Noise-canceling earbuds are a great everyday companion, and AirPods are one of the best — especially for iOS users, thanks to their Siri AI features and integration with their other Apple devices. If the AirPods Pro 3‘s intrusive in-ear form factor is a turn off, the midrange AirPods 5‘s more relaxed fit may be better — and the latest model’s ANC performance is the best yet.
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The AirPods 5 debuted with incremental upgrades over the AirPods 4, notably to eartip design, ANC improvement, battery life, and increased waterproofing to the earbuds and charging case. Apple says the AirPods 5’s noise-canceling abilities are 1.5x stronger than the previous generation, but what does that actually mean? We tested both pairs in our Louisville lab to quantify it.
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The methods
Earbud performance, regarding its noise-canceling performance, audio quality, and comfortability, are all highly subjective metrics that can easily change among person to person. All of our ears are different, and our anatomy heavily influences how well audio from different devices sounds to us.
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We aim to objectively test noise cancellation by completing a binaural measurement rig, called the EARS Pro, which consists of two silicon ears fitted with high quality microphones that measure sound across frequencies and mimics the acoustics of a human head. The EARS Pro is in a soundproof room surrounded by an array of four speakers that project a diffuse field of pink noise. Once the earbuds are placed into the EARS Pro, we’re ready to rock and roll.
The results
In the real world, the AirPods 5’s strength at canceling low-pitched frequencies means it performs well at shielding the wearer from low rumbles of plane engines, air conditioning units, or trains. The average adult human voice lives in the 93 Hz to 238 Hz range, and our testing suggests that the AirPods 5 can significantly reduce the amount of human chatter that reaches your ears.
Canceling higher frequency noises is where the AirPods 5 struggles the most, though they still deliver solid performance. The human ear is very sensitive to sounds within this frequency range of 2 kHz and 8 kHz, so you want your earbuds to offer adequate reduction.
This higher frequency range can consist of noises such as a baby crying, a fire truck siren, a mouse or keyboard clicking, and birds chirping, and the AirPods 5’s 25 dB of noise reduction within this range is a great sign.
Apple managed to enhance the AirPods 5’s noise-canceling abilities without gifting the earbuds with a new processor bre redesigning the earbuds’ acoustic structure and refining their audio processing algorithms. The earbuds debuted with a new multiport layout, which changes how airflow environmental sound waves interact with the earbuds. Given that the AirPods 5 sport an open-ear design, and not a tightly-sealed in ear design, like the AirPods Pro 3, physical and computational changes can improve their ANC performance.
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On the topic of computational improvements, Apple’s improved audio processing algorithm on its H2 audio chip allows for faster, more efficient audio processing, improving noise reduction.
The caveats
Like I mentioned earlier, your ear anatomy heavily influences how well a pair of earbuds fits in your ears, and achieving a good fit is paramount to experiencing optimal performance from your earbuds. In some cases, the tighter in-ear fit of the AirPods Pro 3 works best for some people, while the more relaxed, open-ear fit of the AirPods 5 works for others.
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Additionally, lab testing can only do so much for something as dynamic and unpredictable as environmental noise — even the standard for testing ANC, the International Electrotechnical Commission, tests ANC in a controlled environment with pink noise acting as ambient sound. In the real world, your hair, jaw movements, and unique ear shape can affect earbuds’ ANC performance in a way that can’t be reproduced in a lab.
ZDNET’s verdict
The AirPods 5 are Apple’s best midrange AirPods for ANC, and our lab testing confirms that the earbuds’ noise-canceling performance is better than the AirPods 4 with ANC. Alongside a new acoustic structure for improved ANC and audio performance, the AirPods 5 have the same AI-powered features as the flagship AirPods Pro 3, making the midrange earbuds the most advanced yet.
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Aside from in-ear heart rate monitoring and hearing protection features, the AirPods 5 and the AirPods Pro 3 share Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Conversation Awareness.
With these characteristics in mind, the AirPods 5 may be the best midrange earbuds on the market, and certainly the best midrange AirPods for Apple enthusiasts.
