Earbuds / Compare
Apple AirPods 4 vs Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Product A: Apple
76 of 166 known
Change Apple AirPods 4
Compare the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation with
Product B: Apple
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
86 of 166 known
Change Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
38 of 157 fields differ
- 21 different values
- 17 known for one only
- 45 the same
- 74 missing for both
Size, drawn to scale
Front and side.
- AAirPods 4: 18.3 × 30.2 mm
- BAirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: 18.3 × 30.2 mm
Weight
0 to 80 g
Weight per bud (measured)
A4.4g
B4.4g
Weight per bud
A4.3g
B4.3g
Case weight
A32.3g
B34.7g
All 166 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
3 of 8 differ
Series
Model numbers
A3053, A3050, A3054, A3058, MXP63LL/A4Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/109525Read 5 October 2026Exact generation heading names the earbuds. Charging case heading gives A3058. No sibling generation or case revision is included.16Maker spec sheet (PDF)apple.com/education/purchase/contracts/docs/NASPO_PSS_Apple_Branded.pdfRead 7 October 2026Apple US NASPO price catalogue, Accessories row MXP63LL/A names AirPods 4. Separate MXP93LL/A row explicitly names AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Only standard USB-C case hardware is retained.
GTIN / EAN
Announced
Status
Not available
Not available
Predecessor
Apple AirPods 333Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-4-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026RTINGS calls the AirPods 4 without noise cancelling the successor to the AirPods 3rd generation.34Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-3rd-generation-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026RTINGS says the AirPods 3 were replaced by the AirPods 4.
Not available
Successor
Apple AirPods 5 (USB-C Charging Case)33Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-4-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026RTINGS marks the AirPods 4 as replaced by the AirPods 5.35Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-5-review-163483Read 23 October 2026SoundGuys says the AirPods 5 replace the AirPods 4 as the entry point into Apple's lineup.
Not available
Launch price (US)
Launch price (EU)
Markets
US, DE, CN30Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2024/09/apple-introduces-airpods-4-and-a-hearing-health-experience-with-airpods-pro-2Read 7 October 2026Exact launch pricing and availability explicitly U.S. orders with USD 179 ANC edition.31Press releaseapple.com/de/newsroom/2024/09/apple-introduces-airpods-4-and-a-hearing-health-experience-with-airpods-pro-2Read 7 October 2026Exact Germany maker launch price EUR 199 incl VAT, exact ANC edition.32Review52audio.com/archives/214147.htmlRead 7 October 2026Exact China-market retail A3057/A3059 ANC package label identifies Apple authorized China distributor. No cross-model features borrowed.
Colours
Segment
Not available
Not available
Design
0 of 4 differ
Form factor
Bud shape
Use one bud alone
RGB lighting
Not available
Not available
Drivers and sound
4 of 17 differ
Drivers per bud
AApple AirPods 4
| Count per earbud |
|---|
| 1 |
BApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
| Type | Count per earbud |
|---|---|
| Dynamic | 1 |
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026One "custom high-excursion Apple driver" per bud. Role and type are not stated on this page. The type comes from the TechRadar spec table.18Reviewtechradar.com/audio/headphones/earbuds-airpods/airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-reviewRead 7 October 2026Exact ANC edition review explicitly high-excursion dynamic driver. Existing one-per-bud count retained. No full-range role, size or diaphragm material guessed.
Driver size
Not available
Not available
Drivers per bud
1
1
Diaphragm material
Not available
Not available
Frequency response
Not available
Not available
Impedance
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Not available
Max sample rate
Not available
Not available
Max bit depth
Not available
Not available
Adaptive EQ
Onboard EQ
Yes8Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/te819024i19r/webRead 5 October 2026Custom EQ settings are stored on the AirPods and carry across paired devices. Model eligibility is confirmed by the linked supported-model list.9Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/aside/glosrqz3g8xj/27/web/27Read 5 October 2026
Custom EQ bands
38Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/te819024i19r/webRead 5 October 2026Current guide is for iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. Three adjustable bands on eligible AirPods 4 and Pro 2.9Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/aside/glosrqz3g8xj/27/web/27Read 5 October 2026Supported list explicitly includes AirPods 4 both models and AirPods Pro 2. Requires current compatible Apple software.
38Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/guide/airpods/customize-eq-te819024i19r/webRead 30 September 2026Customize EQ: Low, Mid and High controls. Supported-models appendix explicitly includes this model. Current feature, requires compatible Apple software and firmware.9Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-nz/guide/airpods/aside/glosrqz3g8xj/27/web/27Read 30 September 2026Custom EQ supported models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 5 both editions, AirPods Pro 2/3 and AirPods Max 2.
EQ presets
Not available
Volume limit
Not available
Not available
Spatial audio
0 of 2 differ
Spatial audio
Personalized Spatial Audio1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026
Noise cancelling
7 of 11 differ
Active noise cancelling
ANC type
Not available
ANC microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
ANC levels
Not available
Not available
ANC attenuation (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Transparency mode
Adjustable transparency
Not available
Not available
Automatic ANC and transparency blend
Conversation detection
Wind noise reduction
Not available
Measured
7 of 23 differ
Frequency response notes (measured)
Not available
Warm sound signature. Bass slightly underemphasized, treble very underemphasized.5Measurementrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-truly-wirelessRead 30 September 2026Sound signature: Warm. Detailed results are members only and were not read
Bass amount (measured)
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
Not available
Harmonic distortion (measured)
Not available
Sound leakage (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation, best (measured)
Not available
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Call quality notes (measured)
iPhone Voice Memos recordings reject background noise but sometimes also cut out the voice.30Measurementsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-4-review-124236Read 7 October 2026Standard non-ANC sample. Review recordings use an iPhone Voice Memos app and ideal, office, street, windy and reverberant scenes. Text states background rejection is fairly good but occasionally the algorithm cuts the voice. iPhone model, codec and firmware are not specified. This is the tested host-side Voice Isolation path, not universal Android behavior.
Background noise is filtered by processing on the iPhone, so the microphones perform better with an iPhone than with other devices.6Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-review-124137Read 30 September 2026Microphone test paragraph: iPhone processing filters background noise. Paired iPhone microphone demos underpin comparison.
Mic low-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency (measured)
Not available
Not available
Bluetooth latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Not available
2.4 GHz latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency in game mode (measured)
Not available
Not available
Battery life (measured)
AApple AirPods 4
| ANC | Hours (h) |
|---|---|
| No | 6.35 |
BApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
| ANC | Codec | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| No | Not available | 6.35 |
| No | AAC | 6.9 |
Source6Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-review-124137Read 30 September 20266 h 21 min on one charge, without noise canceling or transparency mode21Reviewnotebookcheck.net/Apple-AirPods-4-ANC-review-Compact-design-colossal-sound.952120.0.htmlRead 7 October 2026Exact ANC model Spotify loop at 65 dB(A), AAC with ANC off, 6.9 h. Review explicitly says wear detection prevented ANC during fixture test despite generic chart heading incl ANC. Test endpoint full discharge implied runtime procedure, precise first/last-bud cutoff, firmware and host model unstated. Existing SoundGuys 6 h 21 min ANC-off test is separate at 75 dB SPL standardized peaks, not replaced.
Longest tested use per charge
6.35h
6.9h
Battery life with case (measured)
Not available
Not available
Full charge time (measured)
Not available
Not available
Weight per bud (measured)
Microphones and calls
0 of 7 differ
Voice microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
All microphones in both earbuds
Bone conduction voice sensor
Not available
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Not available
Mic mute control
Sidetone
Not available
Not available
Connectivity
1 of 18 differ
Chip
Connections
Bluetooth
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth profiles
Not available
Not available
LE Audio
Not available
Not available
Auracast
Not available
Not available
Multipoint
Not available
Not available
Multipoint devices
Not available
Not available
Multipoint with LDAC
Not available
Not available
Paired devices remembered
Not available
Not available
Automatic switching between own devices
Fast pairing
Audio sharing
Yes6Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-review-124137Read 30 September 202612Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/guide/airpods/share-audio-on-iphone-or-ipad-dev3786f35c8/webRead 30 September 2026Share Audio instructions and Change the volume/listening mode paragraph explicitly cover AirPods 4 ANC, AirPods 5 and AirPods Pro. Both headphone sets pair to a supported iPhone/iPad.
Wireless range (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Not available
Receiver connector
Not available
Not available
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available
Not available
Latency
None of 3 known
Low latency mode
Not available
Not available
Claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Lowest claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Compatibility
2 of 4 differ
Platforms
iOS, macOS, Android1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 202614Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/dev499c9718b/webRead 5 October 2026Android setup explicitly covers AirPods 3, AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2. Audio and calls supported, Siri unavailable on non-Apple devices.
iOS, macOS, Android1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Apple lists iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro, and says AirPods work as Bluetooth headphones with non-Apple devices6Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-4-with-active-noise-cancellation-review-124137Read 30 September 2026Android pairing described in the review
Connection per platform
AApple AirPods 4
| Platform | Connection | Microphone works |
|---|---|---|
| iOS | Bluetooth | Yes |
| macOS | Bluetooth | Yes |
BApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Not availableFeatures that need a specific device
AApple AirPods 4
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| Personalized Spatial Audio profile | iPhone with TrueDepth camera. Compatible content, hardware and software. |
| Custom three-band EQ | Compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 27 or iPadOS 27, or Mac with macOS 27. Current AirPods firmware. |
| Audio Sharing | Supported iPhone or iPad and a compatible second pair of AirPods or Beats. |
| Headphone Accommodations presets and preference-based setup | Compatible Apple host software. These are host accessibility audio settings. |
| Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency | Apple Vision Pro and current supported software. Uses a proprietary wireless audio protocol. Availability varies by region. |
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 20268Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/te819024i19r/webRead 5 October 202632Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/guide/airpods/pair-airpods-with-an-apple-device-dev7c85810f2/webRead 7 October 2026Existing requirements retained. Current maker guide explicitly includes AirPods 4 for Vision Pro Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency using a proprietary wireless protocol. No unreported sample rate, bit depth or latency number is added. Other appended requirements follow the directly cited sharing and accommodations guides.
BApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| Live Translation | Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 and later |
| Personalized Spatial Audio profile | iPhone with TrueDepth camera |
| Find My | iOS 26 or later |
| Lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro | Compatible Apple Vision Pro and software. The maker names AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Ultra-low latency is unavailable in Japan. Ordinary Bluetooth playback uses AAC. |
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Exact technical requirements cover compatible Apple devices and firmware, TrueDepth camera for the Spatial Audio profile and Apple Intelligence iPhone with iOS 26 for Live Translation. The Vision Pro lossless route is supported separately by the current maker 118522 article.33Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/118522Read 7 October 2026Independently read during verification. Apple names AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro. Ultra-low latency is unavailable in Japan. This proves the route, without a device-wide maximum bit depth or sample rate.
Official licence
Not available
Not available
Battery and charging
4 of 13 differ
Battery per bud
Not available
Not available
User-replaceable earbud battery
Not available
Not available
Claimed battery life
AApple AirPods 4
| Mode | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| ANC off | No | 5 |
| ANC off | Yes | 30 |
| Call | No | 4.5 |
| Call | Yes | 20 |
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026Battery and footnotes 10 and 11. AAC playlist, 50% volume, Spatial Audio off, iPhone 16 Pro Max. Five hours earbuds only and 30 hours including case.31Maker product pageapple.com/bh/airpods-4/specsRead 7 October 2026Standard AirPods 4 section gives up to 4.5 h talk per earbud charge and up to 20 h including USB-C case. July/August 2024 preproduction standard A4 with preproduction iPhone 16 Pro Max, prerelease software, 50% volume, Spatial Audio off, cellular phone call until first bud stops. Case-inclusive test repeats charge cycles until both case and earbuds empty. Call codec not specified. Existing music rows retained. ANC edition rows excluded.
BApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
| Mode | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| ANC on | No | 4 |
| ANC off | No | 5 |
| ANC on | Yes | 20 |
| ANC off | Yes | 30 |
Longest claimed use per charge
5h
5h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
Not available
4h
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
5h
5h
Total with case (claimed)
30h
30h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
Not available
20h
Talk time (claimed)
4.5h
Not available
Full charge time, buds
Not available
Not available
Charging guidance
Not available
Not available
Quick charge time
Earbud playback after quick charge
Charging case
4 of 10 differ
Case battery
345mAh11Press articlemacrumors.com/2024/10/02/airpods-4-teardown-ifixitRead 5 October 2026Exact non-ANC teardown paragraph reports 345 mAh case cell. Not an earbud capacity.19Review52audio.com/archives/214334.htmlRead 7 October 2026Exact A3058 case and PWGL4 battery label: rated 345 mAh, nominal 3.852 V, rated energy 1.329 Wh. Existing value is unchanged and now has directly identified label evidence. Earbud A3087 cell is 32.1 mAh and is not rounded into the integer field.
User-replaceable case battery
Not available
Not available
Case charging port
Case full charge time
Not available
Not available
Wireless charging
Wireless standards
Not available
Wireless charging power
Not available
Not available
Speaker in case
Screen on case
Not available
Not available
Case works as audio transmitter
Not available
Controls
1 of 5 differ
Controls
Pressure, Head gestures, Voice commands6Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/devb2c431317/webRead 5 October 2026Model-specific controls section. Force sensor on stem. Pro 2 adds volume swipe. AirPods 4 and Pro 2 support head gestures with Announce Calls and Announce Notifications enabled.
Pressure, Head gestures, Voice commands1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Force sensor on the stem, "Hey Siri", and Siri Interactions head nods
Earbud volume control
Voice6Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/devb2c431317/webRead 5 October 202615Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/102628Read 5 October 2026Control audio with AirPods Pro 1, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 (both models), or AirPods 5. Explicit Siri volume commands. Requires compatible Apple device and Siri availability.
Gestures
Single press, Double press, Triple press, Press and hold, Nod or shake head6Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/devb2c431317/webRead 5 October 2026
Press once, Press twice, Press three times, Press and hold, Nod or shake head (Siri Interactions)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Controls enumerates one/two/three press, press-and-hold and Siri nod/shake interactions.
Remappable controls
Sensors and health
1 of 9 differ
In-ear detection
Sensors
Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026
Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Sensors explicitly list optical in-ear, motion-detecting and speech-detecting accelerometers and force sensor.
Heart rate sensor
Not available
Not available
Skin temperature sensing
Not available
Not available
Hearing aid feature
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Not available
Hearing test
Not available
Not available
Hearing protection
Not available
Not available
Health features
Not available
Not available
Fit and durability
0 of 7 differ
Ear tips included
Not available
Not available
Ear tip materials
Not available
Not available
Stabilisers
Ear tip fit test
Not available
Not available
Dust and water rating, buds
Dust and water rating, case
Water resistance depth
Not available
Not available
Software
2 of 6 differ
Companion app
Not available
Not available
App platforms
Not available
Not available
User firmware updates
Finding network
Precision finding
No24Reviewengadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-airpods-4-review-pro-features-for-everyone-120032046.htmlRead 7 October 2026Exact AirPods 4 ANC case offers proximity view, without Precision Finding.28Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/guide/airpods/find-your-airpods-dev8e8b93d71/webRead 7 October 2026Exact current maker guide distinguishes general nearby finding from precise case arrows/distance limited to Pro 2 and Pro 3. Notebookcheck exact ANC model independently says no UWB. Audible case speaker and proximity view are separate.
Live translation
Dimensions and weight
1 of 4 differ
Weight per bud
Bud dimensions
Width18.3Height30.2Depth18.1mm(0.7 × 1.2 × 0.7 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026Size and Weight. Dimensions of one earbud in published metric units.
Width18.3Height30.2Depth18.1mm(0.7 × 1.2 × 0.7 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Size/Weight: each bud H30.2/W18.3/D18.1 mm, 4.3 g.
Case weight
Case dimensions
Width50.1Height46.2Depth21.2mm(2 × 1.8 × 0.8 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026
Width50.1Height46.2Depth21.2mm(2 × 1.8 × 0.8 in)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026Size and Weight named per-bud grams and case height, width, depth rows.
Certifications
0 of 3 differ
Hi-Res Audio
Not available
Not available
Communication certifications
Not available
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
BCG-A3055, BCG-A3056, BCG-A305925Regulatory filingfccid.io/BCGA3055Read 7 October 2026Public FCC grant mirrors identify BCG-A3055 and BCG-A3056 wireless earbuds, BCG-A3059 wireless charging case, Apple Inc., 9 September 2024 grants. Exact Apple model identification maps these to ANC edition. China A3057 not automatically assigned same FCC code. Proprietary 5/6 GHz authorization is not standard Wi-Fi/Auracast capability. Confidential descriptions not read.26Regulatory filingfccid.io/BCGA3056Read 7 October 2026Public exact Apple grant table identifies BCG-A3056. This is the listed earbud/case authorization, not an invented combined identifier.27Regulatory filingfccid.io/BCGA3059Read 7 October 2026Public exact Apple grant table identifies BCG-A3059. This is the listed earbud/case authorization, not an invented combined identifier.
Other certifications
Not available
Not available
In the box
1 of 2 differ
In the box
AirPods 4, Charging Case (USB-C), Documentation1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121203Read 5 October 2026USB-C charging cable is sold separately.
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker, Documentation1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/121204Read 30 September 2026USB-C charge cable sold separately
Cables included
Not available
Not available
Links
Not compared
Product page
Spec sheet
Manual
EPREL registration number
Not available
Not available
Warranty
0 of 1 differ
Manufacturer warranty (source market)
Both are also in the API. Back to all earbuds.















