I tested the AirPods 5 vs the AirPods 4 ANC — should you upgrade?

Exactly two years on from the release of the AirPods 4 ANC, there's a new cheap earbud in town: the AirPods 5. And, oh boy, are the newest earbuds even cheaper. At just $124/$149 (standard case vs wireless charging case), the AirPods 5 are actually the most inexpensive AirPods ever released.

And the best part? The AirPods 5 have ANC as standard. No paying $50 for ANC this time around; the $124 AirPods come with the feature as standard. Sure, there's a "premium" and "budget" model — the $124 standard charging case version has an hour less battery than the $149 wireless charging case — but this is pretty negligible in the grand scheme of things.

But should you upgrade if you have the AirPods 4 ANC? What are the differences between the AirPods 5 and AirPods 4? I've got all the answers and more. Spoiler alert: I genuinely think the AirPods 5 are some of the best cheap earbuds on the market right now.

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Specs compared

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Price

While the AirPods 4 ANC are technically discontinued, you can still purchase them at Amazon U.S., Best Buy, and Walmart. Currently, they're discounted to $149 down from the MSRP of $179, which is still a whopping $20 pricier than the brand-new AirPods 5.

There are a few different versions of the AirPods 4 ANC and AirPods 5, so I'll quickly walk you through them.

The AirPods 4 come with and without ANC. The non-ANC version are $99, while the ANC version are $149 (discounted).

The AirPods 5 come with either a standard charging case or a wireless charging case, $124 and $149 at Amazon, respectively. Both versions have ANC as standard.

This is a huge step in the right direction, and I know I'm not the only person happy with Apple's switch-up. Charging $50 extra for ANC in 2026 is audacious. Of course, the AirPods 5 still have a "basic" and "premium" version, but this is in the form of a wireless or wired charging case, so it's much more palatable — and the price difference is only $20.

Winner: AirPods 5

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Design & features

As Apple's "entry-level" earbuds, neither the AirPods 5 nor the AirPods 4 ANC can hold a candle to the AirPods Pro 3 in terms of features. Even so, the AirPods 4/5 offer a different design than the Pro 3 that some might find more comfortable. That being said, if you struggle with silicone ear tips, you'll be much better off with the 5 or 4.

But how do you choose between 5 and 4? Appearance-wise, the 4 and 5 are pretty identical. Both have the plain stem design we're familiar with, and both are relatively small. Both stay in my ears well enough, but aren't as snug as the Pro 3.

The AirPods 4 ANC and AirPods 5 wireless charging cases are noticeably tiny. They're just 0.8 inches thick and 1.8 inches wide, and weigh just 1.2 ounces.

The AirPods 5 have volume swipe, which is a much-loved addition.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the AirPods 5 durability now matches the AirPods Pro 3. While both AirPods 4 models were just IP54-rated, the IP57 rating on the 5 means the earbuds/charging case can survive underwater for around half an hour, as opposed to mere splashes.

In theory, you could fall in a pool with the AirPods 5 in your pocket, and they'd survive.

Physical features aside, both the AirPods 4 ANC and the AirPods 5 have Apple's flagship H2 audio chip. But what does this actually mean in real life? What can these earbuds actually do?

In short, they have access to sophisticated Siri integration. You can ask your earbuds complex things like "Hey Siri, what did John just text me?" or "Hey Siri, play XYZ track right now".

The AirPods 4 ANC and 5 also have Live Translation, which was one of the standout features of Apple Intelligence. Of course, you need an AI-enabled iPhone to use AI features.

Even so, many AirPods 4 and AirPods 5 features are identical. Take a look at this.

The big glaring issue with both earbuds are their support for the Bluetooth 5.3 standard. Yes, one of the biggest tech brands in the world — if not the biggest — is releasing earbuds in the grand old 2026 with Bluetooth 5.3. This Bluetooth version came out in 2021. Samsung released its entry-level Galaxy Buds 4 with Bluetooth 6.0.

In real terms, this means the AirPods 5 might not be as reliable as earbuds with 6.0, and they don't have as large a range. You'd be able to get further away from your Samsung buds before they disconnect.

However, both the AirPods 4 ANC (2024) and AirPods 5 (2026) have Bluetooth 5.3, but because the 4 are older, I'm more forgiving. Apple, please do not release the AirPods Pro 4 or AirPods 6 with Bluetooth 5.3.

Even so, the AirPods 4 and 5 have all the same Apple ecosystem integration. This is seamless, and I have nothing bad to say about this. It's the main reason why I can't quit my AirPods.

Winner: AirPods 5.

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Sound quality

This might be a somewhat controversial opinion: I don't think the AirPods 4 ANC sound good. At all.

The treble tends to err on the side of "tinny", and some percussion feels metallic and overly crisp. While the bass sounds controlled and confidently handled, this is upset by the lack of warmth in the treble.

Consequently, I'm not a huge fan of the AirPods 4 ANC. Even though they're the entry-level AirPods, and therefore I'm not holding them to the same standard as AirPods Pro 2/3, there are cheaper earbuds that actually sound better.

But the AirPods 5 are completely different. Bass is more controlled and elegant, while there's no unpleasant tinniness in the treble. "Punishers" by Die Spitz is an atmospheric rock track with soft female vocals and all-encompassing bass. Every layer of this track sounded clear on the AirPods 5, whereas the AirPods 4 pushed the bass back and made the rolling guitars sound a little crunchy.

This is true in pop and electronic genres, too. "Space Cadet" by sim0ne balanced the immersive synth motifs with the sped-up vocals excellently, and the hyperspeed DnB-tinged percussion didn't overpower the piano notes. When I listened with the AirPods 4, the higher-frequency synths and some of the snare drum effects were a little tinny.

Winner: AirPods 5

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: ANC

ANC on the AirPods 4 is merely fine. I could still hear myself typing; I could hear general office sounds like moving chairs and a particularly overloaded gaming laptop.

ANC on the AirPods 5 is slightly better, but only slightly. I could still hear myself typing, as well as office conversations. While walking around the city, most ambient sound was minimized, but I could still make out high-frequency sounds like laughter and squawking seagulls.

So, while the AirPods 5 cinch this round, neither are groundbreaking ANC-wise. For that, you'd need earbuds with a silicone ear tip.

Winner: AirPods 5

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Call quality

Call quality on both the AirPods 4 ANC and AirPods 5 is excellent. At this point in the wireless earbud life cycle, you can safely assume all big-name earbuds will have great call quality.

When testing the AirPods 4 ANC and the AirPods 5, my voice was clear and audible, even while walking through busy city streets. One wasn't better than the other — both are tip-top.

Winner: Draw

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Battery

The AirPods 4 ANC have just 4 hours of listening time with ANC (up to 20 hours with the case). Yes, 4 hours. No, that's not a typo.

It pains me to write this, but the AirPods 5 also have just 4 hours of listening time (20 hours with the case). The wireless charging case version offers 5/30 hours. This is simply not good enough in 2026.

When much, much smaller brands (EarFun) offer 8 hours with ANC on $99 earbuds, this discrepancy can't help but sting. Sure, the AirPods 5 may be running more power-intensive features, but the EarFun Air Pro 4+ can do everything the AirPods 5 can, and more. AI live translation? Yes. Lossless Bluetooth playback? Yes. Strong ANC? Yes.

In the future, I'd like to see Apple go for 6 hours as the bare, bare minimum.

Winner: Draw

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Verdict

There is zero competition here. You should definitely get the AirPods 5 over the AirPods 4.

For starters, the AirPods 4 (even on sale) are actually more expensive than the AirPods 5. If that hasn't convinced you, I don't know what will.

Secondly, the AirPods 5 sound so much better. There's zero tinniness, more control across the low end, and more liveliness in the treble. In short, they're just better to listen to. The AirPods 5 sound more like AirPods Pro 3 than the AirPods 4.

Without a doubt, you should grab the AirPods 5. This is the upgrade we've been waiting for.

AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 ANC: Ratings scorecard

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