These AirPods are my favourite headphones and they’re at their lowest price ever this Prime Day
The Apple AirPods 2 USB-C marry convenience with sound quality and great noise cancelling – at £179 they’re a veritable bargain
Apple’s products are renowned for staying at (or very close to) full price, even during the big deals events. However, this Prime Day is different: the simply brilliant Apple AirPods Pro 2 USB-C are on a rare offer, with a chunky £40 hacked off the average price of £219.
That means they’re currently as cheap as a pair of Apple AirPods 4 with ANC and, as much as I like those headphones for their comfort levels and improved sound quality, the AirPods Pro 2 USB-C still rule the roost as the best in-ear headphones around for iPhone owners, with silicone ear tips that block out ambient noise more effectively, and improve keep the audio in, improving the low-frequency notes no end.
The AirPods Pro 2 aren’t the last word in sound quality. If you want that, you may be better off with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and nothing can quite beat the all-round capabilities of the Sony WF-1000XM5. Alas, neither of those models are on offer in the Prime Day sales and they don’t offer the same levels of convenience for Apple devotees as the AirPods Pro 2.
These are simply brilliant all-rounders. Sound quality is great and I’ve had no complaints in the noise cancelling department, either – I’ve worn these on flights long and short and they keep the worst of the cabin noise at bay. The long-awaited addition of USB-C to the charging case means they’re simple to charge when you need to as well and they can be dropped on a wireless charging pad for a top-up.
Apple’s Spatial Audio has to be the most convincing we’ve come across in any headphones, too, especially in head-tracking mode. Watching a movie on an iPad with a pair of these in your ears is an impressive experience, with the audio staying locked to the screen as you move your head left and right.
And although the AirPods Pro 2 didn’t get a physical update during the recent iPhone event, they are getting a software update with a new hearing test and hearing-aid functionality via a firmware upgrade, so Apple isn’t neglecting them, either.
However, my favourite feature of the Apple AirPods 2 USB-C has to be Nearby Find. Courtesy of the Apple’s H2 chip and its ultra-wideband tech, this allows me to easily and quickly locate my headphones, even if I’ve lost them down the side of the sofa. It’s child’s play to simply fire up the Find My app on my iPhone, tap Devices, then Find and the phone tells me exactly how far away my headphones are and points the way, too.
In short, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are brilliant headphones and at the current price a bargain as well. Thinking of buying the AirPods 4? Take a pause and consider purchasing the AirPods Pro 2 USB-C instead – they’re much, much more accomplished.