For most people, the AirPods Pro 3 are the most exciting upcoming earbuds. Right? Well, not for me. I've got a pair of AirPods Pro 2 that I'm going to use until they break, but that's not the main reason why I couldn't care less about AirPods Pro 3.
The earbuds I am the most excited about? The EarFun Air Pro 4+. I tried out these $99 earbuds at IFA 2025 in Berlin, and oh my gosh. I've been gushing about the Air Pro 4+ since I tried them out. I want to get a pair just so I can prove to all the naysayers: yes, $99 earbuds can be as good as AirPods, and the Air Pro 4+ are the proof.
EarFun has made a lot of misses (its headphones aren't my favorite cans, and that's putting in nicely), but it always brings it back with some of the best earbuds on the market. The upcoming EarFun Air Pro 4+ are no different, and here's why.
Dual drivers for sound that packs a punch
The EarFun Air Pro 4+ are stuffed with two drivers. This results in a clearer, richer sound with balanced bass, mids, and treble. I tested the Air Pro 4+ out for about 20 minutes and I can attest to the high sound quality.
The Air Pro 4+ have both a dynamic driver (the driver you'd expect to find in most earbuds) and a balanced armature driver. These drivers work in tandem to create expansive, wide and deep sound. I listened to 'Let it Happen' by Tame Impala during my testing period, and the bass was rich and rumbling without overpowering the featherlight synth riff.
Perhaps one of the most interesting design features is the Air Pro 4+'s acoustic architecture. This refers to the placement of the drivers and the sound wave direction. EarFun says the Air Pro 4+ have "side-fitted" acoustic architecture, which will direct airflow to and from both the drivers, and then into your ear canal.
All earbuds have airflow technology, but the only other earbuds I've seen with specifically parallel drivers are the Beats Solo Buds, which bodes well for the Air Pro 4+.
Hi-res codecs like aptX and LDAC for $99 is crazy
Considering the EarFun Air Pro 4+ will be just $99/£89, the inclusion of hi-res Bluetooth codecs like aptX and LDAC is really impressive. While it's becoming more and more common for budget earbuds to have LDAC and aptX, this doesn't really mean anything unless the earbuds' hardware can keep up.
I've tested audio products with LDAC that just couldn't replicate that hi-res sound, like the Baseus Bowie 30 Max. However, you'll be pleased to know that the Air Pro 4+'s predecessor, the EarFun Air Pro 4 ($99), have LDAC and we awarded them a nice 4.5-star rating in our review.
Thankfully, the EarFun Air Pro 4+ sounded fantastic during my testing period. I compared them directly to my AirPods Pro 2 and could barely tell the difference.
Obviously your phone will need to be LDAC and aptX-compatible (sorry, iPhone users. Blame Apple), but if you've got the capacity, then these earbuds will sound even better. Heck, during my testing on my iPhone 16 Pro without any hi-res codecs, they sounded awesome.
As always, I listened on Qobuz, which has hi-res streaming up to 24-bit 192kHz, and I was blown away by the instrument separation and expansive soundscape.
Waiting on the Air Pro 4+
Unfortunately, as of right now, there's no concrete release date for the EarFun Air Pro 4+. I know, I'm heartbroken. I'll await their release with bated breath.
If you can't wait, I'd recommend checking out the aforementioned EarFun Air Pro 4. We reviewed these awesome earbuds last year and awarded them a near-perfect 4.5-star rating. They share a lot of the same features as the Air Pro 4+: LDAC, aptX, excellent sound for very little money, and are app compatible.
And the best part? As the new Air Pro 4+ will be coming out soon, the Air Pro 4 have been discounted to just $62 at time of writing. That's an unbelievable price for these earbuds — my colleagues have literally ditched their Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and AirPods Pro 2 for the Air Pro 4.
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