Headphones and earbuds · Apple
Owners keep AirPods 5 as a comfortable tipless pair for long listening, with noise cancellation that impressed people on flights and busy roads, accepting a looser seal than Pro models.
Owners clearly praise the noise cancellation. Frequent flyers say it handled cabin and engine rumble very well on long and short flights, and one owner who compared them side by side found the AirPods 5 slightly quieter in the midrange than Bose over-ear headphones. A smaller group found it weak next to earbuds that use silicone tips.
Owners are divided on fit. Some say the open shape sits loosely but stays put, even on runs where tipped Pros needed pushing back in. Others point out that the looser seal lets in more noise than the Pro line, and several stress that results depend on your ears.
AirPods 5 are Apple's open-fit wireless earbuds. They rest in the ear without silicone tips and have active noise cancellation. They come in two versions: one with a basic USB-C case and one with a wireless charging case. They are meant for iPhone and other Apple device owners who want everyday earbuds that don't seal the ear.
| Type | Open-fit wireless earbuds (no ear tips), H2 chip |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Yes: Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness |
| Battery life | Up to 4 hours with ANC on, 6 hours with it off (20 hours with case); Wireless Charging Case version: up to 5 hours with ANC on, 7 hours with it off (22 hours with case) |
| Charging | USB-C; Wireless Charging Case version also works with Apple Watch charger or Qi chargers |
| Bluetooth and codecs | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Weight | 4.3 grams per earbud; case 32.3 grams (34.7 grams for the wireless case) |
| Water resistance | IP57 (dust, sweat and water resistant) |
| Warranty |
From the maker's spec page, checked October 11, 2026. A blank row means the maker does not state it.
With noise cancelling on, one charge lasts about a long workday's commute plus a lunch break. The case refills them for roughly a full day of use or more. IP57 means sweat, rain and a short accidental dunk are fine, but Apple says they are not for swimming or water sports. Each earbud weighs about the same as a sheet of paper, so they are easy to forget you are wearing. Apple's spec page doesn't list a warranty or which audio codecs the earbuds support, so those rows are blank.
Pick up to three. You get a page with just those, side by side, on the subjects owners raised.
What keeps people reaching for them is comfort. Several owners who also have AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3 find themselves picking up the AirPods 5 more often, because they feel more comfortable than tipped earbuds over many hours and let more air into the ear. The sound also holds up in daily use: owners call it immersive, a big step up from the older non-Pro models, and close to the Pro 3. The main thing the Pro 3 does better is the seal that silicone tips give.
The adjustment is mostly about expectations. Some owners split their use, wearing the AirPods 5 at home and the Pros when they go out. People who struggle with a new fit are advised to give it a week or two before deciding. A few accounts on workouts are mixed: one runner prefers them because they stay in, while another owner says they barely stay in even when sitting still and uses dedicated sport earbuds for exercise. At least one owner didn't like them and planned to return them for the Pro 3.
In everyday use, owners describe the fit staying stable without constant readjusting, which several say was a problem with tipped earbuds. When one owner raised a problem, others suggested it was either a warranty case or Bluetooth interference from something nearby, like a microwave, rather than a known flaw.
Long-term accounts are thin. Most of these owners have had their AirPods 5 for a few days or a few weeks, so there is nothing yet on how they wear over months of use or what fails first. This page will be more useful once owners report back after longer use.
From 1 owner account that said how long they have had it. Own one? Add how long yours has lasted.
Nothing has a clear majority against it yet. Counted from the owners who raised each subject, not from everyone. A subject is judged once at least 4 owners raise it.
15 more subjects came up from fewer than 4 owners each, which is not enough for a fair reading. To see how it stacks up, compare it with another machine.
The same owner, asked again at each point. Fills in as owners answer.
Two questions: how long you have had it, and anything you would like to say about it. Then we ask again as it ages. This helps our mission.
More in headphones and earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum 4, Sony XM6, Sennheiser M5.
Among the 1 owner accounts here that gave a duration, 0 described a failure.
Before you buy one used, ask the seller: how old it is, whether it was ever repaired and by whom, and whether any of the parts above have been replaced. Ask to see it run. A receipt tells you the warranty start date; most makers honour the term only for the first owner.
Public discussions we read and summarised in our own words. Nothing here was submitted to Still Kicks.
Counted from public accounts by people who said they own it, and summarised by Still Kicks in its own words. Not a manufacturer claim, a lab test or an estimate.
No account needed to look. Sign in with Google only if you want to track something you own.