Just $79! New and old AirPods hit lowest-ever prices this Black Friday

By Becky Roberts
published

AirPods 3 drop to $140, while AirPods 2 are just $79. Plus huge discounts on both generations of AirPods Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2
(Image credit: Future)

We might be well into Black Friday week, but the official day is still days away, and yet we are seeing Black Friday deals prices that surely won't be beaten as the week and sales progress.

Take the AirPods, for example. Now $140 for the new AirPods 3 (opens in new tab) and $79 for the older AirPods 2 (opens in new tab) at Amazon and Walmart, the Apple wireless earbuds are surely not going to fall in price any further than they already have. Right? Earlier this week we saw them drop to $150 and $99, but these latest price drops really are quite special – and honestly, not something we were expecting. Never say never, but we would be very surprised to see any bigger discounts on the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 at least.

If you could afford the AirPods 3's $179 RRP and were planning to treat yourself to a pair for Christmas, you should know that you can now actually afford to buy the 1st-gen AirPods Pro for $159 (opens in new tab) in the Black Friday sale instead. And if you can, we would. While older, they sound slightly better, have the benefit of ear tips, also support spatial audio and, of course, stand apart by boasting noise cancellation.

$79 at Walmart (opens in new tab)

AirPods 2 $129 $79 at Walmart (opens in new tab) & Amazon (opens in new tab) (save $50)
The classic 2nd-gen AirPods with charging case feature the original longer stems design and forego any new Apple spatial audio or ANC features. But they dropped in price following the launch of the new AirPods 3 and are now even more affordable thanks to this latest Black Friday deal.

View Deal (opens in new tab)
$140 at Walmart (opens in new tab)

AirPods 3 $179 $140 at Walmart (opens in new tab) & Amazon (opens in new tab) (save $39)
Improved sound, innovative Apple-centric features, spatial audio support and Pro-inspired redesign with shorter stems, but no ANC. They are a great choice for iPhone users and their Black Friday discount has not disappointed.

View Deal (opens in new tab)
$159 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

AirPods Pro (1st Gen) $249 $159 at Amazon (opens in new tab) & Walmart (opens in new tab) (save $90)
This original Pro model ushered in ANC, spatial audio, and a new design with ear tips for a better seal and fit. We called them "exceptionally comfortable" and praised their "strong noise-cancelling and balanced, easy-going sound". You can now get them at their lowest price.

View Deal (opens in new tab)
$199 at Best Buy (opens in new tab)

AirPods Pro 2 $249 $199 at Best Buy (opens in new tab) & Walmart (opens in new tab) & Amazon (opens in new tab) (save $50)
US buyers get a better discount than those in the UK, at 20 per cent. They also get more options of where to buy – the same deal applies at Best Buy and Walmart, giving plenty of choice.

View Deal (opens in new tab)

Which AirPods deal should you buy, you ask? Well, we would say that the AirPods Pro 1st Gen is probably the most appetising in terms of value for money, followed by the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 deals. That said, if you are on a tight budget or simply pondering the opportunity to buy a backup pair of AirPods on the cheap, the AirPods 2 are almost hard to overlook at only $79.

Which one you pick will depend on your budget and feature requirements. If you're stuck on the fence as to which model is best for you, our AirPods versus features should help:

Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her eight years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.