AirPods 5 Review — The best open-fit noise cancelling yet, as long as they fit your ears

AirPods 5 are the most-watched audio launch of the past month: in our YouTube searches covering the last 30 days, AirPods 5 videos longer than three minutes came from 32 channels and added up to about 7.7 million views. We read the full transcripts of eight English-language videos from Linus Tech Tips, ShortCircuit (with frequency-response measurements), iFixit's teardown, Max Tech, zollotech, Steve DOES, SoundGuys, and Mark Ellis Reviews. This is what they agree on, and the one thing that splits them.

What you're actually getting

There are two versions, and both have active noise cancelling. The $129 AirPods 5 come with a USB-C case. The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case add wireless charging, swipe-to-change-volume on the stems, and slightly more battery. Both use Apple's H2 chip and keep the tip-free shape of AirPods 4. zollotech found the two generations look nearly identical side by side. Apple's listing rates the earbuds IP57 for dust, sweat, and water, up from IP54 on AirPods 4, which Max Tech explains as surviving a meter of water for 30 minutes.

The price is the headline. ShortCircuit points out that AirPods 4 with ANC launched at $179, so the AirPods 5 add features and cost less. Linus Tech Tips puts it this way: "Apple has delivered a better product across the board at somehow a lower starting price."

Noise cancelling: excellent for an open earbud, not for a plane

Apple says the AirPods 5 remove up to 1.5 times as much noise as AirPods 4. Reviewers who got a good fit were impressed. SoundGuys: "it does have the best ANC performance we've tested for open earbuds." Linus Tech Tips' HVAC system disappeared and a robot vacuum became inaudible under music. In Max Tech's simulated airplane-cabin test, the AirPods 5 cut more of the high-pitched noise than AirPods 4. ShortCircuit's DMS: "That ANC at the price point is crazy."

The limits come from the open design. Bumping or touching an earbud makes the ANC reset for a couple of seconds, and Linus found even a yawn could unseat them enough to leak noise. A table saw easily overwhelmed them. Two reviewers draw a line at flights. SoundGuys: "I wouldn't use them on a flight, though." Mark Ellis Reviews, who already rated AirPods 4 ANC highly, couldn't hear a big difference: "These are slightly better, but still the best on the market at this price point."

Fit: the one thing that splits the reviewers

Because there are no ear tips, how well AirPods 5 work depends on your ear shape. SoundGuys: "the fit of the AirPods 5 can be kind of hit or miss." Linus Tech Tips, zollotech, and Max Tech found them extremely comfortable. Linus said they surpass his AirPods Pro 2 for daily-wear comfort, and zollotech wears them all day without the itching ear tips cause him.

Steve DOES had the opposite experience. His pair felt loose, fell out a few times while walking, and shifted when he swiped the volume. That changed his verdict on the noise cancelling: "for my ears, the loose fit really hurts how effective that really is." Mark Ellis Reviews also found his left one works itself loose, though without hurting the ANC or sound. If AirPods 3 or AirPods 4 fit you, zollotech says these will too. If they never have, start with the AirPods Pro 3.

Sound quality

ShortCircuit measured the AirPods 5 on a head-and-torso simulator. Bass from 30 Hz to about 200 Hz sits right in the middle of the listener-preference target: "the bass is what I would describe as damn near perfect." The weak spot is a dip in the upper midrange, where hearing is most sensitive, which ShortCircuit called "the biggest problem of the overall frequency response for the AirPods 5." It also found bass varies widely with how the earbuds sit in your ear.

Listening impressions follow the same pattern. Linus Tech Tips: "the sound could be best described as basic but fun." He wanted vocals less buried by bass and hi-hats. Max Tech heard smoother vocals and better instrument separation than AirPods 4, while zollotech heard only slightly clearer highs. Steve DOES found them bass heavy but clean, and very close to the Pro 3 in a quiet room. SoundGuys found the bass quieter than sealed earbuds and cymbals a little loud, which it fixed with the treble slider in the new iOS 27 EQ. That EQ has only three bands, which Linus says isn't enough to fix the midrange dip.

Battery, case, and the rest

Apple rates the $129 model at 4 hours with ANC (20 hours with the case) and the $149 model at 5 hours (22 hours with the case). Most reviewers call that fine for daily use, but not a strength. Linus Tech Tips: "Battery life is another area where the AirPods fives feel weak compared to the Pro threes." He ran out on one long day and says they won't last a night if you sleep in earbuds. Apple's 5-minute charge for about an hour of listening held up in his use.

The case is tiny, and Linus says it makes the Pro 3 case feel clunky. zollotech found no cable in the box. The $149 case charges on Qi pads and Apple Watch chargers, but Max Tech notes it has no MagSafe magnets, so it slides off MagSafe stands. Linus also misses the ultra-wideband precision finding of the Pro models and the physical pairing button, which is gone. Transparency mode is a highlight: Mark Ellis Reviews still hasn't found earbuds that do it better, and Max Tech found it more natural than on AirPods 4. SoundGuys heard no real difference in call quality from the AirPods Pro 3.

On Android they work as plain Bluetooth earbuds, but Linus points out you can't check battery levels or update the firmware without Apple hardware.

iFixit gave the AirPods 5 a 2 out of 10 for repairability. That is low, but it is the first time in 10 years iFixit has scored AirPods above zero: "For the first time in 10 years, Apple ships wireless buds with a possible to replace battery." The earbud batteries can be reached with heat and careful prying, but the case had to be cut open, and Apple offers no parts or repair manuals.

$129 or $149?

Most reviewers would pay the extra $20. ShortCircuit: "20 bucks more is absolutely worth it in this case for the upgrades on the wireless charging version." Max Tech: "for 20 bucks extra, I would pay that just for the stem controls." Linus Tech Tips and Mark Ellis Reviews agree.

Two reviewers disagree. zollotech mostly changes volume on his phone anyway: "If you don't care about that, save your money and go for the 129 version". Steve DOES points out that "the extra $20 version doesn't fix the biggest issue I had with these, and that is the fit and the ANC performance."

The $149 model with the wireless charging case and the $129 model were both sold and shipped by Amazon.com at those prices when we checked on October 21, 2026.

AirPods 5 vs AirPods Pro 3

SoundGuys lists the AirPods Pro 3 at $249. For that, you get a sealed fit with ear tips, much stronger noise cancelling, more bass, 3 to 4 more hours of battery by Apple's figures, a heart-rate sensor, and hearing-aid and hearing-protection features. Both have the H2 chip, transparency and adaptive modes, live translation, and similar call quality.

Every reviewer who compared them agrees the Pro 3 is better at blocking noise. Steve DOES on the AirPods 5's noise cancelling: "it is nowhere near the experience of the Pro 3s." SoundGuys thinks the Pro 3 is worth the extra money for anyone who tolerates ear tips. In a quiet room, though, the gap is smaller than the price suggests. Steve DOES: "When I compare them directly with the Pro 3s in a quiet room, they honestly sounded very similar."

Pick by fit. If silicone tips make your ears ache or itch, the AirPods 5 are the better buy. If ear tips are fine for you, or you fly often, get the Pro 3. Steve DOES saw the Pro 3 on sale for $199, so watch for deals before you choose.

Coming from AirPods 4? zollotech: "I probably would skip them if you have AirPods 4, but if you have AirPods 3 or older, these are definitely nicer and worth picking up." See our AirPods 4 with ANC review and AirPods Pro 2 review. For sealed alternatives outside Apple, compare the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

Should you buy it?

Buy if you:

• Use an iPhone and find silicone ear tips uncomfortable
• Want noise cancelling for commutes, offices, and around the house at a low price
• Already find AirPods 3 or AirPods 4 comfortable and secure
• Want the smallest AirPods case

Skip if you:

• Fly often or need real quiet in loud places
• Have ears that regular AirPods have never stayed in
• Want strong bass or long listening sessions on one charge
• Already own AirPods 4 with ANC, or use Android

Our verdict is buy, with one condition: the fit has to work for you. Five of the seven product reviewers recommend them outright, SoundGuys recommends them if you dislike ear tips, and only Steve DOES would rather pay for the Pro 3. Mark Ellis Reviews: "It's just a no-brainer." If they sit loosely in your ears, return them and get the AirPods Pro 3.

Sources consulted

• Linus Tech Tips — The Apple Product I Still Fanboy Over - AirPods 5 Review
• ShortCircuit — How Can Apple Keep Doing This - AirPods 5
• iFixit — We've Given AirPods 0/10 for 10 Years. Until Now.
• Max Tech — AirPods 5 are BETTER than Apple told you!
• zollotech — AirPods 5 Unboxing, Setup and Review
• Steve DOES — I Tested The New AirPods 5 So You Don't Have To
• SoundGuys — AirPods 5 vs. AirPods Pro 3: It's kinda OBVIOUS...
• Mark Ellis Reviews — AirPods 5 Review: My Verdict After 7 Days
• Amazon.com — AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case customer ratings (4.5/5 from 351 ratings) and AirPods 5 customer ratings (4.4/5 from 303 ratings), checked October 21, 2026

Synthesis combines independent reviews above. Verdicts and quotes attributed to original creators; quotes are verbatim from each video's English captions and link to the moment they're said. Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases via Amazon links.