So you’ve seen the advertisements for AirPods, the fancy Apple headphones. And you thought to yourself, “Hey, those look cool, maybe I should buy some.” After looking at the price, you immediately begin to have second thoughts. Are AirPods worth it? Do I really want them that much?
As you probably already know, Apple products are never cheap. The reason for that is mostly branding because the Apple brand is well-known for creating top-of-the-line products and it’s more of a fashion symbol nowadays.
The AirPods are no different. While I’m not an audiophile, I can recognize quality when I see or hear it, and after getting my hands on some AirPods, here’s what I think about them:
Are AirPods Worth It?
If you have the budget, Airpods are worth it because they’re wireless, include a built-in microphone, the battery lasts for up to 5 hours, the sound quality is surprisingly good, and they work with Android too. There are also lots of other extra features that we’ll talk about later on.
Note: Always buy AirPods (and other brand name products) from the official brand’s store on Amazon. There are lots of fake products on Amazon. Awhile back, I bought a fake PS4 controller from Amazon on accident, so be careful. If you don’t like Amazon, you can either visit an Apple store in person or check out their official online store.
The prices for AirPods can be shockingly high, I’m talking $200 or more for a pair of AirPods Pro. The latest version, AirPods Max, cost upwards of $500! To me, that seems a little extreme. You could buy a laptop for that amount.
So if you’re thinking: “Phh, no way I’m spending that much money on some headphones“, chances are you don’t have the budget for it, and that’s okay, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives out there.
But if you’re still struggling to decide if AirPods are worth it for you, I’ll do a quick breakdown of the pros and cons for you. I mean, these are not ordinary headphones, they have a lot of cool features you should know about.
Let’s take a look at the AirPod’s best features:
AirPod Features:
These will be targeted towards the original AirPods but most of the newer versions share the same features, albeit with slightly better specs and performance.
1 – Built-in Microphones
Each of the AirPods has a microphone, but only one can work at a time. So it works pretty much like any Bluetooth headset, you can use it not only for calls but also voice commands with Siri or voice to text. The microphone quality is not amazing but it’s good enough. The
Another fun fact is there are actually two microphones, one on the outer edge, and one on the inner, pointing towards your ear canal. Why would a microphone need to be in your ear canal? I’ll get to that in a second.
2 – Quick Pairing via Bluetooth (Wireless)
What’s really cool about AirPods is as soon as you open the AirPod case, they will automatically turn on and pair with nearby devices.
To pair for the first time, open the case, hold the pair button, and you should be able to connect to them via Bluetooth. Once paired, the AirPods will automatically connect to the paired device as soon as you pop open the case.
Very cool.
3 – Active Noise Canceling
AirPods, the originals (and all the newer versions) have active noise canceling features. Basically what it does is filter out constant background sounds so people can actually hear you clearly from the microphones.
Remember that inner microphone we talked about earlier? The purpose of that microphone is to make sure the noise-canceling feature is working as intended. It checks if sounds from the environment are getting into the ear and help adapt the active noise canceling to reduce those sounds.
The technology is quite complex, and I don’t even fully understand how it works, but the point is the AirPods do have noise-canceling features. So these could also be considered noise-canceling headphones, except the sound is filtered out digitally, and not by simply blocking your ear canal.
AirPods Pro have more noise reduction options, three to be exact, and you can configure the settings from your iPhone or other Apple device. Those are the best features of the AirPods, there are many others, but these are the most notable.
Do AirPods Fall Out When You Run?
AirPods don’t usually fall out when you run, but the originals can be uncomfortable for intense runs. If they come loose, you can either use silicon hooks or medical tape to secure them to your ear. The AirPod Pro design is slightly more secure than the originals because they added extra silicon to fit your ear canal. There are accessories you can buy to improve the experience too.
Are AirPods Waterproof?
AirPods are not waterproof but they are water-resistant. The difference is if you get some drops of water on them, they should be fine. However, they won’t work underwater, and they’ll likely break if submerged too long. Don’t swim with these!
Do AirPods Work on Android Phones?
Yes. AirPods are not exclusive to Apple products, they can work with android phones too. You can also pair them to a Windows 10 laptop or PC with a Bluetooth dongle.
For me, that’s a big win because I prefer android phones. Of course, they work best with iPhones because you have more configuration options, but other devices should work fine too.
How to Find Your AirPods?
If you lost your AirPods, you can use the “Find My” app and select “AirPods”. The app will show the location of the AirPods on a map and you can even trigger a sound to make them easier to find. Of course, you have to be connected to Bluetooth to use the sound feature. You can also play sounds on either the left or right AirPod. You may also be able to get a replacement AirPod from Apple.
The Bottom Line:
If you have the budget, and you listen to music on a daily basis, AirPods are worth it. They’ll last for a long time, and they can work with pretty much any device that has Bluetooth. It’s similar to the Apple Magic Keyboard, our favorite keyboard for writers.
But if you’re tight on cash, and don’t really feel like buying AirPods, although you do want some wireless headphones, take a look at these alternatives. There are lots of great alternatives, one of which is the Samsung Galaxy Buds but you can take a look at this list for more options.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article. Have you tried AirPods? Leave a comment below with your opinions!
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