Apple AirPods 5 vs. AirPods Pro 3: Which should you buy?

Not too long ago, if you wanted AirPods with active noise cancellation, you had one option: the AirPods Pro.

For several years following, Apple kept ANC strictly limited to its premium options: the Pros and the AirPods Max.

Then in 2024, Apple threw a curveball AirPods 4, offering two models, with the more expensive one featuring ANC on a sub-$200 pair of AirPods for the first time ever.

And with the announcement of the AirPods 5 at the brand's " Surprise and Shine" keynote event on Sept.

9 , AirPods without ANC have become a thing of the past altogether.

At $129 and $149, both the AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case come with ANC (not to mention live translation).

It also means there are now three options for noise-canceling earbuds from Apple.

Apple AirPods 5 earbuds $129 at Amazon Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Apple.com Pre-order Here at Walmart Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds $199 at Amazon $249 Save $50 See It at Amazon See It at Walmart SEE ALSO: The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested In deciding what to get, it's worth weighing out what you need out of your earbuds.

To help you make your choice, we broke down the differences between the AirPods 5 (with and without the Wireless Charging Case) and the AirPods Pro 3 , Apple's premium wireless earbuds.

We just started testing the new AirPods, so stay tuned for a true head-to-head comparison.

In the meantime, this is how they compare in specs, features, and form factor.

First: the AirPods 4 vs. the AirPods 5 Before we jump into the full comparison, a quick note on why we're not breaking down AirPods 4 vs.

5 comparison — it's because there really is none.

The $129 AirPods 4 feature no noise cancellation, while the ones that do go for $179.