Apple

AirPods 4

A solid mid-range wireless earphone for listeners who care how it sounds, leading with 4 hours.

64/100
Solid pick
Overall score · how we rate
4 hours30 hoursIPX45.3in-earSiri
£132best price at Amazon
In stock at 1 retailer

We may earn a commission on purchases via this link. It never affects our scores or rankings.

Independent score · no sponsored placement
Price checked across retailers daily

Why we rate it

  • In-ear detection
  • Active noise cancelling
  • Spatial audio
  • Below-average battery (earbuds)
Score profile

Where the AirPods 4 wins and loses

Scored against the wireless earphones class
DesignSoundBatteryMicrophone86865286
Design and build
86
Sound
86
Battery and power
52
Microphone and features
86
Full specification

Specifications

Grouped · supported features marked in blue

Design and build

Earbud weight3.75
IP rating (earbuds)IPX4
Fitin-ear
In-ear detectionYes

Sound

Active noise cancellingYes
Spatial audioYes
Head trackingYes

Battery and power

Battery (earbuds)4 hours
Battery (with case)30 hours
Wireless chargingYes
USB-C chargingYes

Connectivity

Bluetooth version5.3

Microphone and features

Noise-cancelling micYes
Transparency modeYes
Wear detection auto pauseYes
Voice assistantSiri
Find My / device trackingYes

More specs

Battery buds ANC4 hours
Wireless charging caseYes

Watch it in action

Powered byYouTube
Head to head

AirPods 4 vs Apple Apple AirPods 4

Highlighted cell = better in that row
DesignSoundBatteryMicrophone
AirPods 4Apple AirPods 4
 AppleAirPods 4This pageAppleApple AirPods 4
Overall score64 /10065 /100Better
Battery hours4 hours24 hoursBetter
Battery total30 hours30 hours
ANCYes
Bluetooth5.35.3
IP ratingIPX4IP54
Who it's for

Is the AirPods 4 right for you?

Buy it if
Buyers on a budget

Anyone who needs a dependable wireless earphone for the essentials without overspending.

Skip it if
Skip it if

You need reference-grade sound and features, in which case a higher-tier wireless earphone is the better call.

Critical listener
Cares about detail, tuning and codec support.
good
Everyday listener
Music, calls and commuting, wants a safe all-rounder.
good
Value seeker
Wants the most sound for the least outlay.
excellent
Common questions

Before you buy

Is the AirPods 4 worth it?

It depends on what you need. It scores 64/100 against other wireless earphones, a solid mid-range result where the class average is around 58.

What stands out on the AirPods 4?

Its in-ear detection stands out, a genuinely useful feature if your setup calls for it.

How does it compare to the AirPods Pro 3?

The AirPods Pro 3 scores 65/100 versus this one at 64/100, so it is the step up on the spec sheet.