AirPods (Third-Gen)
For a company that now releases a new version of its flagship smartphone every year, it was certainly an odd move for Apple to take five years to release a major upgrade to its original AirPods wireless earbuds. But with hundreds of millions of pairs sold in that time, there wasn’t much need for a major overhaul. But in 2021 we finally got one, and without a doubt the third-generation AirPods are a major step up from the originals.
Not only was the size of the AirPods’ dangling stem significantly reduced, but the overall design was very close to the AirPods Pro, although without the Pro’s sound-isolating silicone ear tips. This means the 2021 AirPods still lack active noise cancellation. That was certainly a dealbreaker for many, given how common ANC is on even wireless earbuds priced less than $100, but the third-generation AirPods deliver a more comfortable fit than their predecessors, and surprisingly impressive sound for what is essentially open-ear earbuds. Apple even added MagSafe functionality to the new AirPods’ charging case, making it impossibly easy to drop onto a charging pad and know they will reliably juice up. The $179 asking price remains questionable, but do a little homework and you can easily find them on sale somewhere. —Andrew Liszewski
