Apple AirPods 4 review: I flew 3,319 miles on a plane with active noise cancellation, but was it good?

"When will Apple tackle smell cancellation?" was all I could think of while testing the AirPods 4 on a flight from San Jose, Calif. to Atlanta. Unfortunately, I dealt with a flatulent neighbor who kept letting one rip.

Phew!

But while my nostrils were fighting for their life on a Boeing 737, my ears had a different experience: a blissful, quiet ride during an eight-hour trip from California to New York (with a malodorous connecting flight to Atlanta between the journey).

For the first time ever, the entry-level AirPods have active noise cancellation (ANC). Apple unveiled the new AirPods 4 on Sept. 9 at the "Glowtime" event where the Cupertino-based tech giant debuted the new line with two variants: one with ANC and one without ANC.

During my flight from San Jose to New York, with a (stinky) layover flight to Atlanta, I tested the new AirPods 4 with ANC. How did they fare with loud PA announcements, noisy chit-chat, and the biggest challenge of them all, plane engine noise? Let's find out.

AirPods 4 price and specs

As mentioned, you can choose between two AirPods 4 variants.

There's AirPods 4 without ANC, which costs $129.

And then you have AirPods 4 with ANC, which will set you back $179.

Both can do the following, thanks, in part, to the H2 chip:

• Personalized Spatial Audio (a personalized profile for the best customized listening experience)

• Siri interactions (nod your head "no," for example, to reject a phone call after Siri announcement)

• Voice Isolation (your voice sounds clearer on calls)

• Up to 5 hours of listening time (as claimed by Apple)

However, what sets the $179 AirPods 4 apart from the cheaper option is, of course, active noise cancellation.

They also feature Transparency Mode (lets you hear the environment around you), Conversation Awareness (detects when you're speaking and adjusts audio settings accordingly), and Adaptive Audio (auto adjusts between Transparency Mode and ANC depending on your environment).

The AirPods 4 with ANC can charge with an Apple Watch charger; plus, they have wireless Qi charging support. Finally, the ANC-capable AirPods 4's charging case has FindMy support as well as Precision Finding (which means your iPhone can direct you to your AirPods 4 by telling you how many feet you are from it.)

The AirPods 4 are available for pre-order now and will start shipping on Sept. 20.

AirPods 4 design

I have a pair of AirPods Pro, and while I adore how they sound, they love to fall out of my ears. Not everyone has this issue, though. Just some of us. And for those who fall into that category, Apple has given us some acknowledgement.

The new AirPods 4, whether you purchase one with ANC or without, are designed to fit most people. Apple boasted that it analyzed the ears of many users. There are, indeed, "common" ear shapes, as well as canals that are more atypical and out-of-the-ordinary. I definitely fall into the latter category, so I thought, "If there's anyone who can test the AirPods 4's new 'one-size-fits-most' design, it's me!"

As it turned out, the AirPods 4 fit really, really well. When I popped them into my ears, I didn't feel the need to lodge them in tightly so they don't take a tumble (like my AirPods Pro). Wearing them on two planes, they remained snug. I even ran on the treadmill with them for an hour — they never fell out.

However, after wearing the AirPods 4 for nearly eight hours straight on a plane, I sensed some faint aching. To be clear, they're not painful whatsoever — just a mild discomfort. Where exactly? I had to look this up, but it’s called the "Crus of Helix," which is where the top part of the earbuds rests against my ear.

Fortunately, that subtle sensitivity, which only occured in my left ear, disappeared in a few minutes.

Again, this is likely just a "me" thing — I have an abnormal ear shape.

Signature look

The AirPods 4 still have a signature design language with longer stems (compared to the AirPods Pro lineup). In contrast to my AirPods Pro, the AirPods 4's earbuds appear to be slightly taller and wider.

The AirPods 4 also still sport that all-white trademark style, but I love a good dark blue or rich black body, so maybe one day — perhaps AirPods 5 — we'll see more color options for the popular earbuds.

Force sensor

The AirPods 4 also continue to feature the force sensor located on the stem. I used it to swap between ANC and Transparency Mode during my flights seamlessly.

When I heard the faint sound of a PA system, I'd press on the sensor to turn on Transparency Mode. When I wanted total immersion, I'd press the stem again to turn on ANC. (You can also swap between modes on your iPhone via the Control Center.)

Plus, you can double-press the stem to play the next track — and triple-press the stem to play a previous track (among other controls).

AirPods 4 active noise cancellation

As mentioned at the outset, with the ANC-enabled AirPods 4, I flew from San Jose, Calif. to Atlanta before hopping on another NYC-bound flight.

I spent nearly eight hours with the AirPods 4 in my ears. As I hinted in my hands-on review, the AirPods 4 sounded like honey to my ears — and even more so when ANC was on. While I was at the airport, sounds of coo-ing babies, loud conversations, and rolling luggage were significantly reduced, allowing me to sink deeper into some of my favorite Apple Music playlists.

It was as if the AirPods 4 erased the cacophonous world around me, allowing me to sit in a quiet, empty void, with nothing but myself, my earbuds, and Sabrina Carpenter. "Me Espresso" already sounds darn good, but on the AirPods 4, it sounds immaculate.

Did I hear the airplane engine?

No headphones are going to completely get rid of engine noise. For example, when I compared the AirPods Max and Sony XM5s, two high-priced over-ear headphones, even they had some external noise leak through the devices. (But the AirPods Max did a better job at handling ANC.)

However, the AirPods 4 did, in fact, significantly reduce the drone of the airplane engine. I noticed the ANC eliminated the high-pitched whine of the plane, creating a much more pleasant listening experience. However, it didn't completely get rid of the lower, rumbling sounds of the engine — it was still faintly noticeable.

It reduced it, yes, but it didn't eliminate it completely, which is, again, par for the course for ANC. Overall, the AirPods 4 did a great job at dampening the sound of the plane as it ripped through the air at more than 500 miles per hour.

ANC is a rarity in open-ear designs

People may underestimate how unusual it is to get ANC support in an open-ear design like the AirPods 4. As I mentioned in my hands-on, unlike the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods 4 do not feature silicon tips. As such, it doesn't have a tight seal stuffed in your ears to support ANC technology in blocking external sounds.

However, Apple boasted that it was able to accomplish this engineering challenge by using upgraded microphones (the same ones found on the AirPods Pro 2), the H2 processor, and cutting-edge computational audio.

AirPods 4 sound quality

You know what's funny? I tested the AirPods 4 on both the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. On the former, songs like "Me Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter and "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" by Billie Eilish sounded great, but there's a clear absence of multi-dimensional audio.

On the iPhone 15 Pro Max, these songs sounded phenomenal. It's likely due to the AirPods 4's incredible Personalized Spatial Audio feature, which also comes with dynamic head tracking. It gave the music expansive, enveloping vibes that felt as if the music was twirling all around me.

Listening to "Me Espresso," the deep bass was steady and comforting while the higher notes felt light — almost as if I was floating. This song, with ANC in the mix, felt like I was sinking into a plush bean-bag chair where the world disappeared around me and I could immerse myself into a colorful, well-balanced soundscape.

Eilish's voice sounded haunting and ethereal on the AirPods 4. The earbuds perfectly captured the slow, pulsing, heartbeat-like rhythm.

AirPods 4 battery life

Apple says that the AirPods 4 are rated for up to five hours of battery life on a single charge (four hours with ANC), but what was battery life like during my own experience?

To test it, on a Friday, I popped my AirPods 4 in at 1:30 p.m. when it was juiced up to 100%. I listened to music, with ANC on, throughout the whole experience, barely giving my AirPods 4 a break. At times, I spoke to my mom, dad, and fiancé. By around 6:42 p.m., it died.

That being said, Apple was nearly spot on with its four-to-five hour rating. The AirPods 4 lasted 5 hours and 12 minutes.

Of course, with the charging case, you'll be able to squeeze out more time. (Apple says up to 30 hours.)

AirPods 4 call quality

I called two people to test the AirPods 4's call quality.

(After several people told me that I sound like I'm in a "hole" while using my Sony XM4's, I couldn't wait to test the AirPods 4 to see if it delivered a better experience.)

As it turned out, whether I spoke with my mom or partner, both reported that I sounded crisp and clear on the AirPods 4, thanks, in part, to the AirPods 4 Voice Isolation feature.

This perk is designed to enhance your voice and remove unwanted background voice — and it worked well as I walked through the busy streets of Manhattan.

AirPods 4 charging case

I am totally digging the AirPods 4 charging case. Apple condensed the size and made it significantly smaller and more compact. My AirPods Pro were already pretty portable, but the AirPods 4 takes up even less space, which is always welcome while traveling.

I would often stick the case inside the seatback pocket in front of me on the plane, but it's so tiny, it would often disappear into the abyss.

By the way, at one point, I did manage to misplace my AirPods. But luckily for me, I was able to use FindMy. The earbuds emitted some beeps, allowing me to find them with ease.

As mentioned, the AirPods 4's charging case supports Qi charging. You can use your Apple Watch's charging cable to charge it, too.

Keep in mind, though, that to pair your AirPods 4 with your device, you'll need to double tap the indicator light until it turns white. In other words, there's no more back button. There's a hidden functionality within the LED indicator that lets you initiate paring mode. To launch a reset, you'll need to double tap three times.

Plus, for what it's worth, the AirPods 4 charging case is now dust, sweat, and water resistant with an IP54 rating. So it can tolerate some splashes of water and dust, but you may want to keep it away from the pool and sand.

AirPods 4 Siri interactions

Available on iOS 18 for iPhone, as well as iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11 (if you're pairing the AirPods 4 with a supported iPad, MacBook, or Apple Watch, respectively), the new earbuds have a new perk called Siri Interactions.

How does it work? Siri will ask you questions that will require your confirmation, and you can "reply" without even uttering a sound by shaking your head yes or no.

You can use Siri Interactions to accept and reject calls, and dismiss or answer messages/notifications.

Are AirPods 4 worth it?

Absolutely. I love them so much, they have replaced my AirPods Pro as my new daily driver earbuds. Again, fit was one of my concerns with my AirPods Pro, but now, I don't have that issue with the new one-size-fits-most design on the AirPods 4.

The active noise cancellation is elite, allowing me to immerse myself into the honeyed soundwaves that emanate from the AirPods 4. The AirPods 4 are, without a doubt, the best in-ear earbuds I've ever tested in a long while. They're definitely getting a place in our best headphones for noise cancellation list.

Apple has a handle on ANC, but if it can drop a lil' somethin' somethin' for smell cancellation, my traveling survival kit will be complete.