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Apple just announced the next generation of AirPods, and we’re sure that people are going to want to get them in their hands (and in their ears) as soon as possible. The best way to do this is to pre-order them. If you need a guide to get your hands on these earbuds, here’s how to pre-order the new Apple AirPods 4. This guide also includes the refreshed AirPods Max.
How to Pre-order the AirPods 4
Starting off with the base model AirPods 4, these bring a modest set of changes. Apple revamped the acoustic architecture of these earbuds so that they can give you much better audio than the third generation. Also, using the H1 audio chip, these earbuds have access to some useful features.
For starters, there’s the ability to nod or shake your head to answer or reject a phone call, respectively. Not only that but these earbuds come with background noise cancelation for when you’re on a call.
The charging case is a bit smaller this time around, but that doesn’t mean that Apple is skimping on the battery capacity. You’re able to get up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge with the charging case. Your mileage will vary depending on your listening habits.
Unfortunately, they don’t come with pretty basic features that you’d find on similarly-priced and cheaper earbuds like ANC or transparency mode. So, while you’ll be getting better audio, your experience will be pretty basic.
Where to buy
You can pre-order these earbuds on the Apple Store, but you can also pre-order them on Amazon or Best Buy. No matter what vendor you use, you’ll be paying the same $129.99. There aren’t any pre-order deals or discounts for these earbuds. If you order from Amazon, you can add a protection plan for either two years ($22.99), add a plan for three years ($31.99), or add a plan through Asurion Complete Protection ($16.99/month).
Ordering through Best Buy will give you the option to add an Apple Care+ package for $29.99. That’s really the only perk that you get from Best Buy.
Lastly, ordering through Apple will also give you the option to add an Apple Care+ plan. Along with that, you have the option to pay them off over six months ($21.60/month).
What’s probably the best perk from Apple is the ability to add a custom engraving to your earbuds. This is a free customization that you can add to help personalize them.
How to Pre-order the AirPods 4 ANC (With Active Noise Cancelation)
If you’re looking for a more robust AirPods experience, then you’ll want to look at the AirPods 4 with ANC. It comes with all of the features and enhancements as the original AirPods 4, but there are more goodies for people to enjoy. The thing about it is that Apple wanted to bring some of the features from the AirPods Pro to a more affordable price point, so you’ll be getting a pseudo-Pro experience.
Firstly, and this should come as no shock, these earbuds come with ANC. Using the outbound microphones, the earbuds will analyze the ambient noise and cancel it out. This way, you’ll be isolated from the world with your audio. This also includes Adaptive Noise Cancelation. This feature will automatically adjust the amount of noise cancelation based on the noise in your environment.
The microphones also allow users to use the Transparency mode. This allows you to hear what’s going on around you.
Next up, the ANC model comes with Conversation Awareness. Using this feature, the AirPods will automatically lower the volume of what you’re listening to when it detects that you’re in a conversation. It won’t pause the media like the Google Pixel Buds Pro, which could be bittersweet.
As for the case, it’s compatible with Qi wireless chargers, so you can use it with some of the chargers you use with your Apple Watch. Lastly, the case comes with a speaker so it’s easy to find using Find My.
Where to buy
Just like the Base AirPods 4, the ANC version can be pre-ordered at Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple.com. They cost a bit more at $179.99. That $50 increase seems pretty much worth it, but there are still earbuds out there with these features that cost less. Let’s hope that the audio upgrade is worth the money.
Starting off with Amazon, it’s pretty much the same deal as the base AirPods 4. You have the option to add a two-year protection plan ($28.99), a three-year protection plan ($37.99), or an Asurion Complete Protection plan ($16.99/month).
The same thing applies to both Best Buy. You can add an Apple Care+ plan to your order. The price for this package is the same as the base AirPods 4 ($29.99).
Over at Apple.com, you can get Apple Care+ and you can still engrave your earbuds for free. If you want to pay these off over six months, you’re going to fork over $29.83/month.
How to pre-order the New AirPods Max
The upgrade to the AirPods Max is pretty laughable. Apple didn’t do anything to the hardware of these headphones at all. They’re still using the old Apple H1 chip. The only thing new about these headphones is the fact that they come with a USB-C port. They come in five colors: Blue, Midnight (Black), Purple, Starlight (Beige), and Orange.
These headphones come in at $549. Over at Amazon, you can get a two-year protection plan ($64.99), a three-year protection plan (84.99), or an Asurion Complete Protection plan ($16.99/month).
At Best Buy, you get the option to pay these off over a 12-month period. The thing is that you’ll be subject to a credit check, so if your credit is low, then you won’t be able to use this option. Along with this, you’ll also be able to add an Apple Care+ plan for $59.99.
On the Apple Store, you can’t add an Apple Care+ plan, unfortunately. However, you can set up a six-month payment plan for $91.50/month. Pre-ordering these through Apple will grant you three months of Apple Music for free. As always, you can add a custom engraving to better customize your new headphones.