture inspired by AirPods Pro 3, plus improved computational audio.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
Apple describes AirPods 5 as its first open-ear AirPods with noise cancellation at this level. The press release opens with Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, saying the company is “thrilled” to bring ANC to the new earbuds.
Battery life and the new case
With ANC on, AirPods 5 run for up to 5 hours, which Apple says is one hour more than AirPods 4. Total listening time with the case is up to 22 hours.
The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case adds a force sensor with swipe volume control, which Apple calls a first for the open-ear form factor, so no AirPods 4 model offers an equivalent. That case charges on Apple Watch chargers, Qi chargers and USB-C.
| Feature | AirPods 5 | AirPods 4 with ANC |
|---|---|---|
| Noise cancellation | Up to 50 percent more noise removed | Apple’s baseline |
| Listening time with ANC on | Up to 5 hours | One hour less, per Apple |
| Total with case | Up to 22 hours | Not stated in Apple’s release |
| Swipe volume control | Yes, on the $149 model | Not available |
| Price | $129 or $149 | Not listed in Apple’s release |
What else AirPods 5 add
Beyond noise cancellation and battery, Apple’s release lists these features for AirPods 5:
- Hands-free Siri AI, which needs iOS 27 and an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence
- Head-gesture replies, so a nod or a shake answers a prompt
- Live Translation
- Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, next-generation Adaptive EQ and Personalized Spatial Audio
- Improved dust, sweat and water resistance
Apple’s release does not say which of these are exclusive to AirPods 5 and which could reach AirPods 4 through software, so treat the list as what the new model ships with rather than a strict list of differences.
Is AirPods 5 worth buying again?
If you own AirPods 4 with ANC and are satisfied with its noise cancellation, the confirmed gains are one extra hour of listening and, on the $149 model, swipe volume control. If noise cancellation was the reason you bought AirPods 4, the 50 percent figure is the number to watch for in reviews.
Pre-orders opened today, September 9, and AirPods 5 reach stores on Friday, September 18, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. See what the AirPods 5 rumors got right and our Apple event live blog for the rest of today’s announcements.
