AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Upping the ante for entry-level earbuds

A new iPhone isn't the only new product Apple is slated to ship this out September. The company's iconic Apple AirPods are also getting an update in the form of the new AirPods 4. While Apple isn't breaking too far from the past, its latest set of entry-level true wireless earbuds promise to offer some pretty big improvements.

If you're on the fence about upgrading or just want to get a better sense of whether its worth saving some money and snagging a set of the previous AirPods 3 instead, we've put together a guide to help you compare the two sets of Apple-branded earbuds.

One of the biggest selling points for the standard AirPods is the amount of money you're saving compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. That's still case, with the new AirPods 4 set to start at $219 in Australia.

According to Apple, the new entry-level earbuds are set to ship out from 20 September 2024.

For comparison, here's how much each set of AirPods retails for Australia:

• Apple AirPods (without ANC) starts at $219
• Apple AirPods (with ANC) starts at $279
• Apple AirPods Pro starts at $399
• Apple AirPods Max starts at $899

The third-generation incarnation of Apple's baseline AirPods takes its cues from the more premium AirPods Pro, with shorter stems and a more subtle design. All told, what's here represents a slight evolution on its predecessors but that difference is as easy to see as it is to like.

The new AirPods 4 built on that foundation by upping the ante when it comes to the features. These are the first set of entry-level AirPods to ship with active-noise cancellation, squeezable touch controls and a smaller case with built-in speaker that integrates with the Find My app. The updated earbuds also come with a USB-C port as standard plus support for Spatial Audio and wireless charging.

There's just one catch. The ANC is optional. The fourth-generation AirPods come in two models, which vary in features and price. If you fancy saving a little bit of cash, you can do so by dropping the active-noise cancellation. However, if you pay for the more expensive option, you aren't looking at paying a cent more than you would have for the third-generation AirPods.

When it comes to battery life, the Apple AirPods 3 come with 6 hours per charge and another 30 hours in the case. That said, the big takeaway in our review was that the broader shift in design is likely going to be the bigger factor when it comes to making the higher asking price worth it.

That's likely to be the same with the new AirPods 4. This is owed to the fact that the updated earbuds are powered by a new H2 processor, which brings with it both improved sound quality and support for things like Spatial Audio. That said, these new tricks do some at something of a cost of battery life performance with the AirPods 4 said to offer 5 hours of playback (or 4 hours of noise-cancelled playback) on a single charge.