Apple AirPods 5 Review Backs $149 Model as ANC Jumps 50%

Q: How does the AirPods 5 manage to deliver significantly stronger active noise cancellation while maintaining an unsealed open-ear design?

AirPods 5 appears to improve open-ear noise cancellation mainly through better acoustic control and faster real-time processing, not by changing the unsealed fit. Apple says the gain comes from an all-new multiport acoustic architecture, updated ANC algorithms, next-generation Adaptive EQ, and the H2 chip. In an open-ear design, there is no silicone tip creating a physical seal, so the system has to work harder computationally. The new acoustic layout likely helps direct sound more precisely toward the ear canal and manage airflow around the bud, giving the microphones and speakers a more stable acoustic environment for cancellation. The H2 chip then continuously analyzes outside noise and adjusts the anti-noise signal in real time. Adaptive EQ also helps compensate for differences in how the earbuds sit in different ears, which matters more in an open design because fit is less controlled than with sealed in-ear buds. Apple says this combination delivers up to 50 percent more noise reduction than AirPods 4 with ANC. Reviews suggest the improvement is real, especially against steady, low-frequency sounds such as airplane engines, HVAC hum, traffic, or white-noise machines. Human voices are still harder to suppress, which is consistent with the limits of open-ear ANC. So the short answer is that Apple did it by re-engineering the internal acoustics and using more advanced computational audio, rather than by sealing off the ear canal.

3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Sep 18

$149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case emerges as the clear pick, with the review arguing the extra $20 over the $129 version buys meaningful everyday upgrades.
Both AirPods 5 models add stronger active noise cancellation, richer sound and IP57 water resistance, with Apple saying ANC blocks 50% more noise than AirPods 4 and now survives 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes.
The pricier version adds swipe volume controls, audible Find My, wireless charging and longer battery life—up to 5 hours with ANC versus 4 hours on the cheaper model.
Live Translation is available on both models because it relies on ANC, while testing found the new earbuds especially better at muting steady background noise, though voices still leak through.
The review says Apple’s split lineup is hard to justify because the feature gap is small in price but large in usefulness, leaving the $129 model a weak value.