AirPods 4 are down to $99 again, but there's a better AirPods Pro 2 deal that I'd buy

If you've been lusting after a pair of AirPods but don't want to pay the full Apple price, you'll like this deal: right now, you can buy the Apple AirPods 4 at Amazon for $99.99 (was $129) – so they're back to their lowest ever price.

If your budget tops out at 100 bucks, that's a good deal. But if you can stretch a bit more, there are better AirPods options. The AirPods 4 with ANC are down from $179 to $148.99 at Amazon – and there's an even bigger discount on the range-topping AirPods Pro 2, which are $169.99 (was $249) at Amazon.

The latter especially are among the best noise cancelling earbuds on the market, and you don't need to be a commuter to benefit from the joys of ANC: it does a great job of turning down the sound of my kids messing around, and I've been forced to discover that it's a pretty great way of dialing down the sound of my neighbors' reonvation work, too.

Today's best Apple AirPods deals

Apple AirPods 4: was $129 now $99.99 at Amazon

The Apple AirPods 4 are good value at this price, with Personalized Spatial Audio, dynamic head tracking and a reliable battery life of up to 30 hours with the charging case. They're very good earbuds but it's important to note that this particular model doesn't come with active noise cancelling.

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Apple AirPods Pro 2: was $249 now $169.99 at Amazon

As good as the AirPods 4 are, I think these are better – so much so that these are the buds I spent my own money on. I prefer the fit, the ANC is excellent and this is a very big discount on Apple's price – though isn't the cheapest they've ever been. You also get the benefit of Apple's new hearing features, including the hearing aid and hearing test features that elevate these earbuds over the competition.

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In our review we said that the Apple AirPods 4 are a “solid pair of AirPods with a fun, dynamic sound, and a secure fit”. They're the best AirPods for anyone looking for the cheapest official Apple buds. There’s no ANC here, but as our AirPods 4 review explains, you get a “good-sounding, compact set of earbuds with a very secure and comfortable fit”. That’s even despite the lack of in-ear tips.

If you’re an Apple user, you’ll love how well they work and how quickly they connect. However, the best budget wireless earbuds world is competitive so if you want something with cross-platform support, you may wish to go elsewhere.

However, I'd still go for the AirPods Pro 2, if you can. They've fallen to under $160 in the past, so this isn't the cheapest they've been – but it's excellent value for earbuds that sound this good, block noise this well, and have so many great features when working with Apple gear.

I find them to be more than worth the upgrade fee for everything extra they do – and I appreciate the little extras such as the case you track the location of, and the volume control on the earbuds.

If you're not sure you want an Apple option, there are tons of other headphone deals around right now: this is a really competitive sector now, and that's great news for buyers because it means you get much more bang for your earbuds buck. Check out our guide to the best earbuds to discover the best options for every ear and budget.