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For this year’s AirPods 5, I think the most interesting change is that Apple finally decided to equip the base model with Active Noise Cancellation. With the previous AirPods 4, you had to pay extra for the noise-canceling version, but now the 999 RMB AirPods 5 comes with it directly, which really saves a lot of hassle.

Moreover, Apple has brought features like Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness to the entire AirPods 5 series this time, narrowing the gap between the standard and Pro models once again. However, having the same features doesn’t mean the experience is identical. Especially regarding Active Noise Cancellation, how close the AirPods 5 can actually get to the Pro model is what I think is more worth paying attention to.

AirPods 5 Review: Active Noise Cancellation is Truly Surprising

The appearance of the AirPods 5 is not much different from the previous generation, still featuring the familiar semi-in-ear design. It feels quite comfortable to wear, though the fit still lacks a bit of snugness. During a regular jog, there’s not much to worry about as the earbuds generally stay securely in the ears, but if you accidentally bump them, they could still fall out. In terms of wearing stability, it definitely falls short of in-ear headphones like the AirPods Pro 3 that come with silicone ear tips.

However, what truly surprised me was the noise cancellation. AirPods 5 lack silicone ear tips, so their physical isolation is inherently limited, but once active noise cancellation is turned on, ambient noise is indeed significantly suppressed. Apple has adjusted the internal acoustic structure this time, and combined with the new noise-canceling algorithm, the actual effect is much better than I originally expected.

In my personal listening experience, in certain environments, the gap between it and the AirPods Pro 3 is not as large as imagined, even reminding me of the noise cancellation performance of in-ear headphones like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 and Technics EAH-AZ100. Of course, when it comes to comparing overall noise cancellation capability, the AirPods Pro 3 is still stronger, especially when facing complex ambient noise.

But the AirPods 5 have one issue: they are quite picky about ear shape. Without silicone ear tips to help create a seal, even a slight shift in the earbuds’ position in the ear can affect the noise cancellation performance. It might work great for one person, but for another, it could be significantly worse.

The call performance isn’t quite as impressive as the noise cancellation. The microphone handles ambient noise reasonably well, filtering out some background noise even in noisy environments, but the voice sounds a bit muffled and lacks clarity. It’s perfectly fine for everyday calls, but if you’re particularly concerned about call quality, I think there’s room for improvement.

AirPods 5 Review: How is the sound quality?

When I was using the AirPods 4, I always thought the sound quality was pretty good. After all, with the non-silicone ear tip design, the low end is naturally at a disadvantage. But after switching to the AirPods 5, the difference is still clearly noticeable, especially the bass, which is much more solid than the previous generation.

The sound profile of the AirPods 5 this time is even somewhat close to the AirPods Pro 3. The low-end has more presence, the drum beats sound more powerful, and the mids are much thicker, so the vocals no longer sound so thin. However, the highs are still on the softer side, lacking a bit of crispness and transparency. If you usually prefer a brighter sound, you might find it a bit lacking.

As for exactly where the sound quality improvement comes from, it’s also hard for me to tell completely. Apple has redesigned the internal acoustic structure this time and added a new generation of adaptive equalization, plus the active noise cancellation is stronger than the previous generation, reducing background noise and naturally making it easier to hear the music clearly. But at least from my listening experience, the improvements in the low and mid frequencies are real.

The custom equalizer brought by iOS 27 is also quite practical. Now you can directly adjust the low, mid, and high frequencies. I tried adjusting it myself, and it really makes the sound better suit personal preferences. Unfortunately, Apple is still quite conservative, offering only three frequency bands without specific frequency and decibel values. Fine-tuning is basically out of the question, but just slightly changing the sound style is good enough.

What truly disappoints me about the AirPods 5 is its resolution and sound detail. Some instruments don’t sound clear enough, and the layering between sounds is quite mediocre; if you listen closely, it can feel a bit muddy. The soundstage is also not particularly wide, and when listening to standard stereo music, the sound always feels cramped together.

AirPods 5 Review: Which Version Should You Choose?

The AirPods 5 still comes in two versions this time: the standard version is priced at 999 yuan, while the version with the wireless charging case is 1149 yuan. Both models now support active noise cancellation, with the main differences lying in battery life, charging method, and stem controls.

To be honest, wireless charging doesn’t appeal to me much, but I find the volume adjustment via sliding the stem to be truly essential. Especially when walking or exercising outdoors, a gentle swipe can adjust the volume without having to pull out your phone. Unfortunately, this feature is only available on the 1149 yuan version.

In terms of battery life, the difference between the two models isn’t particularly large. With active noise cancellation turned on, the standard version lasts up to 4 hours on a single charge, while the wireless charging case version lasts 5 hours. This performance is indeed somewhat mediocre by today’s standards, especially when you’re out for a long time, as you’ll inevitably worry about the battery running out.

I am using the 1149 yuan version, and in practice, after playing about two movies continuously, the earbuds will warn me of low battery. The charging case performs reasonably well; with intermittent use in the office, I need to charge it about once every three to four days. Apple’s official total battery life ratings are 20 hours and 22 hours respectively, both of which are measured with Active Noise Cancellation turned on.

However, what I find truly interesting is the price. The starting price of the AirPods 5 remains 999 yuan, but now even the base model features active noise cancellation. The higher-end version is only priced at 1149 yuan, considering the previous generation’s AirPods 4 with noise cancellation launched at 1399 yuan.

AirPods 5 Review: Summary

What surprised me most about the AirPods 5 this time is still the active noise cancellation. I originally thought the AirPods 4 had done a good job, but I didn’t expect Apple to further improve the noise cancellation effect on this design without silicone ear tips.

However, if you are currently using the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, I don’t think there’s a rush to upgrade. There is indeed a difference between the two generations, but it’s not to the point where you absolutely must get a new one. On the contrary, for users still using the standard AirPods 4 or those whose old headphones have noticeably poor battery life, upgrading to the AirPods 5 this time would be more worthwhile.

But if you have always used an iPhone and dislike the feeling of silicone ear tips in in-ear headphones, I think the AirPods 5 is still a very worthy option to consider right now. It hasn’t changed the original fit for the sake of noise cancellation, and the sound quality is better than the previous generation.

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