I'll cut right to the chase — Apple's AirPods 4 are the actual best AirPods Apple has made yet. "But what about the AirPods Pro?!!!" you ask in bewilderment. Yes, I think these are infinitely better than the Pros.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

Get the base model from Amazon for $99 or the noise-canceling model for $148.99.

I am a certified AirPods stan. They are never not in my ears. A tiny piece of my soul dies when I hear the *low battery* chirp. If I ever have twins, I'm naming them Air and Pod (full names Airius Macbook and Poddington iPod-Nano). I've owned the OG AirPods, AirPods Pro, and the new AirPods 4 — the latest model is the absolute best of the bunch. Yes, I think they're better than AirPods Pro.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

Why are AirPods 4 the best AirPods? They're everything I loved about the previous models wrapped up into one package.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

The OG AirPods (sadly discontinued RIP) were by far the comfiest, lightest earbuds on the market. I often forgot I was wearing them, to the point that I accidentally wore them in the shower several times. The AirPods Pro, on the other hand, were a literal pain in my ear, and I could never wear them for more than an hour. However, their noise-cancelling abilities were top-tier when it comes to earbuds. (What about the AirPods 3? Hot garbage. Fell out of my ear any time I wasn't looking straight ahead. 0/10). 

Thankfully, the AirPods 4 has everything I want: they're super lightweight (yes, I've accidentally worn these in the shower, too. Fortunately, these are water-resistant!), the noise-cancellation is excellent (especially for an open-ear design), and the sound quality is a genuinely impressive upgrade from the OG model. 

Now I know what you're thinking: should you get the noise-cancelling AirPods 4, or go for the cheaper model? Totally up to you, but I 100% think the noise-cancelling feature is worth the current $49.99 upcharge.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

Are they are effective at noise cancellation as the AirPods Pro? Well, no. But if you prefer an open-ear earbud (i.e., these don't have a silicone tip that goes into your ear canal), these are seriously impressive. I genuinely never thought we'd see the day that an open-ear design could effectively cancel out background noise, but this does a phenomenal job. My roommate was sitting next to me while I was wearing these, and I couldn't hear a thing she said. I've also used these on the subway, and while it's not quite powerful enough to completely cancel out the hum of the train, it did drown out all of the conversations and screaming kids around me. Oh, and if you opt for the noise-canceling version, the charging case supports wireless charging!

If you opt for the noise-canceling model, you'll also be able to turn on "transparency" mode, which lets you hear your surroundings and listen to your AirPods at the same time. Both models also feature personalized spatial audio, which is just a fancy way of saying the audio will adjust as you move your head from side to side. It's a neat effect, but nothing game-changing. 

The control buttons on the stems are also super easy to use — they respond with just a gentle push between your thumb and index finger and can pause/play, skip tracks, etc.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

The OG AirPods were touch-controlled via tapping, which was way more finicky — I could never get it to register my taps correctly! I've never had a problem with these though.

Oh, and you might as well get a case while you're at it! I have this one and love it — super lightweight, protective, and under $5.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

It even comes with a super helpful cleaning tool that I used to get the earwax out of them before I took photos. You're welcome

So, in conclusion, AirPods 4 might be one of my favorite Apple products ever?! To be fair, I never owned one of those neon laptops from the early 2000s, but I'm sure even those weren't as impressive as these babies. Add them to cart and thank me later.

BuzzFeed / Daniel Boan

Get the base model from Amazon for $99 or the noise-canceling model for $148.99.

Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.