Apple Airpods (2nd generation)
Apple Airpods (2nd generation)
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MUSIC: Poor—5.8/10
CALLS: Fair—6.9/10
GAMING: Poor—4.8/10
TV: Poor—5.4/10
PODCASTS & AUDIOBOOKS: Very Good—8.1/10
EXERCISE: Poor—5.7/10
AIR TRAVEL: Good—7.9/10
NOISE REDUCTION: Poor—2.5/10
BUILD QUALITY: Good—7.6/10
BATTERY: Fair—6.0/10
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) are a good choice if you prefer earbuds that are lightweight and have a stemmed design with a closed enclosure, offering good comfort and excellent portability. They are optimized for Apple devices, leveraging the H1 chip for adaptive sound and noise handling. They are suitable for phone calls and meetings, though the mic quality is only fair. They're great for listening to music and podcasts, but their sound isolation and soundstage are poor, which makes them less ideal for noisy environments or for activities demanding a more immersive audio experience. The AirPods have no wires, feature AAC codec support for Apple users, are sweatproof, and they offer around 4 hours of battery life with an additional 24 hours provided by the charging case, which supports wireless charging. However, they do not support active noise cancelling, nor are they optimized for gaming or watching TV due to latency issues. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Wireless convenience
- Good overall sound quality
- Supports AAC codec
- Lightweight design
- Optimized for Apple devices
Cons
- Poor soundstage
- Limited controls
- Poor noise isolation
- Not sweatproof
Ratings by Category
Portability:5.0
The Portability score is based on an overall assessment that includes volume and maximum dimension of the product (and case, if relevant), and its weight. Special features like foldability for headphones are also taken into account.
Air Travel:4.4
This score evaluates the product for use on airplanes and other similar kinds of travel. It takes into account noise reduction and portability, including case shape, case size, and weight. It also incorporates the battery life of the product, long-haul comfort, noise reduction (both active and passive), and sound quality. We generally consider wireless products to be more suitable for air travel.
Podcasts & Audiobooks:4.4
This score evaluates the product when used solely to listen to podcasts or audiobooks. It takes into account sound quality and sound signature, to be able to keep voices clear and intelligible. It also considers battery life, when available, and comfort.
Calls:4.0
This evaluates the product when used solely to make and receive calls. It takes into account how well the products are able to clearly reproduce the human voice, the quality of the integrated microphones and the battery life, when available, to be able to use them for longer sessions or conferences.
Battery Life:3.0
The Battery Life rating is based on hours of typical, actual usage.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $100 | ||
Brand | Apple | ||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | ||
Form Factor | Earbuds | ||
Connectivity | Wireless | ||
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score  | 5.9/10 | ||
Phone Calls Score | 7/10 | ||
Gaming Score | 4.9/10 | ||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | ||
Exercise Score | 5.8/10 | ||
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | 4 Hours | ||
Wireless charging | Yes | ||
Charging time | 0.5 Hours | ||
Bluetooth version | 5 | ||
Case Battery Life | 24 | ||
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | No | ||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | ||
Virtual Surround | No | ||
Android App | No | ||
iOS App | No | ||
Mic Quality | 6.5/10 | ||
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | 7.6/10 | ||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | ||
Size | Small | ||
Weight of single earbud | 4 Grams | ||
Microphone style | Integrated | ||
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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