Apple's new AirPods are now available for pre-order. With the release of the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC, Apple has made some significant improvements that could make a difference in your daily listening experience.

Key upgrades in the AirPods 4 include a more comfortable fit, improved sound quality with a new low-distortion driver, and enhanced features like Personalized Spatial Audio. For the first time in the standard AirPods range, the AirPods 4 offer optional active noise cancellation for an additional $50, providing a quieter and more immersive experience, especially in noisy environments.

This buyer's guide breaks down those changes, compares them to previous generations, and helps you to decide which model best fits your needs. Whether you're upgrading from the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, or deciding between the AirPods 4 models, this guide helps you to make an informed decision based on your priorities—whether it's sound quality, fit, comfort, or advanced features like ANC. We'll also explain who should consider upgrading to the latest generation.

AirPods (Second-Generation, 2019)	AirPods (Third-Generation, 2021)	AirPods (Fourth-Generation, 2024)	AirPods With ANC (Fourth-Generation, 2024)
EarPods-like design (2012) with long "stems"	AirPods Pro-like design (2019) with wider shape, shorter "stems," and improved fit	Further improved, more comfortable fit with narrower shape	Further improved, more comfortable fit with narrower shape
		Vent system for pressure equalization	Vent system for pressure equalization
Optical in-ear sensors	Skin-detect sensors	Optical in-ear sensors	Optical in-ear sensors
	Inward-facing microphones	Inward-facing microphones	Inward-facing microphones
Tap sensors	Force sensors	Force sensors	Force sensors
Double-tap to play, skip forward, or answer a phone call	Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call, press twice to skip forward, press three times to skip back, and press and hold for Siri	Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call, press twice to skip forward, press three times to skip back, and press and hold for Siri	Press once to play, pause, or answer a phone call, press twice to skip forward, press three times to skip back, and press and hold for Siri
	Sweat and water resistance (IPX4)	Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)	Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)
Custom high-excursion Apple driver	Redesigned high-excursion Apple driver based on AirPods Pro	New low-distortion driver and acoustic architecture	New low-distortion driver and acoustic architecture
Custom high dynamic range amplifier	Redesigned high dynamic range amplifier based on AirPods Pro	New high dynamic range amplifier	New high dynamic range amplifier
H1 chip	H1 chip	H2 chip	H2 chip
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
2.4GHz connectivity	2.4GHz connectivity	2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity	2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity
	Adaptive EQ	Adaptive EQ	Adaptive EQ
	Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking	Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking	Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
			Active Noise Cancellation
			Transparency mode
			Adaptive Audio
			Conversation Awareness
		Personalized Volume	Personalized Volume
		Voice Isolation	Voice Isolation
"Hey Siri" command support	"Hey Siri" command support	"Hey Siri" and just "Siri" command support	"Hey Siri" and just "Siri" command support
Up to five hours of listening time with a single charge	Up to six hours of listening time with a single charge (up to five hours with spatial audio)	Up to five hours of listening time with a single charge	Up to five hours of listening time on a single charge with noise control off (up to four hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled)
Lightning Charging Case	Lightning Charging Case/MagSafe Charging Case with support for Apple Watch charger, Qi?certified wireless chargers, and MagSafe	USB-C Char-ging Case	USB?C Wireless Char-ging Case with support for Apple Watch charger and Qi?certified wireless chargers
	Wider charging case	Compact charging case (10% smaller in volume)	Compact charging case (10% smaller in volume)
			Speaker for Find My
Lightning port	Lightning port	USB-C port	USB-C port
Physical pairing button	Physical pairing button	Capacitive pairing button	Capacitive pairing button
Previously 9, now discontinued	Previously 9, now discontinued	9	9

Dimensions

With each generation, Apple has refined the design of both the earbuds and the charging case, making them more compact and lightweight. In the AirPods 4, the earbuds are slightly smaller and more ergonomic, while the charging case has seen a 10% reduction in volume, making it easier to carry around. Below, you'll find a detailed comparison of the dimensions of the AirPods across generations, helping you see how Apple has improved the form factor over time.

Earbuds

	AirPods (Second-Generation)	AirPods (Third-Generation)	AirPods (Fourth-Generation)
Height	40.5 mm (1.59 inches)	30.79 mm (1.21 inches)	30.2 mm (1.19 inches)
Width	16.5 mm (0.65 inches)	18.26 mm (0.72 inches)	18.3 mm (0.72 inches)
Depth	18.0 mm (0.71 inches)	19.21 mm (0.76 inches)	18.1 mm (0.71 inches)
Weight	4.0 grams (0.14 ounces)	4.28 grams (0.15 ounces)	4.3 grams (0.15 ounces)

Charging Case

	AirPods (Second-Generation) Charging Case	AirPods (Third-Generation) Charging Case	AirPods (Fourth-Generation) Charging Case
Height	53.5 mm (2.11 inches)	46.40 mm (1.83 inches)	46.2 mm (1.82 inches)
Width	44.3 mm (1.74 inches)	54.40 mm (2.14 inches)	50.1 mm (1.97 inches)
Depth	21.3 mm (0.84 inches)	21.38 mm (0.84 inches)	21.2 mm (0.83 inches)
Weight	38.2 grams (1.35 ounces)	37.91 grams (1.34 ounces)	32.3 grams (1.14 ounces) ANC model: 34.7 grams (1.22 ounces)

?????? ??? ????

AirPods 4, ?? ANC ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??????. ?? ??? ?????? Apple? ?? ?? ???? ??? ANC? ??? AirPods 4? ??? ?? ??(ANC) ??? ??? ????. ?? ?? ???? ??? ??? ? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?? ? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?????. ?? AirPods Pro? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ? ????.

? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????. ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? AirPods 4? ?? ???? ? ?? ??, ? ??? ??, ????? ??? ???? ?????. ?? ? ???? ?? ?? ???? ????? Apple? Adaptive EQ ? Personalized Spatial Audio ??? ?? ???????. ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ? ?? ?? ????, ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? AirPods 2 ?? AirPods 3?? ??????? ???? ?? ?????.

?? ???? ???????. . AirPods 4? ? ?? ??? ?? ? ???? ?? ? ?? ? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? AirPods 3? ? ??? ?? ?? ??? ?????. ?? ???? 10% ? ????? ANC ???? Apple? ?? ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ??? ? ??? ???? ???? ????.

AirPods 2?? ?????

?? ??? ?? AirPods 2?? AirPods 4? ??????? ?? ???, ??? ? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?????. AirPods 2?? ??? ?? ? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ? ?? ??? ?????. AirPods 2?? ??????? ???? ANC? ??? AirPods 4? ?? ? ? ??? ?? ? ??? ?? ?? ? ????.

AirPods 3?? ?????

AirPods 3 ???? ?? ??? ? ? ?????. ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ANC? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ? ????. ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??? ? ?? ??? ????? ANC? ??? AirPods 4? ?? ?? ?????? ? ????. ANC? ???? ?? AirPods 3? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ? ???? ? ????.

AirPods Pro?? ?????

AirPods Pro? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ? ??? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?? ????. AirPods 4? Pro? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ? ???? ??? ?? Pro ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??? ?????.

AirPods 4 ?? ANC ?? AirPods 4?

AirPods 4? ANC ?? AirPods 4 ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????. ???? ??, ??? ??, ?? ?? ? ???? ??? ?? ????? ANC? ??? AirPods 4? ? 50??? ? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ? ????. ?? ?? ??? AirPods Pro?? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?? ? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?????.

Find My ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? Apple Watch? Qi ?? ???? ??? ? ?? ??? ?? ???. ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ANC ?? AirPods 4? ?ANC ??? ?? 50?? ? ?? ?? ????.

??, ??? AirPods? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? AirPods 4? ? ???? ??? ? ????. AirPods 4? ??? ??, ?? ??? ? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ? ?????. AirPods 2 ?? 3?? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?? ????? AirPods 4? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????.

The above is the detailed content of AirPods 4 vs. Previous Generations Buyer\'s Guide: All Upgrades Compared. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!