When the AirPods 4 first came out, I wrote about my experience with them after one short week. After vetting them for seven days, I found a pair of buds that weren't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I did find them wanting in some key areas.
Now, with six months under my belt of intermittent testing, has my opinion softened? Or have I found more things that give me pause about Apple's cheapest pair of AirPods?
To be completely honest, I'm still somewhat nonplussed about the buds — and for a line that has traditionally hooked me in, that feels like a big shame.
What do I still like?
Well, the design still looks really nice. I love how small that case is, and I've only grown to like it more over the last few months. It fits super easily into just about any pair of pants I want to slip them in.
The ANC in the noise-canceling model continues to impress as well. No, it's not as good as the best noise-canceling earbuds you can buy, but when you consider that they're more open, it's mighty impressive.
One thing I've noticed during my extended time with the buds is just how magical the AirPods integration is with the rest of Apple's ecosystem.
One thing I've noticed during my extended time with the buds is just how magical the AirPods integration is with the rest of Apple's ecosystem. I play them on my iPad, and then move over to my MacBook — and the audio moves with me. I know it's the way it's worked for years now, but that feature never ceases to amaze me.
The weird connection issues I had when they were new seem to have worked themselves out as well — they've hooked up with my devices without any problem at all. Apart from my Android phone. Which I'll get to later.
I still don't really like their sound
In my initial piece, I did a "sonic deep-dive" into the audio quality that the AirPods 4 offered. It's not that I was completely disappointed, but I felt like there were elements of the sound that could've been better.
Listening again to them, I find that the mid-range is still a great strength, with good depth to vocals and guitars. It makes, for the most part, a relatively clean listen. Bass extension remains impressive for something of the AirPods 4 format, and it goes much lower than you might expect.
But there remain these crucial bug-bears around the overall sonic profile that I struggle with. There's more sibilance than you might like, with cymbals becoming piercing, and high guitar or piano notes that have a less desirable tenor.
Some of the bass gets lost as well, as the over-compensatory mids start to cause problems. I gave Devin Townsend's Victim (demo) a quick turn with the buds while writing here, and I found a hollow sound signature that took all of the edge out of the harsh vocals and distorted guitars.
The AirPods 4 are going to sound fine to most people, but with some scrutiny, they don't hold up to the likes of the similarly priced Sony WF-C710N.
I know that I'm picky — I'm paid to be picky. It's in my job description, right between "annoy your managing editor" and "write things about headphones and earbuds." The AirPods 4 are going to sound fine to most people, but with some scrutiny, they don't hold up to the likes of the similarly priced Sony WF-C710N.
Time has simply highlighted more of these issues.
The comfort and fit aren't for me
The AirPods 4 and their open fit are never going to be as snug as something with silicone tips like the AirPods Pro 2. That's fine for some folks, but the issue is that I just... don't like it.
They constantly fall out of my ears, or I've got to re-adjust and reseat them. It's a pain, and when other buds like the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds fit so well, it feels like a shame.
I'll admit there's something to their 'barely there' fit that makes you forget you're wearing them, but I wish that didn't come at the expense of security. I don't want them falling out on the train — only to be never seen again.
Connectivity is still hit-or-miss
I know I said that the AirPods 4 now connect with iPhones and iPads much better and how magical it all is — and that's still true. But if you're not as ingrained in the Apple ecosystem, you might find connection problems.
Since I wrote about the buds initially, I've swapped from iPhone to Android, and I've had no end of issues getting them hooked up to my Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It's annoying. They drop out, they don't show up, they want to connect more readily to my iPad upstairs instead. Not fun.
Getting them into pairing mode is annoying too. I don't know what was wrong with the button on the old models, but now we've got a touch panel on the case — and it's bad. It was a cold winter here in the U.K. last year, and I frequently found my fingers in gloves.
Mix that with the connection issues I had on my shiny new folding Android handset, and I was frequently pulling my gloves off to restart pairing mode and get them reconnected. A pairing button, in my eyes, will always be superior.
Have I changed my mind?
I'll echo what I said in my previous piece: "I’m not going to say ‘don’t buy the AirPods 4!' — but I will tell you to check out the best wireless noise-canceling earbuds, and have a really good think about whether you might be better off with something from the competition."
My overall opinion has changed over the last 6 months, and in that time I have found more annoying niggly bits with the buds that sour my opinion in ways I didn't expect.
I don't dislike the AirPods 4 by any stretch of the imagination — they're solid, inexpensive buds. But there are plenty of superior options that cost either the same, or even less.
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