Introduction
The Apple AirPods have been around for a while now, I’m fact, I have had my pair for just under two years, and used them pretty much every day since buying them. I use them in the gym, Jogging, while working or even if I’m just doing a bit of shopping, I tend to have them in.
So I thought I would share my opinion on the Apple AirPods. We are going to cover everything about them, the good, the bad and also the fantastic and horrible! So why don’t we dive right in?
The Price of the AirPods
Let us get the first glaring issue with the Apple AirPods our the way. The price. I’m not going to sit here and say that they are cheap, or the price isn’t that bad. At the time of writing the AirPods sell for £159 ($210). They also have a new pair with wireless charging for £199 and also the Apple AirPods Pros for £249, but I bought mine before these newer models came out. Now, this is a steep price, and is a purchase you won’t make in a hurry, but are they worth the money? Well, we will get to that at the end.
Wireless, Semi-Wire or Wired?
So, when these headphones came out the biggest feature, and the one that got the most press is the fact they don’t have any wires. They are completely wireless!
Let me just say, this is a life-changer! Completely changes wearing headphones. Skipping, jogging, weights! No wires at all flapping around, nothing to plug into your phone. Completely free!
Now, a point people make when discussing the headphones is “do they fall out your ears”. In all honesty, in the one and a bit Years I have had them, I reckon they have fallen out my ears about 3 times. They are very sturdy, in my ears anyway. Few of my friends have them and have the same opinion.
Syncing can be good and bad?
The syncing and connecting are just perfect, 90% of the time, but we will get on to the other 10% shortly. Connecting them to your phone is a breeze, like, honestly, I don’t think there is anything easier in the world than connecting these headphones to your phone. Just open the Lid. That is it. Once connected, if your phone is unlocked it will tell you how much battery you have in the left and right bud and also how much battery is in the case.
The issue I have is if I am in the office doing some work, and want to connect to a Mac, then when I open the lid I have to disconnect them from my phone, and connect them to my Computer. Then when back in the gym or working out, I have to do the opposite. There may be a simpler way to overcome this if so let us know over on our Instagram! Now, I am very aware that this is a first-world problem, moaning that my headphones won’t connect probably, but it is irritating!
Functions and ease of Use!
Let us talk about the functions. Now as these are Apple AirPods, I am going to talk about using them with an Apple Device. The headphone comes with Siri Enabled, using “Hey Siri” you can get your device to do just about anything without using your hands. I personally don’t use this, so I have switched it off.
Now you get your usual microphone (Which is great quality for the size) for phone calls, but with the AirPods, you get the option to set up Tap actions. These are commands you can assign to tap or double-tap to both left and right bud. For me, I have a single tap for play on one bud and pause on the other, the double-tap for Skip track forwards and backwards. Now, the biggest flaw in the functions is volume control or more of lack of volume control. There isn’t a way (that I am aware of) to adjust the volume of a device using the headphones. You can get around this by removing one headphone, which will automatically pause the content. Which is a very helpful feature.
Speaking of one earbud, The AirPod Headphones will push all sound to one earbud if you only have one it. If you only pull one earbud out the case and leave the other one in, it will effectively play all content in mono. Which is useful if only wearing one headphone when watching a film.
Battery & Charging?
The battery, all I can say about the battery is that it seems to last forever! As you all know the AirPods have batteries in them, and so does the case. This means that when you put your headphones back in the case, they will charge up. Meaning that your headphones are always fully charged.
As far as the case goes, I find myself getting around 30 days of use from one charge. I use mine every day, working, gym and on the weekends. So they get a lot of use. So the battery is very good and you will find that you are rarely charging them!
A negative for some people might be that the lowest model of Apple AirPods doesn’t come with a wireless case. So you have to go old school and use a cable. For me, this isn’t an issue, but I appreciate that some people love wireless charging. If you do, might be worth spending the little bit extra and going for the AirPods with a wireless charging case. From what I believe the AirPod Pro’s come with a wireless case as well. They also take some time to charge, not ages but longer than you might think.
Are they comfortable?
What are they like to wear? Lovely! They are confutable, they have a good fit (not quite airtight, but still decent). When wearing them for extended periods of time I find that they don’t ache, don’t hurt and I would be more than comfortable wearing these in an aeroplane a long-distance flight (Would still recommend the Apple AirPod Pros for the noise-cancelling if flying often).
How about Android?
This is another one of my negatives towards the AirPod headphones. The usability with Android and other devices. Now, they do work, you can connect them, play music, just as you can with any other headphone. However, the syncing/connecting isn’t as simple as with an iPhone, and some of the tapping features aren’t the same.
Oh! Last thing, Sound? They any Good?
As far as sound quality goes, they are ok. There are much better sounding headphone out there, that is for such. Some of which are cheaper as well, but for what they lack in sound, they make up for in other features. Now, the sound would be greatly improved if they had noise cancelling but unfortunately this model doesn’t. The easiest way to sum up the sound is, if you are looking for a pair of headphones to wear to the gym and to work, these are for you. However, if you are a high-end audiophile, I wouldn’t recommend these at all.
Are They Worth the Price Tag
So the big question is are they worth the punchy price tag. Well, yes and no. There are Headphones out there that are cheaper and just as good, however, as we have already said, the way these work with iPhone’s, Mac’s and iPad’s is just incredible. So simplistic. Connecting, pausing, playing and skipping is all a breeze with these. So if you have an iPhone and want an amazing pair of headphone then you should try these.
On the other hand, for a bit more, you can get the AirPods Pro’s with Noise Cancelling and wireless charging, there are also the Dr Dre Power beat Pro’s, both of which are fully wireless and have reviews coming soon!
So in conclusion, these are great headphones, Expensive but (if you have an Apple Device) worth it. The battery, Connecting and features make them such a breeze to use in the gym and for workouts. As far as sound quality goes. It’s ok.
I will be checking out their competition shortly, mainly the AirPod Pro’s, and finding out if they are worth the upgrade. If you l liked this review please share it, also if you have purchased a new pair of headphones then please let us know on your Instagram. How do you find your AirPod Headphones?
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Written by Kieran Blacker
Kieran is the CEO and Founder of Sets & Reps. He decided to make an application that helped people get a gym workout when not at the gym. He designed, Coded and built the application himself.