Apple AirPods 4 ANC Review: I Wore Them Next to My Budget ANC Earbuds for 3 Weeks
A straight answer to whether the AirPods 4 ANC price jump is worth it, from someone who tests $30 earbuds for a living.
Why I Tested the AirPods 4 ANC
Three weeks ago I swapped my daily-driver Soundcore Liberty 4 NC for the new AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, mostly to answer one question my readers keep asking me: is the Apple tax actually worth paying? I've spent three years testing budget earbuds under $100, so a $179 pair from Apple felt like foreign territory. Still, enough of you emailed asking for an honest Apple AirPods 4 ANC review from someone who isn't an Apple fanboy that I figured it was worth the money.
What follows isn't a spec sheet rewrite. It's what happened when I wore these on rickshaw rides in Dhaka traffic, on video calls, during gym sessions, and side by side against the earbuds I already recommend on this site.
How We Tested
This AirPods 4 ANC review 2026 update is based on hands-on use, not spec-sheet guesswork. Here's exactly what the testing covered:
- 3 weeks of daily usage across commuting, work, and workouts
- 6 voice calls, including 2 outdoors near traffic
- Dhaka traffic ANC test on rickshaw rides
- Gym workout and light jogging test for fit security
- Samsung Android compatibility test (Galaxy A54)
- Side-by-side comparison against 2 competing earbuds
Quick Picks Summary
If you're short on time, here's this AirPods 4 review in a nutshell — the short answer to whether AirPods 4 ANC is worth it:
- Best for: iPhone owners who want AirPods Pro-level noise cancellation without the in-ear tips
- Skip if: You're on Android — see our iPhone earbuds under $100 roundup instead
- Standout feature: ANC in an open-fit earbud, which no budget brand has matched yet
- Biggest tradeoff: Nearly double the price of our top budget ANC picks for a smaller real-world upgrade than the price suggests
Pros
- Genuinely comfortable for 4+ hour wear sessions
- ANC works well despite the open-ear design
- Strong call quality and voice isolation
- Fast case charging
- Excellent spatial audio with compatible content
Cons
- Shorter battery life than most budget ANC competitors
- Most features locked out on Android
- Bass response is noticeably lighter than in-ear rivals
- Nearly 2x the price of our top budget ANC picks
Spec Comparison Table
| Spec | AirPods 4 ANC | Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | Sony WF-C700N |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$179 | ~$99 | ~$99 |
| Fit type | Open-ear | In-ear, silicone tips | In-ear, silicone tips |
| Active Noise Cancellation | Yes | Yes (adaptive) | Yes |
| Battery (earbuds/case) | 4hrs / 21hrs total | 7hrs / 32hrs total | 7.5hrs / 20hrs total |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Best ecosystem fit | iPhone / Apple only | Android and iPhone | Android and iPhone |
Design and Fit
The open-ear design is the biggest departure here. Unlike the AirPods Pro 2, there's no silicone tip sealing your ear canal, so the AirPods 4 ANC sit more like the standard AirPods but with a slightly deeper stem. After four hours of continuous wear during a work session, I noticed zero pressure buildup — something I can't say about the Sony WF-C700N, which starts to ache in my left ear past the two-hour mark.
What surprised me was how secure they felt during a light jog. Apple redesigned the ear hook geometry, and even without a tip seal, I didn't have a single dropout across three test runs.
AirPods 4 ANC Performance
Active Noise Cancellation in an open-fit earbud sounded like a marketing gimmick before I tried it, honestly. The H2 chip's noise cancellation surprised me on a Dhaka rickshaw ride — it flattened engine drone noticeably, without the ear-pressure sensation I get from my Soundcore Liberty 4 NC's ANC mode. It's not silence, though. Because there's no physical seal, some passive isolation is missing, so sharp transient sounds like a horn still cut through.
Compared to true in-ear ANC, this AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation setup trades maximum blocking power for comfort. If you want the deepest noise reduction, our best ANC earbuds under $100 list still wins on raw cancellation depth.
AirPods 4 ANC Sound Quality
I ran my usual test playlist — a mix of Fleetwood Mac, a Hans Zimmer score, and a few of my own mix references from my production days — through both the AirPods 4 ANC and my Liberty 4 NC. The AirPods 4 ANC sound quality leans neutral with a light bass lift, which works well for vocals and podcasts but underwhelms on bass-heavy tracks compared to the Soundcore.
Spatial audio is where Apple pulls ahead. Watching a scene in Dolby Atmos on my iPhone, the AirPods 4 ANC created real front-to-back separation that budget earbuds simply can't replicate, because none of them support head-tracked spatial audio yet.
AirPods 4 ANC Battery Test
Apple rates the AirPods 4 ANC battery life real world figure at around 4 hours per charge with ANC on, 21 hours total with the case. In my AirPods 4 ANC battery test, doing a mix of calls, music, and podcasts, I landed closer to 3 hours 40 minutes before the low-battery chime. That's noticeably shorter than the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC's 7-hour single-charge runtime.
The case charges fast, though. A 5-minute top-up in the case gave me roughly an hour of playback, which saved me during a long commute when I'd forgotten to charge overnight. If battery anxiety is a dealbreaker, our best wireless earbuds under $50 list covers picks that outlast this one on a single charge.
AirPods 4 ANC for Android Users
I paired the AirPods 4 ANC with a Samsung Galaxy A54 to test this properly, since a chunk of my readers are on Android. Basic Bluetooth playback and calls worked fine. Adaptive audio, in-ear detection, and the ANC toggle controls, however, are locked behind Apple's ecosystem and simply don't function correctly through Android.
For AirPods 4 ANC for Android users specifically, I'd steer you away from this purchase. You're paying premium Apple pricing for features you can't access. Our best AirPods Pro alternatives guide covers Android-friendly picks that match the open-ear comfort without the ecosystem lock-in.
AirPods 4 ANC Microphone Quality
I took six calls with these over the test period, including two outdoor calls near traffic. AirPods 4 ANC microphone quality held up well — voice isolation software here does a solid job cutting background noise, and callers told me I sounded clearer than with my Sony WF-C700N. For remote workers, this is genuinely one of the stronger reasons to consider the AirPods 4 ANC. If calls are your main use case, also check our best earbuds for MacBook users guide and our best earbuds for YouTubers roundup, since the mic quality carries over well to desktop calls and content recording too.
AirPods 4 ANC vs AirPods Pro 2
The obvious comparison Apple wants you to skip. AirPods 4 ANC vs AirPods Pro 2 comes down to fit and isolation. The Pro 2 uses silicone tips for a real seal, delivering deeper ANC and better bass response, for about $70 more. If budget stretches that far, the Pro 2 is the better long-term buy. If tips bother your ears, the open-fit AirPods 4 ANC is the more comfortable daily option, even with weaker isolation.
AirPods 4 ANC vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
AirPods 4 ANC vs Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the comparison Android switchers ask me about most. Both sit around $179, but the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro use an in-ear seal, which gives them a real edge in raw ANC depth and bass response — points I cover in detail in the full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review. The AirPods 4 ANC wins on comfort for long sessions and on spatial audio if you're locked into an iPhone. For Android owners, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the more sensible pick at the same price point, since you won't lose any features to ecosystem restrictions.
AirPods 4 ANC vs Budget ANC Earbuds Under $100
This is the comparison that matters most for readers of this site. AirPods 4 ANC vs budget ANC earbuds under $100 isn't really a fair fight on paper, since you're paying nearly double. In practice, the gap narrows fast: battery life, raw ANC depth, and bass response all favor the budget side. What you're really paying the extra $80 for is comfort, spatial audio, and Apple ecosystem polish. If none of those matter to you, save the money and grab the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, the EarFun Air Pro 4, or the JBL Tune 230NC instead.
Who Should Buy AirPods 4 ANC?
✅ Buy if:
- You use an iPhone as your daily driver
- You hate the feel of silicone ear tips
- You value comfort over maximum isolation
- Spatial audio and call clarity matter to you
❌ Skip if:
- You use Android as your primary phone
- Battery life matters most to you
- You're shopping on a tight budget
- You want the deepest possible ANC
For a deeper look at whether this category makes sense at all for you, see our Realme Buds Air 6 Pro review for a mid-range alternative that splits the difference on price.
Alternatives Worth Considering
| Product | Why Consider It | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | Android equivalent with full feature access | ~$179 |
| Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | Deeper ANC and longer battery for half the price | ~$99 |
| Sony WF-C700N | Balanced sound, works fully cross-platform | ~$99 |
People Also Ask
Basic playback and calls work, but ANC toggling and adaptive audio are Apple-exclusive features.
If noise cancellation matters to your daily routine, yes — it's the main functional upgrade between the two models.
Budget options generally match or beat it on battery life and raw ANC strength, but lag on comfort and spatial audio.
No — the IP54 rating covers sweat and light splashes only, not submersion.
Yes, the case supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AirPods 4 ANC battery life real world figure?
In my testing, real-world battery life landed around 3 hours 40 minutes per charge with ANC active, slightly under Apple's rated 4-hour figure.
Is the AirPods 4 ANC sound quality good enough for music production reference?
Not as a primary reference. The sound leans neutral but lacks the bass depth needed for serious mix checks — I still use wired monitors for that.
How does AirPods 4 ANC vs AirPods Pro 2 differ in isolation?
The Pro 2 uses in-ear tips for a physical seal and blocks noticeably more sound than the open-fit AirPods 4 ANC.
Are AirPods 4 ANC good for Android users?
Basic functions work, but most advanced features require iOS, so Android users should look elsewhere for full feature access.
Does the AirPods 4 ANC support multipoint connection?
No, it supports Apple's automatic device switching within the Apple ecosystem only, not standard Bluetooth multipoint.
What's the AirPods 4 ANC price compared to budget ANC earbuds under $100?
It retails around $179, roughly 80% more than our top-rated budget ANC picks under $100.
Do AirPods 4 ANC fall out during workouts?
I had zero dropouts during light jogging and gym sessions thanks to the redesigned ear hook, though sweat-heavy HIIT wasn't tested.
Is the AirPods 4 ANC worth it for call quality?
Yes — call quality was one of the strongest parts of testing, with clear voice isolation even near traffic noise.
How does AirPods 4 ANC vs Galaxy Buds 3 Pro compare for Android owners?
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the better pick for Android owners at the same price, since it doesn't lose features to ecosystem restrictions the way the AirPods 4 ANC does.
Final Verdict
4.3 / 5
The AirPods 4 ANC earns its keep if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and want noise cancellation without ear tips. For everyone else — especially Android users and anyone comparison-shopping against budget ANC earbuds under $100 — the value case gets harder to defend at this price.
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M. Maksudur Rahman Titu
Founder, Trendy Tech Reviews
M. Maksudur Rahman Titu has tested more than 30 wireless earbuds over the past three years, drawing on a music production background to evaluate sound quality beyond spec sheets.
🎧 30+ earbuds tested · 3+ years in tech reviewing
M. Maksudur Rahman Titu is a tech reviewer and digital entrepreneur with over 3 years of hands-on experience testing wireless audio products, smartphones, and consumer electronics. Through Trendy Tech Reviews, he has personally tested 50+ pairs of earbuds and headphones across real-world environments — daily commutes, open offices, gym sessions, and long-haul flights.
His reviews focus on honest, spec-verified analysis designed to help everyday buyers make smarter purchasing decisions — without overspending on brand names. Titu’s testing methodology covers ANC performance, battery endurance, codec support, and app usability before any product is recommended. Contact: reviewstrendytech@gmail.com
