AirPods 3 drop to nearly their lowest ever price — but here's why you should buy the AirPods 4 instead

The Apple AirPods 3's charging case held in hand
(Image credit: Regan Coule/Future)

The launch of the AirPods 4 has now made the AirPods 3 yesterday's news, and now they're available for preorder, retailers are dropping the price of the old model so they can clear the stock. There is just one problem — the prices haven't reduced enough to make it worth picking up the AirPods 3 at a bargain price.

The reduced price of the AirPods 3 brings them down to the same price that you can grab yourself a pair of Airpods 4 sans ANC.

So.

For $129 you can either get a three-year-old model which still features a lightning charging port, or, for a slightly longer wait but the same price, you can get some great new features. I know what I'd do.

AirPods 3: Was $179 now $129 @ Amazon

AirPods 3: Was $179 now $129 @ Amazon
The AirPods 3 are now an outgoing model, so they might not be available to buy for much longer. At this price, however, you still shouldn't — the new AirPods 4 are worth waiting for instead.

Price check: $139 @ Best Buy | $139 @ Walmart

AirPods 4: Preorder @ Amazon $129

AirPods 4: Preorder @ Amazon $129
The AirPods 4 (without ANC, mind you) are available for preorder, and they net you a better feature set at the same price as the reduced AirPods 3. Just consider it slightly longer shipping, and you're barely waiting that much longer to get them in your hands.

Price check: $129 @ Best Buy | $129 @ Apple

The AirPods 4 have a completely refreshed feature set, making them the biggest update we've seen to the AirPods line for some time (and, by extension, some of the best wireless earbuds we've tested). There's a new, more comfortable design that shrinks both the buds and the case down to become "the smallest Airpods ever". There's the inclusion of the H2 chip, which makes for better Spatial Audio support, and even an ANC option for $50 more.

There's only one thing going for the older AirPods 3 — there's an extra hour of battery out of the buds themselves (6 hours instead of 5), but it's still worth opting for the better features on the AirPods 4. If nothing else, the new USB-C port on the bottom of the AirPods 4 is a change that makes them easier to live with, and worth the slightly longer wait.

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Tammy Rogers
Audio Editor

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.