The Apple AirPods 4 Earbuds with Noise Cancelation Just Dropped to $120 (Save 33% Off)

The Apple AirPods 4 is an open air earbud design

The Apple AirPods 4 was released on September, 2024 in two variants: one with noise canceling and one without. This is an open air earbud design, which means it doesn’t sit inside and seal your ear canal. Normally this style isn’t ideal for noise canceling purposes since there is no effective means of providing passive noise isolation. However, somehow Apple did it; the noise canceling feature here is actually quite excellent. The AirPods 4 also features several other updates over the AirPods 3, including an upgraded Apple H2 chip, Bluetooth 5.3 support, IP54 resistance rating which now protects against dust intrusion, USB Type-C charging, and an optical in-ear sensor.

Should you get the AirPods 4 with ANC or the AirPods Pro?

The AirPods 4 with active noise cancelation is quite different from the more expensive AirPods Pro 2 because of the way it is worn: the AirPods 4 is an open-ear earbud with non-adjustable tips that sits just outside your ear canal, whereas the AirPods Pro is an in-ear earbud that sits inside and seals your ear canal with adjustable tips. Which AirPods is a better fit for you depends on your priorities. In-ear earbuds provide passive noise isolation, which direct correlates with better audio quality and noise canceling. Open-ear earbuds are less intrusive, are generally more comfortable, and allow you to be more aware of your surroundings. Of course, price is a factor too. The AirPods 4 is $50 cheaper right now.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.