Welcome back to Monday Ratings everyone! This is actually a special one this time around, just in time for the festive season. Which pair of AirPods should YOU buy in 2021? Let’s find out!
So firstly, lets talk about the current lineup of AirPods, so first of all we have AirPods 2nd generation for £129 at the start of the lineup, they are the cheapest pair of AirPods you can currently get from Apple, then there is the AirPods 3rd generation which are £169, after that we have AirPods Pro at £239 and then at the top of the lineup we have AirPods Max for £549, now you must be wondering, what is the difference between all of the different models and which one should you be picking up? Lets find out!
So first of all we have the AirPods 2nd generation, which are the ‘entry level’ AirPods at £129 which is actually a really good price for what you’re getting. You are getting all of the magical AirPods features such as automatic switching and the quick and easy set up process. I would personally recommend these if they are your first pair of AirPods and you want something that won’t break the bank but it will do the job, they are missing features from some of the higher end AirPods but they are simple, and get the job done.
Next up we have the newly released AirPods 3rd generation which are a great in-between of the AirPods 2 and the AirPods Pro, they don’t have an in ear design like the pros but they do have a smaller stem which features force touch controls, which I'm a huge fan of, and they have spatial audio. These are the AirPods most people should be buying, they don’t have active noise cancelation or transparency mode, but they have better battery life than the pros and not just the buds, but the case is also waterproof, which is a nice assurance to have. Also if you prefer the fit of AirPods 1 and 2 then you should definitely get these over the pros as they have a similar fit to those models which some people find much more comfortable than the in ear fit of the AirPods Pro, but similarly there are people on the other side, if you prefer the in ear fit then these are not for you.
Next in the lineup is the AirPods Pro which cost £239, they have active noise cancelation and transparency mode, both of which I have tested a lot, and they both are amazing. The only downside to the Pros is that they have worse battery life than the 3’s even though they are way more expensive, but the Pros have been around since 2019 so we could be seeing a refresh next year. With that being said, the Pros are still a great option for those people who really dig the in ear design and those who want extra features, as long as you are willing to pay the extra cash.
And finally we have the AirPods Max, these are slightly different from the rest of the lineup, as they are over ear headphones, so if you are looking for earphones specifically then these are defiantly not what your looking for. The AirPods max are rather expensive too, they cost £549 but they are absolutely amazing. The active noise cancellation on these headphones is outstanding, they manage to block out everything, which is crazy. They are definitely the best on the market, personally I’ve tried the Beats Studio 3’s and the Sony XM4’s, the Sony’s were far better than the Beats, I wouldn’t say the AirPods are far better than the Sony’s but they are definitely better. You should only consider picking these up if you truly want the best of the best, and you listen to a lot of music, listen to a lot of podcasts and watch a lot of movies with your headphones on, but for most people they are probably not worth the high price tag, especially when the AirPods Pro are so good anyway, and at under half the price of these.
So overall, I would recommend most people look at the AirPods 3, especially with the better battery life, but if you don’t like the fit of the AirPods 3 then you should look at the Pros with their in ear design and removable ear tips. But then if you just want a pair of AirPods and you don’t care about what features they have then the AirPods 2 are the best option for you as they have the lowest starting price but they still have the magical AirPods features. And finally if you just want the best of the best then the AirPods Max are for sure the way to go. I hope this guide helped you if you were struggling to make a decision! If you want even more content from me then be sure to check out my Instagram page, but for now good bye.
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