Are the Apple AirPods Worth It?

Video transcript included below...

Hey guys, Dan here from CLE Tech and today we're going to try and answer the question that most of you probably have and that question is: are the new Apple AirPods worth it?

There is no doubt that the AirPods are a bit on the pricey side, coming in at $159, for what looks like the free EarPods you get with your iPhone but with no cord. So in this video, we’re going to find out if the AirPods are really worth the price, or are there better, cheaper options available, and which one is better?

Jumping right into the unboxing, of course it’s a typical Apple experience. Everything is neatly packaged with some information guides sitting on top, followed by the charging case with the AirPods already inside and, underneath it all, you’ll find a lightning cable to charge your AirPods.

Charging is simple, just plug the cable right into the bottom of the charging case with the AirPods inside.

Now, jokes aside, from a design standpoint, the AirPods look a little silly but personally, I love the fact that Apple kept the same design as their EarPods because they are the only in ear headphones I can use. They never fall out and are super comfortable. Now this is all subjective but if you like the way the EarPods fit in your ear, then you will love these AirPods.

Connecting them is super easy, with Apple’s new W1 chip that we saw earlier in the new Beats lineup, all you need to do is simply turn your phone on and pop the lid. As long as your AirPods are inside the case and are close to your phone, it should automatically recognize them and with one tap, connect.

For those wondering, yes these can be paired with other devices via bluetooth, so if you don’t have an iPhone or any Apple product but still want a pair of AirPods, you can still use them with no problems.

You may, however, be missing out on some features like Siri and iCloud syncing. Obviously, in order to sync with iCloud, you would have to have a few Apple devices but once you connect your AirPods to your iPhone, they will be available across all your devices to connect like your iPad or MacBook Pro.

Siri can be done with a double tap on one of the AirPods. This should work on either AirPod but I have had a hard time getting this to work period. I am still trying to figure out the exact spot in which you have to tap is actually located but so far it’s been very hit or miss. Once you do finally get Siri to work, you can use her to do just about anything you would on your phone. The most useful ones would be to skip tracks and/or change the volume since inline controls are no longer available. That’s a bummer for someone like me who does not use Siri all too often but loves the controls on regular EarPods. What is useful, however, is removing one AirPod from your ear will pause the current track or even a YouTube video. Put it back in and everything starts back up again. Remove both and the AirPods will disconnect from your device and turn off; saving you precious battery life. Which is great considering that although battery life is not as bad as some other wireless earbuds out there, it’s still not great. In fact Apple claims an industry leading 5 hours off one charge, which in reality is probably around 3 and half… which is still better than other truly wireless earbuds that I have tested. The good news is that the case can charge these guys pretty quickly, so you’re going to want to make sure you carry it around with you wherever you go. Which seems like a no brainer because honestly, good luck not losing these things if you decide to not put them back in the charging case after use.

Finally, you might be wondering how these might sound and to be honest, they are a much better version of your EarPods. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either because I actually love using EarPods. These definitely have a noticeable difference in the quality of music compared to lightning EarPods but overall, I think these sound fantastic. Sure there are regular wireless earbuds out there, for this price, that might sound better, but if you really want to get a pair of completely wireless earbuds, these are the ones to get.

Now, I have only tested a few other wireless earbuds, the most notable ones being the Samsung Gear IconX, which are actually $50 more expensive than these AirPods. I have also tested out a few that were right around the $60 to $100 range from companies like Rowkin and Syllable.

The Syllable pair can be picked up for only $50 while the Rowkin goes for a little over $100 and honestly, while they are both nicely made, and come with their own charging carrying options, they don’t even come close to touching the Gear IconX or the AirPods.

The IconX have lots of features included when using the Gear app like customizing certain workouts and being able to load music directly to your headphones and not have to use your phone during a workout but these features are more for those who are super active. If you want to use these for everyday use, they are not the best. Especially when it comes to battery life. If you have a long commute for work it’s possible that the Samsung Gear IconX won’t make it through your whole commute. Now the Gear IconX do sound pretty good but that’s after you get them to fit in your ear properly, which was a struggle in itself.

That’s why I am concluding this video by saying that yes, the Apple AirPods are worth the $159 price tag if you really want a pair of truly wireless headphones. They sound great and feel very comfortable during long periods of use. The only issues I have is the odd look they have when sticking out of your ears and of course, they are super easy to lose.

As of right now, I have yet to find a pair of truly wireless earbuds that are better but there a couple of other ones out there that I have yet to try out. Leave a comment down below if you want me to compare these AirPods to a specific set of earbuds and hit that like button too!

Thanks for watching guys and I will see you in the next one.