AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro? When comparing AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 3, it mainly comes down to two questions: do you like ear tips in your ears, and how important is peace and quiet to you? Here you can see the differences from AirPods Pro 3 and Pro 2 according to Apple, and which model suits you.
Design: open or with ear tips
AirPods 4 have no tips. They rest in the outer ear and don’t go into the ear canal. Many people find this comfortable because nothing presses. On the other hand, they don’t sit equally firmly in every ear and let in more outside noise.
AirPods Pro have silicone ear tips that you place in your ear canal. The Pro 3 come with five sizes, the Pro 2 with four. With the right size, they sit firmly and seal the ear. That alone keeps a lot of noise out, even without any technology.
AirPods 4 come with and without ANC
The standard AirPods 4 have no noise cancellation and no Transparency mode. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) have both, plus Adaptive Audio. Their charging case can be charged wirelessly and has a speaker so you can find it with Find My. The case of the standard AirPods 4 only charges via a USB-C cable.
AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 3 and Pro 2 at a glance
- Noise cancellation: according to Apple, it’s up to twice as strong on AirPods Pro 2 as on AirPods 4 with ANC. The Pro 3 filter out up to twice as much background noise again as the Pro 2.
- Controls: on all of them, you press the stem to start music or answer calls. Adjusting the volume by swiping the stem is only available on the Pro models.
- Hearing health: Hearing Test, Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection are only offered by AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3, and not in every country.
- Heart rate: only AirPods Pro 3 measure your heart rate during workouts.
- Battery on a single charge: Apple states up to 5 hours for AirPods 4 and up to 4 hours for AirPods 4 with noise cancellation turned on. For the Pro 2 it’s up to 6 hours, for the Pro 3 up to 8 hours, each with noise cancellation.
- Water resistance: AirPods 4 and the Pro 2 are rated IP54, the Pro 3 IP57. None of the models is made for swimming.
Which AirPods suit you?
- AirPods 4: if you don’t like anything in your ear canal and mainly listen to music, podcasts and calls.
- AirPods 4 with ANC: if you want the open design but would like to reduce noise on the bus or in the office.
- AirPods Pro 3 or Pro 2: if you’re out and about a lot, want peace and quiet on the train or plane, or need a secure fit for sport.
How well earbuds fit is different for everyone. If you can, try out both designs.
Parts aren’t interchangeable
An AirPod 4 doesn’t fit in the AirPods Pro charging case and vice versa. The two AirPods 4 models don’t work together either: an AirPod 4 without ANC doesn’t work with an AirPod 4 with ANC or its charging case. You can tell them apart by the model number:
- AirPods 4 without ANC: left A3054, right A3053, charging case A3058
- AirPods 4 with ANC: left A3057, right A3056, charging case A3059
The numbers for all other models are in our list of model numbers.
If only one side or the case of your AirPods is broken, you don’t need a new pair. We sell the left or right AirPod and the charging case individually, as genuine replacement parts: for AirPods 4 without ANC, AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 3.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro?
That depends on you. The Pro models cancel more noise, last longer on a single charge and have more features. AirPods 4 are the better choice if you find ear tips uncomfortable.
Do AirPods 4 have noise cancelling?
Only AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. How to tell the two models apart and turn the feature on is explained in the guide AirPods 4 with or without ANC.
Do AirPods 4 fall out of your ears more easily?
That depends on the shape of your ear. Because they rest only in the outer ear without ear tips, they sit more loosely than AirPods Pro for some people.
What’s the difference between AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3?
You can read about it in the guide AirPods Pro 2 vs Pro 3.
