Updated

Updated · Gizmodo · Sep 11

Apple Launches $129 AirPods 5 With 1.5x Better ANC as Wireless-Case Model Drops to $149

Updated

Updated · Gizmodo · Sep 11

Apple Launches $129 AirPods 5 With 1.5x Better ANC as Wireless-Case Model Drops to $149

Q: Why does Apple's base AirPods 5 sacrifice crucial battery life, and is the $20 upgrade just a calculated trap to upsell loyal users?

Apple’s base AirPods 5 looks less like a technical necessity than a deliberate product split. Apple has not explained why the $129 version falls to 4 hours with ANC, while the $149 version reaches 5 hours, even though both use the H2 chip and the same overall design. The most plausible reading is that Apple is differentiating the cheaper model through its simpler case and fewer convenience features, while reserving the more complete experience for the upsell model. That does not make it a “trap” in a deceptive sense, but it is classic tiered pricing. For $20 more, buyers get a wireless charging case, Find My speaker support, on-stem volume swipe controls, and better rated battery life. Multiple reports in the comparison material reach the same verdict: the $149 version is the stronger value inside the AirPods 5 family. The sharper criticism is that Apple’s lineup now creates awkward tradeoffs. The AirPods 5 improve ANC over AirPods 4 with ANC, but the older AirPods 4 still offer much better total battery with the case at 30 hours. The AirPods Pro 3 remain the premium option, with far stronger noise cancellation, 8 hours per charge, and hearing-health features that the AirPods 5 do not have. So the base AirPods 5 is best understood as an entry-price model built to advertise “ANC from $129,” while nudging many loyal Apple users toward the $149 version. For most buyers, that extra $20 is not a trap; it is the version worth buying.

3 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · Sep 11

$129 now buys AirPods 5 with active noise cancellation, while a $149 version adds a wireless charging case and undercuts the comparable AirPods 4 model by $30.
Apple says both models deliver 1.5x better ANC than AirPods 4 with ANC, and a brief hands-on found stronger bass and cleaner sound, though the earbuds still trail AirPods Pro 3 on noise blocking.
The $149 model also gets 5 hours of battery life with ANC on—1 hour more than the base version—plus stem swipe volume controls and a case speaker for Find My.
AirPods 4 cases remain compatible with both AirPods 5 versions, easing upgrades as Apple rolls out the earbuds alongside the iPhone 18 lineup and new watches.