AirPods 5: Better noise cancellation makes all the difference [Review] ★★★★★

Apple made some big promises for AirPods 5, particularly when it comes to active noise cancellation. After spending time with the new earbuds, I can say the company wasn’t exaggerating. ANC is dramatically better than it was on previous open-ear AirPods, making AirPods 5 much more useful in noisy environments. Which is great, because ANC is now in the most affordable option, too.

And that’s not the only upgrade that makes a difference. Apple also added something I’ve wanted on my AirPods for years: volume controls right on the stems. That’s reserved for the slightly pricier variant, though.

I’m a long-time AirPods user, and I could even argue that there are enough improvements in AirPods 5 that you might want to replace your AirPods 4. Here’s why.

AirPods 5 review

While I love iPhone, iPad and other Apple computers, I do not think that all the best accessories come out of Cupertino. Apple’s chargers are adequate and its cables are definitely subpar, while the official iPhone cases are… meh. I hope that gives you some perspective when I say that AirPods are absolutely the best wireless earbuds for Apple users. They fit into the Apple ecosystem in a way competing earbuds simply can’t match.

Pairing is effortless, but seamlessly switching between an iPhone, iPad and Mac is actually my favorite feature. AirPods automatically connect to whichever device I’m using at the time. It’s a dramatically different experience from back when I used wireless headphones made by another company and I had to manually switch them from one computer to another.

Plus, advanced features like Active Noise Cancellation, Find My, personalized audio and Siri are built right in. And to be clear, these are all features of the base model AirPods 5. Sure, you can get additional features with AirPods Pro… if you pay a lot more. But why? The $129 version offers so much.

Table of contents: AirPods 5 review

A familiar open-ear AirPods design

When you hear that AirPods 5 have active noise cancellation, you might look for silicone ear tips. You won’t find them.

Apple’s latest use an open-ear design, with the earbuds simply resting in the ear without trying to seal off the ear canal. That makes them feel lighter and less intrusive, while still providing a secure fit… for most people.

AirPods 5 have no problems staying in my ears. During testing, I wore them around my home for hours and used them on several long bike rides. They never slipped out.

Apple seems to have decided it has the best design for wireless earbuds because its latest are exactly the same shape as AirPods 4. I tested, and version 5 is compatible with version 4’s charging case.

So if AirPods 4 fit your ears, then the latest version will too. If they don’t… sorry. There’s no adjustment to be made.

AirPods 5 offer brilliant ANC performance

When I reviewed AirPods 4 in 2024, I said they had “ANC Lite.” They promised active noise cancellation, but a better description might be “active noise reduction.” That previous model could only lower ambient noise, not really block it.

I was cautiously optimistic when Apple said during the AirPods 5 announcement that their “breakthrough open-ear ANC removes up to 50 percent more external noise compared to AirPods 4.”

Now that I’m actually using them, I’m genuinely impressed. Active noise cancellation on AirPods 5 works far, far better. It’s not perfect, or even on par with AirPods Pro 3, but it’s better than I thought was possible with open-ear earbuds.

During testing, I sat outside listening to the perpetual late-summer hum of insects and the occasional bird chirp. I activated ANC on the earbuds, and nearly all the insect noises disappeared. The bird calls did not, though.

Next, I started playing a song on a speaker in the next room. I could barely make it out, though if I removed the earbuds I could clearly hear the music.

What this means is that active noise cancellation in AirPods 5 can make your life much, much less noisy. But if you want ANC that provides neatly complete silence, you need AirPods Pro 3.

Better audio: Check!

Of course Apple promises that AirPods 5 deliver superior audio quality over the previous version — that’s the whole point of new earbuds. At launch, Cupertino touted “an all-new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ for even more immersive sound.”

In the real world, that jargon translates into audio quality that is truly noticeably better. For testing, I switched back and forth between AirPods 5 and AirPods 4 while listening to my favorite songs, but it didn’t take long to hear that the sound was definitely richer, with stronger bass without sacrificing clarity.

Hearing an improvement over AirPods 3 took only a few seconds. I’ve used them for years, but compared to Apple’s latest, they’re like listening to audio coming over a string to a tin can.

While I started off testing music, I primarily listen to podcasts, so of course I compared how speech sounds over AirPods 5. Again, there’s real improvement in quality, even when compared to the fourth-generation version. And it’s a vast step up from AirPods 3.

I’m genuinely surprised what Apple has been able to accomplish with its latest open-ear earbuds. They can’t match AirPods Pro 3 for overall audio quality, but the gap narrowed considerably.

New to AirPods 5: On-stem volume control

This is old news to AirPods Pro users, but the slightly pricier version of AirPods 5 adds on-stem volume control. That allows you to adjust volume by swiping up or down on the AirPods stem.

The feature works as well as I could expect. I use it even on bike rides. It’s very convenient, especially when compared to the alternative: grabbing my iPhone to adjust volume from there.

Bonus features

I’ve covered the most important features, but Apple just packs so many into AirPods 5.

They support Live Translation, allowing you to hear conversations translated into your preferred language. Just note that this is an AI feature that depends heavily on your iPhone, and I find that it works… OK. With my iPhone 17, I can follow a conversation fairly well, but people talk so fast that the translation struggles to keep up. Some words and whole phrases get missed.

There’s also Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. This is a bit gimmicky, but it’s also sort of fun. The effect makes voices, instruments and sound effects seem to come from around you rather than directly from the earbuds. The audio source needs to support this feature, though. Apple TV shows and Apple Music are two options.

Find My is absolutely not a gimmick. If you misplace your AirPods 5 or the charging case, you can open the Find My app on your iPhone to see their last known location on a map, or play a sound to help you find them. Having Find My built into the earbuds makes losing them considerably less stressful.

Plus, the AirPods support “Hey Siri” so you can start talking to the voice assistant hands-free. And even respond to Siri’s questions by nodding or shaking your head.

Battery life

Apple promises that the premium version of AirPods Pro lasts for up to 5 hours with ANC active, the same as AirPods 4. The more affordable version lasts 4 hours.

The charging case brings the total to 22 hours for the premium or 20 hours for the non-premium.

With light-to-medium use, I can go 3 or 4 days between needing to recharge the case. 

AirPods 5 review: Final thoughts

Apple’s latest wireless earbuds are enough of an upgrade that they should tempt even AirPods 4 users. My usual advice is to skip a generation between any Apple devices, but not this time. You’ll notice a real difference in ANC and audio quality with the fifth-generation model. And AirPods 3? It’s a no-brainer.

AirPods 5 move the basic line closer to AirPods Pro 3, but Apple’s top-of-the-line model still reigns supreme.

★★★★★

Pricing

Apple sells two versions of AirPods 5. The standard model comes with a USB-C charging case and costs $129.

Or the more premium version — AirPods 5 with the Wireless Charging Case — sells for $149. It also includes a longer battery life and the on-stem volume control.

Apple did not provide Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.