Comparison · Earbuds · Desk research
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 5
Quick Answer
AirPods 4 (2024) and AirPods 5 (9 September 2026) are open-ear hops, not Pro. Support 121203 (AirPods 4) lists H2, IP54, USB-C Charging Case, up to 5 hours listening and 30 hours with the case, 4.3g buds, 32.3g case, Bluetooth 5.3 — no Active Noise Cancellation row. Support 121204 (AirPods 4 with ANC) adds ANC, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness, a USB-C case with speaker (34.7g), up to 4 hours with ANC / 5 hours noise control off, and up.
The verdict
keep AirPods 4 if open H2 stems still cover the day; buy AirPods 5 for IP57, Live Translation on the current sheet, and Apple’s two-SKU 4h/5h ANC tables
Why: Open-ear hop. AirPods 4 is two Support pages: base 121203 (no ANC row; 5h / 30h) and AirPods 4 with ANC 121204 (ANC + Adaptive Audio; 4h ANC / 20h case ANC; IP54). AirPods 5 (2026 specs / Newsroom) is current open-ear H2 ANC, IP57, two case SKUs (4h/20h standard vs 5h/22h wireless), Newsroom $129 / $149, and an OEM ‘up to 50 percent more noise vs AirPods 4 with ANC’ percentage — not a dB number. Hearing Aid is not listed on the AirPods 5 spec sheet.
Buy AirPods 4 if
You already own AirPods 4 (base or ANC) and open H2 stems still match how you listen.
Buy AirPods 5 if
You want current open-ear AirPods: IP57, the 2026 ANC table, and Apple’s $129 / $149 Newsroom starts — and you will name the case SKU.
Spec comparison
AirPods 4 base = Support 121203. AirPods 4 with ANC = Support 121204. AirPods 5 = apple.com/airpods-5/specs/.
| Spec | AirPods 4 (121203) | AirPods 4 with ANC (121204) | AirPods 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Open-ear stem | Open-ear stem | Open-ear stem |
| Chip | H2 | H2 | H2 |
| ANC | Not listed | ANC; Adaptive Audio; Transparency; Conversation Awareness | Open-ear ANC; Adaptive Audio; Transparency; Conversation Awareness |
| Bud hours | Up to 5h | Up to 4h ANC / 5h noise control off | Standard case: 4h ANC / 6h off. Wireless case: 5h ANC / 7h off |
| Case hours | Up to 30h | Up to 20h ANC / 30h off | Standard: 20h ANC. Wireless: 22h ANC |
| IP | IP54 | IP54 | IP57 |
| Case | USB-C 32.3g | USB-C with speaker 34.7g | Two SKUs — name which |
| Live Translation | Not the 5 spec-sheet row | Footnotes on 121204 | Listed on the AirPods 5 sheet |
| US start (dated) | Discontinued / leftover — date tickets | Same | $129 / $149 (Newsroom, 9 September 2026) |
Frequently asked questions
Does every AirPods 4 have ANC?
No. Support 121203 has no ANC row. Support 121204 is AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
Is apple.com/airpods-4/specs/ the AirPods 4 sheet?
Not on write day. That live URL now serves AirPods 5 specs. Use Support 121203 / 121204 for AirPods 4.
Does AirPods 5 have Hearing Aid?
Not published on the AirPods 5 spec sheet accessed 19 September 2026.