Living 100% wire-free seems something of the future, with Apples new AirPods, more and more people are enjoying the wire-free life.

On their first release in 2016, the AirPods came with a W1 chip as the core processor, allowing the AirPods to connect to devices quickly and efficiently.

Apple has since updated the original AirPods with the new H1 chip, allowing the earbuds to connect up to 1.5 times faster and add a more secure connection from the device, it minimizes the delay between the device and the sound. The new chip also allows for more talk time, which is something to consider for longer calls. 

As far as the sound quality and battery life, everything is the same between the original and the second generation. The only change between the two is the case. The case looks the same except that the charging light is now on the outside of the case so it is easier to see if the device is charging properly. The case still comes with the lightning charging port, it comes with the extra feature of charging it with any supported charging mat.

Both generations of AirPods come with tap functions and voice command Siri. The battery on the first generation and the second is exactly the same aswell, the battery of one AirPod lasts up to 5 hours on one full charge. The case lasts up to 24 hours and will charge the bud while it is in the case. 

The new AirPod Pros were announced on Oct. 28, 2019 and then released two days later on Oct. 30. These AirPods have gotten a completely new design and more features such as Noise Canceling and Transparency Mode. 

“The AirPod Pros have significantly better sound quality,” sophomore Caleb Hargitt said. “The noise canceling and transparency mode are amazing, definitely makes the music better.”

With the new redesign, Apple has ditched the universal fit for a new customizable silicon earpiece with three sizes to ensure that the earpiece does not fall out. The sizes for the AirPods are small, medium, and large and they provide software to test the seal of your AirPods in update 13.2 or later.

The stem of the AirPod has become shorter and the tap commands have been replaced with a different click sensor on the stem. With the click sensor, you can control the music and what mode the music is played in, “Transparency” or “Noise Cancellation”.

“AirPod pros have the ability to block out really loud noises,” sophomore Abby Miller said. “It’s nice because now you do not have to turn the volume up really high just to tune out the background noises.”

With any mode activated, the AirPods will last up to four and a half hours on a full charge. Then the case will charge for more than twenty-four hours of listening. A new feature of the case in the Pros is that it has fast charging, the case can charge the buds for one hour in fifteen minutes.

The AirPods have hands-free Siri and is now sweat and water resistance. The AirPods also now have airways for circulation to the ears and to avoid the plugged-ear feel of earplugs.

The AirPod Pros also now have what is called adaptive EQ, this is a feature that listens to the environment around you and how the earpiece is in the ear and modifies the frequencies of the music to give a more immersive sound.

AirPods retail for $159.00 without the wireless charging case, with the case it is $199.00. The wireless charging case is sold separately for $79.00. The AirPod Pros retail for $249.00. These are all available on Apple’s official website.

“For however long you have them for, I believe that they can be worth it because over time they will pay themselves off,” Miller said.