Apple has revamped the AirPods Max, given the AirPods Pro 2 new features, and launched two new AirPods 4 models, some with noise cancellation and some without. Which model to choose? Here's all you need to know about them.
After many months of rumors about the new headphones that Apple could present, we have only been left with one new model, which are really Two models differentiated only by noise cancellationThe rest of the news is one of lime and one of sand, with the AirPods Pro 2 getting new features via a software update, and the AirPods Max that remain completely marginalized and they barely get a new USB-C connector.
AirPods 4
These are the new AirPods that come in two different models, and different prices, to suit all budgets and needs. Their design is similar to that of the AirPods 3, without silicone pads, something that will undoubtedly please all users who hate the sensation of a plug they cause. They receive the H2 processor, the same as the AirPods Pro 2, so they improve their sound, calls and control by pressing the "stick". Water and sweat resistance make them perfect for exercise, as long as you don't drop them. Dynamic spatial audio with head tracking makes them perfect for enjoying music in Dolby Atmos, and especially your favorite series and movies. Their battery life reaches up to 30 hours thanks to the charging case, which is recharged via USB-C, and if you buy the model with noise cancellation, also wirelessly.
The model with noise cancellation differs from the normal model in this functionality, obviously, but also in others such as the one already mentioned. wireless charging case, or adaptive audio and ambient sound mode. The adaptive audio I've been using for a while on my AirPods Pro 2 is amazing, and it's definitely great news that the AirPods 4 include it. The case on the Noise Cancelling model also has a speaker for the Find My app. The price is €149 for the regular model and €199 for the Noise Cancelling model.
AirPods Pro 2
Although they are two years old, Apple has decided not to launch a new model but to add new features to the existing one, which is worthy of appreciation. They still maintain all their already known functions, with the H2 processor that allows not only the audio quality and calls, but also its adaptive audio control, noise cancellation, ambient sound mode, and spatial audio. But in addition to these functions that the AirPods 4 now also have, the Pro 2 have other exclusive ones such as Voice isolation that improves sound quality in noisy or windy conditions, conversation detection, custom volume and gesture control with the head, to accept a call by making a gesture of affirmation.
The charging case and earphones are IP54 certified water and sweat resistant, and the case, in addition to having wireless charging, has speaker and the U1 chip that enables precision search through the Find app, with an integrated speaker to listen to it and find it more easily. With the case, the headphones last up to 30 hours, the headphones reach 6 hours using noise cancellation.
But they also now get more functions related to our hearing health. AirPods Pro 2 will be able to protect your ears by reducing loud sounds that occur around you while you use them, even You can use them as hearing aid devices, using its directional microphone to enhance the sounds of the conversation so you can hear them without problems. And if you want to take a hearing test, you can do it in just a few minutes using the AirPods Pro 2 and your iPhone, as if you were at the ENT doctor's office.
With all this, AirPods Pro 2 are priced at €279, an important extra compared to the AirPods 4, but with a good number of additional functions compared to these. Although perhaps the most decisive is its design, with the silicone plugs that manage to isolate you much better from your environment, but that not everyone likes.
AirPods Max
If the AirPods Pro 2 is something to applaud, the AirPods Max are something to boo, and loudly so. Apple has mistreated these headphones from the very beginning, without adding additional functions in the successive updates they have received over the 4 years they are about to complete. We have new colors, very nice and pastel, and we have a USB-C connector instead of the Lightning connector.. And that's all folks, because there are no more variations, not even the price which remains at €579.
We don't have adaptive audio or conversation detection, something that even the AirPods 4 do have, costing almost a third of what the AirPods Max cost. Of course, we're not even considering all the features that the AirPods Pro 2 do have, such as loud noise reduction, conversation amplification, or the new health features. They haven't even been made water and sweat resistant. Their performance has remained unchanged over their 4 years, as has their price. When they were launched, they were expensive headphones, compared to other models with similar features, but not in materials, which could justify their price. But after 4 years, what Apple is doing with the AirPods Max is unspeakable. And the worst thing is that They will probably launch a new model next year., and those who spend the almost €600 that they cost now will be left looking like fools.