AirPods 5 reached stores on September 18 after being announced on September 9. The lineup changes the split Apple used for AirPods 4, where active noise cancellation belonged to the more expensive variant. This generation puts ANC on both models.

Better ANC still has to fight open-fit physics

Apple claims AirPods 5 can remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC. It credits a new multiport acoustic architecture and updated computational-audio algorithms. The wording matters, though: Apple does not specify in its announcement which frequency ranges account for that maximum improvement.

Independent testing adds useful context. The Verge found modest improvements against low-frequency aircraft noise and in a busy restaurant, but also found that the AirPods 5 cannot isolate like sealed earbuds such as the AirPods Pro 3. The open design does not close the ear canal, so the ANC system starts with a very different physical problem.

The acoustic redesign is doing more than feeding the ANC

Apple also pairs the new internal architecture with a next-generation Adaptive EQ. The company says it is designed to produce richer, more detailed sound across a wider range of ear shapes. The Verge's testing reported stronger bass response and clearer vocals than on AirPods 4.

Transparency mode remains part of the package, alongside Adaptive Audio, which blends transparency and noise cancellation according to the surrounding environment. Conversation Awareness can lower media volume when the wearer starts speaking.

A €20 gap buys more than a different case

European pricing puts the regular AirPods 5 at €149 and the Wireless Charging Case model at €169. The extra €20 changes more than the charging method.

The standard model is rated for up to four hours of listening with ANC enabled and up to 20 hours with its case. The higher-tier version reaches up to five hours per charge with ANC and 22 hours with the case. Its case supports USB-C, Qi-compatible chargers, and the Apple Watch charger.

It also gains volume swipe controls on the stem, a first for Apple's open-fit AirPods. In practical terms, the €20 step buys three tangible upgrades at once: an extra hour of ANC listening per charge, wireless charging, and direct volume adjustment without reaching for the phone.

AirPods are becoming an AI interface too

AirPods 5 also plug into Apple's broader intelligence push. When paired with a compatible iPhone, they can provide hands-free access to Siri AI and support Live Translation. Apple notes that these features depend on compatible hardware, current software, language support, and regional availability.

That points toward earbuds becoming another interface for increasingly capable phone features. The immediate AirPods 5 story is simpler: Apple has pushed ANC down to its least expensive open-fit model. The slightly awkward part is that only €20 now separates that base version from the model with the more useful controls, longer battery life, and more flexible charging case.