Amazon dropped the price of the AirPods $4$ with ANC from the MSRP of 179 down to 99. That’s a huge 45% discount.
The thing is, getting ANC—which used to be a Pro-exclusive feature—in the standard, non-sealing design is the whole reason people are drawn to this model. If you’re someone who absolutely cannot stand the silicone tips shoved into your ear canal—the annoying pressure, the heat, the earwax buildup—this is your go-to.
What Makes Them Different?
This is the non-Pro model, but they took a serious step up.
The ANC Works: The noise cancellation is added to an open design, and reviews (like the one from Notebookcheck) are calling it “highly effective.” It dynamically adjusts, which is key for blocking out consistent noise on planes or trains, or nothing.
Conversation Awareness: This is a neat trick. It automatically lowers your music volume when someone starts talking to you. You can order coffee, have a quick stand-up, whatever, without having to rip them out of your ears.
Sound Quality: It’s described as “particularly outstanding” compared to older, non-Pro models.
The Downsides (The Reality Check)
It’s not a flawless product, let’s be real.
Battery Life: The tested runtime sits around $6.9\ \text{hours}$. That’s decent, but not as good as some rivals out there.
Fit for Sport: The non-sealing, comfortable fit means they’re less secure for sports. A serious runner might want a Pro model instead.
The Apple Tax: You only get the full suite of targeted features—like Adaptive EQ and Personalized Spatial Audio—if you’re paired with an iPhone. That’s just how Apple does it.
The price point, though—that’s the kicker. At 99, this deal is absolutely making up for the cons for most people. The availability seems ongoing, but these record-low prices often vanish without warning.
End….
