Those looking for noise cancellation in Apple headphones had to opt for the AirPods Pro. However, with the latest addition to the catalog, the base model now offers the option to include noise cancellation, so the differences between those and the Pro are quite reduced. But, What exactly are the differences between AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2?
Cancellation power
Short answer: they don't cancel equally. Although the new AirPods with noise cancellation have included the function for the first time in the most basic model of the catalog, AirPods Pro 2 will continue to be the best option to achieve silence in True Wireless formatAnd according to Apple itself, the AirPods Pro 2 cancel approximately twice as much as the AirPods 4, which means that they will continue to be much more effective models when it comes to silencing the environment.
The new AirPods 4 are said to be on par with the first-generation AirPods Pro in performance, but we'll have to test them out to draw any clear conclusions.
They share the same chip
Something quite interesting about the AirPods 4 is that they mount inside the chip H2, that is, the same driver as the AirPods Pro 2, so technically they will offer the same performance, with transparency functions, adaptive noise cancellation and voice clarification. This shows that the new models are quite up to date, and will offer excellent performance in terms of audio processing.
Beyond the aesthetic difference between the two, one feature that is not available on the AirPods 4 and that the AirPods Pro 2 do have is the ability to adjust the volume using a swipe touch gesture.
Differences in charging cases
Another new feature will be the charging case. The basic version of the AirPods 4 (without noise cancellation) has a simple charging case via USB-C, while the version with noise cancellation includes the case with a charging system. Built-in Qi wireless charging and built-in speaker to use the Search function.
This means that there is practically no difference with the AirPods Pro 2 case, although in reality there is, since the latter have a hole to attach a carrying cord.
Battery life, the real difference
But where we will find the key difference between the models is in the battery life. The new AirPods 4 with noise cancellation reach 5 hours playback time on a single charge, while the AirPods Pro 2 can last up to 6 hours per charge. This makes the latter the more recommended choice for those looking for maximum battery life, although it should be noted that the case offers the same 30 additional hours of extra charge in both cases.