Apple AirPods 5 review: Good sound and ANC but first check the fit

Recently when Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro, the review of which you can read here, the company also introduced new AirPods 5. This is a welcome addition to the AirPods line and if you look at the specs of the new earbuds, you will see that they are now fairly close to the AirPods Pro 3, the top of the line buds from Apple. And yet, the new AirPods cost significantly less with a starting price of Rs 14,900. The biggest upgrade is that ANC in the AirPods is now a standard feature. Which means you get ANC even with the basic variant. In fact, Apple has removed the variants as far as audio experience is concerned. The AirPods 5, just like its predecessor, comes in two flavours. But the difference this time is that in the pricier version, which sells for Rs 17,900, you get a charging case that supports wireless charging and a speaker that chimes, helping you use Find My to locate it when it falls through the sofa folds. Other than this one difference, there is only one more: the swipe-able stem to control volume is only available on the pricier AirPods 5. It may sound a big deal but in use I doubt it is going to matter much for most users. Great sound, good ANC but be careful with designLet me say this without much ado: The AirPods 5 sound fantastic for the price. When I took them out of the box, paired them with an iPhone and put them in my ears, I did so without expecting too much. But the first song I played and I was blown away. Not in the sense that they are better than the AirPods Pro 3, which is what I use regularly, but by how well the AirPods 5 sounds despite Rs 13,000 gap between it and Pro. In this price segment, that is under Rs 15,000, the AirPods 5 are the best sounding earbuds I have come across. Despite their size they push out well-controlled but hefty bass, and their mids and highs are classic Apple, that is clean and somewhat airy.The AirPods 5 is billed as the lowest-priced ticket into the world of Apple. And this time Apple has decided to give AirPods users almost everything that it puts in its audio products. This means improved sound, like I just noted, as well as fairly decent active noise cancellation. In terms of effectiveness, the ANC doesn’t match what the AirPods Pro 3 can offer with its in-ear design that seals sounds better. But it is for sure offers the best ANC I have tried in an open buds design. It is good enough to dampen outside sounds, even office chatter.This is probably due to the same H2 chip that also powers the AirPods Pro 3. The difference in the ANC performance of these different earbuds is most likely due to the design differences, and not necessarily the hardware. At the same time, the AirPods 5 also offers almost all key features that you otherwise get with the pricier AirPods Pro. It is water and sweat resistant, it offers spatial sound with personalised head tracking, comes with features like conversation awareness and transparency, and is compatible with AI features like Live Translation using Siri AI. One thing that it is missing is the heart rate sensor. But I doubt most people will need something like that it their earbuds. The key question then is this: Why should you spend Rs 13,000 more on the AirPods Pro 3? Why not get the AirPods 5 if it is so good?The answer is going to differ from user to user because the shape of everyone’s ears is different. In other words, let’s talk about the design of the AirPods 5. The AirPods 5 uses the same old AirPods design, which is open and doesn’t have the silicon tips attached to the buds. So, the AirPods 5 buds sit on the outer periphery of the ear canal instead of going slightly deeper and fitting snugly in the manner silicon tips do. It is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Some people want open design for their buds because of hygiene reasons. Or because they find the more “intrusive” design of AirPods Pro cumbersome. These people will love the AirPods 5 design. But because this design doesn’t make the buds fit snugly into ears, most people may find the AirPods 5 loose in their ears. Worse, some people might find the design of the buds incompatible with the shape of their ears. For example, I found that for my left ear the AirPods 5 bud fit me snugly and securely. But for my right ear it would not go deep enough to give me a proper fit. I could still lightly jog and briskly walk while wearing it, for hours, but during these sessions I also found myself trying to push and fit the bud in the right ear every 10 to 15 minutes. It never fell out of my ear, but it also never felt securely attached. Something like this is not an issue for most people with the AirPods Pro. Even if the fit is not secure, they can change the silicon tips to a different size and most likely get the kind of fit they want. Such flexibility is not possible with the AirPods 5.In other words, while I feel that AirPods 5 are punching above their weight and price category, you should go for them only after trying them in a nearby store, preferably Apple Store if you have one in your city. Design is a key part of earbuds experience and how they fit into ears impacts everything from audio experience to ANC. If the design is right for you, I feel the AirPods 5 are an excellent and cost-effective entry into the world of Apple audio for anyone with an iPhone. The battery life too is quite great, with the buds and case lasting around a week or so with ease if you are using them for a few hours daily. More if you don’t use them that frequently, and less if the buds are always attached to your ears with ANC turned on. AirPods 5 worth buying?If the design works for the shape of your ears, the AirPods 5 is a fantastic choice. It is particularly impressive with the kind of sound it can put out, and the ANC — while not as effective as what we get with the AirPods Pro — is more than good enough. Having said that, the AirPods Pro 3 remains the top-of-the-line earbuds from Apple. It sounds superb and noticeably better than AirPods 5. It is also more comfortable in ears, fits more securely, and has a more effective ANC. In fact, if you are looking for AirPods on a more modest budget I would even suggest that you take a look at the older AirPods Pro 2. Chances are that you may not immediately find one in stock but if you do see it, you may get it at a decent discount. And compared to the AirPods 5, you may find the Pro 2 fitting better in your ears.- Ends