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AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 3: Which should you buy in 2026?
Choosing between AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3 was already mostly a question of fit, features, and price. Apple is also developing camera-equipped AirPods with Visual Intelligence, but they are not expected to arrive until 2027 at the soonest. That could make waiting an awfully long proposition.
AirPods 4 use an open-ear design, making them easy to recommend if you dislike ear tips. Our AirPods 4 review found the redesigned shape comfortable without sacrificing everyday convenience.
The $129 model includes Apple’s H2 chip, Personalized Spatial Audio, and up to five hours of listening. However, it lacks ANC, Transparency mode, and wireless charging.
The $179 model adds useful noise cancellation without plugging your ears, plus Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, and a wireless charging case with a Find My speaker.
The open design still lets in more environmental sound, making its ANC less effective on airplanes and public transportation.
AirPods Pro 3 cost $249 from Apple, although Amazon regularly discounts them. Their foam-infused tips provide stronger bass and considerably better noise cancellation. Apple rates them for up to eight hours with ANC, compared with four hours for AirPods 4 with ANC.
They can measure heart rate during workouts and support Apple’s Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection features. Our AirPods Pro 3 review found their workout heart-rate readings largely consistent with Apple Watch data.
Meanwhile, iOS 27 adds Custom EQ across both models, while AirPods Pro 3 gain extra benefits from their heart-rate sensor and newer charging case.
This week, AirPods with Visual Intelligence leaked in a video hidden inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 Release Candidate. It appears to show someone asking Siri to remember a book using Visual Intelligence and camera-equipped AirPods. That raised the possibility of an imminent launch.
However, later follow-up says otherwise. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that camera-equipped AirPods remain on track for 2027. The B790 model shown in the video was reportedly a modified AirPods Pro 3 design that recently dropped off Apple’s 2026 roadmap. Apple continues developing a newer B798 generation.