Whether they’re called base model or entry level, the most affordable members of a tech series are decidedly a no-frills proposition far more often than not. The upsell to the higher models is the way to get in on the newest and best features. This version of the AirPods 4 doesn’t come with active noise cancellation, but that’s about the only bit of audio tech that Apple skipped on these buds, now just $99 at Amazon.
The very un-entry-level-like H2 chip is the reason the AirPods 4 sound noticeably better on calls than their predecessors. Voice Isolation analyzes your voice and separates it from the ambient environment in real time. This is a significant improvement in a crowded coffee shop or a city block with traffic. Apple has been doing computational audio longer than most, and the gap between AirPods call quality and the field at this price narrows every generation.
Audio Your Way
Personalized Spatial Audio is the other feature that defies the base-model positioning. The setup process maps the geometry of your ears using the front-facing camera on your iPhone, and the result is a head-tracked spatial audio profile calibrated to your specific anatomy rather than a generic default. Whether you find spatial audio useful depends on what you are listening to. It flatters film scores and mixed recordings more than it does compressed streaming audio, but the personalization step does produce a more convincing effect than the standard one-size mapping most earbuds use.
Apple shortened the stem on the AirPods 4 for greater comfort and better fit, refined the contour of the housing, and adjusted the contact points to distribute pressure differently across ear shapes. The in-ear sensor handles automatic play and pause when you insert or remove an earbud, and the head-gesture Siri controls are especially useful when your hands are occupied.
Smaller, Redesigned Case
The AirPods 4 come with a battery life of 5 hours per charge from the earbuds themselves, with the USB-C charging case extending that to 30 hours total. The case is more than 10% smaller by volume than the previous generation, which matters for pocket carry. IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistance covers the earbuds and the case. It’s not submersion-proof, but adequate for rain and workouts. Find My integration works through the case as well as the earbuds.
While the AirPods 4 are at this $99 Amazon sale price, there’s less reason to look at the AirPods 3 or other previous-gen buds on sale or at third-party alternatives that trade Apple ecosystem integration for marginal spec improvements.
