We don't normally see discounts on brand-new Apple products, but it's time to buck that trend as we've just spotted that the AirPods 4 with ANC have dropped in price for the first time as part of the Black Friday sales.
Launching at £179 just this September, the AirPods 4 with ANC wireless earbuds are now £169 at Amazon. Granted, a tenner off isn't the most exciting saving, but it's quite unusual to see any money off on Apple headphones just two months after release. These 4th-generation AirPods blend the standard 'open' design with surprisingly effecting noise-cancelling, bringing heaps of iOS features and improved sound along the way.
Apple launched two variants of the AirPods 4: a standard model, and one with active noise-cancelling, while also bringing flagship features formerly only found in the top-of-the-range AirPods Pro 2.
Some of the AirPods Pro 2's five-star sound quality has trickled through to these 'standard' AirPods 4, with the latest Apple wireless earbuds sounding clearer and more detailed, powerful and rhythmically capable than before. We'd like to hear a bit more expressive dynamics and solidity to the AirPods 4's sound, but its sonic profile hews pretty close to our favourite Apple earbuds.
Even more impressive is that Apple has successfully implemented noise-cancelling in an eartip-less design. These 'Pods won't completely cocoon you in silence; but they specifically target low-level noise – traffic and engine rumbles, kitchen exhaust fans and the like – and these noises melt away effectively. You'll still hear high-pitched noises and office chatter come through, but the noise-blocking level is ideal for "those who love a tip-less earbuds design, and want to hear music clearly just enough to enjoy but still be aware of their surroundings", as we said in our full review.
The AirPods 4 have a comfortable, lightweight design and the only downside is the comparatively poor battery life. You get four to five hours on a single charge, but the charging case (now equipped with USB-C) will give you 30 hours in total.
Features such as personalised spatial audio, adaptive audio, conversation mode and many more features are now available to the AirPods 4 (for iOS users only, naturally) and overall the buds are easy to use and easy to recommend for those wanting new AirPods.
Now with £10 off at Amazon and various retailers, the AirPods 4 with ANC are an enticing proposition for the discounted money. We're not sure if these buds will drop further in price in the coming days, but it's one to keep an eye on.
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