AirPods Cyber Monday deals live blog: the best Pro, Max and 3rd gen sales

Hello there - welcome to our latest live blog, where we take you through all the top choices when it comes to getting the best AirPods deals from Apple.

Currently most of the great deals we saw over Black Friday are still mostly live, albeit with slight price rises since the first appeared - that tells us that we could expect something new and improved in the near future.

(Come on Cyber Monday, don't let us down).

Let's kick off with the best Cyber Monday AirPods deal out there right now in the US - the AirPods Max have dropped to their lowest ever price in a fantastic deal from Crutchfield, which reduces the noise-cancelling headphones from $549 to $429.

These over-ear headphones are usually very pricey indeed, though we loved their audio performance when we reviewed them. The AirPods Max also come with noise cancellation to help block out the world around you, and a comfortable (if a little unusual) design that should see you through long listening sessions. 

There's no 3.5mm audio jack, which is a shame - but that's something we can overlook at this new low price. 

Guess what's back in stock? It's only that excellent AirPods best-ever deal that sees them crash down to just $159 for the set.

That's nearly $100 off the RRP of a pretty decent set of true wireless earbuds, and given we've seen this offer flashing in and out, I would suggest you get on the deal pronto.

Oh, hello people that live in the UK and don't spend money in dollars - you can also save on the AirPods Max. In a deal we first saw over Black Friday, Amazon has slashed the price of the wireless headphones from £549 to £426.50, saving you £122.50. 

Not sure about the AirPods Max? Stick around, and we'll take you through some excellent alternatives, from the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy today, to budget wireless headphones that don't skimp on the audio specs - all of which have been discounted in the lead up to Cyber Monday.

Next up, we've got the AirPods (2nd gen). What does that mean? It's the standard, stereotypical launch shape for these little ear-dwellers.

We saw them drop under $100 last year, but they're currently stuck at $109 right now over at Amazon. If we were to place an educated guess, we'd say that these might, might drop to $79 if a retailer was being absolutely bonkers.

It's possible they could go to $99 on Cyber Monday itself, but that's a real roll of the dice. If you want these for Christmas, they're a great choice.

I've been doing some digging and I've changed my mind - I think there will be some decent savings on the AirPods (2nd gen). They fell to $89 on November 11, which makes me think they've got to get to that price again.

We'll see, of course - I'd have expected it to happen on Black Friday, but that never emerged.

If you're in the UK, you're probably looking over with envy at the US prices for the AirPods - but worry not. We've found them over at Amazon UK for just £99 which is the lowest ever - they're the second gen 'standard' AirPods, sure, but they come with a wirelessly-charging case.

I really don't like the original AirPods - they fall out of my ears too easily - but then again, I do really like they way they turn on automatically when you pop them in your ears and just look at an Apple device.

So -you remember before when I said that it wouldn't all be AirPods?

Well, if you want a pair of headphones that are better than the AirPods Max - and substantially less expensive - these Cyber Monday deals on the Sony WH-1000XM4 are well worth picking up. 

In the US, they've been reduced from $349 to $248 at both Best Buy and Amazon, saving you over $100 on the best headphones of 2021.

A similar saving is available in the UK, with Amazon slashing the price of the Sony WH-1000XM4 from £349 to £249. While we've seen prices dip as low as £201, this is the best price for the noise-cancellers in the run up to Cyber Monday. 

If you love espresso-style hot drinks as well as filter coffee, this is the Keurig deal you want to snap up. The K-Duo coffee maker is extremely versatile as it can brew filter coffee in the included 12-cup glass carafe, or make hot drinks using K-Cup pods, and is now down to $79 at Walmart, offering a $20 saving. 

It has a 60 oz reservoir so you won't find yourself constantly topping up the coffee maker every time you want a hot beverage, either.  I love the array of K-Cup pods available covering everything from coffee and tea, to hot chocolate and even chai, but sometimes nothing beats a large cup of joe. 

The hot plate keeps the filter coffee warm, while the handy pause and pour function lets you temporarily stop the brewing process so you can pour a hot drink, before letting the coffee continue to fill to the carafe. 

Whoa - one of our writers has been on an absolute deals spree. Get ready for an AIRPODS DEALS BLAST.

OK, let's start with the AirPods (3rd generation) - yep, the ones that were only just announced. 

They're currently $169 at Amazon, taking $10 off the RRP. Wait, wait... WAIT! Come back! That's not all!

When you add them to the cart, you can get a further $20 discount - taking the all-new AirPods down to just $149.

Bet you're glad you didn't click away now, aren't you?

OK, one down. Next up, about those AirPods (2nd generation) I talked about recently...

So, it turns out that I was slightly wrong with them, and missed the same trick - you can get $15 off the $114.99 price that's currently showing at Amazon.

If you want the (slightly ageing) AirPods, you can apply a $15 discount at the checkout and get them for $99 - just $10 off the cheapest ever.

This is only a good deal if you're on a tighter budget and aren't hugely bothered by sonic performance - they'll suit you down to the ground if that's you (and you've got an iPhone - they're not really any use with Android).

Right, here's the final deal of the DEALS BLAST - and I'm unsure whether I should recommend it.

You can get the same AirPods as above, with the same spec and performance, but for $42 more (coming in at $141.99) if you want the wireless-charging case.

I mean, wireless charging is handy, but it takes longer and I've not really been that bothered about using it, despite having wireless chargers everywhere. I much prefer the confirmation they're charging by using a cable, where you often pick up and put down a phone, which makes wireless charging far smarter.

Hello everyone - Olivia here, TechRadar's Audio & Music Editor, and I'll be taking over this live blog for the foreseeable. I'm sure you'll all agree that Gareth has done a fantastic job, apart from posting a rogue coffee machine deal earlier...

Morale is high as we head into the night and the start of Cyber Monday at TechRadar towers in the UK, where the team is still full of energy thanks to a heady mixture of filter coffee and sugary snacks.

I'll be here for the next few hours to bring you all the best Cyber Monday AirPods deals as we spot them, as well as lots of suggestions for different headphones and earbuds you can buy if any of the AirPods deals we suggest don't take your fancy.

Alert! Sound the alarm! The AirPods Pro have dropped back to their lowest ever price at Amazon.

Right now, you cancan get the AirPods Pro for $159 at Amazon, a reduction of $90 from their $249 RRP.

Don't feel left out if you're in the UK - Amazon has slashed the noise-cancelling earbuds from £239 to £185, saving you £54 and bringing them back down to their lowest price in this region.

I'm a big fan of the AirPods Pro, personally. They sound much better than the original AirPods, and support for Spatial Audio means you can hear your songs in a new, more immersive way.

It's no secret that I love my music... and as such, I've spent a few minutes putting together a lil' Apple Music playlist of some great tracks to try out in Spatial Audio.

If you only have time for one, try out The Doors' Riders on the Storm. You'll notice that, as the band members talk to each other at the start of the track, the spatial audio positioning of their voices makes it feel as though you’re in the room with them.

Pretty cool, if you ask me.

The AirPods Pro aren't the only Apple earbuds to support Spatial Audio. The newly-released AirPods 3 can also handle immersive music formats - and they sound pretty good, too.

They don't have the noise cancellation you get with the AirPods Pro, and the open fit means a lot of sound leaks in when you use them - so we'd still recommend buying the AirPods Pro while they're at their lowest price in the US and the UK.

However, if you do want to try out the AirPods 3 (perhaps you don't like the feeling of wearing silicone eartips like you get with the AirPods Pro), there are some Cyber Monday deals to take advantage of.

In the US, the AirPods (3rd Generation) are on sale at Amazon for $149.99 when you apply the additional $20 coupon at checkout. That's a total savings of $29 and $30 less than the current price of the AirPods Pro.

New Apple AirPods (3rd Generation): $179 $149.99 at Amazon

In the UK? You can also save on the AirPods 3, which have been given their first discount.

Right now, you can get £10 off the all-new AirPods 3, which Amazon reducing the price from £169 to £159. The new wireless earbuds come with Spatial Audio support, a new contoured fit, and a 30-hour battery life.

New Apple AirPods (3rd Generation): £169 £159 at Amazon

As good as I think the AirPods Pro and the AirPods 3 are, they aren't the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today.

That award goes to the Sony WF-1000XM4 - and luckily for you, they're currently discounted in the early Cyber Monday sales.

In a deal that first appeared over Black Friday, the Sony earbuds are currently discounted from $279.99 to $248 at Amazon.

Like the AirPods Pro, the Sony WF-1000XM4 offer excellent noise cancellation, as well as a superior audio performance. However, they are currently more expensive, so there will be no judgement from me if you opt for the Apple buds instead.

Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds: $279.99 $248 at Amazon

You can also save on the Sony WF-1000XM4 if you're in the UK (what are you doing up? Don't you know it's a school night?!)

Amazon has the buds on sale for £199, a saving of £51 compared to their £250 RRP. Black Friday was the first time we saw a significant discount on the Sony WF-1000XM4, and they're an excellent purchase if you're looking for the best combination of audio performance, design, noise cancellation, and battery life.

PS - it's gone midnight in the UK, and that means it's officially Cyber Monday here.

Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds: £250 £199 at Amazon

Now that Cyber Monday has officially reached the UK and we're edging closer in the US, let's see how prices for the 2019 AirPods are doing...

There's no change, actually. They're still available to buy for $99 in the US, and £99 in the UK. Don't get us wrong, these are great prices when you consider they cost $129 / £119 usually - but there are lots of better true wireless earbuds out there for similar (or lower) prices.

And don't worry, we'll take you through some of our top picks shortly. In the meantime, I wonder if anyone listened to my Spatial Audio playlist on Apple Music?

US: AirPods with wired charging case: $159 $99.99 at Amazon
UK: Apple AirPods (2019): £119 £99 at Amazon

For the same price as the AirPods (2019), you can get the new Beats Studio Buds. They still come with all the Apple-friendly connectivity you want, but they're also suitable for Android users. 

Plus, they come with active noise cancellation, support for Spatial Audio, and an IPX4 rating, making them sweat-resistant but not waterproof. 

Beats Studio Buds: $149 $99 at Best Buy

Another good alternative to the 2019 AirPods are the Sony WF-C500. No, these aren't the very best Sony earbuds, but they are better than the AirPods. How, you ask? Oh, let me count the ways...

For starters, the audio performance is much more convincing. They also come with a more subtle design.

Best of all? They're currently on sale for $78 at Amazon, reduced from $99.99.

Sony WF-C500 wireless earbuds: $99.99 $78 at Amazon