Last Christmas, I gave her a dud, and the very next day, she threw it away. This year, to save me from tears, I’m giving her something special (extra special).
All apologies to the late, great George Michael, but allow me to explain. The “her” is my 13-year-old daughter, who for the last two years has asked for AirPods for Christmas. Last year, I decided to instead give her a lesson in my sanctimoniousness and frugality. It didn’t go well.
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When my daughter unwrapped a pair of Amazon Echo Buds (which are on sale for just $45, or 50% off) and realized they were not, in fact, genuine Apple AirPods, her disappointment hit me hard. She didn’t have a negative word to say, bless her holiday spirit, but her unspoken reaction said enough. A couple days later, I noticed she never wore them, so I asked why. She told me, with a straight face, that she’d lost them.
Of course I told her that I thought AirPods were too expensive, that other earbuds were just as good and that I felt she shouldn’t bow to the peer pressure of her schoolmates (who all, according to her, wear “real AirPods”). Take one guess as to whether any of my words made her happier.
So this year, when I saw that the actual Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $170, I pounced. Once bitten and twice shy, off-brand, you won’t fool me again.
Amazon’s Echo Buds cost me $35 and the approval of my child.
If you’re looking for additional lingering Apple deals after Cyber Monday, check out these lasting Cyber Monday iPad deals.
Well it’s been a year, ANC doesn’t surprise me
Why did I choose AirPods Pro 2 instead of the newer AirPods 4 with ANC? First off, as I mentioned in another article about another pair of earbuds I bought recently on a Black Friday sale, I think sealed, in-ear buds are better than open-design models like the AirPods 4. The seal creates another layer of noise isolation and contributes to superior sound quality, and if you want to pay attention to the world you can always engage ambient sound mode, which Apple calls transparency mode.
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Also a factor was the commentary of CNET reviewer David Carnoy, who considers the Pro 2 the best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds: “While we’re quite impressed with those new models — and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particular — the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don’t mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears.”
My daughter uses earplugs all the time to help her sleep, so she definitely qualifies as somebody who’s comfortable stuffing things in her ears. Like her fingers, when I start using words like “sigma,” “skibidi” and “relatable” to try to relate to her.
XS eartips mean an XL hug from a happy kid may be coming soon.
I asked Carnoy about the Pro 2’s potentially not fitting in her kid-size ears and he reassured me that Apple’s range of eartips that come with the Pro 2s “now include XS, so they should fit.”
Now I know what a fool I’ve been
Finally I had a few recent conversations with my daughter to confirm her desires, without giving too much away. When she assured me that she’d rather have AirPods than a $170 gift card to Sephora, that sealed it. Now I’m dreaming of a white Christmas present and the joy it will bring to my Apple-happy kid.
Our Favorite Tech Gifts Under $100 We’re Giving for the Holidays
Do AirPods make a great gift?
It took me two years to understand, but yes, for someone looking for wireless earbuds this holiday season, AirPods — especially the Apple AirPods Pro 2 — make the perfect gift, whether you are a teenage girl or not.
If you’re looking for more Apple devices this holiday season, here are the best Cyber Monday Apple deals that are still lingering, and here are our favorite tech gifts under $100.
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