The best Black Friday AirPods deal has arrived and it's better than I predicted. The Apple AirPods Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds has dropped to $153.99 at several retailers, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart, which means you have plenty of options to buy from. This is the lowest price I've seen all year long, and it's very unlikely to drop further. This discount brings the price down to the same level as the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancelation. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still Apple's best earbuds because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation performance.
Apple AirPods Pro for $153.99
The AirPods Pro is the best-sounding "truly wireless" earbuds for iPhone users thanks to its passively isolating in-ear design, low-distortion driver and amp, and the newer Apple H2 chip. In addition to being only one of two AirPods earbuds with active noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro has useful features like "Adaptive Transparency Mode" to hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds and "Conversation Mode" that automatically enhances the voices of people you're talking to. The newer second-generation AirPods Pro replaces the Lightning port with a more universal USB Type-C port so you don't have to mix and match cables, and also includes a MagSafe charging case by default.
Should you get the AirPods Pro over AirPods 4 with ANC?
Normally, I would suggest going with the AirPods 4 ANC because it's usually $70 cheaper. However, if the price is taken out of equation, the AirPods Pro is a superior earbud. Both feature active noise cancellation, but the AirPods Pro produces better sound and more effective noise cancelling because of its design. The AirPods 4 ANC is an open-ear style earbud with non-adjustable tips. They're designed to sit right outside of the ear which – while comfortable – means you get plenty of sound leakage and ambient noise intrusion.
On the other hand, the AirPods Pro is an in-ear style of earbud that sits right inside your ear canal, sealing the passage and passively isolating it from the ambient air. Adjustable tips are included to accomodate different sized ears and ensure you get that proper sealing fit, which is very important to squeeze out the best performance. At this price, the only compelling reason to still go for the AirPods 4 ANC is if you don't like the intrusive nature of in-ear style earbuds in general.
This is just one of Apple's Black Friday deals, so check out the rest if you're in the Apple ecosystem. If particular, if you're looking for an iPad, there are plenty of amazing Black Friday iPad deals going on right now. If you're planning to upgrade your smartphone in the near future, the new iPhone 16 is a solid contender. In our iPhone 16 review, Mark Knapp wrote that, "The iPhone 16 performs great, looks good, and snaps nice photos while offering a big discount to the Pro models."
The Only "AirPods" That's Better
The AirPods Max is the crown jewel of Apple's AirPods lineup, but that quality doesn't come cheap. The wireless headset is normally priced at $550, but for Black Friday, Amazon has dropped the price down to $399. That's a $150 (28%) off and the lowest price we've seen. Unlike its AirPods brethren, the AirPods Max is a more traditional style over-ear headphone. If you're not a fan of earbuds, then the best hi-fi noise cancelling headphones of 2024 might be right up your alley.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
