Apple’s $129 AirPods 5 close the gap on the Pro 3

The latest:

Apple’s AirPods 5 bring active noise cancellation to the entry-level model at $129, scrapping the price premium the company charged a year earlier for the same feature. The wireless-charging version lands at $149, below the $179 AirPods 4 with ANC it replaces. Mashable reviewer Stan Schroeder wrote that the earbuds match the AirPods Pro 3 in several areas and beat them in a few.

Details:

• The pricing shift: Mashable noted the AirPods 4 with ANC cost $179 in 2024, against $129 for the basic version. Apple folded an improved ANC system into the $129 AirPods 5 this year and priced the wireless-charging variant at $149 — a cut, even as Apple raised prices elsewhere in its lineup.
• What $20 buys: The pricier AirPods 5 add a wireless charging case, five hours of battery against four, and a swipe-sensitive strip on the earbud neck for volume control, inherited from the Pro line. Schroeder recommended paying the difference. Buyers can spot the variant by the speaker grille on the case bottom.
• The ANC verdict: The reviewer said the AirPods Pro 3 remain clearly better at blocking noise, crediting their foam tips and acoustic seal. On an actual flight, the AirPods 5 cut engine drone and passenger chatter, but a higher-pitched hiss stayed audible. Bud positioning materially changes the result.
• Sound quality: Schroeder described clear sound with punchy drums and ample but not overwhelming bass, strong on live and intimate recordings, weaker on dense material and large classical ensembles. He rated them roughly identical to the AirPods 4 and a step below the Pro 3 on detail.
• Battery figures: The review put the AirPods 5 at four to five hours with ANC enabled, and 20 to 22 hours including the case, depending on variant. The AirPods Pro 3 deliver eight hours on a charge and up to 24 hours with the case.
• Software carried over: The AirPods 5 inherit Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Live Translation and Siri AI from the Pro model. Schroeder said he skips Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness entirely, but called Transparency genuinely useful when he needs ambient sound without pausing playback.
• Still Pro-only: Health features remain exclusive to the AirPods Pro 3, including Hearing Test, Hearing Protection and a heart rate sensor for workouts. The review judged them pleasant additions rather than essentials for anyone buying earbuds primarily to listen to music.
• The recommendation: One outright win for the cheaper model: its case is significantly smaller than the Pro 3’s. Schroeder still ranks the Pro 3 as his favorite overall, but said buyers who dislike foam tips, or who want to stay under $150, should take the AirPods 5.

Between the lines:

Apple’s usual pattern puts the standout features behind the Pro tier, which pushes buyers upward. Here the flow runs the other way: ANC, volume swipe, Transparency and Live Translation all moved down to the $129 model, leaving the Pro 3 defended mainly by battery life, noise sealing and health sensors. The reviewer’s own line — that it almost feels like Apple is undercutting its pricier model — reads as the point.

What’s next

Watch whether Apple adjusts AirPods Pro 3 positioning or pricing now that the base model carries most of its feature set, and whether the iOS 27 custom EQ expands to more Apple audio hardware.