The Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds are Apple’s 2024-generation open-fit wireless set, built around the Apple H2 chip with optional active noise cancellation, Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and seamless iCloud-wide device switching. Note that AirPods 4 with ANC uses the newer Apple H2 chip — a generation newer than the H1 chip used in the original AirPods Pro 1 and the Beats Fit Pro in this guide. Priced around $130 (ANC variant), this Apple AirPods 4 review covers sound, ANC, mic, comfort, codecs, gaming use and a verdict.
Prime Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Charging Case, H2 Chip, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup for iPhone
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Apple AirPods 4 at a Glance
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Driver size | Custom-built Apple high-excursion driver per earbud |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth 5.3 (with Apple H2 chip) |
| ANC type | Active noise cancellation (Apple H2-powered, on ANC variant) |
| Battery life (buds + case) | Approx. 5 hours per charge (ANC on), ~30 hours total with case |
| Quick charge | Approx. 5 min in case for ~1 hour of playback |
| Water resistance (IPX rating) | IP54 (sweat and dust resistant) |
| Microphones (count + ENC) | Multi-mic beamforming array (Apple voice processing) |
| Codec support | SBC, AAC |
| Approx. price | Around $130 |
Sound Quality & Bass
Before getting into the specifics of this set it is worth a short refresher on the technical realities that shape every wireless-earbud review aimed at gamers and streamers. The most important is latency. Standard Bluetooth audio profiles introduce roughly 100 to 200 milliseconds of delay between the source and your ears, which is fine for music and YouTube but clearly audible as audio-video lag in fast-paced games and as lip-sync drift in streaming. Some manufacturers — notably Soundcore, JBL and TOZO — add a dedicated low-latency or game mode that cuts that figure to roughly 55-80 milliseconds, which is good enough for casual competitive play on a phone, Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch. For tournament-grade FPS, a wired 3.5mm headset is still the right tool, but for the bulk of mobile and couch gaming, a true low-latency mode makes a real-world difference.
Microphone quality matters even more than headline sound quality for the gamer-streamer use case. Bluetooth voice profiles compress the microphone signal more aggressively than the music signal, and an outdoor or noisy room exposes a weak mic immediately. The headline number to look at is the mic count — single-mic earbuds tend to sound thin and pick up room noise, while four-mic and six-mic arrays paired with an ENC (environmental noise cancellation) algorithm isolate the voice with far better intelligibility. For Discord party chat, Zoom meetings on the move and casual streaming, a four-mic-plus-ENC set is the practical minimum. None of the earbuds in this guide can substitute for a proper boom microphone in a recording studio, but the best of them are genuinely usable for everyday voice work.
Finally, codec support and connection. The two universal Bluetooth audio codecs are SBC (mandatory on every device) and AAC (the codec Apple iPhones and iPads prefer). aptX appears on some Android-focused budget earbuds and offers slightly lower latency on compatible Qualcomm-powered phones; LDAC is Sony’s high-bit-rate codec and does not appear on any earbud set in this guide — it is reserved for Sony’s own lineup and a handful of premium Android-first models. Multipoint connection lets a single earbud pair to two devices at once (a PC and a phone, typically), which is genuinely useful for the streamer who jumps between a desk and a phone. For gaming context across the wider category, our linked guides at the end of each review cover gaming headsets, streaming microphones and best-budget audio for PC.
Apple has rebuilt the AirPods 4 sound around a custom-built high-excursion driver and an updated acoustic architecture, delivering audibly more bass weight and a more open, immersive sound than the older AirPods 3. Personalised Spatial Audio uses your iPhone’s TrueDepth camera to scan your ears and head shape, then tunes the head-tracked Spatial Audio experience individually — for compatible Dolby Atmos music and video content this delivers a genuinely engaging head-tracked surround effect on Apple devices. The midrange is clean and detailed and the treble extension is more open than older AirPods. The open-fit design (no silicone in-ear tip) does limit absolute bass extension compared with in-ear designs like the Beats Fit Pro — that is the trade-off for the all-day, no-ear-fatigue comfort the AirPods are designed around. See our best wireless earbuds guide for further options.
ANC, Transparency & Mic Quality
The AirPods 4 with ANC variant uses the new Apple H2 chip — a meaningful generation upgrade over the H1 chip in the Beats Fit Pro in this guide. ANC on an open-fit earbud is technically demanding because there is no silicone tip to seal the ear canal, but Apple’s H2-powered implementation works surprisingly well, using the external and internal microphones plus adaptive algorithms to cancel low-frequency drone. The cancellation depth is below the Beats Fit Pro and other in-ear ANC rivals because of the open-fit physics, but for the all-day comfort buyer who does not want silicone in their ears, it is a real advance. A transparency mode is also included. The microphone array uses beamforming with Apple’s voice processing, delivering excellent call quality. For ANC alternatives see our best ANC earbuds guide and our best earbuds for streaming guide.
Comfort, Fit & Battery Life
The AirPods 4’s open-fit design is its defining physical feature — no silicone in-ear tips, just the iconic Apple housing that sits in the outer ear concha. For long-day wear, video calls and casual office use this is the most comfortable design in this guide, with no in-ear pressure and no fatigue from extended use. The trade-off is fit security — the open fit is less stable during heavy running and more vulnerable to falling out than the Beats Fit Pro’s wingtip — and less passive isolation. The IP54 rating is unusual at the price and covers both sweat-and-splash resistance and dust ingress, a step up from the IPX-only ratings of most rivals. Battery life is around 5 hours per bud with ANC on, with roughly 30 hours total with the case.
Connectivity & Codecs
The Apple H2 chip delivers exceptional connection stability and the polished Apple-ecosystem experience — one-tap pairing, automatic device switching across iCloud-linked Apple devices, Hey Siri voice control and the new Voice Isolation feature for cleaner calls. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC and AAC; aptX and LDAC are not supported on any Apple-branded product, as Apple develops its own end-to-end audio processing path. On Android the AirPods 4 work as standard Bluetooth earbuds but without the ecosystem features. There is no dedicated game-mode latency setting, but Apple’s H2 audio path is genuinely low-latency on iPhone and iPad — noticeably lower than generic SBC-only earbuds — making them practical for mobile gaming on Apple devices. See our best earbuds for mobile gaming guide.
Best For – Gaming, Workouts, Calls
The AirPods 4 are the right pick for the Apple-first all-day buyer who wants the most comfortable open-fit design with seamless ecosystem integration and the option of active noise cancellation. They cover home-office work, video calls, casual commuting and casual mobile gaming on iPhone comprehensively. They are not for buyers who want a secure-fit workout earbud (the Beats Fit Pro in this guide is the workout pick), not for Android-first buyers who do not benefit from the ecosystem features, and not for buyers who want deep ANC for noisy commutes (in-ear sets such as the Beats Fit Pro and Soundcore Space A40 deliver more cancellation depth because of the silicone tip seal). For wider context see our best wireless earbuds guide.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Apple H2 chip (newer than the H1 in Beats Fit Pro) for premium ANC, voice and ecosystem integration; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; most comfortable all-day open-fit design in this guide; IP54 sweat-and-dust resistance; very clean mic quality; Voice Isolation feature.
Cons: Premium price for the ANC variant; open-fit ANC cancellation depth below in-ear rivals; no aptX or LDAC; Android users do not get the ecosystem benefits; less secure fit during heavy workouts; battery life with ANC engaged is modest.
Verdict
At around $130 the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC are the right pick for the Apple-first buyer who values all-day open-fit comfort and seamless ecosystem integration above maximum ANC depth. The Apple H2 chip is genuinely a generation ahead of the H1 in the Beats Fit Pro, and the Personalised Spatial Audio experience is engaging on Apple devices. For deep ANC in noisy commutes look at Beats Fit Pro or Soundcore Space A40 in this guide; for Android-first buyers, Soundcore Space A40 is the more sensible pick. For the Apple all-day buyer, the AirPods 4 are well judged. See our best wireless earbuds guide for further options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AirPods 4 use the same chip as AirPods Pro 1?
No. AirPods 4 with ANC uses the newer Apple H2 chip — a generation newer than the Apple H1 chip used in the original AirPods Pro 1 and the Beats Fit Pro. The H2 delivers improved ANC, voice processing and audio.
Does AirPods 4 support LDAC?
No. Apple does not support LDAC on any of its earbud products. AirPods 4 uses SBC and AAC over Bluetooth 5.3. Apple develops its own end-to-end audio processing path.
Can AirPods 4 with ANC really cancel noise without silicone tips?
Yes, but the cancellation depth is below in-ear rivals like Beats Fit Pro. The open-fit design means there is no ear canal seal, which fundamentally limits how much low-frequency noise the ANC can cancel.
Are AirPods 4 good for gaming?
On iPhone and iPad the Apple H2 chip delivers noticeably lower latency than generic SBC-only earbuds, making them practical for casual mobile gaming. There is no dedicated game-mode toggle.
More Wireless Earbud Reviews
- Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds Review: Adaptive ANC True Wireless
- TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds Review: Budget Bluetooth 5.3 IPX5 Buds
- Soundcore P20i Earbuds Review: Budget Wireless with Gaming Mode
- TAGRY Bluetooth Earbuds Review: 60-Hour Playback with LED Display
- kurdene Wireless Earbuds Review: Bluetooth 5.3 Deep Bass Buds
- Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.4 ANC Review: Budget ANC Buds
- TOZO NC9 Earbuds Review: Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Buds
- JBL Vibe Beam Earbuds Review: True Wireless Deep Bass Buds
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