Since the main feature of any pair of headphones is how they sound, it seems appropriate to start there. The problem with the new and improved AirPods, though, is they do not offer much difference in the sound quality department. It was even rumored before they were released that they would feature noise cancellation, but that is not the case here.

While the sound quality is always going to be subjective as certain people have higher standards when they listen to audio, not too many of you are going to be overly impressed with the sound quality of these earbuds. At the same time, the clarity of the vocals is pretty rock solid and something that can be appreciated. The bass is lacking big time, though, and the treble leaves something to be desired.

A bit of praise does need to be directed to the lack of any latency issues when you play games or watch videos on your smart devices. This is thanks to the new H1 processing chip, as it allows the headphones to perform at a much faster and efficient rate than before.

Though these suckers lack in excellent sound quality, this is where they begin to shine in certain respects. Apple has made the syncing process more comfortable than ever, and it, once again, comes back to the new processor. When syncing to any of your compatible Apple devices, doing so is going to be a painless one-tap process.

And, once the AirPods are connected they will stay that way for added convenience. Of course, as with various other Apple accessories, you can sync these earbuds with Android devices. Then again, if you have an Android, you probably don’t have an infatuation with Apple products anyway.

What is even better is the fact that these second-generation earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology. As opposed to the first-generation model that only had Bluetooth 4.2, this allows for even more stability and a vastly improved wireless protocol as a whole. Also, as if it was not obvious already, these are fully wireless headphones.

Alright, so let’s get some of the basics out of the way before we dive into some of the more advanced functionality of the Apple AirPods. As with other wireless headphones on the market, you can interact with these earbuds instead of needing to control everything from your smart device.

Specifically, when accessing the AirPods from your smart device, you can mess around with the settings a little bit. Apple-designed a rather neat feature into them that allows you to assign a specific control with a double-tap. When assigned, you double-tap the correct earbud, and the function will be put to fruition.

As for what you can program the earbuds to do, you can assign the double-tap feature to pause your current music track, skip to the next one, and so on and so forth. However, for each earbud, only one such control can be assigned. This is somewhat disappointing, but it makes sense.

Arguably the most advanced aspect of this design is the fact that you can utilize the power of Siri to perform certain actions. This becomes convenient in any situation where your smart device is not readily accessible. A perfect example is when you are riding your bike and need to change the current song or even make a call.

No matter how you utilize Siri, it can make your life a lot easier. And, regarding how well these earbuds listen to your commands, the integrated microphone picks up on what you are saying with excellent efficiency. Even with the surrounding noise, the microphone does a really good job.

Past this, Apple has also designed its 2019 AirPods with both motion accelerometers and optical sensors. With the power of these technologies, these suckers will know precisely when they are in your ears and when they are not. And, they will even be able to detect when only one earbud is in your ear and route the audio accordingly.

Let’s say this; if you own or owned the original AirPods and felt they were not that comfortable, your opinion is not going to change very much with these new ones. Yes, comfort is a bit subjective, but as with the sound quality, there are not too many consumers that will rave about putting these in their ears.

One of the most significant issues is how they fit. While they do fit somewhat snug, it still could be improved, and they will most certainly fall out of your ears if you do any high-level fitness with them on. Something that would have helped is if the tips were adjustable, but this is an issue that got glanced over when Apple designed
apple airpods with charging case.

And, even if you achieve an ideal fit, the AirPods are not that pleasant to keep in your ears for extended periods. Let’s say that they leave a lot to be desired in the comfort department, which is one of the most important when you analyze headphones.

Alright, so even though the Apple AirPods with charging case are not exactly the most comfortable option on the market, they are certainly one of the lightest. While this does contribute to comfort overall, it does not mask the other comfort issues that the earbuds have. But, lightweight is lightweight, and that is precisely what the AirPods are.

The actual earbuds themselves clock in at a minuscule eight grams. That is the total weight of them, by the way, as each one only weighs four grams. Yes, you heard that right, and they are so light that you will not even know you are holding them. Do you want to know what else is lightweight? How about the charging case that this comes with?

The details of this case will be documented here in a minute, but at 1.34 ounces in weight and only 1.74 by 2.11 inches in size, it is straightforward to carry around with you on your journeys.

As the AirPods are wireless, it means that they need batteries to function. Due to this, you need to accept the fact that they will be limited in this regard. When compared to the original model, however, the 2019 Apple AirPods are improved quite a bit when it comes to their battery life. On a single, full charge, they will be able to run for up to five hours for continuous music and three hours for call time.

Yes, this does not seem like a long lifespan, and it is not. So, how is the battery life improved then? It comes down to the magic of the charging case that is included. Remember how it was noted that the charging case is compact and lightweight? Well, with you, you can stick the earbuds inside the case and provide them with more juice.

This is going to add 20 hours of battery life to your listening experience. While it would be more convenient if the headphones just lasted longer on a single charge, this case is still an excellent addition to have.

The main accessory that you get with your purchase and one of the coolest additions to these Apple AirPods is the included charging case. This was briefly discussed a moment ago, but there is so much to talk about as it is one of the bright spots of this review. Anyway, as you already know, this case can allow you to charge the AirPods at any time whenever you see fit.

It almost acts as a power bank, and because of this, it will need to be charged up itself. This is where things get convenient as while you can opt to charge it with the included lightning cable; you can also do so wirelessly. If you have or buy a charging mat that is Qi-compatible, you can set this case right on top of it to provide it with more battery juice.

Additionally, the case also has an LED light equipped onto the front. This LED light will allow you to monitor the current charging status of your earbuds. All this wraps up to one heck of a convenient charging case.

Even though random bystander’s opinions of you often hold no relevance, it is worth pointing out that you may get some odd looks when wearing the AirPods. As was the case with the first-generation design, the stem portion of the headphones sticks out like a sore thumb. Just look at one of the photos on Amazon and you will get the picture of what they look like when inserted into your ears.

Now, as for the actual color selection, there isn’t one as these come in vintage Apple white. By now, if you are a fan of Apple products then you have probably become quite fond of their all-white branding. Either that or you simply continue to deal with it with all the Apple devices that you own. In fairness, though, on their own, the Apple AirPods with charging case are not ugly or anything like that.

There is more good than bad when you look at the Apple AirPods with charging case, but here is the issue; the “bad” involves two of the most vital criterions when it comes to finding high-quality headphones. However, when it comes to functionality and convenience, Apple succeeded in their design and probably exceeded their expectations.

With the introduction of the new H1 processing chip that vastly improves the performance, speed, and practicality of these earbuds, they are incredible to operate. The charging case also makes life easier for you as it provides you with additional battery life and, therefore, more listening time. The Siri functionality is excellent, and the Bluetooth 5.0 technology also provides superior performance.

All that aside, the sound quality is merely average with these, and the comfort is even worse. It also does not help that the tips are not adjustable and that there is not built-in noise cancellation technology. These two slight hindrances can play a role in your final decision.

Honestly, unless you can live with the issues or are an avid Apple lover, you may want to pass on this option. It is an excellent design overall, so don’t get confused there. Still, boy oh boy, do those problems come into play.