TL;DR: The AirPods 5 review consensus is clear: the $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are the best open-ear AirPods yet, with stronger noise cancellation, new volume swipes on the stems and a case that charges on Qi and Apple Watch chargers, all for $30 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC they replace. The weak spot is battery life, at up to five hours with ANC on. Most reviewers say skip the cheaper base AirPods 5 and spend the extra $20.
Apple’s latest mainstream earbuds have now been through the hands of most major reviewers, and the verdicts line up more closely than usual. If you’re weighing an AirPods 5 review roundup before buying, here’s what The Verge, TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, Macworld and SoundGuys found, where they agree and where they don’t.
AirPods 5 at a glance
Apple sells two versions. The figures below are Apple’s own battery claims as reported by reviewers.
| Model | Price (US) | Battery with ANC (buds) | Total with case | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case | $149 | Up to 5 hours | Up to 22 hours | Qi and Apple Watch charging, stem volume swipes, case speaker for Find My |
| AirPods 5 (base) | $20 less | Up to 4 hours | Up to 20 hours | USB-C only, no volume swipes |
Both models have active noise cancellation, and neither comes with a USB-C cable in the box, according to What Hi-Fi?
What reviewers liked
Price and value
The Verge called them the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made and highlighted that they cost $30 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC while offering slightly better noise cancellation. “Apple has never made wireless earbuds that offer as much for so little,” the review says.
Noise cancellation in an open design
ANC is the headline improvement. What Hi-Fi? said it had yet to find an open alternative that sounds this good, and called the ANC performance in this open design the biggest draw. TechRadar praised “vastly improved ANC performance” and gave features a 5/5 score in its breakdown.
Volume swipes and a smarter case
For the first time on non-Pro AirPods, you can swipe the stem to change volume, which The Verge described as the most important change. The wireless case also plays sounds for low battery and when you’re locating it with Find My, a touch TechRadar called “cute (and actually, helpful).”
Sound and features
TechRadar had “very few complaints” about the sound, especially with Personalized Spatial Audio, and singled out Conversation Awareness, head gestures and Live Translation. Macworld rated the audio quality excellent and summed the earbuds up as “deeply impressive.”
What reviewers didn’t like
Battery life
Almost every outlet flagged battery life. The Verge said five hours with ANC is below average and “doesn’t even cover a cross-country flight.” What Hi-Fi? compared it with the eight hours quoted for Sony’s WF-1000XM6, and TechRadar docked a full mark from performance for it.
Macworld is the outlier. Its test unit lasted 4 hours and 43 minutes with ANC on at medium volume, close to Apple’s claim, and it called battery life excellent overall thanks to the case, which managed roughly four full recharges. It also found a five-minute top-up gave 51 minutes of playback, slightly short of Apple’s one-hour claim.
Fit is make or break
SoundGuys gave them a more cautious 6.4 out of 10, saying “fit decides almost everything.” If they sit well in your ears you get Apple’s best-sounding open-ear AirPods, and if they don’t, a sealed pair will serve you better. Its measurements put isolation at 2.9 and noise cancelling at 5.9, beating only 14% of the wireless earbuds it has measured, which is the trade-off of skipping silicone tips.
AirPods 5 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: what changed?
If you already own the previous generation, the upgrade is gentle. The Verge says the new model has slightly better noise cancellation and adds stem volume control, while battery life with the case rose from 20 to 22 hours with ANC on. Macworld notes that buds-only battery also improved, from four hours to five with ANC. What Hi-Fi? describes it as “a fairly gentle evolution,” adding that owners of older generations will find it a much bigger and more satisfying update. In short, AirPods 4 with ANC owners can probably wait, while anyone on AirPods 3 or earlier gets a real jump.
Scorecard: how the major reviews compare
| Outlet | Overall take | Main complaint |
|---|---|---|
| The Verge | Best open-ear AirPods Apple has made | Five-hour battery |
| TechRadar | Class-leading for iPhone owners except stamina | “Woefully low” battery life |
| What Hi-Fi? | Best ANC it has heard in an open design | Battery trails rivals |
| Macworld | “Deeply impressive” | ANC behind pricier models |
| SoundGuys | 6.4/10, “worth a look” | Fit, comfort, short battery |
Which AirPods 5 should you buy?
Reviewers are unusually unanimous here: get the Wireless Charging Case version. The Verge said the $20 cheaper base model is “pointless,” and Macworld also recommends spending the extra money because you get volume swipes, wireless charging and an extra hour of listening per charge.
- Buy them if: you use an iPhone, dislike silicone ear tips and want good ANC without paying Pro prices.
- Skip them if: you take long flights, need maximum isolation, or open-style buds have never fit you well.
- Consider instead: sealed earbuds such as the AirPods Pro 3 or Sony WF-1000XM6 if battery life and isolation matter most.
Looking at other recent Apple hardware? See our iPhone Duo review roundup and our MacBook Pro PROLED XDR hands-on roundup.
Bottom line
The AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case give iPhone owners strong noise cancellation, useful controls and Apple’s ecosystem tricks for $149. Battery life holds them back from top marks, and fit decides whether they’re a great buy or a frustrating one, so try them in-store or buy somewhere with an easy return policy.
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