You Should Definitely Upgrade to Apple’s New AirPods 5

2 min readApple’s September 9 keynote is getting a lot of buzz for the controversial iPhone Duo, but as far as we’re concerned, AirPods 5 are the star of the show. Now, is the latest and greatest model always worth the upgrade? Absolutely not. Sometimes, the new tech looks exactly the same as the old, with minimal changes under the hood. This is not one of those times.AirPods 5 are Apple’s first standard AirPods model to feature Active Noise Cancellation. And while they might look a lot like past generations, that’s where the similarities end.First up is the price. Back in 2024, we deemed the AirPods 4 the best-ever earbuds, with the caveat that we preferred the option with noise cancellation. Those retailed for $179, and the entry-level model without ANC went for $129. We thought that was as low as Apple would go, and we’ve never been so happy to admit we were wrong. In a world where tech giants are increasing prices left and right (just look at the price of MacBooks), this is rare.It’s also the first time Live Translation is available in a non-Pro model. In our AirPods Pro 3 review, senior commerce director Krista Jones raved about the feature, which came in handy in her bilingual household.Without getting too in the weeds, these offer many of the same features as the AirPods Pro 3—for nearly half the price. They don’t have the gummy silicone ear tips, which are helpful for some but a sensory nightmare for others. They do have improved dust, sweat, and water resistance, which will definitely come in handy for those who choose to wear their AirPods while working out.Apple also introduced the companion AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case (offering my services to help workshop the product name) that have a few additional upgrades. For $149, you get all of the features from the standard AirPods 5, plus on-stem volume controls, increased battery life (up to five hours, versus four hours on the standard model), and the ability to use a wireless charger to juice up the case, instead of the standard USB-C cable.While these are officially available on September 18, do yourself a favor and preorder them now, so they’ll be waiting for you come release day. You know you’ll succumb to the hype once everyone’s tried them—and by that point, who knows? They could be sold out, and you’ll be stuck with your tired old earbuds. Your move.PREORDER AIRPODS 5 ON AMAZON