If you’ve been looking to grab a new pair of AirPods ahead of the holidays, we have good news: The entirety of Apple’s wireless headphone lineup is on sale for Black Friday. The best deals we’ve found on AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are rounded up below. Recent reports suggest Apple may refresh its AirPods lineup later this year, but the deals we’ve discovered offer good value.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are discounted to $190 at Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy, which is $60 less than buying directly from Apple and ties a record low price. The AirPods Pro earn their spot as our “best for iOS” pick in our wireless earbuds guide, thanks to their hands-free access to Siri, quick pairing with iPhones and device tracking through Apple’s Find My network. They also offer effective (though not leading) ANC, an excellent transparency mode and a warm sound. However, the Pro’s six-hour battery life is average and, like all AirPods, they are best for dedicated Apple fans.
The sales applies to the latest iteration of the earphones, which come with a USB-C charging case. If you don’t mind using a Lightning charging case, Walmart has the previous version on sale for a record low of $169. Our review of the AirPods Pro earned them a score of 88 last year.
The second-gen AirPods are on sale for $80 at Amazon and Target, which is around $20 below the normal street price. While an all-time low, these are Apple’s entry-level wireless earbuds, having launched in 2019. With an open design that won’t fit everyone and average sound quality even at this discounted rate, they’re a bit tougher to recommend these days. However, this is at least a more acceptable price for these buds.
The third-gen AirPods are available for $140 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and others. Steeper discounts have been uncommon, as these wireless earbuds have retailed between $10 and $20 more in recent months. Reviewing 88 back in 2021, the third-gen AirPods are a noticeable improvement over their predecessors, with haptic touch controls and richer sound. However, they still don’t offer deep bass or noise cancellation, and not everyone will find them comfortable.
Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, the AirPods Max, are discounted to $450 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is about $30 below the usual street price. Apple itself sells the headphones for $550. The AirPods Max are considered overpriced by most accounts, but they remain premium, with top-tier ANC, a superbly balanced sound profile, and a high-quality aluminum design. However, they are hefty, and their included “case” is flimsy. We gave the AirPods Max a review score of 84 in late 2020.
