The AirPods 4 with ANC have a uniquely weird design – but I think they could be great

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I love the open design of the AirPods 3 but just occasionally crave a little bit of noise cancelling

AirPods 4 in their case
(Image credit: Apple)

Of all of the AirPods I own, it's actually the AirPods 3 that I use the most. The AirPods Max are unsurprisingly my favourites from a sound quality point of view and what I use when at my desk, but they're just too big and cumbersome to be taken absolutely everywhere. The AirPods Pro, on the other hand, are really portable and offer high-quality sound and active noise cancellation, but I find that they work their way out of my ears a little too easily.

I also have this seemingly unusual desire to be vaguely aware of what's going on around me when I'm out and about, so I don't love using isolating headphones when walking or jogging across London. I am of course well aware that both the AirPods Max and the AirPods Pro have a 'Transparency' mode that pumps external noise through to your ears, but this doesn't always sound entirely natural to me.

Tom Parsons
Tom Parsons

Tom Parsons has been writing about TV, AV and hi-fi products (not to mention plenty of other 'gadgets' and even cars) for over 15 years. He began his career as What Hi-Fi?'s Staff Writer and is now the TV and AV Editor. In between, he worked as Reviews Editor and then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his work featured in publications such as T3, The Telegraph and Louder. He's also appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Sky Swipe. In his spare time Tom is a runner and gamer.