After the massive success of their first truly wireless earbuds, the AirPods, on March 20, 2019, Apple launched an upgrade to the previous generation — the AirPods 2.
The update brings slight changes to the table. There’s the much awaited Siri integration, as well as a new chip for enhanced battery life. Wireless charging has also been introduced, at a premium of $50.
Do the changes justify the $200 tag? Or are they worth upgrading to from the original AirPods? Read on to find out.
Design
Aesthetically, AirPods 2 is the same as the original ones. Same dimensions, same colours, same everything.
They are exactly like regular apple earpods, sans the wires. There are no buttons or capacitive touch pads whatsoever. The case is also the same as last time. All the changes are on the inside. The indicator LED has been shifted outside though, to indicate wireless charging.
Oh, you do get free laser engraving though.
Performance
Perhaps the most significant change in the new AirPods is of the chip. The next generation uses the H1 chip that reduces sound latency, allows for faster pairing and switching between Apple devices and increases talk time by about 50%.
The latest AirPods also feature Bluetooth 5.0. This means that Android users will also be able to get a better experience.
Sound quality is identical to the original AirPods, as confirmed by Apple. However, if you get into the Knitty-gritty, you might be able to make out slight differences. The low end sounds a little bit better, just a little bit.
This time you get wireless charging as well, in addition to the lighting port. The case supports Qi Wireless charging and will work with any Qi wireless charger.
There’s also support for Siri. Simply say ‘Hey Siri’, and Siri will be available on your phone for all your queries.
Pricing
The new AirPods come in two different variants, one with the wireless case and one without, selling for $200 (INR 18,900) and $149 (INR 14,900) respectively.
Alternatively, you can also pick up the wireless charge case exclusively for $79 (INR 7500) as an upgrade to your existing AirPods.
Are the AirPods 2 worth it?
$200 for the AirPods alongwith the wireless case is a bit of a stretch, but it’s an option if you can afford it. Even standalone at $79, the case is a bit on the expensive side.
If you’re an existing AirPod user, an upgrade to the next generation is a bit of a stretch. There’s not enough value to the upgrade if you already own a pair.
However, if these are going to be your first AirPods, the investment makes sense. For $150 you get a fantastic pair of truly wireless earphones that offer awesome battery life, excellent talk time and good sound quality.
