95
Tom's GuideTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 18, 2026
“While the battery life is abysmal, the sound quality, comfort, fit, smart features, and ANC make up for it for casual users.”
By Erin Bashford · Rated 4.5/5Full review
Headphones
AirPods 5
Apple · From $129
Release date Sep 18, 2026
86
Critical Gold
Based on 8 Critic Reviews
5 with a published score, 3 scored from text · How it works
Latest review Oct 20, 2026
Early score: only 8 reviews so far
4 Rave3 Positive1 Mixed
Critics' Take
Reviewers agree the AirPods 5 improve on the AirPods 4 with better sound, stronger active noise cancellation, and wider feature access because ANC is now on both models. The main reservations are the open-fit design, which is very dependent on ear shape, and the small gap between the $129 and $149 versions that makes the pricier model easier to recommend.
What critics loved
- Improved sound quality
- Stronger ANC on both models
- IP57 dust and water resistance
- Volume swipes and wireless charging on the pricier case
Common gripes
- Fit is hit-or-miss
- Battery life is so-so for the category
- Human voices and higher tones still get through ANC
- Base model misses useful extras for only $20 less
- No advanced hearing health features
Critic Scorecard
8 reviewsSort:
Weighted by outlet tier:Tier 1 outlet, weighted 100%100%Tier 2 outlet, weighted 75%75%Tier 3 outlet, weighted 40%40%Tier 4 outlet, weighted 20%20%
95
Trusted ReviewsTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 25, 2026
“The AirPods 5 are a winner.”
By Max Parker · Rated 4.5/5Full review
90
Business InsiderTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 28, 2026
“With better ANC, improved sound, and competitive pricing, they're the most compelling standard AirPods Apple has made yet.”
By Tyler Hayes · Unrated, scored from textFull review
87
EngadgetTier 1 outlet, weighted 100%Sep 18, 2026
“While I may have a big gripe with the overall product strategy, that shouldn't detract from the fact that the $149 AirPods 5 is still an impressive set of open-wear earbuds.”
By Billy Steele · Rated 8.8/10Full review
84
The GuardianTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 13, 2026
“The AirPods 5 take the comfortable open-fit design of their predecessors and upgrade the sound and noise cancelling to rival many plugged-in earbuds with silicone tips, which is quite a feat.”
By Samuel Gibbs · Unrated, scored from textFull review
81
What Hi-Fi?Tier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 20, 2026
“If you want great noise-blocking qualities in an eartip-less design and want Apple-only features without paying for the flagship, these will suit you perfectly”
By Kashfia Kabir · Rated 4/5Full review
Show 2 more reviews ▾Show fewer ▴
77
GSMArenaTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 19, 2026
“The AirPods 5 have all the modern features and conveniences that you can think of and at no point feel like they don't justify their price tag.”
By Prasad · Unrated, scored from textFull review
58
SoundGuysTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Sep 22, 2026
“After spending a few days with both versions of the AirPods 5, I’ve arrived at one conclusion: you’ll either love them or hate them, for one reason nobody talks about enough — how they fit your ears.”
By Christian Thomas · Rated 6.4/10Full review
81
What Hi-Fi?Tier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 20, 2026
“If you want great noise-blocking qualities in an eartip-less design and want Apple-only features without paying for the flagship, these will suit you perfectly”
By Kashfia Kabir · Rated 4/5Full review
77
GSMArenaTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Oct 19, 2026
“The AirPods 5 have all the modern features and conveniences that you can think of and at no point feel like they don't justify their price tag.”
By Prasad · Unrated, scored from textFull review
84
The GuardianTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Oct 13, 2026
“The AirPods 5 take the comfortable open-fit design of their predecessors and upgrade the sound and noise cancelling to rival many plugged-in earbuds with silicone tips, which is quite a feat.”
By Samuel Gibbs · Unrated, scored from textFull review
90
Business InsiderTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 28, 2026
“With better ANC, improved sound, and competitive pricing, they're the most compelling standard AirPods Apple has made yet.”
By Tyler Hayes · Unrated, scored from textFull review
95
Trusted ReviewsTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 25, 2026
“The AirPods 5 are a winner.”
By Max Parker · Rated 4.5/5Full review
58
SoundGuysTier 3 outlet, weighted 40%Sep 22, 2026
“After spending a few days with both versions of the AirPods 5, I’ve arrived at one conclusion: you’ll either love them or hate them, for one reason nobody talks about enough — how they fit your ears.”
By Christian Thomas · Rated 6.4/10Full review
Show 2 more reviews ▾Show fewer ▴
95
Tom's GuideTier 2 outlet, weighted 75%Sep 18, 2026
“While the battery life is abysmal, the sound quality, comfort, fit, smart features, and ANC make up for it for casual users.”
By Erin Bashford · Rated 4.5/5Full review
87
EngadgetTier 1 outlet, weighted 100%Sep 18, 2026
“While I may have a big gripe with the overall product strategy, that shouldn't detract from the fact that the $149 AirPods 5 is still an impressive set of open-wear earbuds.”
By Billy Steele · Rated 8.8/10Full review
Quick Facts
- Price
- From $129
- Design
- Open-fit earbuds with no silicone tips
- Noise cancellation
- Active noise cancellation on both AirPods 5 models
- Chip
- Apple H2 chip
- Water resistance
- IP57 dust and water resistance
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Charging case options
- USB-C case or wireless charging case
- Wireless charging
- Qi or Apple Watch charger on the wireless charging case model
- Battery life
- Up to 4 hours with ANC on the $129 model, slightly more than 5 hours with ANC on the wireless charging case model, with up to 20 or 22 hours total including the case
