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Apple AirPods 5

Apple AirPods 5

Scored on 129 verified owner verdicts, from 1,186 comments read across 2 communities
TL;DR
Most owners recommend the AirPods 5, chiefly for an open fit that is comfortable for people who can't stand silicone ear tips, and noise canceling that is stronger than they expected from an earbud without a seal. About a quarter do not recommend them, most often over fit: the buds keep falling out of some owners' ears, and a few say they hurt. Sound divides owners, with more liking it than not, but some find the bass muddy or overpowering and others say it lacks punch. Owners who compare them with the AirPods Pro 3 say the Pro blocks more noise, but several still reach for the 5 because it is more comfortable.

65% of 129 verified owners recommend the Apple AirPods 5, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 33 owners report →

Key facts: Apple AirPods 5

Owner verdict
65% of 129 owners recommend the Apple AirPods 5 (9% neutral, 26% do not recommend)
Most praised
Comfortable open fit for owners who can't stand silicone ear tips
Top complaint
Fit doesn't suit every ear: some owners say one or both buds keep falling out, and a few say they hurt
Category rank
#1 of 15 wireless earbuds by owner recommendation
Where owners said it
Reddit, YouTube
Last updated
What 129 owners say
1,186 comments reviewed · scored on the 129 clearest verdicts
65%
Recommend
84 owners
9%
Neutral
12 owners
26%
Don't recommend
33 owners
Last 6 months:66% recommend(74 recent verdicts)→ holding steady vs older reviews
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
66%
74
YouTubeiowner comments
64%
55
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
—
101

The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.

What owners like

  • Comfortable open fit for owners who can't stand silicone ear tips
  • Noise canceling that owners call surprisingly strong for an earbud without a seal
  • Sound that most owners who mention it like
  • A big step up for owners coming from first- or second-generation AirPods

Problems owners report

  • Fit doesn't suit every ear: some owners say one or both buds keep falling out, and a few say they hurt
  • Noise canceling falls short of sealed models like the AirPods Pro 3
  • Sound tuning divides owners, with complaints of muddy or overpowering bass from some and a lack of punch from others
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • People who find silicone ear tips uncomfortable but still want noise canceling
  • Owners of first- or second-generation AirPods ready for noise canceling
  • Casual, all-day listening at work or at home
Look elsewhere if
  • People whose ears don't hold a tipless earbud, since some owners say one or both buds keep falling out
  • Buyers who want the strongest noise canceling, where owners who compare the two say the AirPods Pro 3 blocks more
  • Listeners particular about bass, which owners variously call overpowering, muddy or lacking

Synthesized from what Apple AirPods 5 owners say — not a spec sheet.

Top quotes, sourced

1,186 reviewed · 129 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube— neutral

“The 5's are pretty good. I live in the city and these cut out about 40%-50% of the noise around. But oddly enough, wind noise is amplified over a non-ANC pair like my beloved 3's (regular plastic-tip version).”

YouTube▲ recommend

“these are by far the best airpods apple has made great fit (although the gen 2 are my favorite fit) best sound and has the option of anc / transparency plus the new equalizer is really handy and the volume swipe and extra battery are worth it in my opinion”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“I just got them, the bummer thing is the ANC being too strong I can't stand the pressure in my ears”

YouTube▲ recommend

“Just bought the 5’s with the upgraded case coming from 1st gen that finally died. Wow, night and day difference. ANC is really good and they sound great”

r/airpods— neutral

“I have both APP3’s and AP5’s. The 5’s sound richer to me but don’t fit as well. The right one falls out sometimes so I use the 3’s for activities.”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“I bought them but they do hurt my ear and the left one falls off . even when i was in bed my right one keep falling off that’s do anoying so I’m going to return them.”

r/airpods— neutral

“With music on medium to higher volumes this isn’t a problem and even on low volume not all people I’ve talked to are even noticing that noise, but I would only recommend getting the 5s at a store with a good return policy.”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“Upgraded from AP2 - difficult to remove them from the case. Awkward”

YouTube▲ recommend

“I have had the AirPods 5 for a few days now, and I really enjoy them.”

r/airpods▼ don’t recommend

“I went from AirPods 2 to AirPods 5 and they are so painful after an hour of usage. I’m considering returning them. Also the bass seems way to overpowering even after adjusting EQ”

YouTube▲ recommend

“the ANC is crazy on these things. coming from the original airpods pros, i was impressed with how much sound they blocked out.”

YouTube— neutral

“I haven‘t noticed any significant differences between the airpods 4 anc and the airpods 5 in terms of noise cancelling or sound quality.”

YouTube— neutral

“Air Pods 5 sound great, They fit well in my right ear, but not in my left ear. So, I use them only at home.”

YouTube▲ recommend

“For me, I find the fit of the AirPods 5 much better and more comfortable than the AirPods Pro 3.”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“These fall right out of your ears every time. They also are NOT i repeat NOT compatible with the Ipod Touch. Save yourself the aggravation & irritation of returning them.”

r/airpods— neutral

“I also went with the 5’s. My pro 2’s left earbud stoppped working so I just bought the 5. The only thing that sucks is that the right one doesn’t stay secured in my ear. This is most likely due to my canal shape though but I do like the sound and fit.”

YouTube▲ recommend

“I ended up buying the 5’s for casual listening and at the office. I really really like the smaller case which is cool.”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“I just boght them and I dont know what to do with them... I though they are the same like the wired headphones which fit me perfectly and the sole reason I got these.”

r/airpods— neutral

“I feel bass is low on 5s and i donot have ios27 since i did not upgrade hence feeling sound a bit flat”

YouTube▲ recommend

“I just bought airpods 5,and they fit my ears perfectly,they don't fall out,very comfortable!”

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

“I bought the AirPods 5. As much as I tried to like them , I think my AirPods 4 have better midrange, less V shaped sound profile. I returned the AirPods 5 to Apple.”

r/airpods— neutral

“I had the same problem. I went to the Genius Bar, they exchanged them. The new ones sound way better.”

r/airpods▼ don’t recommend

“Have encountered some prob with 5, like -A couple of times, my AirPods have made a crackling or popping sound at the exact moment an incoming call came in, instead of playing the normal ringtone.”

YouTube▲ recommend

“Prefer these to my pro 3, much comfier no more itchy ears.”

Showing 1–24 of 129

How it ranks among 15 wireless earbuds

Ranked by the share of owners who recommend each one.

  1. 1Apple AirPods 5You are here65% · 129 owners
  2. 2Beats Fit Pro61% · 148 owners
  3. 3Beats Studio Buds +58% · 241 owners
  4. 4Apple AirPods 458% · 113 owners
  5. 5EAH-AZ10055% · 233 owners
  6. 6Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds55% · 130 owners
  7. 7Apple AirPods Pro 351% · 343 owners
  8. 8Pixel Buds Pro 245% · 240 owners
  9. 9Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro44% · 105 owners
  10. 10Sony WF-1000XM642% · 99 owners
  11. 11Sony WF-1000XM539% · 482 owners
  12. 12Nothing Ear (a)36% · 118 owners
  13. 13Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC36% · 76 owners
  14. 14Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)34% · 50 owners
  15. 15Soundcore Space A4031% · 61 owners

Common problems & things to know

Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“The 4s battery life is such trash though. The 5s anc magsafe are much better. A meaningful difference in battery life and swiping the stem to change volume are nice.”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“UPDATE: The Find My issue is fixed! My phone and iPad were not updated to the new iOS and a quick check in with Customer Service fixed the issue! Make sure if you buy these AirPods to update your phone✅”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“For the pressure issue after a week it’s disappear. and especially in daily life use (subway / bus / walking in the street) you won’t feel it anymore as if you put music or listening to you video, you will enjoy ANC even more”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“That sucks. I wish you luck with the 5s then, because those are “one size fits all” unless you spend money on third party attachments.”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“It's absolutely ridiculous that they even made the cheaper version TBH. Who gives AF about saving $20 if you have the budget for $100+ airpods?? They should have just made one version only IMHO - the one with the wireless charging case.”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“they fit the exact same as the 2nd gen’s (in my opinion) maybe even better actually. they don’t feel as big in the ear”

r/airpodsⓘ good to know

“Yeah, for a design without sealing off your ears, it’s very impressive. Road noise, constant humming noises or AC fans etc. are blocked very effectively. More dynamic noises like from a construction site loud background chatter isn’t cancelled very well.”