Apple’s $129 AirPods 5 Are Better Than I Expected…
Fake AirPods have gotten surprisingly convincing. Some good fakes already cost around $50 to $70, but Apple just made spending that much on a clone a lot harder to justify.
The new AirPods 5 with Active Noise Cancellation start at $129, and that's actually $50 cheaper than the previous generation with ANC. Usually, a lower price comes with a compromise. This time, Apple somehow added more.
So What Did Apple Add?
You get improved noise cancellation, Live Translation and surprisingly good sound. After using them, I almost like them more than my AirPods Pro.
Apple says the new open-ear ANC can remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC. Live Translation also lets AirPods work with a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone to translate supported languages during conversations.
Those are meaningful upgrades for a new generation on their own. What makes them much more interesting is what Apple did with the price.
They’re Actually $50 Cheaper
And That’s Bad News for Fake AirPods
Good fake AirPods can already cost around $50 to $70. At that price, you're saving money, but you're also giving up features and the complete integration you get from genuine AirPods.
With the real AirPods 5 now sitting at $129, that trade-off becomes harder to justify. The gap is still there, but Apple has made its entry point much more competitive.
And considering how good these sound, the decision isn't only about getting the Apple logo anymore.
Final Thoughts
AirPods 5 surprised me because Apple didn't just make the previous generation cheaper. It lowered the price while making the product better.
For $129, there's a lot here to like. Now I'm curious about the one thing Apple hasn't shown us: what's going on inside?AirPods have never been particularly repair-friendly, so hopefully that's another area where this generation has a surprise waiting for us.
See you in the next article!
