The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made

<figure> <img alt="Hands holding the Apple AirPods 5 earbuds above a wooden-slated table with an iPhone and coffee cup on it." data-caption="The AirPods 5 earbuds and case look identical to the AirPods 4." data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/268737_AirPods_5_AKrales_0125.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> The AirPods 5 earbuds and case look identical to the AirPods 4. </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph">It's almost a guarantee that the new version of a product will be, at best, the same price as the old one, and often (especially in the past couple years) more expensive. But that's not what Apple did with the AirPods 5. The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are $30 cheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANC they replace. They have slightly better active noise cancellation, and they're the first non-Pro AirPods with volume controls on the stem. Apple has never made wireless earbuds that offer as much for so little, and they make the base AirPods 5, which are $20 cheaper but don't have wireless charging or volume controls, pointless.</p> <div class="product-block"><h3>Apple …</h3></div> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/995273/airpods-5-wireless-charging-case-review">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>