AirPods 5 go on sale in Apple Stores this Friday, September 18, after a week of hands-on previews and reviews since Apple’s September 9 announcement. The open-ear earbuds bring Active Noise Cancellation down to Apple’s cheapest AirPods tier for the first time. The base model is $129; a $149 version adds a wireless charging case and on-stem volume control.
What’s new for the price
AirPods 5 use what Apple calls an all-new multiport acoustic architecture paired with next-generation Adaptive EQ. Apple says the open-ear ANC removes up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, alongside an improved Transparency mode. Both models also pick up features once reserved for pricier AirPods: Live Translation, head-gesture responses to Siri, and better dust, sweat, and water resistance.
Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, framed the addition of ANC as the headline change for this tier. “We’re thrilled that with AirPods 5, we’re able to bring Active Noise Cancellation — one of our most beloved features — to our most affordable AirPods,” Pakula said.
Pricing, and what you don’t get at the entry price
The $129 AirPods 5 ship in a standard charging case. Stepping up to $149 gets you the wireless charging case, longer rated battery life, and on-stem volume control. That’s a real functional gap between the two tiers, not just a charging convenience. If you rely on wireless charging day to day, that’s a $20 difference worth checking before you buy the cheaper case by default.
Pre-orders opened on announcement day, and the first reviews and hands-on impressions landed this week ahead of Friday’s in-store availability. Apple’s Siri AI integration is pitched as a differentiator too — head-gesture replies and Live Translation both lean on it. How much of that depends on which iPhone and iOS version you’re running isn’t detailed in Apple’s own announcement.
Source: Apple
