The best AirPods to buy in 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with USB-C features: Type: In-ear | Chip: H2 | Battery life: 6 hours | Water-resistant: Yes

Out of the four current models of AirPods, I recommend the AirPods Pro 2 the most because they fit almost every type of ear, they are comfortable to wear, and they include all of the best and latest features that Apple has to offer in headphones. Plus, they get a bonus set of new features as part of the iOS 17 update, which won’t come to any of the other AirPods. 

Most Redditors agree that the AirPods Pro 2 take the cake. It’s pretty difficult to find an alternative AirPods recommendation when searching on Reddit for the best AirPods to buy. One user on the r/AirPods thread called the earbuds “transcendent,” and another said they are totally worth the money.  

The AirPods Pro 2 use silicon tips to fit into your ears (with four sizes to choose from), similar to the ones you’re probably familiar with in most of the earbuds you’ve used. Comparatively, the standard AirPods have hard plastic tips like the traditional Apple EarPods that used to come in the box with most iPhones — which many people found fell out of their ears easily, or weren’t very comfortable to wear. 

The AirPods Pro 2 were the first to get Apple’s latest H2 chip for improved sound. That includes active noise cancellation, which roughly doubles the noise cancellation of the first-gen AirPods Pro and works impressively in loud environments like airplanes and city streets. It also includes adaptive transparency mode, which lets you hear the world around you when you have your earbuds in, while also automatically reducing loud sounds such as sirens. 

In 2023, Apple slightly revised this model as the “AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with USB-C,” swapping out Apple’s Lightening connect with the more universal USB-C that has also come to iPhone 15. But it also added Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency for the Apple Vision Pro headset that launched this week.

If you’re someone who uses headphones for more than a couple hours every day, wireless headphones might be your most important device next to your smartphone and your laptop — and they can enhance the experience of using both of those devices. If you use headphones that much, then spending $250 on the best and most versatile wireless earbuds Apple has to offer will likely be a worthy investment to raise the quality of your daily life.

Deal alert: The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $190 at Amazon and Best Buy.