The iPhone Duo and the new Burgundy 18 Pro got all the initial hype around launch, but Apple’s latest AirPods are the real sleeper hit of the season. Offering top-tier features at a surprisingly aggressive price tag, they’re a complete no-brainer for anyone looking to join the Apple audio family.
The AirPods 5 are Apple’s annual refresh of its standard audio lineup. They not only provide a great value option to Apple users but have also practically shattered that historical compromise.
Apple has launched this year’s AirPods 5 in two options: the standard AirPods 5 and an elevated variant featuring a Wireless Charging Case, swipe volume controls and open-ear Active Noise Cancellation. The gap between the two variants is just Rs 3,000 with the higher end model (which I have been using for the past 2 weeks) priced at Rs 17,900.
This update represents one of the most surprising, comprehensive and impactful generational leaps in Apple’s portable audio history.
Designed, ergonomics and a wish
From a structural perspective, the AirPods 5 maintain Apple’s iconic design philosophy. The stems remain short and trim, while the earbud housing itself has been subtly re-contoured using extensive ear-scan data to distribute weight evenly across the outer ear. The result is a compact, highly portable package that feels weightless and stays secure during long working sessions or casual walks.
The charging case is equally impressionable, extremely lightweight and compact enough to slip into a small pocket without creating a bulge.
Despite these physical refinements, Apple’s aesthetic choices remain stubbornly conservative. The standard AirPods continue to ship exclusively in high-gloss white plastic. It is hard not to secretly wish that Apple would start experimenting with the CMF of its flagship audio line. Imagine an official Apple AirPod finished in a deep, rich Burgundy. It would look extraordinarily striking paired alongside the rich tones of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
As much as I would want to see that happen, it seems like Apple has saved all design experiments and bold textures for Beats-branded audio products. Still, seeing an official pair of non-white AirPods would be so refreshing.
Interacting with the higher-tier AirPods 5 feels completely natural and responsive. The stem control scheme retains the familiar force sensor for pinching to play, pause, or skip tracks, but now integrates full volume swipe controls directly along the flat stem surface.
Sliding a finger up or down adjusts playback volume with instant, tactile audio feedback. It avoids pushing the earbud deeper into your ear canal or disturbing its fit, addressing one of the longest-standing user requests across the standard AirPods lineup and making device-free control significantly more practical.
Audio performance
The sound quality delivered by the AirPods 5 represents a massive upgrade. Driven by a newly designed custom low-distortion driver paired with a high dynamic range amplifier, the acoustic presentation is rich, dynamic and engaging across virtually every genre.
Over the years, I have seen open-fit earbuds struggle with bass production because the lack of a tight airtight silicone seal allows lower frequencies to dissipate into the air before reaching the eardrums. Apple has overcome this limitation using advanced computational audio and internal feedback microphones that continuously measure how sound echoes inside your unique ear shape.
The resulting bass is punchy, tight, and surprisingly deep, providing a solid rhythmic foundation without bleeding into or muddying the lower midrange. Vocals sit clearly forward in the mix with excellent articulation. Even the complex multi-layered orchestral tracks remain distinct rather than collapsing into a muddy mess.
I will be honest: the design has its limitations and you won’t get crazy levels of micro-detail, extreme soundstage width, or audiophile-grade separation here. But, these earbuds are not for critical listeners. They are better suited with AirPods Pro or maybe over-ear studio monitors. However, for everyday open-fit earbuds at this price point, the AirPods 5 sound remarkably impressive, offering a fun and balanced sound profile that punches well above its weight class.
The unquestioned crown jewel of the premium AirPods 5 variant is its Active Noise Cancellation. I don’t know how Apple has achieved this level of precision. For anyone who understands audio, would know how difficult it is to achieve effective noise suppression on an open-fit earbud. The external air and sound flow freely around the ear canal which is an enormous engineering challenge.
Yet, Apple claims up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation performance compared to the AirPods 4 with ANC, and in my usage so far the difference feels real.
On a recent 20-hour long flight from San Francisco to New Delhi, the AirPods 5 handled cabin noise with unbelievable composure. During takeoff, the continuous, low-frequency roar of jet engines was suppressed so effectively that the plane’s ascent was barely noticeable. Throughout the flight, ambient cabin hum, air conditioning whir, and service cart clatter were softened to a faint background murmur.
In practice, the noise attenuation was effective enough to allow sleeping through the first 10 hours of the journey straight, waking up without the ear canal fatigue or pressure usually associated with wearing sealed silicone ear tips for long durations.
Ecosystem features
The AirPods 5 inherit a comprehensive array of smart software capabilities previously reserved for Apple’s Pro tier hardware, seamlessly powered by deep iOS integration and on-device machine learning.
There are three different modes to choose from: Transparency, Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. All three work seamlessly. However, years of muscle memory make manually switching noise cancellation modes or physically taking an earbud out when talking to someone feel far more natural and deliberate. However, standard Transparency mode remains an invaluable feature for daily multitasking.
Deep system-level integration with Siri AI enables intuitive hands-free controls, including subtle head nods or shakes to accept or decline incoming calls.
When paired with Apple Intelligence features, Live Translation transforms the earbuds into a real-time interpreter, translating spoken foreign languages directly into your ears during travel or cross-cultural conversations. While I haven’t got a chance to use it properly, I experienced the feature in action during one of the demos at the Apple Park and it was really impressive.
The new iOS update also brings access to a dedicated custom equalizer directly within system settings for AirPods, Pro or otherwise. This system-level equalizer allows you to manually adjust specific frequency bands to shape the sound signature to your exact personal taste. So now you can boost sub-bass frequencies for gym workouts and lift the upper midrange for dialogue clarity in movies.
Battery life
Battery performance on the AirPods 5 is tuned to easily support busy workdays. They come with up to 5 hours of continuous listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled. The compact charging case holds multiple additional charges, expanding total listening time well beyond 30 hours of playback.
The higher variant’s Wireless Charging Case charges via standard USB-C, Qi-certified wireless charging pads, or magnetically using an Apple Watch charger. It also has an integrated speaker that emits a loud acoustic chime when located through the Find My app, making it effortless to find when misplaced under cushions or inside deep bags.
Final verdict
As I said earlier, the AirPods 5 might just be the biggest sleeper hit of this year’s entire Apple lineup. There are several reasons to believe that. The standard AirPods have never been so close to the Pro model in terms of features and experience while still costing considerably less. There is hardly any market competition with most brands shipping sub-standard products at this price point.
Above all, the AirPods 5 represent open-ear engineering at its absolute finest. Apple took what was historically the most compromised form factor in personal audio and elevated it with impressive sound tuning and intuitive volume. So, if you have been waiting to upgrade your paid of earbuds, the AirPods 5 might just be the right option.
